The Dallas Cowboys rumors are heating up as the NFL trade deadline approaches on October 31, 2023. It remains to be seen whether it will be tricks or treats for Cowboys fans on Halloween. Owner Jerry Jones indicating the front office would be waiting for calls from other teams.
The Athletic’s Jon Machota has a list of potential players that could prompt the Cowboys to get aggressive with an “over the top” move. One of the most intriguing names on the list is Rams star defensive tackle Aaron Donald. The NFL analyst suggested Dallas should be “kicking the tires” on whether Los Angeles would move on from Donald while admitting it is a “highly unlikely” move.
“Los Angeles would probably want a lot more than the Cowboys are willing to offer,” Machota wrote on October 25. “This is highly unlikely. But it’s worth at least kicking the tires. Donald is one of the greatest defenders to ever play the game.
“The 32-year-old is coming off making his ninth Pro Bowl. He has 2 1/2 sacks, eight tackles for loss and 10 QB hits in seven games this season. The Rams probably won’t be able to get more for him than they can right now. Placing Donald in the middle of the Cowboys’ defense would instantly make everyone better.”
NFL Trade Rumors: Los Angeles Rams Star Aaron Donald Comes With a $34 Million Price Tag for 2024
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Donald possesses a reasonable salary but his cap hit is sizable with his three-year, $95 million contract running through the 2024 season. The nine-time Pro Bowler has a $13.5 million salary for 2023 and a $26 million cap hit.
Los Angeles has an out in Donald’s deal this offseason potentially taking a dead cap hit of $33.5 million by releasing the star. If the Rams want to move on from Donald, the pass rusher still has trade value. It makes little sense for LA to release Donald even if the team wanted to start fresh.
Donald has a $10 million salary with a $34.1 million cap hit for 2024, per Spotrac. This makes it more than challenging for the Cowboys given the team needs to sign players like Micah Parsons, CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott to contract extensions.
Dallas Cowboys Rumors: Owner Jerry Jones ‘Would Really Extend’ to Improve the Roster With a Trade
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Jones’ comments about the deadline are conflicting, but this is not the first time the Cowboys owner has confused people about a possible deal. Ahead of the 2022 trade deadline, Jones indicated a move was on the horizon. Yet, nothing was done following the acquisition of defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins.
“I would really extend to improve our team right now, so that gives you an idea because I think we’ve got a team that is a contender,” Jones noted during an October 24 interview on 105.3 The Fan’s “Shan & RJ.” “So I would do it right now – would I do something that would take away from this team so that it can help us in the future? Probably not.”
Donald posted 49 tackles, 11 quarterback hits, 10 tackles for loss and 5 sacks during 11 starts last season. It may be a long shot, but Donald would greatly solidify the middle of the Dallas defense that has been a problem. Despite Jones’ confusing remarks, Cowboys rumors are sure to continue ahead of the trade deadline.
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Cowboys Urged to Kick Tires on Blockbuster Trade for $95 Million Star