Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones did what Jerry Jones does best, and stole the headlines at the NFL trade deadline by making a splashy move in the final moments. After starting the day by landing Cincinnati Bengals star linebacker Logan Wilson at a discount price, Jones ended by swinging for the fences.
There had been rumors that Jones had something up his sleeve, but he pulled off a blockbuster deal by immediately bringing an impact defensive star to Dallas by trading for New York Jets superstar defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.
Williams, a former top-three pick, first-team All-Pro, and three-time Pro Bowler, brings a dominant force to the trenches in Dallas and immediately gives Matt Eberflus the disruptive player along the defensive line that his most successful defensive lines have always utilized.
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But while there is no denying the trade for Williams improves the team on the field, it also gives the Cowboys more salary cap flexibility, something the team would not have had if it had extended Micah Parsons rather than traded him to the Green Bay Packers before the start of the regular season.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones meets with Micah Parsons before the NFC Wild Card game against the San Francisco 49ers / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Albert Breer of SI.com pointed out one of the most intriguing parts of the Williams deal, which is a salary cap savings of nearly $70 million over the next three years.
“Dallas has Williams under contract for $7.825 million this year, $21.75 million next year and $25.5 million in ’27,” Breer noted. “Comparatively, the Packers are paying Parsons $45.17 million, $40.837 million and $38 million over those three years. That’s a savings of $68.932 million, or about $23 million per year.
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“Now, Dallas has got to do something smart with that money, but that’s a comparative player who costs a lot less.”
Jerry Jones has made it a point to highlight the fact the Cowboys can add several players for the price of Parsons, and the savings by moving the star pass rusher to Green Bay for a player like Williams proves that it may have been a stroke of genius.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on the sidelines before the game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium. / Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
When you re-examine the haul that the Cowboys landed by trading Parsons, by putting names to all of the moving pieces, you see that the immediate decrease in production for the pass rush may have been worth the sacrifice because the team is now set up for long-term success.
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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones smiles as he answers questions during a press conference at Ford Center at The Star / Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images
Dallas essentially gave up Parsons, first-round bust Mazi Smith, and a 2026 second-round pick for Williams, three-time Pro Bowler Kenny Clark, a 2026 first-round pick, and the financial flexibility that not only frees up nearly $70 million over the next three years, but also allowed the Cowboys to sign players like Tyler Smith, Jake Ferguson, DaRon Bland, and Hunter Luepke to contract extensions.
The Cowboys can now use that extra money for contract extensions for players who are due, most notably George Pickens, Brandon Aubrey, and even Javonte Williams.
Perhaps everyone owes the mad sceintist Jerry Jones an apology.
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