Potential Targets for Cowboys, More Teams Who Could Trade Back in NFL Draft

With just one week left until the 2025 NFL draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, pre-draft fever has hit the boiling point. Speculation and rumors are rampant. Some are just conjecture from the draftnik community, while others may be carefully-placed "reports" leaked by NFL teams themselves.

We have a pretty good idea Miami quarterback Cam Ward will be selected by the Tennessee Titans. But after that is anyone's guess. There will no doubt be surprise selections. There will be teams who move up while others look to trade down.

Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told 105.3 The Fan (h/t Jon Machota of The Athletic) he could see his team in that latter group.

"I don't necessarily see us moving up, based on the way the board is coming together," he said. "But could see a situation where we move down."

The upside to making a move back is potentially obtaining a player of comparable talent at an area of need while also adding draft picks. For that plan to work, though, a team needs to believe it can trade back and still have a solid chance of landing its target.

Here's a look at several teams who could be in the market to slide back in 2025 and the players they could be looking to add once that trade down in Round 1 has occurred.

Dallas Cowboys: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Before Stephen Jones mentioned potentially trading back in Round 1, he told reporters he wanted to be flexible and let the draft come to the Cowboys instead of forcing the pick:

"Part of what we do in free agency is to make it to where, hopefully, there's a great player sitting there with each pick that we really like. And [we] don't want to be nailed down to, 'Hey, it's got to be a defensive lineman,' or 'It's got to be a receiver,' or 'It's got to be a linebacker or a running back.' Let's see what comes to us."

That’s all well and good, but the Cowboys do have some fairly glaring needs, including an upgrade at wide receiver opposite CeeDee Lamb.

In their most recent mock draft, the Bleacher Report NFL Scouting Department has the Cowboys selecting Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan with the No. 12 overall pick.

"McMillan is a great fit alongside Lamb," Dame Parson said. "He plays all three wide receiver positions/alignments. A physical X-receiver with developmental potential is exactly what the Cowboys need. McMillan runs routes and separates from coverage. The 6'4" target is a ball-winner with outstanding body control, leaping ability and hand strength to make contested catches look routine."

However, in their latest mock at ESPN, Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates predicted McMillan, whose stock has slid in the eyes of some, could fall outside the top 20.

This would be a dream scenario for Jones and the Cowboys: The ability to address one of the team's primary needs while adding some draft capital in a trade.

Atlanta Falcons: James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee

AP Photo/Scott Kinser

There is no question the Atlanta Falcons need help on the edge.

Their 31 sacks in 2024 were the second-fewest in the league, and that was the second time in three years they had finished in the same position in that category.

However, it's a deep draft class at edge-rusher, and the Falcons head to Green Bay with just five picks, opening at No. 15. That sets the stage for them to have their cake and eat it: adding draft picks while also addressing a pass rush that desperately needs a boost.

The pre-draft stock of Tennessee edge-rusher James Pearce Jr. may be sliding, but that could present an opportunity for value for teams picking outside the top 20, according to Ian Valentino of A To Z Sports:

"His junior season showcased impressive stats, including a 4.47-second 40-yard dash, career-highs in quarterback hurries, run stops, and tackle efficiency, which only reinforce his status as a quality prospect. Despite this, his average projection in mock drafts has fallen to the 31st pick, with few analysts ranking him among their top 10 players overall. This represents a significant consensus decline.

"There might be some exhaustion with Pearce's name after his sack total dipped slightly in 2024, but overall, it seems like we're overcomplicating the assessment of Pearce as a top-20 prospect."

Edge-rusher may be the Falcons' primary need, but it isn't the only one. Trading back but still adding an explosive edge-rusher like Pearce could allow them to add a Day 2 pick that could be used on a defensive back or offensive lineman.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

FR171624 AP

Since taking over as general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2014, Jason Licht has developed a reputation as an executive willing to play Let's Make a Deal. He has traded down in Round 1 three times: in 2016, 2018 and 2022.

The 54-year-old told reporters he isn't averse to making it four in 2025:

"There have been years where I've thought about it more than others. It just kind of depends on how things fall. You can't walk into it saying, 'I am definitely looking to trade back' because you don't know what's going to fall to you. I do think this year is going to be—I could be wrong—you're going to see maybe a little less people maybe wanting to move up and offering enough to make it worth your while just because the draft is pretty leveled out at a certain point. You might be able to get the same level of player in the second round as you can in the fourth round at certain positions, so I think you'll maybe see a little bit less of that."

The Bucs have just six picks this year, starting with No. 19, so a move back makes some sense. They also have needs at every level of the defense, and there's a player who could slide into the 20s who would be a great fit in Tampa.

In the eyes of many, Alabama's Jihaad Campbell is the No. 1 off-ball linebacker in this draft class. But he had shoulder surgery recently, leading to speculation that the 6’3”, 235-pounder could slide on April 24.

