Cowboys not expected to be active at trade deadline

Issues at running back and at both defensive end and defensive tackle have come up since training camp, with the pass-catching situation beyond CeeDee Lamb being an issue essentially since the team’s post-Amari Cooperoffense revealed itself. The Cowboys checked onDavante Adams but quickly bowed out when it became clear the Raiders wanted a team to pick up his full salary.

The Cowboys still managed a 12-5 record in each of the post-Cooper seasons, but they have been on the wrong side of two NFC blowouts this year and sit 3-3 after the second — a 47-9 Lions dismantling — brought more concerns about Mike Zimmer‘s defense.

Jones already responded in the negative when asked about potential coaching or coordinator changes, showing faith this batch will craft a turnaround. However, the owner already put Mike McCarthy in a rare lame-duck season due to how poorly the team played in a wild-card loss to Green Bay. As far as roster improvements at the deadline, however, Cowboys fans should not be expecting much. Jones told The Athletic’s Dianna Russini the team will not be active in deals before the Nov. 5 deadline.

Although the Cowboys beat the Bills by six years in trading for Cooper to spark a midseason turnaround, Jones said this Dallas team has “great personnel” and is not leaning toward the aggressive direction he once did. The Cowboys then considered the 2019 receiver free agent class to be shaky, leading to the team giving up a first-rounder for Cooper. That acquisition helped Jones’ perception given what happened following the Joey Galloway and Roy Williams trades. The Raiders import helped turn Jason Garrett‘s team from 3-4 to making a divisional-round appearance.

That round has been a rather infamous stage for Jones’ franchise in the years since Super Bowl XXX, as the team’s streak of seasons without an NFC championship game berth has reached 28. Thanks to the Lions’ cameo last season, only Washington surpasses Dallas’ run of active seasons without an NFC title game berth. McCarthy has gone 36-15 during the past three regular seasons but is now 1-3 in the playoffs in his second-chance HC gig.

Zimmer’s defense, which has played the past two games without Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence while going the full season without DaRon Bland, ranks 27th in DVOA. More damning, McCarthy and Brian Schottenheimer‘s offense is 25th despite Lamb’s big-ticket extension and Dak Prescott‘s market-resetting payday hours before Week 1’s kickoff. Following those deals, the Cowboys hold $21.7M in cap space — seventh-most in the NFL. They are in the bottom 10 for projected 2025 cap space, however, and Parsons will then be due a monster extension.

The Cowboys ranked first in scoring offense last season; they now sit 19th. The run game, which the team did not reinforce this offseason, ranks last in total yardage and YPC (3.5). Dallas added Dalvin Cook to its practice squad but has yet to elevate the former Vikings 1,000-yard rusher. Jones has famously said he could not afford Derrick Henry, to whom the Cowboys were connected dating back to 2023, but beyond the Ezekiel Elliott signing (which has produced scant production), the team punted on the backs in free agency and did not draft one. Pro Football Focus also ranks the Cowboys’ O-line 22nd after Week 6.

Although Parsons will have a chance to come back in Week 7, both Lawrence and second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland have gone down with injuries expected to sideline them into November. Third-year DE Sam Williams is out for the season. The Cowboys signed K.J. Henryoff the Bengals’ practice squad, doing so after trading for Jordan Phillips (now on IR) and signing Linval Joseph in August. Departing DC Dan Quinn also poached regulars Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler and Tyler Biadasz in free agency. Dallas’ run defense ranks 26th.

The collection of Cowboys rostered will face significant pressure following the team’s bye week, but Jones has said McCarthy is safe for at least this season. The team will begin its inward-focused post-bye mission in San Francisco.