The Dallas Cowboys have to find a solution to their defensive problems. This season, their defensive deficiencies have been magnified as they’re 2-4 and scrambling in one of the worst divisions in the NFL. There was a lot of hype around this Cowboys team and even more so that the defensive problems were finally solved. Instead, we have more questions, especially about whether this season is a wash. A lot of the Cowboys' problems on defense stem from another year of subpar pass rush. But ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has a solution: Josh Sweat
Sweat is a name that’s been floated, essentially since the 2025 season ended, as a trade candidate. Now more than ever, the Cowboys need to pounce. They traded for Joey Porter Jr., and it ultimately was a smoke screen solution for this defense. This move has to work, and truthfully, this move probably solves their ultimate problem, which is generating pressure up front.
Cowboys trade proposal swaps Rashan Gary for Josh Sweat
In this deal, the Cowboys have to give up a player to land Josh Sweat. They have three picks right now in 2027 and none of them are theirs. Trading Rashan Gary makes sense because it gives Arizona a player who could give them some production. Gary has been underwhelming this season, and because Dallas likes its young players, it feels like Donovan Ezeiruaku has more time to prove he’s worth building around.
Sweat hasn’t had as good of a season as he did last year, which is also why his value could be lower. This could be a steep price to pay, but Arizona doesn’t need to trade Sweat, and deadline deals always force teams to spend more than they would in the offseason.
The bottom line: Dallas can’t tiptoe around how bad their defense is. Adding Sweat gives them a player who opposing offenses fear. The Cowboys don’t have that right now, which is partly why their defense isn’t as good. It’s hard to say that adding Sweat instantly makes their defense elite. But they can’t judge this move based on the potential. They have to blindly hope it saves their season.
Why Dallas can’t be complacent at the NFL trade deadline
More than any other year, the Cowboys have to be all in. They’ve already depleted their draft picks, so at this point, holding on to them just doesn’t make sense. Dallas has a youthful squad and all the important positions locked down for the future. They have to look at this deadline as a make-or-break option for the season. The NFC East is wide open with the Philadelphia Eagles all but done, the Washington Commanders feel like a lost cause and the New York Giants are now on their third quarterback this season. Dallas has every reason to go all in and landing Sweat does just that. They already added to their secondary and now they need to bolster their defensive line.
Refusing to be aggressive at this trade deadline will keep them outside of the playoff bubble. The NFC is wide open now with the Los Angeles Rams struggling, Seattle middling and half the conference having at least four losses. Sweat gives the Cowboys one final piece to go on a playoff run. It’s either this year or it may be another three decades for Jerry Jones and his Cowboys.
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