The Dallas Cowboys have made some big moves this NFL offseason, addressing needs in the NFL draft and through free agency. As the offseason drags on, though, there are still two trades the team can make to round out the Cowboys roster for 2023. Those two Cowboys trades are for Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook and Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy.
RB Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings
The Ezekiel Elliott Era in Dallas is officially over as the All-Pro running back is now a free agent. Mike McCarthy is now handing the RB role over to Tony Pollard who has been excellent in a limited role the last few seasons, making his first Pro Bowl in 2022.
While Pollard is a great back, he’s not a grind-it-out 20-plus-carries-a-game back. In fact, last year he set a new career high of 12.0 carries per game.
For the Cowboys offense to function best, the team needs a workhorse running back who can carry the load on first and second down, and there’s no indication that the slight, speedy Pollard is that guy.
Dalvin Cook is that kind of back. He has put up over 249 carries in each of the last four seasons and also put up over 1,100 yards (and made the Pro Bowl) in each of those campaigns. However, the Vikings are ready to move on and turn the reins over to Alexander Mattison.
Mattison is three years younger than the soon-to-be 28-year-old Cook and makes almost $12 million less than his backfield partner next season.
Cook is only about a month younger than Elliott, but Zeke has only put up over 1,000 yards once in the last three seasons (and only by two yards). The Vikings runner seems to have a lot more left in the tank currently than Elliott.
It won’t be cheap to bring Cook in. A Cowboys trade for the RB will result in paying him around $10 million next season. Still, they can bring that number down with a new two or three-year contract, which the tea should get some value out of over the next few seasons.
With Brian Schottenheimer as the new offensive coordinator and head coach Mike McCarthy calling plays next season, the Cowboys will try and run the ball to set up everything else. And with that as the goal, Pollard, Malik Davis, Ronald Jones, and undersized rookie Deuce Vaughn just aren’t going to cut it.
A trade for Dalvin Cook will round out the Cowboys roster next season as far as the running game goes, and then the franchise just needs to figure out how to add another weapon in the pass-catching corps.
WR Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos
As much as Dak Prescott needs a running game to succeed, he also needs some more dynamic pass-catchers. Last season, CeeDee Lamb was a true star, but neither he nor Prescott played up to their potential because of the lack of weapons in the passing game.
The Cowboys roster got a few upgrades in that area this offseason, with Brandin Cooks coming in via Cowboys trades and Michigan tight end Luke Schoonmaker arriving in the draft. However, that still leaves Dallas with a need for more playmakers.
Denver is making major changes now that Sean Payton is in charge, and rumors are that WR Jerry Jeudy is on the trade block.
Jeudy was a big-time prospect coming out of Alabama and was the No. 15 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He’s struggled with injuries, consistency, and quarterback play in his first three seasons but had his best year in 2022 with 67 catches for 972 yards and six touchdowns, with Russell Wilson throwing him the ball.
A Cowboys trade for Jeudy would unite the young wideout with Lamb, the receiver who went two picks after him in the NFL draft. These two would be incredibly dynamic on the outside, and Cooks would have a ton of space to operate in the slot.
The biggest reason theses Cowboys trades need to happen this offseason has to do more with the quarterback situation than anything else.
Prescot will turn 30 in July, and the team must make a major Cowboys roster decision after this season. In 2024, Dallas must extend Prescott or cut him so they don’t have to pay him $59.4 million next season. With that decision coming down the pike, going all in on a player like Jerry Jeudy is the best way to know if Prescott is still the QB of the future or if his time in Big D is coming to an end.
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