Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones never saw a trade he didn't like, apparently.
Jones has been wheeling and dealing to upgrade and dramatically change his roster over the last few years, and if former first-round pick reclamation projects keep coming available, Jones is probably going to keep sending away draft picks to see if his team can fix them.
The latest trade from Jones is a pretty substantial deal for former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Broderick Jones, an offensive tackle who has been recovering this offseason from an injury. He worked his way back onto the field, but the Steelers already have bookend tackles, another 1st-round pick waiting in the wings, and there was nowhere for him to play.
Enter the Dallas Cowboys, who have significantly overpaid for Jones (for the moment), but there might be a method to their madness.
Dallas Cowboys paid way too much for Broderick Jones, but time is on their side
The Cowboys were in the market for a swing offensive tackle behind left tackle Tyler Guyton and right tackle Terence Steele. Finding good help on the offensive line in the NFL is not cheap these days, apparently, but the Cowboys aren't just trading for depth in this instance.
The fact that the Cowboys gave up a 3rd-round pick (and a 6th) to get Jones is a significant overpay on their part, but it's indicative of their hopes and plans for Jones into the future.
Jones was a 1st-round pick out of Georgia in the 2023 NFL Draft. Things obviously didn't work out between him and the Steelers the way anyone expected or wanted, but he's still got time to figure things out and is only 25 heading into the 2026 season.
The Cowboys didn't get the greatest season out of Guyton last year, even in the games he did play. He missed seven games last season and dealt with a variety of injury issues dating back to training camp. He was feared to have torn his ACL at one point, but it turned out to just be a knee bone fracture. He had a concussion during the season as well as a high-ankle sprain.
The Cowboys used a 4th-round pick on Drew Shelton, who has intriguing potential at the tackle position, but perhaps not quite as much potential as Broderick Jones.
For the Steelers, this trade feels like an absolute heist. Even though they are giving back a 4th-round pick in the deal, the opportunity to get a 3rd-round pick for a player like Jones -- who simply had no role with the team -- was something they couldn't pass on.
For the time being, this trade definitely feels like Jerry Jones overpaying for a former 1st-round pick, but if this is the price the Cowboys agreed to, then it speaks volumes to what their coaching staff feels they can do with a talented player like Jones, even if the gratification will be delayed.
There is going to be a process with this one, but if the Cowboys can make a starting offensive tackle out of Jones at the NFL level, a 3rd-round pick is well worth it.
Add us as a preferred source on Google