Jerry Jones reveals how close Cowboys came to trading first-round pick

Jerry Jones revealed that the Dallas Cowboys came very close to making a trade in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. During Day 1 of the post-draft press conference, the Cowboys’ owner was asked about working on a trade when they were on the clock.

“Stephen [Jones] was on the phone. We had exhausted the complete possibilities and trade,” Jerry Jones said. “We had finality of it, and we still had two or three minutes left on the phone. The trade did not work for us. We did not want to make the trade, and we immediately knew when we got through that, we would make the pick. So yes, real possibilities right up until two minutes before the bell rang.”

Stephen Jones, Cowboys executive vice president, added, “We had hard offers for the pick. Unless it was the pick because we like our player, unless it was a really significant trade, then we were going to pass.”

In the first round of the draft, the Cowboys had the No. 12 overall pick and used it to take Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Booker. With Zack Martin announcing his retirement this offseason, the Cowboys needed help at the guard position, and Booker looks to fill the void.

Jerry Jones shares more on Cowboys’ first-round draft pick, team makes big trade

“Unquestionably, I was motivated, we were motivated that it does help our quarterback,” Jerry Jones said about Booker, per the Cowboys’ official website. “It helps our running game, we’ve had some experience with this… we need to play to our strengths, Dak’s a strength.”

While the Cowboys didn’t make a trade in the first round of the draft, they made a big move shortly after the draft ended. Last week, the Cowboys traded for wide receiver George Pickens from the Steelers. Dallas gave up a 2006 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick, but they have a new weapon for quarterback Dak Prescott.

“We’ve connected,” Prescott said. “I’m excited. You turn on the tape, you see a guy that can catch the football. You put the football anywhere in his vicinity, very strong hands. More than a 50/50 catcher. He thinks it’s his ball when it’s in the air. I’m excited for him. I know we needed some help at that position. … It’s hard to double team two guys. … I think we’re putting together a nice group of weapons.”