The Dallas Cowboys don’t feel like they are standing on solid ground right now. Dallas put up a strong regular season in 2023, like it has for the last several years. However, they got absolutely waxed in the first round of the playoffs and sent home in front of their own fans.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones proclaimed that the team would go “all in” this offseason. However, Dallas has done anything but. They have put together a solid offseason, but it did not reflect the sense of urgency that Jones was speaking to earlier this spring.
The Cowboys also find themselves in an awkward position with several of their top players. Dak Prescott feels like he’s in a lame duck season before testing free agency and Dallas has not signed CeeDee Lamb or Micah Parsons to a long-term extension. The lack of any significant contract extension, paired with other factors, has led many to conclude that Dallas could be considering a rebuild next year if the 2024 season is not a success.
As a result, it has become difficult to predict what the Cowboys will do both in the short-term and in the long-term.
Below are three possible trade candidates who are currently on the Cowboys roster. It is certainly possible for Dallas to deal one of these guys before or during training camp. However, it seems more realistic to watch these guys closer to the NFL’s trade deadline.
Does Deuce Vaughn have a long-term home in Dallas?
Will Deuce Vaughn ever be given a chance for a large workload in Dallas? Weirdly, it seems less likely now than ever before.
Vaughn wasn’t given much of an opportunity last season, only receiving 30 touches for the entire season. The Cowboys still had Tony Pollard to lean on, but it still seemed like they weren’t preparing Vaughn to see an increased workload in 2024.
Fast forward to free agency and Tony Pollard leaves for the Titans. At that point in the offseason, it seemed that Dallas would either draft Jonathon Brooks in the 2024 NFL Draft or spread the workload among players already on the roster. The Cowboys missed out on Brooks, then didn’t draft anyone else at running back.
However, they decided to re-sign Rico Dowdle and long-time Cowboy Ezekiel Elliott.
These acquisitions are no guarantee that Vaughn will be left out of the mix, but they don’t seem to suggest that Vaughn will be a large part of the Cowboys offense.
This being the case, I believe that Dallas should seriously listen to any calls they get on Deuce Vaughn this summer. They should especially keep their eyes and ears open around the trade deadline.
The Cowboys have enough depth that they could part ways with Jake Ferguson
Let’s start by saying that it would not be an ideal outcome for the Cowboys to trade Jake Ferguson. However, he is a valuable asset who could make sense to move at the trade deadline.
Ferguson had a breakout year in 2023. Former TE1 Dalton Schultz left Dallas for Houston, which thrust Ferguson into an increased role. He took full advantage, hauling in 71 passes for 761 yards and five touchdowns.
Ferguson is on the third year of his rookie contract. If the Cowboys determine that he is not a part of their long-term plans at the trade deadline, they could easily find a trade partner for the right price. Getting one year plus of contract control on Ferguson could be very appealing.
If the Cowboys did consider trading Ferguson, they have a number of reserves who could replace him. Luke Schoonmaker and Peyton Hendershot have both been solid for the Cowboys and would have the best chance to win the job. UDFA Brevyn Spann-Ford would figure to be the main depth piece behind Schoonmaker and Hendershot.
DaRon Bland could be a tempting trade target for many teams
The main advantage to trading DaRon Bland now would be to sell high. Bland put together a magical 2023 season where he had five pick sixes in one season, setting an NFL record.
The Cowboys could theoretically capitalize on Bland’s strong season, which he is unlikely to repeat, by trading him before the 2024 season. It helps that Bland is on the third year of his rookie contract, so he is still very affordable. This is part of what creates urgency around a DaRon Bland trade — once his rookie contract is up, his asking price will go way up.
Dallas could probably survive losing Bland (they still have Trevon Diggs, Jourdan Lewis, and Gareon Conley at cornerback) but they would need to receive a whopper of a trade offer to deal him right now.
Perhaps Dallas will be more amendable to trading Bland if they get off to a rocky start in 2024.
