Cowboys Players Who Should be on the Trade Block After Week 3

After two weeks of putting on comprehensive beatdowns of the New York Giants and Jets to start the season, the Dallas Cowboys came crashing to earth with a 28-16 loss to an Arizona Cardinals team that isn't expected to win a ton of games this season.

It was a disappointing ending to a week that saw the Cowboys lose one of their best players, Trevon Diggs, for the season due to a torn ACL during a practice.

Despite the loss and the crisis of belief that could be going on with fans and the front office alike, the Cowboys still profile as a team that is going to be a serious factor in the NFC.

That doesn't mean they don't have players they shouldn't be willing to shop as the trade deadline draws closer, though. The Cowboys have a deep roster and sometimes that means giving up a player to address a need elsewhere or stock future picks.

Here are three players who could be on the trade block based on the team's makeup, the player's performance and financial situation.

QB Cooper Rush

AP Photo/Sam Hodde

Trey Lance and Cooper Rush

Cooper Rush has remained the backup for the Cowboys despite the team's decision to trade for Trey Lance. The 29-year-old Rush's familiarity with the playbook and comfort in Mike McCarthy's system has allowed him to stave off the former No. 3 overall pick.

It helps that the Cowboys have seen what he can do as a spot starter. He stepped in for five games with Dak Prescott out of the lineup last season, going 4-1 as the starter with over 1,000 yards passing, five touchdowns and three interceptions.

That would be a massive upgrade over who the New York Jets currently have starting qt quarterback right now.

That's what would make Rush an alluring trade candidate. If there's a non-Prescott quarterback on the roster who could take over as the long-term answer at quarterback when the veteran's contract is up, it's Lance.

Rush is never going to be the team's long-term answer at quarterback. As Lance gets more comfortable in Dallas, it would make sense to make him the team's backup and ship off Rush to a team that actually needs an emergency starter.

Edge Dorance Armstrong

Cooper Neill/Getty Images

ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 17: Dorance Armstrong #92 of the Dallas Cowboys defends in coverage during a football game at AT&T Stadium on September 17, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

The Cowboys have an embarrassment of riches on the edges. Not only is Micah Parsons arguably the best overall player in football but they have a whole crew behind him of defensive ends who can get after the quarterback.

Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Sam Williams, Dante Fowler Jr. and Dorance Armstrong give offensive lines headaches every week.

While depth is great on the edges, getting something in return for a player like Armstrong who is set to hit free agency at the end of the year anyway wouldn't be a bad move. Armstrong has only played up to 22 snaps in the first three games of the season.

Despite the limited role, Armstrong has proven that he can get after the quarterback. He had two sacks in the team's season opener.

The Cowboys can keep Armstrong around for a year and hope that the compensatory pick formula will land them a draft pick in return. Or they could use their strength to their advantage and look for a trade partner now who will give them a guaranteed pick in next year's draft.

DT Johnathan Hankins

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TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 16: Johnathan Hankins #95 of the Dallas Cowboys runs to the sideline against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Raymond James Stadium on January 16, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

Johnathan Hankins is another player who fits the mold of a veteran headed toward free agency. The nose tackle has done a nice job for the Cowboys over the first three weeks of the season, but he's also on the final year of his contract and Dallas should be expanding Mazi Smith's role as the season goes.

The team's first-round pick has only seen 40 snaps in the first three games of the season, but that's a number that should grow. Smith came to the Cowboys as an extremely athletic project who should only get better with more advanced coaching and development.

Hankins has a much larger role than Smith right now with 63 snaps over the first three games, but that's still only 35 percent. Osa Odighizuwa and Neville Gallimore are at the top of the rotation.

The Cowboys are only rotating four interior linemen right now but part of that is because they have some edge players like Dorance Armstrong and Chauncey Golston who are capable of kicking inside.

That flexibility makes Hankins a somewhat expendable piece of the puzzle right now. If the Cowboys feel comfortable with giving Smith a larger role as the season progresses then Hankins could be on the block.