America’s Team finds itself unexpectedly in a buying position as the Dallas Cowboys approach the NFL trade deadline in 2022. The Cowboys are 4-2 after overcoming a catastrophic quarterback injury, and as the season progresses, they may try to compete for the playoffs. They might want some outside assistance to accomplish that. Despite a strong start to the year, Dallas’ offence may use some boost, and the defence still has some issues to fix. These three players are some of the trade chips out for grabs at this year’s NFL trade deadline that have the potential to elevate the Cowboys to a championship level.
D.J. Moore, WR CAR
Dallas may be added to the long list of teams that require D.J. Moore’s wide receiver skills. Although Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer swears that is not the case, Green Bay, Baltimore, Kansas City, and Chicago have all been mentioned in speculations about trading for Moore during what may be a fire sale in Carolina. Of all the teams in the NFL, the Cowboys are the most in need of a guy like Moore.
Dallas’ wide receiver group is difficult to assess because their leading quarterback left the team in Week 1. But it’s clear that, other from CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, the ensemble lacks a lot. At the start of the year, Noah Brown showed some promise talent, but he has since lost steam. Evidently not the starting-caliber player the Cowboys believed they were selecting in the third round of last year’s draught, Jalen Tolbert. These players may perform at their best when working with Dad Prescott, but even that may not be enough.
The Cowboys’ offence would benefit greatly from Moore’s skill set. He doesn’t play the slot, but he has prior experience there. Moore has been lined up in the slot by the Panthers 20% of the time so far this season. Dallas would probably not play Moore as a genuine slot, but by switching both Moore and Lamb between the slot and the sideline, Kellen Moore may provide some odd science. It would be challenging for the opposing secondaries to stop that pair on one side of the field while Gallup ran go routes on the other.
Unfortunately for the Cowboys, Dallas would presumably need to make a sizable bid to get Moore. Moore is a player the Panthers apparently view as a cornerstone for the organisation, despite Carolina’s apparent readiness to trade offensive talent. According to ESPN Senior Analyst Jeremy Fowler, some teams may be turned off by the Panthers’ asking price for Moore. This was stated Thursday evening.
Roquan Smith, LB CHI
Dallas’ defence, as strong as it has been to begin the season, is not impenetrable. For the Cowboys in 2021, stopping the run up the middle was a challenge. This issue seems to have persisted into the new season. As soon as the Cowboys had a sizable lead, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia pounded the ball against them relentlessly. Both of those games were lost by the Cowboys because they were unable to stop the run in between the tackles. Anthony Barr was hired by Jerry Jones this summer to assist with policing the middle of the field, but the Cowboys still require additional assistance. Dallas needs a man like Roquan Smith to help prevent running backs from bursting through the box for five or six yards every carry.
Smith’s ability to play off the ball makes him a lock for the Cowboys. Leighton Vander Esch is the primary off-ball linebacker for Dallas at the time. Targeting Vander Esch now results in 78.6% completion rates for quarterbacks. Smith permits a 57.1% catch rate in Chicago. The Cowboys’ run defence would improve with the addition of Smith, and players like Vander Esch might play more to their strengths as a result.
Brian Burns, EDGE CAR
The goal of a Moore or Smith trade is to strengthen the Cowboys’ deficiencies. Playing to their advantages is the idea of bringing on Brian Burns. Passers and pass rushers are the focus of the NFL. That’s how easy it is, in fact. The Cowboys could always use another pass rusher, and Burns is a great one.
There is no such thing as applying too much pressure to an opposing quarterback, despite how effective Dallas’ pass rush is. This year, Dorance Armstrong has been an excellent support for Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. Burns wouldn’t have been acquired by the Cowboys if the pass rush at the time wasn’t doing its job. For any offensive line in the NFL, the addition of Burns to an already potent pass-rushing team would be a matchup nightmare.
The 3 best deals that the Cowboys need to complete before the 2022 NFL trade deadline first appeared on ClutchPoints.
