Don’t Count on Dallas Cowboys Parting With Pick No. 20 in 2026 NFL Draft

We are just days away from the 2026 NFL draft and the speculation circling the Dallas Cowboys continues to soar.

Owner and general manager Jerry Jones made it clear that he intends to fix their defense this offseason and with two picks in Round 1, he’s expected to focus solely on that side of the ball. Jones has also said he would keep all options open, suggesting a trade could be on the table.

Recently, Adam Schefter described a “long-shot scenario” for Dallas, which involves them trading up for Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese. While the Cowboys would love to add Reese, Schefter also made it clear that he doesn’t believe Dallas will trade both picks in Round 1.

Schefter sees a scenario where the Cowboys attempt to move up, even saying they’re considered an option for the Cleveland Browns if they want to trade back. He added, however, that Jones wants to keep pick No. 20.

“A potential trade-up candidate in the eyes of some front office executives is the Cowboys. They have two first-round picks -- though they are said to want to hold onto pick No. 20 -- and needs for a big-time defensive player,” Schefter wrote.

If that’s the case, the Cowboys are even far less likely to make a move into the top 10. If their intention is to keep pick No. 20, then they would need to dip into their 2027 draft class, which isn’t the right move for a team that still has so many holes on defense.

Trading back from No. 12 feels more likely than moving up

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stands on the field during pregame warmups against the Los Angeles Chargers. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

While trading up would be the attention-grabbing move, the Cowboys are more likely to move back from pick No. 12.

Giving up more draft capital would be a tough pill to swallow for Jones since the Cowboys are already without a pick in Round 2 and trade one of their two selections in Round 1 next year as part of the Quinnen Williams deal.

That means a far more likely scenario would be Dallas moving back and adding more capital, ideally another pick on Day 2. This way, they could still land two defenders in Round 1, add more depth, and still hold a full slate of draft picks in 2027.

It’s not the flashy move, but it’s one that could help load the defense with talent, making it the more plausible scenario.

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