Jerry Jones noted that there would be personnel changes when this week began for the Dallas Cowboys, and in response to the team’s humiliating loss against the Washington Football Team, his club made good on his word. Over the course of the week we saw the Cowboys part ways with three of their offseason free agency signings. They traded away Everson Griffen to the Detroit Lions in exchange for a sixth-round pick (that could wind up as a fifth), and they outright released both Dontari Poe and Daryl Worley.
For what it’s worth, the Cowboys also traded for somebody this week as they sent a seventh-round pick in 2021 to the Houston Texans in exchange for defensive tackle Eli Ankou.
As many moves as the Cowboys made this week there is likely one that the Seattle Seahawks are a bit bummed about not materializing. Apparently, Seattle called about one of the better pass rushers on the Cowboys, and apparently Dallas said no.
The Seahawks reportedly called the Cowboys about Aldon Smith
Aldon Smith has been quite the reclamation project for the Cowboys as they signed him back on April Fool’s Day without him having played in the NFL over the previous five years. That has not seemed to be an issue for Smith as he has, as noted, looked like one of the team’s better pass rushers. Smith is on a one-year deal with the Cowboys so the Seahawks maybe saw an opportunity to strike in bartering, but America’s Team said no thank you according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
From @gmfb Weekend: The #Cowboys have parted ways with a few defensive players but one guy they refused to trade when teams called recently was Aldon Smith, whose career resurgence should eventually lead to a longer-term deal with Dallas. pic.twitter.com/eMiiaOlrAn
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 31, 2020
Smith is obviously a bit more of a unique case, but we have seen the Cowboys try to ride the wave with pass rushers on expiring deals before. They traded for Robert Quinn before the 2019 season, saw him blow up with them, and then watched as he signed a big deal with the Chicago Bears this past offseason. The Cowboys are very well trained to look for easy pathways to compensatory picks.
Considering how he has played to this point it is certainly possible that Smith would have suitors in free agency in 2021 which would mean the Cowboys might be following a similar formula with him as they did with Quinn. Obviously the team is aware that competing in the here and now is difficult, as evidenced by the trading away of Everson Griffen, so it would make sense to move Smith to someone interested, but as Garafolo notes they clearly believe that he has a legitimate future with the team.
It remains to be seen exactly what kind of deal Smith might get from the Cowboys over the offseason, but clearly they have a legitimate working relationship as this report even notes that he is one of the few Cowboys that likes playing for defensive coordinator Mike Nolan (go figure). It’s nice to see Dallas believing that he has a long-term future with their team, hopefully they’re right on that thought as they were to bring him in in the first place.