Cowboys Exploited Eagles' Desperation To Fleece Philly In Draft Day Trade

The Dallas Cowboys hit a home run during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, landing two of their top targets and improving their draft position in the middle rounds.

Not only did the Cowboys land two immediate impact players in Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and standout UCF pass rusher Malachi Lawrence with two trades, but they picked up two fourth-round picks in the process.

Dallas gave up two fifth-round picks to the Miami Dolphins to move up one spot to select Downs at No. 11 overall, while gaining two fourth-round picks from the division rival Philadelphia Eagles to move down three spots to No. 23, where they selected Lawrence.

Some people were left scratching their heads over the return the Cowboys received from Philadelphia, but it turns out the team was able to exploit the Eagles' desperation to pull off the major haul.

Jerry Jones, Cowboys Fleece Philly

Jerry Jones on the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

As it turns out, the Cowboys were able to take advantage of the Eagles' desperation to land USC wide receiver Makai Lemon because of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The draft's host team was actually on the phone with Lemon at the time he was selected by Philadelphia.

The Steelers were on the clock at No. 21 overall, so the Cowboys were able to ask for a higher price for the No. 20 pick. Ultimately, the Eagles gave up the two fourth-rounders, giving the Cowboys more flexibility in the middle of the draft.

Will Dallas Pick Up The Phones On Day 2?

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones speaks with referee Adrian Hill before a game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

It's going to be interesting to see if Jerry Jones and the Cowboys continue being aggressive as the draft continues. Dallas enters Day 2 with only one pick -- a third-rounder that was acquired when the team traded Osa Odighizuwa to the San Francisco 49ers -- but with three fourth-round picks, the Cowboys could trade into the third round on Friday night.

If the team has a target in mind who begins to fall, let's hope the team picks up the phone to keep the same strategy that landed them Downs and Lawrence in the first round.

Round 2 of the 2026 draft will kick off at 7:00 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network. The draft will conclude on Saturday, with Round 2 through 7 as the team finalizes its rookie class and turns its attention to signing undrafted free agents.

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