Cowboys 2026 NFL Draft Buzz Offers 2 Round 1 Trade Scenarios With AFC Powerhouse

A Dallas Cowboys analyst has floated a pair of trade possibilities in Round 1 and both involve the same team.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

We are inching closer to the 2026 NFL Draft and all the rumors and speculation surrounding the Dallas Cowboys will soon come to an end and we'll finally have some real answers.

Until then, let the rumors and speculation continue, especially as it pertains to trade scenarios for the Cowboys, who are widely viewed as one of the more likely trade candidates.

It's not hard to see why. The Cowboys have two first-round picks and can do just about anything on opening night. Dallas can get aggressive and trade up for a player they covet, or a trade back remains possible at either spot depending on how the board falls.

Bobby Belt of 105.3 The Fan offers up a pair of scenarios for Dallas, and both of them include the Kansas City Chiefs. The scenarios involve Dallas trading up from No. 12 to No. 9 with Kansas City, or trading back from No. 20 to No. 29.

“I keep feeling like they’re are going to make a trade with the [Kansas City] Chiefs on draft day, whether it’s to go up to nine or go back to 29, they’ll work with them on one of those,” he said.

Mock trade up for Cowboys with Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

If the Cowboys were to trade up to nine, there are a few ways that could go.

According to the NFL Draft Trade Value Chart, the Chiefs' No. 9 selection is worth 1,350 points, while the Cowboys' No. 12 pick is 1,200 points. Dallas tossing in its third-round pick, which is 132 points, should get the job done. If not, a late Day 3 pick would suffice on top of the third-rounder.

Another potential but less likely scenario could see the Cowboys and Chiefs swap both of their first-round picks that would land Dallas Nos. 9 and 29 and Kansas City Nos. 12 and 20.

Dallas' first-rounders are worth 2,050 points, while Kansas City's are worth 1,950. With a 100-point gap, it's possible the Cowboys could come away with Kansas City's fourth-round pick, also.

That said, we would suspect the two teams would rather swap one at a time rather than doing it all in shot, as the Chiefs and Cowboys would likely want to see what's on the board first.

Mock trade down for Cowboys with Chiefs

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Dallas' No. 20 pick is worth 850 points and the Chiefs' 29th selection is a total of 640 points. To even things up, the Chiefs could throw in their third-round pick that is worth 220 points.

From there, Dallas would have a second third-round pick, which is huge because the Cowboys are lacking a second-rounder. It's also conceivable Dallas could turn around and trade back once again from the No. 29 pick to go into the second round.

As you can see, there are near limitless possibilities for what the Cowboys could do in Round 1, and really throughout the 2026 NFL Draft. As a result, it could be a busy few days on the phones for Jerry Jones and Co.