Teams not fully buying talk of Cowboys making blockbuster NFL Draft trade?

While the Dallas Cowboys currently possess overall picks No. 12 and No. 20 in the 2026 NFL Draft, whispers have suggested for weeks that Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones wants to move up in the draft order to bolster his team's defense. 

However, it was previously said that Jones may not have to make a trade to land two defensive starters on Thursday night. For a piece published on Sunday, insider Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom US spoke with "NFL decision makers" who "seem less convinced" that the Cowboys will move up into the top 10 picks of the player-selection process. 

Does Jerry Jones need to make a trade to improve the Cowboys defense?

"I keep reading Jerry wants to move up, but I’m not sure why," a general manager told La Canfora. "If he has a thing for [Ohio State safety Caleb Downs], or [LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane], you don’t think he gets one at 12…? Is the price you pay to get into the top three worth it, if you think about the value of that player versus what you get at 12?"

Rumors have hinted that the Cowboys could trade with the Arizona Cardinals to move up to pick No. 3 or make a deal with the Cleveland Browns to get to choice No. 6. While the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to make Indiana Hoosiers star quarterback Fernando Mendoza the draft's first pick, the New York Jets may take Ohio State pass-rusher Arvell Reese or Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey at selection No. 2.  

Could the Cowboys call the New York Giants about a trade?

The New York Giants now own overall picks No. 5 and No. 10 after they stunningly traded defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II to the Cincinnati Bengals over the weekend. For an update shared on Monday, ESPN's Adam Schefter hinted that "it would suddenly be very tempting for a team such as the Cowboys to potentially trade up for a top-tier pass-rusher" if either Reese or Bailey falls to pick No. 5. 

"The draft would have to go a specific way for this scenario to play out," Schefter said. "But two teams raised this scenario this weekend, wondering if it somehow could unfold this week. It's exactly the type of scenario that makes the draft so compelling."

It's unclear what the Giants would want from a division rival to slide down the draft order. It's also unknown if Jones covets either Reese or Bailey badly enough to pay the high price that would be associated with completing a draft-pick trade with a fellow NFC East club.