The Cowboys have been criticized, as a franchise, for not making enough moves to improve the team in the offseason.
This spring, the Cowboys signed two running backs and made several trades for a wide receiver, a cornerback, a backup quarterback and a linebacker. The Cowboys acquired former first-round picks with two trades.
Just before the start of the season, the Cowboys made a blockbuster trade, sending edge rusher Micah Parsons to Green Bay for defensive tackle Kenny Clark after contract talks stalled.
Team owner Jerry Jones said trading for Clark was meant to bolster the run defense, but it left a void in the pass rush.
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The team signed former No. 1 overall pick edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney on Sept. 15 to provide depth.
As we enter the halfway point in a 17-game season, we review the good, bad and ugly of the offseason moves.
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Best offseason move
Without question, it’s the George Pickens acquisition. Pickens leads the team in receiving yards (685) and is tied with tight end Jake Ferguson in touchdowns (6). Pickens is also second on the team with 43 catches. His ability to stretch defenses with go routes has led to four defensive pass interference penalties. When CeeDee Lamb went out with an ankle injury after the second game, Pickens responded as a threat quarterback Dak Prescott can’t live without.
“He just makes my job easy just from how much space he can create and how well he gets open and the ability to not even have 50-50 type jump balls,” Prescott said. “We know there’s more 70-30 if not higher because of the penalty opportunities thrown in there. He’s a special player.”
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) runs for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers in the second half of an NFL football game at Bank of America Stadium, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C.
Chitose Suzuki / Staff Photographer
The Cowboys gave up a third-round pick (2026) and a fifth-round selection (2027) for Pickens in exchange for a sixth-rounder in 2027. On the surface, that seems like good value if you gain a No. 1 target such as Pickens.
Whether the Cowboys can retain him next year is a question. The asking price looks like $30 million on average and nine NFL receivers make at least that, including Lamb ($34 million). Four teams — Cincinnati, Miami, Detroit and Philadelphia — have two receivers making at least $25 million on average.
Lamb and Prescott have said they want Pickens to return next year. If he doesn’t, regardless if the Cowboys make the postseason or not, what Pickens has done for the offense has been outstanding so far.
You can also add the free agent signing of running back Javonte Williams. He’s fourth in the league in rushing yards (633) and seventh in attempts (124). He was added along with Miles Sanders with the departure of Rico Dowdle. Sanders is on injured reserve with a knee injury. While Sanders was expected to become a solid No. 2, the Cowboys lost that with his injury and are hoping rookie Jaydon Blue can emerge.
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Need more time to decide
It’s easy to say the Parsons trade for Clark and two first-round picks is deemed a failure. Parsons has 6 ½ sacks this season while Dallas’ edge rushers have a total of 8 ½, with James Houston, signed the first day of training camp, leading the team with 3 ½.
Clark was acquired to help the run defense, but the Cowboys have allowed the fourth-most rushing yards in the league at 1,168. Last season, after eight weeks, the team gave up 1,182 rushing yards. Clark isn’t to blame for the entirety of the problems. He has seven solo tackles, two tackles for loss and 1 ½ sacks. He’s played well at times, but he can’t stop the run alone.
“I’ve played alright,” Clark said of his first eight games. “I would say up and down. You just got to find that consistency. I think I started off real strong and yeah, just a little up and down for my liking.”
The Cowboys’ pass rush has been lacking, without question. Though Dante Fowler, signed in free agency, has a team-leading 26 pressures with one sack on the year.
Judging this trade might not really happen until you see who the Cowboys select with their two first-round picks in the next two years and even then you need to evaluate how those particular players perform over the next three years.
But trading a generational talent like Parsons when he could have signed a long-term deal, is a risky move that, as of now, doesn’t look good.
Late pick-ups have helped
Houston signed July 22, the first day of training camp practices. Reddy Steward was claimed off waivers from Minnesota on Aug. 27. Clowney signed Sept. 15, two weeks into the season. These three late pickups have been solid at times for the Cowboys.
Houston leads the team in sacks, however, he hasn’t picked one up the last three weeks and was credited with two quarterback pressures in the same time span. In the loss at Denver, he didn’t record a tackle.
Clowney has slowly picked up after missing the first three weeks. In the win over Washington, Clowney had a sack, fumble recovery, three quarterback pressures and two pass breakups. He added two tackles in the loss at Denver with no quarterback pressures. Consistency is something the Cowboys have stressed with their team this season, and as the season enters the second half, the team is looking for more from Clowney in his limited role.
Steward has taken over as a reliable presence in the slot and also played some safety because of injuries.
Not working out
Linebacker Jack Sanborn was signed as a key member of the defense because he’s familiar with coordinator Matt Eberflus’ scheme. In six games he has 34 tackles, but a groin injury has slowed his progress. He got zero defensive snaps in a win over Washington, which was telling about how his injuries or play have pushed him down the depth chart.
Kenneth Murray, a former first-round pick, was acquired for a sixth-round pick. He’s become the signal caller on the defense as a key member at linebacker. But overall, the linebacker position has struggled against the run and pass. Murray is the Cowboys’ leading tackler (58) and, much like the defense overall, has played inconsistently.
Kaiir Elam, another former first-round pick, has started six games but has one pass breakup and no interceptions. Elam hasn’t picked off a pass since his rookie season in 2022. He’s struggled in zone coverage, like much of the secondary, and the Cowboys gave up a fifth-round pick and a 2026 seventh-rounder for him. The Cowboys thought a change of scenery might help Elam, but the first half of the year hasn’t looked good.
A future
Quarterback Joe Milton was acquired in a trade with the Patriots for a seventh-round pick (Jay Toia). Milton established himself as the No. 2 to Prescott after training camp. Milton has a strong arm and is still developing. Nothing wrong with developing a young quarterback in need of more seasoning. You hope Milton takes the next step in that development in the offseason so if he has to play in a game, the Cowboys won’t worry too much.
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