Adding a complement to and eventual replacement for Lavonte David while also bringing in draft capital would be a very Licht move.

Minnesota Vikings: Azareye'h Thomas, CB, Florida State

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

The Minnesota Vikings enter this year's draft looking to build on a 14-win season. But they also head to Green Bay with uncertainty in the secondary and just four picks in the entire process, starting with No. 24.

According to Tyler Forness of A To Z Sports, that combination of circumstances has led many to suggest Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could look to move down this year:

"Adofo-Mensah has a history of swapping multiple draft picks, including his first trade when he did a three-for-two trade by sending picks 12 and 46 for 32, 34, and 66. That strategy is likely to happen if the Vikings are going to move down the board.

"There is also a discussion of how far the Vikings would be willing to move down the board. The mid-30s is probably the sweet spot for the Vikings to land, as the quality of player is very similar at 34 than it is at 24."

Minnesota also badly needs to upgrade a pass defense that struggled last year, and Florida State cornerback Azareye'h Thomas should be available early in Round 2.

Kyle Crabbs of the 33rd Team believes the big-bodied 6’2”, 198-pounder has a high ceiling in the NFL:

"Thomas has all the needle-moving traits for a perimeter corner in today’s NFL. His length is immediately evident in a number of ways—be it how he crowds the catch point, disrupts releases at the line of scrimmage, or the tackle radius that it affords him as a rally and run support defender.

"Thomas' margins in all phases are expanded thanks to the length he possesses and plays with. When projecting more refinement, you get excited about what the ceiling looks like."

A potential starter opposite Byron Murphy and more picks for a team that badly needs them. What's not to like?

Los Angeles Rams: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon

AP Photo/George Walker IV

Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead has long had a reputation as a wheeler and dealer where draft picks are concerned.

The 54-year-old has traded first-rounders for veteran talents such as quarterback Matthew Stafford and cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

Those deals left the Rams without a first-round pick for years, but as Ali Jiwad noted for Rams Wire, Snead has also been a GM who has hit on quite a few Day 2 picks:

"Snead has long been known for his ability to find value in the middle rounds of the draft. Over the years, his picks on Day 2 include names such as Cooper Kupp, Braden Fiske, Joseph Noteboom and Taylor Rapp. They all proved to be key contributors during their time in L.A. – despite Noteboom's frequent injury and performance struggles. By moving back and adding more picks, the Rams could continue this trend and add several players who could immediately contribute to the team's rebuilding efforts."

The Rams don’t have a second-round selection in 2025, but there's not a ton of difference between the players available at 26 and those at 40—right about where Bleacher Report ranks Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr.

"Overall, Conerly has good athletic ability, recovery skills, and the frame of a starting tackle," scout Brandon Thorn wrote. "However, he shows rudimentary footwork in the run game and lapses in pass protection technique that signal him as a potential starter early on. But he is young enough to work his way into a starting role within his rookie contract."

Thorn's player comparison for Conerly? Joseph Noteboom.

Washington Commanders: Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame

AP Photo/Mike Buscher)

The Washington Commanders are all-in on the 2025 season after last year's surprise run to the NFC Championship Game.

The team made a pair of trades for veteran players in wide receiver Deebo Samuel and offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. Those deals brought in a pair of starters, but they also left the Commanders a bit short on draft selections.

However, there could be an avenue for them to recoup some of those picks.

As ESPN's Adam Schefter told Next Man Up! (h/t the official Commanders website), teams at the top of Round 2 in need of a quarterback could be looking to get into the back of the first round and draft that signal-caller with Washington's No. 29 pick:

"Of course. That's a range where, if a team doesn't get a quarterback early on, or wants to move back into the back half of the first half to get a quarterback that's still sitting there. Maybe it's Jaxson Dart, maybe it's Tyler Shough or somebody like that. If that's still an option, that pick becomes even more valuable. But you couldn't say now that there's going to be movement at 29. It all depends on how the board falls."

If that was the case, the Commanders could look to a player such as Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison, a first-round talent who could fall in the draft due to a hip injury.

"Morrison projects as a late first-round to early second-round pick with the potential to be a first-year starter in the NFL," B/R scout Cory Giddings said. "His combination of smooth athleticism, versatility in coverage, and physicality in the run game makes him a well-rounded prospect capable of fitting into multiple defensive schemes.

"While he needs to improve his transitions and maintain discipline in zone coverage, Morrison's skill set offers a high ceiling. With continued development, particularly in his ability to shed blocks and refine his coverage techniques, Morrison has the potential to become a reliable starting cornerback at the next level."

A talented young cornerback at a discount and additional draft picks? That would continue what has been an excellent offseason in the nation's capital.