Getty Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is unlikely to be a fan of trading Johnathan Hankins.
The Dallas Cowboys were able to re-sign veteran defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins in free agency after striking a mid-season trade with the Las Vegas Raiders for the defender last fall. Now, some are calling on the Cowboys to move on from Hankins after selecting former Michigan standout Mazi Smith with the No. 26 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox labeled Hankins as one of three Cowboys veterans that the Dallas front office should explore trading prior to training camp.
“…If Smith defies expectations and establishes himself as a starter ahead of Week 1, Hankins could become expendable,” Knox wrote on July 3, 2023. “Moving Hankins would save $940,000 in 2023 cap space and would likely offset the cost of acquiring him in the first place—a 2024 seventh-round pick.
“While Hankins is 31 years old and hasn’t played a full season since 2020, he’s still a valuable player who could start for a team with less depth along the defensive front. A lot hinges on Smith’s development, but if he’s ready to go, Hankins would be a logical trade candidate.”
The Dallas Cowboys Would Be Unwise to Trade Away a Solid Run Defender Given the Unit’s Woes Against Running Backs in 2022
#Cowboys Johnathan Hankins Reflects x The Best D-Line in the NFC + More
📽️ t.co/LMOqECdCAS
This move does not make a lot of sense for the Cowboys as Dallas made Hankins a priority to re-sign this offseason. Considering that Dallas only had to give up a future seventh-round pick to land Hankins, the team would not net much in return for the veteran.
Hankins is on a team-friendly one-year, $1.3 million contract making the cap savings minimal for Dallas if they moved on from the defensive tackle. Smith and Hankins can share the field when Dallas opts to have two defensive tackles on the field together. The presence of Hankins also should take some pressure off Smith heading into his rookie season.
Consider the Cowboys defense was so bad in stopping the run that the front office acquired Hankins at the trade deadline. Dallas allowed 129.3 rushing yards per game which ranked No. 22 among NFL teams. Trading away one of the team’s top run defenders to clear $1 million in cap space would be reckless for the Cowboys.
Dallas Cowboys Rumors: Cornerback Jourdan Lewis & Pass Rusher Dorance Armstrong Are Potential Trade Candidates
![Patrik [No C] Walker](https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1716921492607565824/l1gvip-K_normal.jpg){kind=small}
Plenty to unpack here from #Cowboys minicamp:
1. Mazi Smith in a first-team package with Johnathan Hankins. 🔥
2. Chuma Edoga getting LT look next to Tyler Smith. ✍🏾
3. Preview of Mazi vs. Tyler S. battle.💥
Aside from Hankins, cornerback Jourdan Lewis and pass rusher Dorance Armstrong are also players mentioned by Knox as potential trade candidates. The two veterans make more sense as possible trade chips, but Dallas is unlikely to land more than a future day-three pick for either player.
It will be worth watching to see if the Cowboys make any additional roster moves prior to training camp. Owner Jerry Jones admitted there were still a few available veterans who the team is keeping their eye on ahead of Week 1.
“There’s an active free agent market relative to some pretty talented people out there,”Jones told reporters on June 5. “We want to keep a close eye on that. I never shut the door — never — relative to the potential to smartly add to our team for this year.
“I emphasize that, for this year. Mainly, I would tell you that 99% of my thinking is about this year. Now, you’ve got to think about the impact on other years when you make these decisions, so. You name it whether it be Zeke. Whether it be where we are with the guys that we worked out here today.”