Cowboys' Jerry Jones Reveals Stipulation Required to Make Trade at 2026 NFL Deadline

In the aftermath of three NFC playoff contenders making significant trades to improve their rosters this week, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones isn't necessarily feeling pressure to respond with a deal of his own.

Appearing on Friday's episode of The K&C Masterpiece on 105.3 The Fan (h/t The Athletic's Jon Machota), Jones said the Cowboys would need to find a "dynamic situation to give up picks" in a trade.

The NFC landscape was altered dramatically this week. It started on Tuesday when the Seattle Seahawks added Quenton Nelson in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts, followed a few hours later by the San Francisco 49ers acquiring DeForest Buckner.

Things hit another level on Thursday when the Chicago Bears traded two first-round picks to the Chicago Bears in a package All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.

Dallas is in a bit of an awkward position with less than two weeks remaining before the trade deadline. The Cowboys sit at 3-4 through seven games, two games behind the New York Giants in the loss column for first place in the NFC East.

Their issues from last season have carried over into 2026, with the defense frequently holding back one of the league's best offenses. They rank 23rd in points allowed, 27th in defensive success rate and 30th in EPA allowed per play.

Another issue, along with their current spot in the standings, is how much the Cowboys have invested over the past 12 months in trying to figure out their defense.

Jones sent a 2028 second-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Joey Porter Jr. on Oct. 1. Prior to last year's trade deadline, he gave up a 2027 first-round pick to the New York Jets for Quinnen Williams.

Josh Sweat of the Arizona Cardinals has started to pop up as a potential trade target for the Cowboys, but it could depend on the cost if Dallas can make it happen.

The Cowboys currently only have four picks in the upcoming draft. Hypothetically, if they were to send a 2027 second-rounder to Arizona, all of their own picks would be gone. Their selections would be coming from the Green Bay Packers (first round), Pittsburgh Steelers (fourth round) and New England Patriots (seventh round).