Cowboys could make NFL Draft trade that may not excite fans

An update from earlier this week indicated that opposing teams were not buying chatter suggesting that Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones was desperate to move up in the 2026 NFL Draft order to land an advertised defensive star. 

For a piece posted on Wednesday, NFL insider Dan Graziano of ESPN shared why Cowboys fans hoping that Jones is about to complete a blockbuster trade may be disappointed.

What the Cowboys allegedly want ahead of the first round of the NFL Draft

"What I am told is that the Cowboys do not want to trade both (picks) No. 12 and No. 20 to move up for just one player," Graziano wrote. "A small move up from No. 12 that doesn't involve No. 20 seems possible if they feel like one of their preferred targets is within range. But going all the way up into the top five or six picks doesn't sound to me like what they want to do."

Specifically, Graziano said the Cowboys "would love" if Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles or LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane fell to them at pick No. 12. Such a scenario could result in Dallas trading down from pick No. 20 to acquire Day 2 capital.

For a mock draft published on Wednesday, ESPN's Peter Schrager predicted the Cowboys will trade up to grab Delane at choice No. 9. Schrager also has Dallas selecting UCF edge-rusher Malachi Lawrence with the 29th overall pick. 

What history says about the Cowboys completing a blockbuster draft trade

"They haven't traded up in the first round since 2012 (for Morris Claiborne)," Graziano added about the Cowboys. "They've been one of the most disciplined and successful drafting teams of the past decade and longer. They have pick No. 12, which is their own, and pick No. 20, which is one they got from the Packers in the Micah Parsons trade."

History shows that Jones isn't afraid to make a big splash if he becomes enamored with a player, especially if that athlete drops a little lower in the draft order than originally expected. That said, it seems people in NFL circles don't envision the Cowboys making any type of all-in move after the opening round of the draft gets underway on Thursday evening.