Jerry Jones says Dallas Cowboys have ‘ammunition’ for active NFL trade deadline
The NFL trade deadline is quickly approaching on Nov. 4, and the Dallas Cowboys appear to be in position to make some moves to improve their league-worst defense.
Speaking after a press conference introducing the East-West Shrine Bowl, to be played at The Star in Frisco on Jan. 27, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said that the team is well-equipped to be active at the deadline with the trade capital it has in the vault.
“We have thought all along that if we see a way to improve this year with a trade at the deadline, then we’ll take advantage of it,” Jones said. “That’s what we positioned ourselves with to start this year, to have ammunition to do things if we have an opportunity.”
Part of that ammunition is the Cowboys having two extra first-round picks up their sleeve as a result of the Micah Parsons trade that sent those picks to Dallas from Green Bay. Although the team does not have a third-round pick in 2026 as a result of the George Pickens trade, there are still premium picks to distribute if the opportunity presents itself.
“We’re in position to make a trade,” he said. “It doesn’t mean we’re going to make one, but we certainly had in mind when we started this season that we were going to have ammo to be more flexible with what we do with our roster this year and what we do the next couple of years.”
The flexibility stems from an opening of cap space as a result of the Parsons deal as well. When defensive tackle Kenny Clark was also sent to Dallas in the trade, Green Bay agreed to take on the majority of his contract in 2025. That, along with not signing Parsons to an expensive extension, has the Cowboys sitting second in the NFL in available cap space for the rest of the season with over $31 million.
“One of the great things that we had with our trade with Green Bay is that [Kenny Clark] makes about $22 million a year,” Jones said. “He costs us two [million]. We’re getting a 20-something-million-a-year player for $2 million right now, and he’s playing as well as anybody. That alone has increased our flexibility to be able to look at potential trades right now where you may have had hand cramps before.”
For a defense that has struggled mightily through six weeks of the season, Jones is willing to make a deal to improve that side of the ball if the opportunity presents itself. But as of now, there’s nothing in mind with three weeks to go before the deadline passes.
“I don’t have a trade in mind right now at all,” Jones said. “That comes about if someone is on the phone calling. ... If there is a trade that would help the defense, we’re in position to make that trade.”
This story was originally published October 14, 2025 at 1:19 PM.
