The Dallas Cowboys are playing the Arizona Cardinals on “Monday Night Football” to close NFL Week 9. Less than 24 hours after that game ends, the 2025 NFL trade deadline will come to pass.
That will give Jerry Jones and the Dallas brain trust little time to make a definitive decision about which direction to take the Cowboys at the midpoint of the league’s season.
The Cowboys have sported one of the league’s best offenses during the first half of the 2025 NFL season, but their defense has ranked second-worst in defensive EPA per play. As a result, they are 3-4-1 across their first eight games, keeping them well behind in the NFC East race and on the outside looking in for the NFC wild-card race.
That said, if Dallas can bolster its defense, it may have a shot to climb the ladder and get into the NFC playoff picture. That could be enough to convince Jones, 83, to try to find some upgrades on the trade market, even if the Cowboys will merely be floating around .500 at best by the time the deadline arrives.
Who could the Cowboys target if they do become buyers? Here’s a look at the top defensive options Dallas could pursue.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the Cowboys “are in the market for a pass rusher” ahead of the 2025 trade deadline. That’s not a major surprise, considering the team doesn’t have a true, No. 1 pass rusher after trading Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers on eve of the 2025 NFL season.
The Dolphins figure to be one of the deadline’s major sellers after parting with general manager Chris Grier following a Week 9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on “Thursday Night Football.” They already offloaded Jaelan Phillips to the Eagles for a third-round pick and would probably relish finding an opportunity to trade Chubb, who is under contract through 2027 and has a $19.45 million base salary for next season.
The Cowboys may view that as a reasonable price for Chubb, especially since the 29-year-old’s 25 pressures this season are seven more than any player currently on Dallas’ roster.
If Chubb represents a realistic option for the Cowboys, Hendrickson may be the pie-in-the-sky one. USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon reports the Bengals are “unlikely” to deal the star edge rusher despite him playing on an expiring contract.
But could the 3-6 Bengals be swayed to offload Hendrickson, who requested a trade during the offseason? If so, the Cowboys would be a sensible landing spot for the 30-year-old, who produced 17.5 sacks in back-to-back seasons and has generated 23 pressures and four sacks across seven games this year.
Johnson generated 7.5 sacks and made a Pro Bowl in 2023. Since then, he has played in seven games due to injury and has generated just one sack.
Johnson is still just 26 and is under contract for a reasonable $13.4 million in 2026. The Florida State product has athletic upside, and perhaps a change of scenery could allow him to regain the solid form of his breakout, second season.
The issue with trading for Johnson? He wouldn’t come cheap. The Athletic reports the Jets are asking for “a second-round pick or better” to part with the fourth-year edge rusher.
Still, Dallas could consider targeting him as a long-term replacement for Parsons at a fraction of the cost.
If Dallas just wants to add depth to its edge rush rotation, it could consider targeting Key. The 29-year-old has racked up at least 4.5 sacks in four consecutive seasons and has 1.5 sacks in a rotational role across five games with the Titans this season.
Key is playing on an expiring contract and would be a cheap addition for the Cowboys. The only question is whether he would move the needle enough to justify pursuing him.
Wilson has requested a trade away from the Bengals and hopes to be dealt away from Cincinnati, per USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon. Could he find a new home in Dallas?
The Cowboys could use an upgrade at linebacker, as Kenneth Murray Jr. – their primary starter at the position – ranks 80th among 83 qualified players at the position this season, per Pro Football Focus. Wilson may not be as good in coverage as he once was, but the 29-year-old team captain remains a quality downhill linebacker who has posted 100-plus tackles in four consecutive seasons.
Davis would be a bigger upgrade for the Cowboys at linebacker, as he remains one of the league’s best run-stopping linebackers. He is graded as PFF’s third-best run defender at linebacker and has generated 84 tackles thus far in 2025, good for fourth-most in the league.
While Davis would be a major upgrade for Dallas, it would be of the short-term variety. He is set to turn 37 in January and is playing on an expiring contract.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports teams have inquired about the availability of Woolen. It isn’t clear whether Seattle – which has emerged as an NFC contender with a record of 6-2 through Week 9 – will be willing to move the former Pro Bowler, but he is on an expiring deal and hasn’t played up to his billing in 2025.
Woolen has allowed a career-worst 98.9 passer rating when targeted and grades as PFF’s 96th cornerback out of 103 qualifiers. He may need a change of scenery, and the Seahawks could be willing to provide that if they are content to roll with the trio of Devon Witherspoon and Josh Jobe as their top cornerbacks with rookie Nick Emmanwori in the slot.
Dallas could then use Woolen in place of the injured Trevon Diggs and hope the 6-4, 210-pound cornerback can become a matchup nightmare again in Matt Eberflus’ defense.