Dallas Cowboys Trade Rumors: Defensive Line Move Gains Traction

They haven’t yet, which has led to debates over whether they should make a move at all, given their 3-4-1 record.

Today, however, Cowboys fans got a social media notification that fired the rumor mill back up to full speed.

Let’s talk about it.

The New Report: Cowboys “Expected” To Add Defensive Linemen

Early this morning, social media insider “RickeyScoops” posted that both Dallas and San Francisco are “expected” to add defensive linemen before the trade deadline on Tuesday.

Now, if you aren’t familiar with this source, you may brush it off as pure internet noise from somebody with no real information.

Those who do know, however, will tell you that Rickey was the first on the Micah Parsons-Green Bay trade and had the contract details as well. He also nailed the recent Terry McLaurin and Aidan Hutchinson extensions far before anybody else.

In short, the source for this new Cowboys trade rumor is legit, and it means we could, or perhaps will, see the team add a defensive lineman in the coming days.

While the report doesn’t specify, we all know this means a pass-rusher. The question is, who are the realistic candidates?

The Candidates: Who Is The Mystery Defensive Lineman?

Dallas is in luck if they are in fact pursuing pass-rushers here, as that is one of the few position groups with numerous guys on the trade block.

They’ll have their pick of both older and younger options, and ones with team control or “rentals” that would hit free agency after the 2025 season ends. The list, in total, looks something like this:

Cincinnati Bengals star Trey Hendrickson, Miami Dolphins veterans Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, Tennessee Titans rotational-rusher Arden Key, and Las Vegas Raiders DPOY candidate Maxx Crosby.

In the case of both Hendrickson and Crosby, deals may be unrealistic, but you can’t ignore the noise we’ve heard.

Dallas has reached out to both franchisers regarding their star pass rushers, and while they were shut down then, we can’t forget the Jerry Jones quote that “deadlines make deals.” If the Cowboys are interested, things could happen quickly with one change of mind.

For Miami, they are a team clearly headed for a large-scale rebuild. They will be trading pieces away before Tuesday, and both Chubb and Phillips are the most likely candidates.

Chubb, 28, is a former top-five pick off to a hot start in 2025. He’d be under contract for multiple seasons in Dallas. Phillips is on the younger end, at 25 years old, but due to some injury problems, he has less concrete production than Chubb.

His talent and long-term potential are undeniable, however. He would need an extension to stay with the Cowboys, as he is at the end of his rookie deal.

In Nashville, Key may be the least exciting of these options, but he would also come with the smallest cost.

At 29 years old with no years on his contract after this season, he would be a true short-term band-aid to the Cowboys’ pass rusher problems. He is also incredibly consistent, having recorded either 6 or 6.5 sacks in three of the last four seasons.

The Bottom Line: Options Everywhere For Dallas’s Pass Rush

As you can see by the few options I’ve named, there is no shortage of options for the Cowboys’ trade hopes.

They can be conservative and trade a late-round pick for a cheap, short-term, reliable rusher. If they wanted a bigger impact than that, they could use a more premium pick on a potential Pro Bowl player. If they want to swing big, that option is there too.

It will come down to finding the best fit for the right and having a clear vision for the rest of this season in mind.

Dallas is far from a Super Bowl competitor right now, and Jones himself has said one addition won’t fix the defense. Will that reality constrict what they do at the deadline, or make them even more aggressive?

I suppose we’ll just have to wait and find out.