The defending NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys boast the 24th pick in the coming 2022 NFL Draft. However, owner Jerry Jones and Co. might not stand pat.
According to Dallas insider Mike Fisher of Cowboys Country, the team is trying “desperately” to move up from that selection. Fisher indicates that they went to move up into the top 14 and have a specific player in mind.
A move up of this ilk would cost a nice bounty for a Cowboys team that lost several core players earlier in the offseason. That included wide receiver Amari Cooper and edge rusher Randy Gregory.
Per various trade value charts, moving up from 24 to 14 would cost the Cowboys’ second-round pick and change. Below, we look at three ideal Dallas Cowboys trade scenarios for the 2022 NFL Draft.
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Dallas Cowboys trade up with Houston Texans, add Jameson Williams to the mix
The Cowboys’ trade of Cooper was a clear cost-cutting move from Jones and Co. His average annual salary of $20 million just didn’t fit into Dallas’ budget. Despite the team re-signing Michael Gallup in free agency, there’s still a need behind him and CeeDee Lamb on the depth chart.
Dallas is known for making splash trades under Jerry. We wouldn’t put it past the team to send its second-round pick and a mid-round selection to Houston for the 13th selection. In turn, Dallas drafts one of the best wide receivers in the entire 2022 draft class. Williams would have easily been a top-10 pick and the first receiver off the board if he didn’t tear his ACL with Alabama a season ago. The 6-foot-2 pass-catcher hauled in 79 receptions for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns for Bama in 2021.
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Dallas Cowboys trade up with Carolina Panthers, add top-flight cornerback
We already know that the Panthers are looking to move down from the sixth pick in Thursday’s first round. The idea would be for them to add more draft capital while still being able to land an heir-apparent to struggling quarterback Sam Darnold.
Carolina would still be able to land one of Desmond Ridder and Matt Corral with the 24th selection. A move of this ilk would also likely land Carolina a first-round pick in 2023 as well as Dallas’ second-round selection on Friday.
In turn, the Cowboys pick either Derek Stingley Jr. from LSU or Cincinnati’s Ahmad Gardner. Of the two, it’s highly likely that Jones and Co. would target the boisterous Gardner. Teaming him up with Trevon Diggs at cornerback would give Dallas one of the top young duos in the NFL and mask some pass-rush issues.
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Dallas Cowboys trade up for Kayvon Thibodeaux
There’s a decent chance that this former Oregon star will drop some come draft time Thursday evening. Thibodeaux was considered a potential No. 1 pick early in the pre-draft process. He’s since seen the likes of Travon Walker and Aidan Hutchinson pass him up.
If so, the Cowboys should pounce. Let’s say he falls to the ninth pick. Trading up with the Seattle Seahawks could be in the cards. It would be a way to replace the production Dallas got from Randy Gregory over the past couple seasons. At 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds, Thibodeaux would be a great fit in Dan Quinn’s defense.