Jerry Jones Hints at Cowboys Trade Blockbuster: 'Buyer' Or 'Seller'?

The Dallas Cowboys have spent the better part of the last year trading away future assets to fix their present.

Six games into the 2026 season, they're 2-4, their defense is still a disaster, and the Nov. 10 trade deadline is approaching.

So what's Jerry Jones' next move?

He might just do it all over again.

Speaking Wednesday at the NFL owners' meetings in New York, Jones made it clear that Dallas isn't ready to concede the season. Another aggressive move remains on the table — even after the Cowboys' recent acquisitions have done little to change their fortunes.

But that's only half the story.

Jones also left the door open to something else … selling.

"I'll be real clear, I could see being active at the trade deadline if it was something that could help the team this year," Jones said.

Asked whether Dallas could become a seller, Jones initially dismissed the possibility.

"No, no, I don't see that," Jones told reporters.

But ... there was a catch.

"But I don't rule it out now. If somebody comes along and offers you one of those deals, like the one I made a year or so ago, then it's just too much."

That last part is worth examining … especially considering how the Cowboys arrived at this point.

Dallas traded Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in August 2025, receiving Kenny Clark and two first-round selections. It was a franchise-altering decision — and one Jones evidently still considers an example of an offer too attractive to refuse.

But what followed was a series of moves in the opposite direction.

The Cowboys acquired Quinnen Williams, Broderick Jones and, most recently, Joey Porter Jr. — surrendering significant draft capital to strengthen a roster they believed could compete immediately. That's in addition to their earlier acquisition of George Pickens.

Porter alone cost Dallas a 2028 second-round pick and a conditional 2027 sixth-rounder.

And after all that spending … the Cowboys are still sitting at 2-4.

So if Jones is entertaining another blockbuster going in the opposite direction, who would Dallas even have to sell?

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Pickens is perhaps the most logical candidate.

The receiver is playing on the franchise tag, his long-term future remains unresolved, and the Cowboys already have significant money committed to CeeDee Lamb.

But trading Pickens would mean subtracting one of Prescott's most dangerous weapons from an offense that has already struggled over the past two weeks.

Lamb? He'd certainly command substantial interest, although moving him would create an entirely different set of problems.

And Quinnen Williams? Dallas just spent significant resources acquiring him.

Beyond those names … who on this roster could realistically command anything resembling the Parsons haul?

That's what makes Jones' comments so peculiar. The Cowboys aren't exactly overflowing with expendable stars, and selling one of their established difference-makers would contradict much of what the front office has spent the past year trying to accomplish.

Of course, all of this assumes Jones would actually consider moving one of those players.

And there's reason to believe he won't.

For all the Cowboys' problems, the NFC East remains wide open — perhaps the strongest argument Jones has for buying rather than selling.

The New York Giants lead the division at 3-2-1, while Philadelphia shares Dallas' 2-4 record. Washington sits at 1-4-1.

"It gives me a lot of promise," Jones said of the division race. "I see opportunity."

He's not wrong about the opportunity. The bigger question is whether Dallas has shown enough to justify another investment.

The Cowboys have dropped consecutive games to Tampa Bay and Green Bay, scoring just 29 combined points. Their defense continues to surrender costly plays, while the offensive line has struggled to provide consistent protection.

Dallas even brought former head coach Mike Pettine out of retirement to help defensive coordinator Christian Parker.

Another acquisition might help Parker's defense. Additional protection could give Prescott more opportunities to operate. And a favorable division race might buy Brian Schottenheimer enough time to get this thing moving in the right direction.

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But that's an awful lot of might for an organization that has already invested so much in winning now.

The Cowboys have three games remaining before the deadline — against Philadelphia, Arizona and Indianapolis.

Three opportunities to prove another expensive addition would be an investment in a contender rather than another attempt to rescue a disappointing season.

Jones has already shown he's willing to part with a superstar when the price is right. He's also shown he'll sacrifice future assets when he believes his roster needs help.

Buying? Selling?

Neither would be particularly surprising … although Jones has made it clear which direction he prefers.

The Cowboys have spent more than a year trading away pieces of their future to fix the present. Now, six games into another disappointing season, Jones is entertaining the possibility of doing it again — or reversing course entirely.

And perhaps the more important question isn't whether Dallas should become a buyer or seller.

It's why, after all those blockbuster moves, the Cowboys keep finding themselves in a position where either one seems necessary. ... and where both seem viable.