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Jerry Jones didn’t care much about what his Dallas Cowboys’ 3-5-1 record implied 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 deal 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 fellow tackle Mazi Smith.
It was a move that surprised some in the industry, especially Bill Simmons, who didn’t mince words after seeing the Cowboys become big-time 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 Sept. 14, 2025. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
“Dallas is drunk,” Simmons said plainly. “This is one of the worst… This Dallas trade is f—ing bonkers. If I was a Cowboys fan, my head would be doing 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 holster 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 referencing, but it was a big enough deal to add to 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.
To Simmons’ point about the Cowboys having “no chance to do anything in the playoffs,” it isn’t the team’s offense he’s likely referencing. It’s no secret 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 stat is a glaring one 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’s 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 weren’t addressed before the deadline.
Simmons wasn’t the only sports talking head to believe the Cowboys made the wrong move bringing Williams in, as FOX Sports’ Nick Wright called it “insanity by Dallas.”
“They gave up potentially 90% of what they got for Micah Parsons,” Wright added.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones looks on before the game against the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium on Sept. 28, 2025. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)
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It goes without saying how much the Cowboys could use Parsons right now, but he’s having a good first season with the Packers. The Williams’ deal cuts out the 2027 first-round pick received in the trade that also yielded a 2026 first-round pick and Kenny Clark.
So, combining those two trades, the Cowboys have Williams, Clark and a first-round pick for next year in exchange for Parsons, a 2026 second-round pick and Smith.
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