Cowboys trade deadline activity? Jerry Jones alludes to it, but before he acts, he should ask himself 4 questions

Over the past three years, the Dallas Cowboys have felt like they have fallen short of expectations.

They would go through the regular season, then bow out early in the playoffs, unable to hold their own against the more talented and well-coached teams.

Then came this season.

All of a sudden, the 12-5 record the Cowboys have put together every year from 2021 to 2023 looks different.

Because at the beginning of November, the Cowboys already have these five defeats. And this time they are joined by only three victories.

“We have to win a game,” head coach Mike McCarthy said after a 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. “We have five losses. I clearly understand where this is going.

The deficiencies that have dug this hole for the Cowboys vary.

There is the worst running game in the league that Dallas has been involved in this week, averaging just 74.1 yards per game and 3.41 per carry.

There’s the second-worst time of possession and second-worst red zone success rate the offense has posted through eight weeks, each arguably also tied to Dallas’ nonexistent running game.

The Cowboys defense lost its top two rushers Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence to injuries a month ago, contributing to the Cowboys’ worst red zone defense and second-worst points per game allowed through the first eight weeks .

And while Week 9 seeding will require all games to be completed, the repeated pre-snap penalties that hurt the Cowboys against the Falcons have become the rule rather than the exception.

Oh, and quarterback Dak Prescott missed the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury..

All of this would make many team decision-makers think critically about their investment for 2024. Of course, teams should try to win in most situations. But mortgaging future years when the current season has already spiraled out of control is a risky business.

So while team owner Jerry Jones tried to sell hope in the wake of Cowboys-Falcons, Jones presented many of his calls for positivity while intentionally implying that the Cowboys could take measurements before the match. NFL trade deadline Tuesday.

His suggestion raises questions.

“We’re probably going to do a few things this week,” Jones told reporters outside the locker room postgame. “If things go the way we would like for us.”

A fitting warning.

Is a trade realistic with Cowboys prospects?

The Cowboys have clear needs, from offensive line to running back to almost every defensive position, possibly including coordinator. Receiver depth could help CeeDee Lamb.

Kicker Brandon Aubrey is the only great player they field this year.

But with McCarthy’s contract expiring in nine games and injuries continuing to mount, the Cowboys have to ask themselves: Why are they considering making a trade?

Do they trade to improve the 2024 roster? Are they trading to improve the team for years to come? Is there an offer so profitable that they can’t pass it up? Or are they trading up to keep fans engaged this season?

These four justifications are difficult to defend.

If the Cowboys trade to help a 2024 team that has suffered injuries to its two best offensive players and three best defensive players, the move seems shortsighted. At 3-5, the Cowboys have a 4 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to The Athletic’s Playoff Predictor. Competing against the 7-2 Washington Commanders and 6-2 Philadelphia Eagles, the Cowboys’ chances of winning the NFC East are less than 1 percent. This franchise has reached the playoffs each of the last three years. A mere playoff berth, which Dallas appears unlikely to win, doesn’t support development costs.

What if the Cowboys were lucky enough to acquire a player who could fill a position of need for years to come? Dallas should receive compensatory draft picks after losing several players in free agency this year – why not use them? This argument would be easier to defend if the coaching staff was likely to return in 2025. But the Cowboys’ performance this season does not argue in favor of an extension for McCarthy. Six months into defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s tenure, Dallas’ defensive issues Sunday ranged from missed tackles to missed coverages to players running into 10 men on the field for a first down. Zimmer’s status for 2025 is in question.

If the Cowboys are likely to bring in a new coaching staff next season, projecting talent acquisitions for an unknown project is bold.

And the likelihood of finding a profitable player at the trade deadline is slim. Of course, some teams try to game the compensatory draft system. But more often than not, teams overpay in free agency and at the trade deadline to help their team grow or compete. The Cowboys don’t fit into either box.

Which brings us to the final reason Jones would advocate a trade: fan interest.

“It takes two to tango, but we have some things in the works,” said Jones, the ultimate salesman. “We’re going to do everything we can at all times to improve this team and, in our opinion, if what you have to give up helps make it better, we’ll do it.

“We’re going to go.”

Determining the severity of Dak’s injury is the next step for the Cowboys

Jones joined several players who said they felt confident before the Falcons game that Dallas would beat Atlanta. The Cowboys felt they got along well in this NFC contest. They ultimately only led for four minutes and 11 seconds, all in the first quarter.

Dallas completed just 22 percent of third and fourth down attempts (4 of 18). The team’s only touchdowns came on a relatively lucky catch and a near-zero time.

Hope wasn’t enough to beat a talented and well-designed team.

“I really regret this for all of our Dallas Cowboys fans,” Jones said. “Personally, I am far from dismayed by our team, compared to this year. Not dismayed. I’m worried.

“I should be worried.”

The Cowboys’ main reason for concern is Prescott’s health. Prescott fought back four times against the Falcons, including a 22-yard gain that marked the Cowboys’ longest run of the season.

The last of his four scrambles, a 5-yard gain, was called back for a holding penalty. That didn’t stop Prescott from injuring his hamstring during what he believes was the tackle in that scrimmage. He felt it tighten after that end of the third quarter, but initially dismissed it as discomfort inherent in a physical game.

Then, on a stopping route, Prescott reached the top of his drop and “felt a pull…something I’d never felt.” Hard to walk on at this point.

He asked to continue playing if other injuries weren’t a concern, but the Cowboys’ medical team told him he wouldn’t be able to protect himself. Monday’s imaging will determine the severity.

“When we get a sense of it, we’ll know how serious the situation is,” Prescott said. “It will take a lot for me not to be there.”

This decision may be beyond his control.

Cooper Rush once again showed his steady attitude as a backup, completing 13 of 25 passes for 115 yards and the late touchdown after Prescott’s 18-of-24 mark for 133 yards and a score.

But the Cowboys would struggle to make the playoffs with Prescott, Lamb, Parsons, Lawrence and cornerback DaRon Bland healthy. Knowing that each of them is dealing with injuries should deter any trade activity at the deadline.

Either way, expect McCarthy to coach out the remainder of his contract. Jones affirmed his confidence in McCarthy before answering questions Sunday afternoon. He reiterated his belief when asked.

“I know how hard he works, I love his football spirit,” Jones said. “He has, in my opinion, an exceptional coaching record. He is really good with the players. They think highly of him. He has a lot of fire in his belly. So I’ll just give you this. I like the positives I see.

“I’m good with Mike.”