What did the Cowboys do with their 2026 compensatory pick for losing Jourdan Lewis?
TL;DR
The Dallas Cowboys received a fifth-round compensatory pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after Jourdan Lewis signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. They traded this pick to move up in Round 1 to select Caleb Downs.
Key points
- Dallas Cowboys received a fifth-round compensatory pick for Jourdan Lewis
- The pick is the 180th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft
- Cowboys traded the pick to move up in Round 1 for Caleb Downs
**How did the Cowboys get a compensatory pick for Jourdan Lewis?**
The Cowboys received a fifth-round pick for letting Lewis hit free agency. That is now the number 180 overall pick in the draft.
**What did the Cowboys do with the compensatory pick from Jourdan Lewis?**
The Cowboys traded this pick as part of their Round 1 move up one spot with the Miami Dolphins to take Caleb Downs.
**How was Jourdan Lewisâ performance for the Jaguars in 2025?**
Lewis missed five games for the Jaguars due to injury, but he managed to record two interceptions and 39 tackles in his first season with the Jags.
**Should the Cowboys have re-signed Lewis?**
Lewis spent his first eight NFL seasons with the Cowboys and established himself as a solid defender for them. His $10 million average annual salary with the Jaguars proved to be too rich for the Cowboys. Given his price tag, the Cowboys made the right move in moving on from him, because he did not necessarily live up to that value in his first season with Jacksonville. Now that heâs 31 years old for the 2026 campaign, the Cowboys can invest in someone younger with this fifth-round pick and move forward.
**What is a compensatory pick?**
Compensatory picks are awarded to teams that suffer a net loss of qualifying free agents during the previous yearâs free agency period. So 2026 NFL Draft compensatory picks are awarded due to free agents lost in 2025. Then those players are ranked on the amount of salary, playing time, and a bunch of other criteria and slotted into the end of rounds three through seven.
Q&A
How did the Cowboys acquire a compensatory pick for Jourdan Lewis?
The Cowboys received a fifth-round compensatory pick for allowing Jourdan Lewis to enter free agency, which is now the 180th overall pick.
What did the Cowboys do with their 2026 compensatory pick?
The Cowboys traded their fifth-round compensatory pick to the Miami Dolphins to move up one spot in the first round of the draft.
What was Jourdan Lewis' performance with the Jaguars in 2025?
In 2025, Jourdan Lewis played in 12 games for the Jaguars, recording two interceptions and 39 tackles.