Proposed Cowboys Trade Sends Out-of-Favor Veteran to Packers

Getty Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy.

The Dallas Cowboys are quickly approaching their roster deadline, but they have a chance to make a late trade with the Green Bay Packers to get help. For the Cowboys, defensive tackle Neville Gallimore seems like surplus to the team’s needs but they could still get some value out of a potential departure.

Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine explored the idea in an article about a trade each NFL team should make before the season, stating that it would allow Dallas to recoup something for the time and money invested into Gallimore and it would also address a problem area for the Packers.

“A fresh start for Gallimore and a little bit of draft compensation for the Cowboys could be best for everyone… Rob Davis — who was the assistant head coach in Dallas when they drafted Gallimore — is now a front office executive for the Packers,” Ballentine wrote in the August 24 story. “They have a need for interior defenders after losing both Dean Lowry and Jarran Reed in free agency. Gallimore would address their need for depth there while potentially turning his career around.”

Gallimore is entering his fourth season in the league, so he is not quite a spring chicken but should be entering his athletic and technical prime. Considering he’s in the final year of his rookie contract, the Cowboys defender is entering an important season when it comes to his future in the NFL.

Trade to Packers After Gallimore’s Start in Dallas?

After Gallimore impressed at Oklahoma as an interior defensive lineman with quickness, the Cowboys invested in him with their third-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. It was clear that the 26-year-old needed development to reach starter-level play, but there was a lot to like.

In a way, Gallimore showed he could answer that call as a rookie. According to Pro Football Reference, the defensive tackle started nine games in 2020, making 28 tackles, earning a half-sack and chipping in 4 tackles for loss.

But, Ballentine noted, Gallimore suffered a dislocated elbow in his second season, significantly affecting his playing time. After just five appearances in 2021, Gallimore came back to a defensive line in 2022 that had seen players like Osa Odighizuwa come into their own.

That being said, the former Sooner did play a good bit for Dallas in 2022, appearing in 16 games, making 33 tackles and adding a sack and a pass swat. However, he was primarily a rotation option and only started one game.

Meet the Cowboys’ Newest DT

One of the signs that Gallimore’s roster spot could be in jeopardy was when Dallas drafted Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft. Like Gallimore, Smith is also a bit of a project but ideally would reach his next level faster.

When looking at his numbers with the Wolverines, they don’t jump off the page. Smith was a consistent starter in his last two seasons with Michigan, totaling 85 tackles, 5 tackles for loss and a half-sack over 28 appearances.

Why Smith is enticing as a prospect and why the Cowboys drafted him, though, is that he brings technical skills with his hands along with his massive 6-foot-3, 326-pound frame. Dallas wanted Smith so they could have a defensive tackle that takes up space and plugs holes, but he also has the skills to access a higher level that can make an impact in the passing game as well as defending the run.