Cowboys Send No. 12 to Packers to Build for Future in Trade Proposal

The Dallas Cowboys have a good enough team to compete for a Super Bowl if they draft well. While the Cowboys have some uncertainties, if things fall their way, it’s possible Dallas could be a contending team. The offseason is still young, too, and there are many ways for the Cowboys to improve.

Among them is what they do in the draft. If the Cowboys want to bring in win-now players, taking the best player available at No. 12 would be the best plan.

However, there’s also a scenario where they could move on from the pick and put themselves in an even better position.

In a proposed trade from K.D. Drummond of Cowboys Wire, they’d do just that. His proposal would send No. 12 to the Green Bay Packers for No. 23, No. 54, and a 2026 third-rounder.

“In order to pull this off, the team would have to be much more trade savvy than they have been. The Cowboys certainly have orchestrated trades over the years, but they hardly engage in swaps that engage several picks being exchanged, and rarely do they pull off the “move back and then back up” complicated sliding up and down that nets the highest value out of various sweet spots…

“In this mock, the two QBs were still on the board when Dallas went on the clock, so there were more targets missing than normal. Moving back in this way put Dallas in a better position for most of the remaining guys who this GM preferred, though passing on safety Malaki Starks was a tough call,” Drummond wrote.

Who Could Dallas Draft?

The Dallas Cowboys lost DeMarcus Lawrence in free agency. Lawrence, a veteran, is a very good player and will be missed by the Cowboys.

Replacing him with a rookie would be tough. From a veteran leadership position, it’s almost impossible to do. Production-wise, if the Cowboys pick right, it’s possible.

Keeping the pick would make that easier, and that’s what Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today had them doing in his latest mock draft. He had the Cowboys selecting Shemar Stewart, a physical DE who could replace Lawrence.

“Jerry Jones once again largely shrugged off free agency, making only a handful of early signings after declaring it was not a place he was looking to fill voids on the roster.

“Stewart might not be the Day 1 difference-maker Dallas will be under pressure to identify after getting meager returns from its last couple draft classes, but the 6-foot-5, 267-pounder would be an alluring option as pass-rushing partner for Micah Parsons and successor to DeMarcus Lawrence, who signed with the Seahawks on Wednesday,” Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote.

Is Ashton Jeanty A Safe Pick?

The Dallas Cowboys could use a running back, and Ashton Jeanty might be available at No. 12. If he’s there, some expect the Cowboys to take him.

However, selecting a running back at No. 12 could be questionable, as they often aren’t picked that high.

And according to Marcus Mosher of LockedOnCowboys, the Cowboys believe they can find a starter on Day 2.

“I’m honestly not sure on Jeanty. They love the RB depth in this class and feel confident they can get a high-end starter on Day 2,” Mosher wrote.

If that’s the case, and a player they don’t love isn’t available, moving on from No. 12 for more picks makes the most sense.