After a brutal Monday Night Football loss exposed major defensive flaws, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones promised action. He delivered on Tuesday, making a deadline deal with the Cincinnati Bengals for linebacker Logan Wilson.
With the team sitting at 3-5-1, however, the move raises more questions about the future than it answers for the present. Dallas sent a 2026 seventh-round pick to Cincinnati to boost a significant problem area, a move that came right after a humbling 27-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9, where quarterback Jacoby Brissett thoroughly dissected the Cowboys’ defense. While the addition of Wilson is unlikely to transform the team’s fortunes in 2025, the focus immediately shifts to their draft resources.
#UPDATE: The Cowboys also completed a trade for Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets.
What Does This Trade Mean for the Cowboys’ 2026 Draft Capital?
Although the Cowboys’ roster has several holes, most notably on the defensive side of the ball, they still have a significant amount of capital to spend in the 2026 NFL Draft. The bigger picture for Dallas involves building for the future, and even after this trade, they are well-positioned to do so.
Here is a list of Dallas’ remaining draft picks following the additions of Wilson and Williams. This list also includes the compensatory selections the Cowboys will likely receive, as projected by Over The Cap.
Dallas Cowboys 2026 NFL Draft Picks
- Round 1
- Round 1 (via Green Bay Packers)
- Round 4
- Round 5
- Round 5 (compensatory selection)
- Round 7 (via Giants or Chiefs)
Cowboys-Jets trade details:
COWBOYS ACQUIRE:
– DT Quinnen WilliamsJETS ACQUIRE:
– 2026 2nd round pick
– 2027 1st round pick (own pick, not GB)
– DT Mazi Smith— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) November 4, 2025
Additionally, the Cowboys are projected to receive a fifth-round pick after losing veteran cornerback Jourdan Lewis to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency. Before the trade, Dallas held two seventh-round picks, although it is unclear whether the one sent to the Bengals originally came from the New York Giants or the Kansas City Chiefs.
Of course, the main excitement surrounding the 2026 draft centers on the fact that Dallas has two first-round picks. The second pick was acquired from the Green Bay Packers in the blockbuster trade that sent Micah Parsons to Lambeau Field.
MORE: 2025 NFL Trade Deadline Tracker
Meanwhile, there remains a possibility that the Cowboys could make another move before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline. Dallas is rumored to be interested in a deal for Miami Dolphins pass rusher Bradley Chubb. Another player from Miami, Minkah Fitzpatrick, is also reportedly under consideration as an option for the Cowboys.
Dallas is clearly desperate to find ways to improve a defense that ranks among the worst in football through nine weeks of the season. According to PFSN’s Defense Impact metric, only the Bengals rank below the Cowboys.
Acquiring Chubb would put the pass rush in a much better spot. Fitzpatrick appears to be past his best at this point in his career, but he would still add versatility and playmaking ability to the secondary.
The frustrating part for Cowboys fans is that such moves might not have been necessary. Had Jones found a way to get a deal done with Parsons, these efforts to rescue the defense likely would not have been needed in the first place.