- Total Trades: 5
- Average Grade: C- (73.2)
This page lists all the 2025 Trades for the Dallas Cowboys. I’ve listed all of the NFL Free Agent Signing Grades here, which included the trades. Because I’ve begun posting polls for the trades, I thought it would make sense to list just the NFL trades here, so archiving the voting would be easier.
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November 2025 – Trades
Cowboys acquire DT Quinnen Williams from Jets for 2026 second-round pick, 2027 first-round pick, DT Mazi Smith
I was ready to make fun of the Cowboys for surrendering two first-round picks when this trade was initially announced. As it turns out, the Cowboys are giving away just one opening-round selection in 2027. They’re also throwing in a second-round pick for this year’s draft, as well as recent first-round draft bust Mazi Smith.
I can’t believe it, but I actually like this trade for the Cowboys. It seems ridiculous that they’d be buyers at 3-5-1, but Williams is one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL, and he’s still fairly young at 27. Williams may not be able to help Dallas win this year, but with two first-round picks, the Cowboys can load up on talent next year and make a run at Super Bowl LXI. Also, it must be considered that Jerry Jones isn’t too far removed from being played in a nursing home, so it would make sense for him to have an all-in approach.
Meanwhile, the Jets continue to implode their roster. At this point, they resemble some zebra that just collapses and meets its fate against a lion. They’ve traded away their two best defensive players, which would make sense in a rebuild if those two players were aging veterans. However, Sauce Gardner is 25, while Williams is 27. They could have easily been part of the rebuilding project.
The Jets were at least able to obtain two first-round picks for Gardner. Not being able to do so for Williams is embarrassing. The Jets look like the real losers of the trade deadline. If they don’t nail these draft picks, they’re going to be the worst team in the NFL for a very long time.
Grade for Cowboys – A
Grade for Jets – D
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Cowboys acquire WR Logan Wilson from Bengals for seventh-round pick
Jerry Jones teased a potential trade at the deadline for his Cowboys prior to the Monday night game against Arizona. Some wondered if the deal would be off, given that the Cowboys dropped to 3-5-1 in the wake of the loss to Arizona, but Jones stubbornly continued to believe that his team was a buyer. As a result, Jones acquired Logan Wilson for a seventh-round pick.
Despite the Cowboys not being worthy of buyer status, I like this trade for them. Wilson is a solid linebacker in run support. He’s not very good in coverage, but he’s not a huge liability either. He can strengthen a big position of weakness. He’ll be 30 soon, but he should still be able to have a strong season or two beyond 2025.
The Bengals, meanwhile, just drafted Wilson’s successor in Demetrius Knight. Granted, Knight has been terrible this year, but at least Cincinnati has a potential long-term answer at the position. Obtaining a seventh-round pick is probably meaningless in the long run, especially for a team with very few scouts like the Bengals. So, if I were running Cincinnati, I would have rather kept Wilson because his absence worsens the defense, and Joe Burrow will be back in about a month-and-a-half.
Grade for Cowboys – A
Grade for Bengals – C-
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August 2025 – Trades
Packers acquire DE/OLB Micah Parsons from Cowboys for two first-round picks, NT Kenny Clark
About 30 years ago, the Packers landed the best pass rusher in the NFL in free agency. His name was Reggie White, and he helped Brett Favre win a Super Bowl. History is a bit different this time, with Micah Parsons being acquired via a trade, but Green Bay has obtained arguably the best pass rusher in the league to help get “No Cookie” Jordan Love over the top. The Packers will be moving into Group A in my NFL Power Rankings.
This is a tremendous trade for the Packers, who automatically become one of the top Super Bowl contenders in the NFC. Their pass rush was mediocre last year, and it was something they didn’t really address this offseason. That has clearly changed with Parsons, who is not only a dynamic player; he’s also just 26. Parsons’ best football could still be ahead of him. Two first-round picks and Kenny Clark, a 30-year-old nose tackle coming off a down season, is small price to pay for one of the best players in the NFL.
Conversely, the Cowboys have made yet another terrible blunder under Jerry Jones. This trade is a confusing one, as Jones’ age dictates that he should have an all-in approach. Instead, he hired one of the worst offensive coordinators in recent NFL history to be his head coach and then traded away a young, elite defensive player for two first-round picks and Clark. As mentioned, Clark is no longer the force he once was, while the two picks will be in the 20s, or perhaps even the early 30s.
Grade for Packers – A+
Grade for Cowboys – MILLEN (F)
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May 2025 – Trades
Cowboys acquire WR George Pickens from Steelers for 2026 3rd-round pick, swap of 2027 late-round picks
Jerry Jones is a huge fan of wasting fourth-round picks. He used fourth-round selections to acquire Trey Lance and Jonathan Mingo recently. His coaching staff barely used Lance, opting to start Cooper Rush over him in meaningless games. Mingo also provided nothing for Dallas.
Jones, however, must view third-round picks as being much more valuable because he used one to obtain George Pickens. The Cowboys made a huge mistake of neglecting wide receiver during the 2025 NFL Draft, but they’ve made amends for it, acquiring Pickens from the Steelers for a third-round choice and a late-round swap in 2027 that will see their fifth-round pick transformed into a sixth-round selection.
This is an outstanding trade for the Cowboys. Pickens is a dynamic downfield threat, so he’ll be a great complement to CeeDee Lamb. Dallas had nothing at receiver outside of Lamb, so Pickens is a huge upgrade at a very reasonable price. Pickens comes with some character concerns, but his talent makes it worth the risk.
As for the Steelers, this deal is very disappointing. They had to rely on bums like Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin when their quarterback wasn’t targeting Pickens last year. The D.K. Metcalf acquisition appeared to have changed that, giving Pittsburgh a tandem of electric wide receivers, but now the team is stuck with the same situation, except with Metcalf instead of Pickens. Pittsburgh had some long-shot Super Bowl aspirations if Aaron Rodgers signed, but Pickens’ departure makes a playoff run more unlikely.
Grade for Cowboys – A
Grade for Steelers – D
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April 2025 – Trades
Cowboys acquire QB Joe Milton from Patriots for swap of 5th-, 7th-rounders
I thought I was going to grade the Cowboys negatively for this trade when I initially heard about it. Dallas infamously acquired Trey Lance for a fourth-round pick, yet refused to give him playing time down the stretch last year when it was apparent that they wouldn’t be making the playoffs. Giving up another fourth for a similar player would have been foolish.
This trade, however, is much better for Dallas. The Cowboys will be giving up a fifth-round pick instead of a fourth, and they’ll be getting back a seventh from New England. That’s a much better deal for a young quarterback with plenty of potential.
With that in mind, the Cowboys won this trade. I don’t understand why the Patriots would settle for anything less than a fourth-round selection for Milton. The 2024 sixth-round pick has looked terrific in all of his appearances, albeit those made in the preseason and in meaningless late-season games. Milton is raw, but has loads of potential. Giving him up for a late-round pick swap is a very poor move. I just imagine what Howie Roseman would have done instead. He would have waited for a quarterback injury and then dangled Milton to that team for a fourth-round selection, or maybe even a third. The Patriots should aim to be much more cunning with their transactions.
Grade for Cowboys – A-
Grade for Patriots – D
Comment on the other free agent signings below.
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