The Cowboys need defensive help, and have been urged to look at a player they have been linked with for years.
The Dallas Cowboys and their approach to free agency will tell us a lot about the franchise's mentality when building a Super Bowl-caliber roster.
With the offense, for the most part, set, with Javonte Williams signing on and hopefully Brandon Aubrey and George Pickens following suit, Dak Prescott should have all his weapons available.
But defensively, oh boy, there are problems.
Issues at pass rusher, linebacker, safety, and corner mean that the front office will have to work overtime to get Christian Parker enough quality players to be able to turn this embattled ship around.
But who could Dallas target?
We've thrown up several names that the Cowboys should target, and all are good, quality players. But what if the franchise opened up the checkbook?
Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine has one trade in mind for the Cowboys, and it seems corner Jalen Ramsey comes to The Star, in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round pick.
“Jalen Ramsey has been connected to the Dallas Cowboys since he entered the league,” Ballentine wrote. “The star defensive back has said the team told him they would draft him when they chose Ezekiel Elliott in the 2016 draft.
“There is risk in trading for Ramsey. He's 31 and was moved to safety in the latter half of the season in Pittsburgh. However, it probably would only cost a Day 3 pick given his price tag and age. Even if the Cowboys have to keep him at safety, he would bring playmaking and leadership to the secondary.”
So there is a lot to work through here. The fifth-round pick is a good start, but it goes downhill from there.
Ramsey's age is 31. On the older side, will Parker want a veteran head in the secondary? There is value to it, no doubt. However, the athletic and physical aspect might turn Dallas off.
But the big issue will be the money.
Ramsey signed a four-year, $84 million deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers and is set to have a $10 million base salary in 2026 and a $17 million cap hit. And that only continues to go up each season, and in 2028, it will be $31 million.
We know the Cowboys need quality defensive players, but is Ramsey the answer here?
Likely not at that price.
Plus, he isn't the player he used to be, either, so the fear factor isn't there in the secondary.
Oh, and one more controversial thing: When Dallas passed on him in the 2016 NFL Draft, opting instead for Ezekiel Elliott at the No. 4 slot? Ramsey announced that he'd been promised that spot and that he would hold a Cowboys grudge forever.
So it is a fun idea to suggest Ramsey as a trade target, but I think it should stay at just that, an idea.