Cowboys Nation wakes up to news it didn't want to hear ahead of NFL trade deadline

With a little over 24 hours left to go before the NFL's trade deadline, Monday got off to the wrong start for Dallas Cowboys fans hoping to see Jerry Jones and Co. make a big-time addition on defense.

That's because the Philadelphia Eagles landed edge rusher Jaelan Phillips from the Miami Dolphins via a trade. They are giving up a 2026 third-round pick in exchange. That has to sting for the Cowboys' fanbase in multiple ways. First, you never want to see your top division rival get better. This is Philly's third trade of the week, leading up to the league's Nov. 4 trade deadline.

Secondly, Phillips was a trade target that could have made sense for the Cowboys if they chose to be buyers, which, to be fair, would be questionable given the team's 3-4-1 record leading up to their Monday night matchup versus the Arizona Cardinals. But the team's defense lacks a good pass rush, and someone like Phillips could have fit the Cowboys' definition of finding someone who can also help the team in the future. After all, Phillips is 26 years old.

To make matters worse, it's tough to deny how good a move this is from Eagles general manager Howie Roseman. Two details make it stand out:

1. The Eagles are paying only a portion of Phillips' salary, as they offered a better pick to convince Miami to take on a portion of the edge rusher's salary.
2. If Phillips turns out to be a one-year rental for the team looking to repeat as Super Bowl champions, they would stand to gain a comp pick in 2027.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it stings to see the Cowboys' top division rival be so active in team building, largely thanks to the fact that they have one of the best general managers in the game, if not the best.

Meanwhile, Jerry Jones is holding on to the same title, while telling the Wall Street Journal that an oil and gas business opportunity concerns him more than fixing the Cowboys' defense. Oh, well.

The Cowboys shouldn't be aggressive buyers at the NFL trade deadline

If you want any consolation for missing out on a top target that's headed to the Eagles, perhaps you could find it in the fact that Dallas shouldn't be an aggressive buyer at the NFL trade deadline. They're a long-shot playoff candidate, and the schedule is about to get way tougher.

The current state of the Cowboys' roster is that it needs a total overhaul. High-end draft picks —specifically their four first-round picks over the next two years — will be crucial for a much-needed defensive rebuild. Dallas couldn't give up a third-round pick in 2026 for Phillips, as it traded its pick for WR George Pickens, which is working out pretty well.

Even still, most fans are hoping to see the front office make a move before Tuesday's deadline. I'm not ruling one out, but I expect it to be a much smaller move in terms of impact. We'll see what their move is.

This story was originally published in A to Z Sports Dallas Cowboys, as Cowboys Nation wakes up to news it didn't want to hear ahead of NFL trade deadline.

window.addEventListener('message', function (event) {if (event.data.totalpoll && event.data.totalpoll.action === 'resizeHeight') {document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').height = event.data.totalpoll.value;}}, false);document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').contentWindow.postMessage({totalpoll: {action: 'requestHeight'}}, '*');