Dallas Cowboys COO Stephen Jones says "trade back''? We give you "trade back'' — one that could reshape the Cowboys’ draft war chest and supercharge their depth across the board.
The Cleveland Browns, desperate for a quarterback and armed with one of the deepest draft capital stockpiles in the league, make a fine trade partner here.
The Cowboys? They’re eyeing early-round difference-makers and a roster ready to win right now. It's a clean AFC-NFC swap that helps both teams for totally different reasons.
Let’s break it down.
The Cowboys currently hold the No. 12 overall pick — worth 1,200 points on Jimmy Johnson’s iconic trade value chart. The Browns, holding pick 33 (580 points), would need to close a 620-point gap. Here’s how they do it:
•Pick 33 (580 points)
•Pick 67 (255 points)
•Pick 94 (124 points)
•Pick 104 (86 points)
•2026 FUTURE 3rd-round pick (≈200 points)
Add those all together and you do end up with a slight overpay that closes the 620-point gap and then some. Why? Because when you’re moving up for a quarterback, you overpay. That’s the cost of doing business — and it’s exactly what the Browns would be doing here in a play for either Jaxson Dart or Shedeur Sanders.
And for Dallas? This isn’t just about moving down. It’s about turning one premium chip into a power stack of six picks between 33 and 104:
You want volume? Imagine this:
•Emeka Egbuka at 33
•Trey Amos at 44
•Alfred Collins at 67
•RJ Harvey at 76
•Aeneas Peebles at 94
•Danny Stutsman at 104
Or mix it up:
•Maxwell Hairston at 33
•Jayden Higgins at 44
•Quinshon Judkins at 67
•Nohl Williams at 76
•Deone Walker at 94
•Barryn Sorrell at 104
That’s the kind of haul that turns a good team into a complete one. More importantly, it preserves flexibility across multiple needs: wide receiver, cornerback, running back, defensive tackle, and linebacker — all addressed without needing to be perfect at No. 12.
Two franchises. Two opposite timelines. One deal that works for both.
And if the Cowboys want to “draft pure,” as Stephen said, this is the kind of bold, balanced move that makes it all possible.
