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Jerry Jones didn’t care much about what his Dallas Cowboys’ 3-5-1 record entailed before the NFL trade deadline; He made a deal anyway.
The Cowboys used one of the first-round picks they acquired in the Micah Parsons trade with the Green Bay Packers to trade for New York Jets star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams before 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Dallas also sent a 2026 second-round pick in the deal, as well as tackle Mazi Smith.
It was a move that surprised some in the industry, especially Bill Simmons, who pulled no punches 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 Dallas trade is fucking crazy. If I was a Cowboys fan, my head would be doing 360 degrees. You’re 3-5-1. You have no chance of doing anything in the playoffs. What are you doing?”
Jones even hinted at a trade in the sleeve 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 he was referring to the Williams trade, but it was a big enough deal to add to a blockbuster day for New York.
JETS SEND ALL-PRO QUINNEN WILLIAMS TO COWBOYS AS NFL TRADE DEADLINE FRENZY CONTINUES
The Jets also traded All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for two first-round picks.
To Simmons’ point about the Cowboys having “no chance of doing anything in the playoffs,” he probably isn’t referring to the team’s offense. It’s no secret that Dallas needs defensive help, as the Cowboys rank 31st in yards allowed per game (397.4) and points allowed per game (30.8).
The latter statistic is evident considering the Cowboys’ offense, led by quarterback Dak Prescott, ranks fourth in points scored per game (29.2) and third in total yards (378.4). It’s a unit that is thriving 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 were not addressed before the deadline.
Simmons was not the only sportscaster who believed the Cowboys made the wrong move in bringing in Williams, as Nick Wright of FOX Sports called it “madness on Dallas’ part.”
“They gave up potentially 90% of what they got for Micah Parsons,” Wright added.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones watches before the game against the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium on Sept. 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 eliminates the 2027 first-round pick received in the trade that also produced a 2026 first-round pick and Kenny Clark.
So, combining those two trades, the Cowboys get Williams, Clark and a first-round pick for next year in exchange for Parsons, a 2026 second-round pick and Smith.
