Reports came out that Dallas and Pittsburgh were engaged in trade talks for Patrick Queen. While the move fell through, could it reveal the team's mindset for the rest of the offseason?
The Dallas Cowboys are ready to reload heading into the 2026 season. The team has been making moves since the offseason began and holds a wealth of picks in the upcoming NFL Draft.
While Dallas is banking on the draft to bring in new talent, it seems that they are not done shopping the market of veteran players.
According to Steelers Nation, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reached out to Pittsburgh to inquire on a possible swap for linebacker Patrick Queen.
The potential deal was outlined as Dallas hands off a third-round pick in exchange for Queen. Simple enough.
Nothing about the contents of the deal itself, especially now that it has fallen through, causes any sort of special intrigue. However, the underlying nature could reveal Dallas' mindset heading into draft day.
Recall the aforementioned third-round pick that Jones was offering to the Steelers. Seems pretty inconspicuous on paper, right? Besides that fact that some may argue that is too high of an asking price for the Pittsburgh linebacker.
Well, Dallas actually did not hold this selection until the recent trade of defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa to the 49ers.
This revelation suggests that Dallas is still poking its head around in trade talks. It also highlights a potential mentality of not simply relying on its growing supply to draft picks to replenish their roster - particularly the depleted defense - but could be using its capital to woo teams in the trade market.
It doesn't appear that Queen is headed to the Metroplex, at least not through the deal that was revealed by Steelers Nation. (By the way: We haven't confirmed this price exchange; it seems awfully high to us. ... and if true hints at a level of desperation.) But looking at the type of player he is - veteran linebacker - it lines up perfectly with Dallas' offseason checklist.
Many experts have posited that the Cowboys will use one of its early selections, either two first-rounders or the lone third-round, to snag a linebacker.
That is still a very plausible scenario, all things considered. But if another team is willing to do business with Dallas, why wouldn't they take the opportunity to add a proven piece instead of rolling the dice on a rookie, no matter how highly they are projected.
Not to rag on Queen again but if Dallas used this tactic, most fans would probably prefer to see a veteran of higher caliber, especially if it comes at the cost of a first-round pick, such as Sonny Styles, or even Jacob Rodriguez, if he is able to fall into the third round.
It also does not even have to be a linebacker that Dallas targets with this mindset, there could be several other targets the Cowboys hone in on before making its selections later this month at the draft, ironically, in Pittsburgh.
It remains to be seen how the remaining gaps on the roster will be filled by Jones and the Cowboys the rest of this offseason. One thing is for certain though, the team appears to have a solid path forward using the draft, the trade market and possibly even both.