Sep 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones looks on before the game against the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron
There were seven trades on Tuesday prior to the 4 p.m. NFL trade deadline. The Dallas Cowboys were involved in two of them.
Other than that, the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants and Washington Commanders all laid low Tuesday.
The Giants and Commanders, who once again sit firmly in the cellar of the NFC East, haven't made any trades all season. At 2-7, the Giants are all but dead in the water. They had hope for a stretch, but season-ending injuries to star offensive players Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo snuffed that out. Jaxson Dart is special, and he'll be even better next season with a full year under his belt.
Meanwhile, the 3-6 Commanders just lost their franchise quarterback probably for the season in a game he had no right being in, considering his team was down 31 points. Without Jayden Daniels, Washington has next to no chance to return to the NFC Championship Game this season. It makes sense that both the Commanders and Giants chose not to trade away future picks to marginally improve their lost seasons.
The 7-2 Eagles are effectively running unopposed at the top of the NFC East. They weren't active on Tuesday, but Howie Roseman worked his magic in the week leading up to the deadline.
On Oct. 29, the Eagles swapped 2027 late-round draft picks with the New York Jets and sent WR John Metchie III to the Big Apple in exchange for CB Michael Carter II. Then three days later, Roseman acquired a 2027 seventh-round pick and two-time Pro Bowl CB Jaire Alexander from the Baltimore Ravens for a 2026 sixth-round pick.
Shoring up the leaky secondary was a necessity for Philadelphia, and Roseman got it done. Alexander may not be in his prime anymore, but when the other options are Adoree' Jackson and Kelee Ringo, you take what you can get.
Roseman's 2025 pièce de résistance came on Monday with the acquisition of LB Jaelan Phillips from the Miami Dolphins. The 26-year-old brings his 26 career sacks to Philly. He'll bolster the Eagles' shaky edge-rush group for the price of a 2026 third-round pick.
What are the Eagles getting in pass rusher Jaelan Phillips? @AndrewDiCecco of @InsideBirds breaks it down. 🦅https://t.co/QI2dSjtRjf
After Jerry Jones told reporters Monday he had multiple trades nearly completed, the 3-5-1 Cowboys were indeed active on Tuesday. First, they sent a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for LB Logan Wilson.
The 31st-ranked defense acquiring a player from the 32nd-ranked defense. Inspirational.
The real shocker was Dallas' second trade of the day. Jones sent DT Mazi Smith, a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick (!) to the Jets for DT Quinnen Williams.
This is no disrespect to Williams – he's a former third overall pick and a three-time Pro Bowler – but 2025 has been a down year for him. In eight games played, he's registered just one sack and three quarterback hits.
Additionally, how much will Williams and Wilson actually improve the Cowboys' defense in 2025? The season is quickly spiraling out of control, and their aforementioned 31st-ranked defense couldn't stop a Pee-Wee player right now. Two players won't fix that.
The Cowboys still have a surplus of first-round picks as a result of offloading Micah Parsons. They'll have two in 2026 and one in 2027.
But with the amount they gave up to get Williams, maybe it would've made more sense to just re-sign Parsons in the offseason. Jones has proven for decades that he's allergic to taking the path of least resistance, though.
