Cowboys Flirting With Trade Up for Arvell Reese That Jerry Jones Should Avoid

The Dallas Cowboys are rumored to be considering a trade up to the No. 3 pick to grab Arvell Reese, but it's a deal the team should avoid.

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As you'd expect at this point in the pre-draft process, rumors have the Dallas Cowboys doing anything and everything with their first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

We've seen rumors about a trade up, a trade down, and a stick and pick at both spots. There's even buzz about a possible selection of Jordyn Tyson, even though Dallas already has an elite wide receiver duo in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.

Now, we have this one: ESPN's Peter Schrager is hearing Dallas may be one of the teams looking to make a massive leap up to the No. 3 pick, which is currently owned by the Arizona Cardinals.

The target in that spot? Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese.

"I have heard talk that (the Cowboys) might be one of the teams that's moving up all the way to three if Arvell Reese is on the board and the Cardinals are willing to trade back," Schrager said.

Cardinals looking to trade back?

Arizona Cardinals president Michael Bidwill, new head coach Mike LaFleur, and general manager Monti Ossenfort. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Essentially Sports' Tony Pauline is one of many reporting that the Cardinals are interested in trading back, but Pauline says only if Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey isn't available.

"The Cardinals, specifically general manager Monti Ossenfort, want David Bailey. If he’s not available, Arizona will work hard to move the pick," Pauline reported.

There's a good chance that plays out, as Pauline adds Bailey is expected to be the New York Jets' pick at No. 2.

So, this puts the pieces in place for the Cardinals to explore a trade back, in which case a deal with the Cowboys might be in play. That said, it remains to be seen if the Cardinals are even willing to trade back all the way to No. 12.

What a Cowboys-Cardinals trade would look like

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

According to the Jimmy Johnson Trade Value Chart, a move up to No. 3 would be incredibly expensive for the Cowboys.

Arizona's No. 3 pick is worth 2,200 points and the Cowboys' pair of first-round picks are worth 2,050. That means Dallas would have to also surrender at least their third-round pick (132 points), and we'd say even more will be necessary to convince Arizona to slide back into the No. 12 spot, which is a massive jump back.

Such a move would certainly match the aggressive approach Jerry Jones hinted the team could take in this draft, but we sincerely believe this will be too rich for Jones' blood.

Cowboys shouldn't make this trade

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

We love Reese as a prospect and believe he could be a true game-changer for Christian Parker's defense. He has elite defensive talent written all over him.

However, if the Cowboys need to give up what we just suggested (and quite possibly more), it would mean Dallas won't be on the clock again until all the way in the fourth round, assuming that selection isn't necessary, also.

That is not a position the Cowboys can put themselves in because they need to come away with multiple players who can make an immediate impact and depending on Day 3 prospects to do that isn't a sound strategy, to say the least.

We're all for the Cowboys trading up from No. 12, but not to the point where they give up the kind of draft capital that creates an enormous chasm between their initial pick and second selection. Dallas simply isn't in a position to be able to take that approach.

If the Cowboys can make a trade up that allows them to keep their other first-round pick or at least lets them recoup a second-rounder, they should pull the trigger.