In Dallas’ second deal announced ahead of the NFL trade deadline, the team is shipping off one the two first-round picks it acquired in the Micah Parsons trade.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Jerry Jones: Man of his word?
In a SiriusXM interview with Stephen A. Smith on Monday, the Dallas Cowboys owner teased that his team had some trades in the works that were just waiting to be announced on Tuesday ahead of the NFL’s 3 p.m. trade deadline. Now, after news broke earlier in the day of the Cowboys acquiring Bengals middle linebacker Logan Wilson in exchange for a seventh round pick, a second Cowboys trade has been revealed, per reports.
As first reported by ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, the Cowboys are getting some additional run defense help from the New York Jets in the form of 2022 All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.
In exchange for the three-time Pro Bowler (2022-2024) and former No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Cowboys are sending a 2026 second round draft pick, a 2027 first round draft pick and defensive tackle Mazi Smith (the No. 26 overall draft pick in the 2023 draft) to New York, WFAA’s Joe Trahan has confirmed.
Per Schefter, the Jets will receive the better of the Cowboys’ two first-round picks in 2027 as part of the deal — one of those picks being among the two the Cowboys required from the Green Bay Packers along with defensive tackle Kenny Clark in exchange for Micah Parsons.
WFAA Cowboys Insider Ed Werder reports that the Cowboys’ interest in Williams dates back to that Parsons deal, in fact. Per Werder, Jones called the Jets prior to pulling the trigger on the Packers deal to inquire about Williams’ availability.
Williams, who signed a four-year, $96 million deal with the Jets in 2023, is the second defensive star to be jettisoned by the Jets ahead of the trade deadline. Earlier in the day, New York shipped cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for two first-round picks and wide receiver AD Mitchell.
Rated by Pro Football Focus as one of the best run defenders in the NFL, Williams has additionally secured at least 5.5 sacks in each of his last five seasons in the league.
He also sneezes so hard that he both blesses and thanks himself.