The Dallas Cowboys are in a good position as we love along in the 2023 offseason. They are coming off their second consecutive double-digit win season, the first time they have accomplished that since their dynasty in the mid-90s. But, another disappointing performance in the Divisional Round against the San Francisco 49ers kept an ugly streak alive.
Dallas hasn’t played in an NFC Championship Game since they won the Super Bowl in the 1995 season. That is a streak Jerry Jones will do whatever he can to have snapped, as the team was aggressively making upgrades this offseason.
The Cowboys weren’t big players in free agency but did make some trades that will benefit the team greatly. They upgraded their secondary, acquiring Stephon Gilmore from the Indianapolis Colts. Gilmore will make for a great starter opposite All-Pro Trevon Diggs.
On the offensive side of the ball, wide receiver Brandin Cooks was acquired from the Houston Texans. He will fill the void behind CeeDee Lamb in the passing game pecking order, giving Dak Prescott another established weapon.
Overall, the Cowboys have a talented roster. Alas, there are still areas that could use an upgrade. Atop that list is defensive tackle, where Dallas had an unproductive group in 2022. Looking to turn that around, they could dip into the trade market again.
One player that was suggested as a trade target for the Cowboys was Ed Oliver of the Buffalo Bills. Oliver could combine with 2023 first-round pick Mazi Smith and Osa Odighizuwa, turning what was a weakness into a strength.
What could a trade between the Cowboys and Bills look like? Dallas could offer a third and seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft in exchange for Oliver and a 2024 sixth-round pick. Oliver is in the final year of his rookie contract and trading him would clear $10.7 million off the books for the Bills.
That money could be used to bring in another weapon for their offense, potentially someone like DeAndre Hopkins. Alas, it is fair to question whether or not the Bills would be willing to create another hole in their defense by trading Oliver.
For the Cowboys, their biggest weakness would be shored up by acquiring the 2019 first-round pick out of Houston. While he hasn’t quite lived up to draft expectations, bringing him in would prove just how committed the Cowboys are to turning things around on defense.
For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, as the Cowboys have, they need to shore things up on the interior of their defensive line. Otherwise, they provide opponents with a clear game plan on how to beat them.
