The Dallas Cowboys have looked good in the regular season the last two years under head coach Mike McCarthy. The team has won double-digit games in consecutive years for the first time since their dynasty years from 1991-96.
But, there is another streak that has persisted since that Super Bowl victory to cap off the 1995 season. That was the last time the Cowboys advanced beyond the Divisional Round in the postseason.
Yes, Dallas had some down seasons since their dynasty, but they have also had some very good teams. Not winning a Divisional Round game for that long is something that doesn’t sit well with Jerry Jones, and he is willing to do whatever it takes for that streak to be snapped.
This offseason, he has already made some trades to bolster the roster. The team needed a cornerback to pair with Trevon Diggs, so they acquired former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore from the Indianapolis Colts.
On offense, there was a gaping hole behind CeeDee Lamb on the pecking order for targets. Wide receiver Noah Brown and tight end Dalton Schultz both departed in free agency, signing with the Houston Texans. So, the Cowboys made a trade with the Texans, acquiring Brandin Cooks.
Cooks can step into the No. 2 role behind Lamb, providing Dak Prescott with another reliable set of hands. But, the Cowboys may not be done making moves to their skill positions. Adding another running back or wide receiver was suggested as a move to be made to round out their roster.
The wide receiver that was suggested? Jerry Jeudy of the Denver Broncos. The price to acquire Jeudy is high, as the Broncos want a first- or second-round pick. While new head coach Sean Payton has said none of the receivers are going anywhere, their activity earlier in free agency would suggest otherwise.
Denver made an “aggressive” offer to Allen Lazard before he signed with the New York Jets. Veteran Adam Thielen also said he held discussions with the Broncos before opting to sign with the Carolina Panthers.
What could a trade between the Cowboys and Broncos centered on Jeudy look like? Dallas could offer a 2024 second- and seventh-round pick along with a 2025 fifth-round pick in exchange for the 2020 first-round selection out of Alabama.
Jeudy is coming off the best season of his career and would further stabilize the Cowboys’ wide receiver depth. However, after signing Michael Gallup to a five-year, $57.5 million deal in free agency in 2022, Dallas may not want to dump more assets into the position.
On the other side of the coin, given Gallup’s performance in 2022 after recovering from a knee injury, the Cowboys may want another long-term option in the mix. If Gallup struggles again, there is an out in his contract after the 2023 season.
While a trade for Jeudy remains unlikely for Dallas, it is an interesting avenue to explore. He would provide Prescott with an elite quartet of wide receivers to target, hopefully helping him get back on track after a turnover-riddled 2022 season.
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