Cowboys Slammed With Scary Warning After Sudden Trade

The Dallas Cowboys addressed a lingering weakness on the offensive line Saturday by trading for Broderick Jones, a former first-round pick the Pittsburgh Steelers were prepared to move.

Dallas sent a third-round selection and a sixth-rounder to Pittsburgh and received a fourth-round pick back. Jones, listed at 6-foot-5 and 311 pounds, arrived with a résumé that once looked promising and a recent history that has analysts urging caution.

Jones started 17 games in each of his first two seasons after being drafted in 2023. Last year a neck injury limited him to 11 appearances and required surgery.

Questions about his recovery never fully disappeared, and by late summer Pittsburgh appeared ready to part ways. Those medical and performance concerns followed him to Dallas.

The Cowboys did not surrender a premium package, yet Jones’s preseason work has drawn pointed criticism. He spent the summer shifting from left tackle to right tackle, a change that did not go well.

Akoye Media, which studies NFL film, summarized the tape this way in an X post: “He’s not a RT, his film looked ok at LT last season. … He is a player that you need to slide to, chip his side & play action when facing elite rushers of course. … I think he is best suited as your swing until he can get comfortable enough to push Steele for RT. This preseason looks horrible for him because he had to switch positions.”

Dallas radio reporter Zach Wolchuk relayed similar feedback from Steelers beat writers: Jones’ technique has been inconsistent and the neck injury remains a talking point.

NFL insider Albert Breer noted that the deal is not complete until Jones passes a physical, an obvious hurdle given his recent surgery. Breer also pointed out that Tyler Guyton has had a strong camp, so Jones would compete at right tackle while adding depth at both spots.

The Cowboys entered the offseason uneasy about their tackle group. Guyton, himself a former first-rounder, has looked more settled at left tackle after fending off Nate Thomas. Right tackle Terence Steele has struggled since returning from an ACL injury.

Neither Thomas nor rookie Drew Shelton has shown he is ready to take that job. Jones was acquired to provide experienced insurance, but his preseason struggles and health questions make him a risk rather than a finished product.

Until Jones clears the physical and proves he can handle the right side—or at least serve as a capable swing tackle—Dallas must treat the move as a low-cost experiment with an uncertain payoff.

The talent that once made him a first-round selection is still visible, yet the recent film and medical history form a clear warning that expectations should stay measured.