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Jerry Jones didn’t care much about what his Dallas Cowboys’ 3-5-1 record meant before the NFL trade deadline — he made a deal anyway.
The Cowboys used one of the first-round draft picks they acquired in the Micah Parsons trade with the Green Bay Packers to trade New York Jets star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams before 1 p.m. 4 PM ET Tuesday. Dallas also sent a 2026 second-round pick in the deal, as well as fellow tight end Mazi Smith.
It was a move that surprised some in the business, especially Bill Simmons, who didn’t mince words after watching the Cowboys become big sellers before the deadline.
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New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (95) before the game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on September 14, 2025. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
“Dallas is drunk,” Simmons said plainly. “This is one of the worst… This trade in Dallas is cool. If I was a Cowboys fan, my head would be in the 360s. You’re 3-5-1. You have no chance to do anything in the playoffs. What are you doing?”
Jones even hinted at having a trade in the pipeline before the Cowboys’ “Monday Night Football” loss to the Arizona Cardinals, a team that was on a five-game losing streak. It’s unknown if the Williams trade was what he was referring to, but it was a big enough deal to add a blockbuster day for New York.
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The Jets also traded All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for two first-round picks.
For Simmons’ point about the Cowboys having “no chance to do anything in the playoffs,” it’s not the team’s offense he’s probably referring to. It’s no secret Dallas needs defensive help, as the Cowboys rank 31st in yards allowed per carry. game (397.4) and points allowed per battle (30.8).
The latter statistic is a glaring one considering the Cowboys’ offense, led by quarterback Dak Prescott, ranks fourth in points scored per game. game (29.2) and third in total yards (378.4). It’s a unit that thrives for first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer, but Matt Eberflus’ defense has been extremely porous.
While Williams is an upgrade on the defensive line, the Cowboys still need help on the edge and in the secondary — needs that weren’t addressed before the deadline.
Simmons wasn’t the only sports talker to believe the Cowboys made the wrong move by bringing in Williams, as FOX Sports’ Nick Wright called it “Dallas madness.”
“They gave up potentially 90% of what they got for Micah Parsons,” added Wright.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones looks on before the game against the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium on September 28, 2025. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)
It goes without saying how much the Cowboys could use Parsons right now, but he’s having a good first season with the Packers. Williams’ deal cuts off the first-round pick received in 2027, which also netted a 2026 first-round pick and Kenny Clark.
So by combining these two trades, the Cowboys have Williams, Clark and a first-round pick for next year in exchange for Parsons, a second-round pick in 2026 and Smith.
