3 players that the Cowboys could trade before final cuts

Are there any players you think the Cowboys should consider trading away?

The Dallas Cowboys enter this season with many question marks. Financially, they are in the final year of contracts with several integral players such as CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott. Additionally, head coach Mike McCarthy is in the final year of his contract and needs to make a deep playoff push to justify his future standing with the organization. Although the Cowboys roster is pretty settled for the season, the team is never complete. The team will be looking to offload more players as a means to improve the roster and add draft capital for the future. Here are a few players that could be traded before the season opener.

Trey Lance

Trey Lance is an enticing mystery. Traded to the Cowboys last year in exchange for a fourth-round pick, it still needs to be determined what Dallas has on their hands. Taken with the third overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2021, Lance struggled with performance before getting injured and relinquished his starting job to Brock Purdy. With Dallas, Lance is is still working his way through his first offseason with the team.

The Cowboys wisely declined Lance’s fifth-year option, and he is in the final year of his contract. That said, Lance is 24 and about the same age as 2024 draftees Michael Penix Jr. (Atlanta Falcons) and Bo Nix (Denver Broncos). Prescott and Rush are established with the team, and there’s no justifiable reason for either to see extensive snaps during the preseason. Given the uncertain future Lance has with the Cowboys beyond this season, Dallas could move him right before the season. Lance should use the opportunity to showcase his talents for teams needing a quarterback, netting the Cowboys at least equal to what they spent to acquire Lance.

Peyton Hendershot

Hendershot finds himself a trade candidate because the Cowboys are loaded with tight end depth. Jake Ferguson is the pack leader and coming off an exceptional second season that earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl. Luke Schoonmaker is a second-round pick from last year and will be given several opportunities to earn a substantial role. John Stephens is returning from injury but is an athletic mismatch for linebackers and some defensive backs. Meanwhile, Brevyn Spann-Ford is a punishing blocker.

Of all the tight ends save Stephens, Hendershot’s blocking could be the most suspect. Hendershot must also return from a year plagued by injuries and start from scratch to work up the depth chart. What works in Hendershots’ favor is he is an athletic, receiving tight end with a pass-catching upside, making him an appealing option to potential suitors. The downside is that he’d compete with John Stephens, who boasts a similar athletic profile. Trading Hendershot wouldn’t be to acquire draft capital but to acquire a prospect to fill a need. For example, Dallas could trade Hendershot for a linebacker or reserve offensive linemen.

Nashon Wright

Nashon Wright is another player facing the final year of his contract. Wright has underwhelmed over his career with the Cowboys given his third-round selection in 2021, primarily serving as a gunner on special teams and occasional boundary cornerback. In coverage, Wright struggles when off the line of scrimmage and isn’t as successful when he can’t reroute receivers off the snap. Wright’s grip on a roster spot could loosen up with the arrival of Caelen Carson. Carson is a rookie that many consider a steal, and to earn more snaps, he needs to take them on special teams away from Wright.

Complicating matters for Wright is C.J. Goodwin, who is a terrific special teamer who also serves as the gunner and isn’t going anywhere. If Wright can’t hold his own either as a depth cornerback or if Carson immediately shows his potential as a special teamer, it will make Wright’s spot on the roster all the more tenuous. The compensation for Wright shouldn’t net much, but it’s possible the team could do a failed draft pick swap with another team, something along the lines of what they did with Kelvin Joseph last year.