Cowboys Stay Quiet as NFC East Rivals Make Deadline Moves

On November 10, Dallas reached the 4 p.m. ET NFL trade deadline without making a deal. Owner Jerry Jones had said he was open to a move, but did not expect the team to make a significant one. He told 105.3 The Fan that his phone was not ringing, while leaving open the possibility of a late transaction.

A major need for the Cowboys was help at edge rusher, but high-end players at that position are seldom available, and acquiring one can cost heavily. Dallas also had limited draft capital after previous trades. Smaller deals may have been possible, but the team may have judged them insufficient to justify surrendering more picks, given its defensive struggles. Another possibility is that the club saw no available trade likely to improve its prospects enough to warrant the cost.

The Giants and Commanders also stood pat, despite rumors involving New York. Philadelphia came close to sending Arnold Ebiketie to Cincinnati on deadline day, but the Bengals withdrew after realizing they would have to surrender a compensatory third-round pick tied to Trey Hendrickson’s departure in free agency.

The Eagles had already completed a major trade with Jacksonville on Monday, sending Jordan Davis to the Jaguars in exchange for a package that included a first- and second-round pick. That move means Dallas will no longer face Davis twice a season as an NFC East opponent.