Dexter Lawrence Trade Ends Dallas Cowboys' Dream of Landing Sonny Styles

The New York Giants' trade of Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals is bad news for the Dallas Cowboys' hopes of drafting linebacker Sonny Styles.

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The New York Giants pulled off a blockbuster trade on Saturday night that may have ended any hope for the Dallas Cowboys to select linebacker Sonny Styles in the 2026 NFL Draft.

According to several reports, the Giants unloaded star defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals for the No. 10 overall pick in the draft after Lawrence became disgruntled over his contract enough to request a trade.

Say what you want about the Bengals overpaying or not, but this deal now gives the Giants a total of two picks in the top 10 of the 2026 NFL Draft, and that's bad news for the Cowboys, who are sitting two spots behind New York's newfound pick.

Why Cowboys' Sonny Styles dream is dead

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Dallas' hopes of landing Styles were already not looking great, as it's likely they would have had to move up to at least No. 6 to get him. However, with the Giants now having two top-10 selections, even a move up that high may not be enough.

New York has been widely linked to Styles with the No. 5 pick. In fact, ESPN's Jordan Raanan said as recently as Friday that Styles was one of three players "who seem to be most squarely" on the Giants' radar with their first pick.

"Staying at No. 5, the three players who seem to be most squarely on their radar are Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and Downs," Raanan wrote.

Raanan does go on to say that the Giants are "especially high on Love," so he could very well be Big Blue's pick, but the growing belief is the Notre Dame star will end up in Tennessee. We are suspecting if it isn't Love for the Titans, it'll be Styles.

Having another pick in the top 10 now gives the Giants two cracks at landing Styles before the Cowboys are on the clock, assuming the Titans don't take him at No. 4. The expectation is that the first three picks will be Fernando Mendoza, and then some combo of David Bailey and Arvell Reese.

With the Giants knowing Dallas has an avenue to get to No. 6 and land Styles via trade with the Cleveland Browns, who are rumored to be interested in trading back, New York isn't going to wait to see if it can get Styles at No. 10 and will likely just spring for him in the top five.

Can the Cowboys trade up to No. 3 or 4?

Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets are locked in at Nos. 1 and 2, but we do know based on rumors that, like the Browns, the Titans and Cardinals are open to trading back.

So, that gives the Cowboys an avenue to trade up and steal Styles from Big Blue, right? Not exactly.

According to the NFL Draft Trade Value Chart, for Arizona's No. 3 pick (2,200 points) the Cowboys would have to give up pick Nos. 12 and 20 (2,050 points) and then at least their third-round pick (132 points). That means the Cowboys would have just one selection over the first two days of the draft.

Now, could the Cowboys dip into their 2027 stable? Yes, but we have to keep in mind that the 2027 NFL Draft is considered much better and the Cowboys may not want to subtract from a stable that is already without its fourth- and fifth-round picks.

When it comes to Tennessee's No. 4 selection (1,800 points), the Cowboys have to surrender both of their first-round picks, which would put Dallas at a deficit in value, meaning Tennessee would have to throw in its third-round pick (260 points) to even it up.

But there's a few problems with that situation. Not only are you asking Tennessee to make a big leap back from No. 4 to No. 12, which a rebuilding team might not want to do, but that may also lead to Tennessee charging extra, something that might end up negating the Titans throwing in that third-round pick.

And, even if the Cowboys acquired that pick, they'd still be without a second-round selection and would be hoping that at least one of their two third-round picks will be the immediate impact players needed. That's a risky bet to place.