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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 picks they acquired in the Micah Parsons trade with the Green Bay Packers to trade 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, along with fellow draft pick Mazi Smith.
It’s a move that surprised some in the industry, including Bill Simmons, who didn’t mince his words after seeing 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 crazy. If I was a Cowboys fan, my head would do 360s. 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 holster before the Cowboys’ “Monday Night Football” loss to the Arizona Cardinals, a team that was on a five-game losing streak. It’s unclear if the trade with Williams was what he was referring to, but it was a big enough deal to add up 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.
As for Simmons’ point that the Cowboys have “no chance of doing anything in the playoffs,” it’s not the team’s offense he’s likely referring to. 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).
That last stat is glaring 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.
Although Williams is an improvement on the defensive line, the Cowboys still need help on the sidelines and in the secondary – needs that were not addressed before the deadline.
Simmons wasn’t the only one who believed the Cowboys made a bad choice in bringing in Williams, as Nick Wright of FOX Sports called it “Dallas madness.”
“They gave up potentially 90 percent 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 September 28, 2025. (Jérôme 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 removes the 2027 first-round pick received in the trade that also resulted in a 2026 first-round pick and Kenny Clark.
So, combining these 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.
