FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys didn't appear like they would be candidates to trade down in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft when owner and general manager Jerry Jones was asked about that possibility on Tuesday.
"Well, I'll say this. It's very likely to have an opportunity to do that," Jones said Tuesday about trading down. "Given the right people left on the board, or the wrong people gone off the board, and the right trade, and what time of day it is and if I'm in the room, I'm just kidding now. Really, there's a lot of variables here as to whether you'd go up or down. I'm not trying to be cute there. Obviously we'd like to have some mid-round picks. But by the same token, Micah Parsons might be sitting there with that pick. Now, do you want to go for some more picks or do you want a name?"
However, they are doing just that with the Detroit Lions, moving back five spots from 24th overall to 29th overall. Dallas will receive an extra third-round choice (73rd overall) after moving back five in round one and surrendering a 2025 seventh-round pick, the team announced. The Cowboys will likely get that pick back in the form of a compensatory pick since they lost eight players in free agency this offseason, tied for their third-most in a single offseason in team history. Five of players were starters: running back Tony Pollard (Tennessee Titans), center Tyler Biadasz (Washington Commanders), left tackle Tyron Smith (New York Jets), defensive end Dorance Armstrong (Washington Commanders) and defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins (Seattle Seahawks).
That's why even though two offensive linemen, Duke's Graham Barton and Oklahoma's Tyler Guyton, were on the board, the position Cowboys COO and EVP Stephen Jones said was hit the hardest, that they felt the need to get more help on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft. This trade is back is rare for Jones as it is only the third time he has done so since 2010.
