The Dallas Cowboys front office appears just fine with possibly resetting at the quarterback position in 2025. They still have 11 months to work out an extension with quarterback Dak Prescott, and odds are the two sides eventually come to an agreement before next league year. The fanbase, up in arms over another of Jerry Jones snake oil sales pitches, this one invoking the misleading “all-in” claim, is tired of the club not bringing in any help from outside the organization. Things are worse as there have been several defections this offseason in free agency as Tyron Smith, Tyler Biadasz, Tony Pollard and Michael Gallup are gone from the starting lineup on offense while key sub Dorance Armstrong left from the defense.
Regression seems evident, though with Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Tyler Smith, Zack Martin, Trevon Diggs, Daron Bland, DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons still in house, pretending the cupboard is bare is a huge overreaction. All have made Pro-Bowls and most have made All-Pro teams. But what if all of those players weren’t there? What if Dallas were to trade a couple of stars to usher in a new era? What would the haul look like and how would the first two rounds of the draft fall out?
In this iteration, with the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator controlling the other 31 clubs, Dallas looks for and finds a trade partner for their two biggest offensive stars who haven’t yet received extensions, Prescott and Lamb. We look at the trades they could make if they were really willing to reset the franchise, with seven rounds of picks, along with a first-round mock for the entire league.
Cowboys Pre-Draft Trade No. 1: Dak Prescott to the Las Vegas Raiders
Trade Parameters: Cowboys send QB Dak Prescott to Raiders in exchange for QB Aiden O’Connell, picks 1.13, 2.44, 4.112, 2025 1st, 2025 3rd, 2026 2nd. The returns are similar to what the Detroit Lions got when they traded Matt Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a more accomplished quarterback in Jared Goff.
Through their first eight seasons as pros, Prescott has outplayed Stafford, so getting equal compensation following a runner-up MVP campaign is not out of the question. Of course this trade is contingent on Prescott approving the destination, which he could.
Why the Cowboys do it: If Dallas isn’t going to sign Prescott to an extension, why would they keep him for just a single season and only get a third-round compensatory consideration (the pick isn’t guaranteed) in 2026? If Dallas doesn’t draft a QB in this draft, they have O’Connell compete with Trey Lance for QB1 status in training camp. Having two first-round picks in 2025 allows them to use them to find a future QB or add high-pedigree youth, which is what they do best as an organization.
Why the Raiders do it: Antonio Pierce gets to convey his message to his team without having to go through the growing pains of a young QB. Instant credibility and a quarterback who makes them the biggest divisional threat to the dynasty-chasing Kansas City Chiefs.
Cowboys Pre-Draft Trade No. 2: CeeDee Lamb to the Pittsburgh Steelers
Trade Parameters: Cowboys send CeeDee Lamb to the Steelers in exchange for 1.20 and 3.84. The compensation is similar to what the Eagles sent to the Tennessee Titans in 2022 for A.J. Brown (1.18 and 3.101).
Why the Cowboys do it: If Dallas is going young at quarterback, signing Lamb to a long-term deal makes little sense. Instead, this adds more draft capital to a rebuilding offense. Dallas now has three first-round picks in the 2024 draft along with a ton of cap space moving forward with only Micah Parsons in need of a top-of-market extension.
Why the Steelers do it: The Steelers acquired both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields this offseason, seeing if the former can regain what made him special or the latter can ascend to his ceiling. Adding a First-Team All-Pro receiver goes a long way to unlocking both scenarios. Lamb of course would be offered a top-of-market wideout salary in this scenario.
1. Chicago Bears (from CAR): QB Caleb Williams, USC
2. Washington Commanders: QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
3. New England Patriots: QB Drake Maye, North Carolina
4. Arizona Cardinals: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
5. Dallas Cowboys: QB Jayden Daniels, LSU
TRADE DETAILS
- Los Angeles Chargers receive 1.13 (LAV), 1.24, 2025 4th (1150 + 740 + 40)
- Cowboys receive 1.5, 4.105, 2025 3rd (1700 + 84 + 100)
The plan was originally to sit out the QB position in this draft and use picks to get up to No. 1 in next year’s draft, allowing the next head coach to choose their own QB. But that was under the assumption Jayden Daniels was off the board. When Washington and New England went McCarthy-Maye in this simulation, that changed things from the mock-front-office perspective.
6. New York Giants: WR Malik Nabers, LSU
7. Tennessee Titans: WR Rome Odunze, Washington
8. Atlanta Falcons: EDGE Dallas Turner, Alabama
9. Chicago Bears: LT Joe Alt, Notre Dame
10. New York Jets: CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
11. Minnesota Vikings: EDGE Jared Verse, Florida State
12. Denver Broncos: OL Troy Fautanu, Washington
13. Los Angeles Chargers (from LAV, via DAL): DL Byron Murphy II, Texas
14. New Orleans Saints: CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama
15. Indianapolis Colts: TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
16. Seattle Seahawks: OT JC Latham, Alabama
17. Jacksonville Jaguars: EDGE Laiatu Latu, UCLA
18. Cincinnati Bengals: OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
19. Dallas Cowboys (via LAR): LT Olu Fashanu, Penn State
TRADE DETAILS:
- Cowboys receive 1.19, 3.99
- Rams receive 1.20, 3.87
The Cowboys get their replacement for Tyron Smith, allowing Tyler Smith to stay inside at left guard.
20. Los Angeles Rams: OLB Chop Robinson, Penn State
21. Miami Dolphins: Tyler Guyton, OT Oklahoma
22. Philadelphia Eagles: CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson
23. Minnesota Vikings: WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
24. Los Angeles Chargers: CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
25. Green Bay Packers: OL Graham Barton, Duke
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
27. Arizona Cardinals: Darius Robinson, EDGE, Missouri
28. Buffalo Bills: WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
29. Detroit Lions: T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State
30. Baltimore Ravens: DT Johnny Newton, Illinois
31. San Francisco 49ers: OL Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
32. Kansas City Chiefs: OT Amarius Mims, Georgia
Full Cowboys 2024 Draft Haul
Look, we know Stephen Jones could never be this savvy when it comes to handling the draft trades, but every once in a while it’s good to show what could be possible if he was adept at this part of team building.
- 1.5 – QB Jayden Daniels, LSU
- 1.19 – OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State
- 2.44 – OC Zach Frazier, West Virginia
- 2.56 – WR Keon Coleman, Florida State
- 3.84 – RB Jaylen Wright, Tennessee
- 3.99 – WR Jacob Cowing, Arizona
- 4.105 – LB Marist Liufau, Notre Dame
- 4.112 – Safety Calen Bullock, USC
- 5.174 – NT Jordan Jefferson, LSU
- 6.216 – LB Jaylan Ford, Texas
- 7.233 – RB Rasheen Ali, Marshall
- 7.244 – LB Jordan Magee, Temple
- 2025 1st round pick (Raiders)
- 2025 3rd round pick (Raiders)
- 2025 3rd round pick (Chargers)
- 2026 2nd round pick (Raiders)