The Dallas Cowboys already started making changes with the Everson Griffen trade, and the rumor mill is buzzing with the NFL trade deadline closing in. However, even amid a disastrous season, it seems the Cowboys are making one defensive player untouchable.
Just days after trading Griffen, part of a series of moves before Week 8, Dallas started getting calls about one of its top edge-rushers. Unfortunately for NFL teams, it seems the Cowboys aren’t even interested in hearing offers.
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Seattle Seahawks are among a handful of NFL teams that called the Cowboys about Aldon Smith. Ultimately, they were all informed that the 6-foot-4 pass-rusher will be staying in Dallas.
It’s a bit surprising that the Cowboys aren’t even willing to discuss a trade. They signed Smith to a cheap, one-year contract, and he was reinstated after a five-year hiatus.
Since returning to the field, the 31-year-old has been one of the team’s few reliable players on the defensive side. He has four sacks and five quarterback hits in seven games and boasts the 16th-highest pass-rushing grade (74.4), per Pro Football Focus.
Given his cap-friendly contract and his outstanding abilities, Smith would certainly net the Cowboys a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. But, per Garafolo, Jerry Jones is instead focused on a contract extension.
In the Cowboys' defense, they still have a shot at winning the NFC East. While those odds are dwindling by the week, trading Smith would be another step back for the NFL’s worst defense.
It won’t be a surprise if the Cowboys sell more pieces before the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday. However, the likes of Smith, Michael Gallup and Demarcus Lawrence will remain in Dallas.
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