The Dallas Cowboys are expected to start Jeff Heath at safety, but trading for T.J. Ward with the Denver Broncos would be a big upgrade.
It’s the season of roster cuts in the NFL, and things are more frantic than perhaps ever before. With the mid-preseason cut day now eliminated, teams have to go from 90 men to 53 by Saturday, Sept. 2 at 4:00 p.m. ET. While this means that many players will be cut, it also opens up the opportunity for trades. And there’s one opportunity that the Dallas Cowboys should jump on.
On Tuesday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapaport reported that the Denver Broncos were fielding trade offers for safety T.J. Ward. With injuries having hampered him in the past couple seasons and with solid depth behind him, the Broncos could theoretically look to cash in on his value.
His value should be quite high as it relates to the Cowboys. Currently, Dallas looks slated to start Jeff Heath at strong safety in a completely revamped secondary, save for Byron Jones at free safety. While Heath has been a nice plug-and-play option and depth piece, he’s far from a game-changer in that unit.
Meanwhile, Ward has the potential to be exactly what the Cowboys need when he’s healthy. He had his worst season since 2010 last year, with Pro Football Focus Edge grading him at 75.8. However, he was still a strong run defender, ranking 19th in Run Stop Percentage at safety according to Pro Football Focus Elite. What’s more, he remains solid in coverage.
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What works more in his favor in this regard is the fact that he was banged up for most of last season. Granted, his time in the league may lend some to believe this will become a trend. Even so, he’s healthy now and could help Dallas immediately in a spot where they sorely needed.
One of the biggest issues with the secondary for the Cowboys is the lack of a leader. Yes, the hope is that Jones will step up and be that guy, but that’s far from a confirmation of any kind. Bringing in Ward would add a new piece to the mix, but his veteran presence would likely stabilize things to a degree in the period of transition for the unit.
The big question, of course, would be what it would take to get Ward from Denver. Gregg Rosenthal of Around the NFL noted that Ward could potentially be a surprise cut for the Broncos if he’s not traded. Given the Cowboys’ position on the waiver wire, though, a trade is the surest way to land the talented veteran safety.
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Though Dallas needs to ensure the future with draft capital, trading a fourth-round pick might still be a sound investment — perhaps even a third-rounder. Looking to the future is great, but this is a team that could also compete for a Super Bowl now. Trading for Ward could help put them further in that conversation.