We have officially hit our first lull of the Dallas Cowboys offseason after a chaotic first couple of weeks that involved moving on from Mike McCarthy, hiring Brian Schottenheimer as his replacement and Schottenheimer scurrying to fill out his coaching staff.
Once Schottenheimer finalizes his last hires, attention will quickly turn to improving a roster that is leaking hole at myriad positions.
Assuming the top order of business is putting Dak Prescott in a position to succeed, which was hardly the case in 2024, it would behoove the Cowboys to inquire about longtime Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who has been informed he will be traded this offseason.
While Kupp isn't the "perfect" WR trade target due to his age and recent injury history, he fits the profile of player that Jerry Jones generally seeks out in a trade. He won't cost a fortune and the Rams may eat some of his contract to help facilitate a deal.
It's a nice fit on paper, but it may prove difficult for Dallas to strike a deal given a recent gaffe from the team's de facto general manager.
Jonathan Mingo trade may screw Cowboys out of trading for Cooper Kupp
Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report recently wrote an article focusing on the top trade packages for Kupp. The problem? Almost all of them include a 2025 fourth-round pick and additional compensation.
The Cowboys infamously traded their fourth-round pick for Jonathan Mingo, a player whom the Panthers probably would have cut this offseason if they couldn't move him before the deadline.
Davenport projected the Chargers giving up their 2025 fourth and their 2026 sixth-round pick. The Bengals only give up their 2025 fourth-rounder. The Lions give up a 2025 third-round pick and their sixth in 2026. The Steelers give up their 2025 fifth and 2026 fourth-rounder and the Bills send over their fourth- and sixth-round selections this year.
Finally, Davenport has Dallas jettisoning their 2025 third-round pick and a conditional 2026 sixth-round pick. While this package could get a deal over the finish line, the Cowboys have to ask themselves if they're willing to punt on the third and fourth rounds.
Again, they don't have their fourth thanks to the Mingo deal. They pick No. 44 overall in the second round. If they trade their third for Kupp, they would go a whopping 124 picks without drafting. Their next pick is of the compensatory variety - No. 168 overall in the fifth round.
Given how many holes are on the roster, Dallas cannot afford to be without picks in rounds three and four. This is a team that lives and dies by building through the draft. As much as Kupp would be a shot in the arm to the offense, the five-time Super Bowl champs may have to find their new WR2 in free agency to allow for maximum flexibility during the draft.
The Steelers' package could be the Cowboys' saving grace, but that would put them in the same position as the last two drafts: without a fourth-round pick. That proved costly in 2024 as there was a run on running backs in the range that Dallas would've picked in round four. That is projected to be the sweet spot for RBs again this year.
It's hard to envision the Cowboys going out of their way to strip themselves of two valuable mid-round picks in what is shaping up to be their most important draft in recent memory. That wouldn't be an issue if they didn't move a fourth for Mingo, but alas that is the reality of the situation.
