Cowboys WR KaVontae Turpin has been a threat in the passing game and on special teams, but could his appeal around the league be enough for Dallas to ship him out?
There have been eyes on Dallas all offseason long due to one wide receiver, as the George Pickens saga rages on. But there could another Cowboys pass catcher that is headed for a dramatic exit.
While nothing is set in stone, USA Today’s Reid Hanson pegged KaVontae Turpin as a Dallas trade candidate. The TCU product has served as a receiver and returner in his time with the Cowboys, which has netted him three Pro Bowl selections.
Turpin is not Dallas' top pass target, and probably will not be in the foreseeable future, but his versality adds depth to the receiving corps. He is also one of the most explosive returners in the NFL and can highlight his shiftiness and speed in the passing game.
His adaptability is both a blessing and a curse, as, again, he can be a spark plug for Dallas but has quickly become the fourth option behind Pickens, CeeDee Lamb and the surging Ryan Flournoy.
It was not a major issue last season but continuing to try and effectively feed four receivers consistently does not seem feasible, even for an offensive as potent as Dallas.
Despite the success so far, Hanson believes that the Cowboys could benefit more from offloading Turpin than from anything he offers the team.
"The Cowboys tried to expand Turpin's role in 2025 and in some ways it worked and in other ways it failed. Turpin posted career numbers on offense, but miscues and drops were littered throughout," wrote Hanson.
He believes that Dallas could net a fourth-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft in exchange for Turpin. The veteran wideout currently has a three-year, $13.5 million deal with the Cowboys, which is one of the more desirable contracts for teams looking to add offensive weapons in the trade market.
"Even coming off a down year, Turpin is highly valued around the NFL ... He should garner a pretty decent return from a team looking for juice," Hanson continued.
Coming full circle, moving on from Turpin could also indirectly benefit the Cowboys in their negotiations with Pickens. While the pair is not necessarily fighting for targets on the field, some could argue the funds Dallas gets back from passing off his contract could be used to properly pay the star receiver.
That's a stretch; Turpin's cap impact is minor. But hey, I'm trying to make sense of this.
There are no rumors or signs that Turpin is actually headed out of Dallas and his presence has been valuable to the Cowboys the past four seasons. So let's chalk this up to the media "playing in the sandbox of ideas' ... but nothing more.