Cowboys Receive Harsh Grade for 2025 NFL Trade Deadline Moves

Williams helped the pass defense improve, but Kay says the trade was a desperate one. He gave the Cowboys a C+ for the move, but praised the Jets, giving them an A.

”Dallas' move reeked of desperation at the time and didn't pan out the way team brass likely planned. The Cowboys' postseason hopes were quickly slipping away due to a 3-5-1 record in early November, with the defense playing particularly poorly at that point in the campaign,” Kay wrote.

“While Williams did help stem the defensive hemorrhaging somewhat, his contributions weren't all too impressive either. During his seven games with the organization, the four-time Pro Bowler only recorded 21 tackles, 1.5 sacks and one interception.”

This grade feels unfair since it seems Williams is being penalized for the poor defensive play. His individual performance was solid, and if he continues to play at that level, this grade will improve.

Logan Wilson trade was graded even lower

Adding Logan Wilson for a seventh round pick felt like the right gamble for Dallas, but it didn’t pan out. That’s why Kay gives them a D+, while handing the Bengals a B.

”Wilson continued to regress during his time in Dallas and failed to crack the starting lineup. In his seven games with the club, he only recorded 24 tackles, one pass defense and one forced fumble,” Kay wrote.

“Considering he had tallied 46 tackles, four pass defenses and a fumble recovery in eight games with Cincinnati in the first half of 2025, it's safe to say that Wilson was a clear miss for the Cowboys.”

Wilson has already been released, so he won’t be able to redeem himself. Thankfully, Dallas didn’t surrender much, because this move didn’t give them much.