The Dallas Cowboys are planning to use the 2024 NFL draft instead of free agency to make their team better. They have some positions to improve, so they might need to trade down to get more draft picks.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell suggested some trade options for Dallas to think about. One idea involves the Kansas City Chiefs . In this proposal, the Cowboys would move from the 24th pick to the 32nd pick in the first round.
As part of the deal, Dallas would also get two extra picks in the third and fifth rounds by moving down eight spots. The proposed trade would give the Cowboys picks number 95 and 159.
“CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons are going to need new deals that will likely set new standards for their positions,” Barnwell wrote in a story on April 18, 2024, called “2024 NFL mock draft with all trades: Deals for 32 first-round picks.” “Dak Prescott has a lot of power in his negotiations with the Cowboys because he is in the last year of his contract and can't be franchised before the 2025 season. These three players currently make just under $48 million per year, but their new contracts could total up to $135 million per season.
“The only way to afford that is to cut back in other areas, which is why the Cowboys have let several starters leave this offseason without getting new players to replace them,” Barnwell continued. “They are going to need to draft well and draft a lot to be successful with such a top-heavy roster, so trading down and getting two extra picks makes sense. Pick number 159 was originally theirs, but they traded it away last year to pick Eric Scott in the sixth round, a safety who didn't play at all in 2023 and will be 26 before the season starts.”
Cowboys Rumors: Who Will Dallas Select at No. 24?
Dallas has many options in the draft, including keeping the 24th pick to choose a player. Some mock drafts have projected that the Cowboys will pick a few offensive linemen.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler thinks Dallas will choose Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyler Guyton with the 24th pick in his most recent mock draft. NFL Network’s Peter Schrager predicted that Dallas will add some speed to help Dak Prescott by picking Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy.
“Worthy, who is officially the fastest man in combine history, would be a great addition as a deep threat for Dak Prescott,” Schrager said in his April 16 NFL mock draft. “With contract issues coming up for Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, picking Worthy would show a commitment to adding offensive players without spending a lot in free agency.”
NFL Draft Rumors 2024: Chiefs Motivated to Move Up in the 1st Round?
As for the Chiefs, why would the defending champs want to move up in the draft? Barnwell thinks Kansas City might be looking for an offensive lineman to help protect Patrick Mahomes.
“The defending champs moved up from No. 29 to No. 22 two years ago, trading two picks to the Patriots and getting cornerback Trent McDuffie,” Barnwell said. “Back then, the Chiefs had a lot of picks because of the Tyreek Hill trade, but now they don't. This move up would be to fill a very important position: left tackle, where Donovan Smith is a free agent and Wanya Morris didn't play well as a rookie. It would make sense for Kansas City to jump ahead of the Packers and Ravens if they have someone in mind to protect Patrick Mahomes’s blindside.”
