Dallas Cowboys Land Former 1st-Round Pick In Trade With Bills

The Dallas Cowboys have made more noise this offseason than they did last year. Last offseason, they famously only signed one free agent, though they did get extensions for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb done. This year, they have been much more active. Jerry Jones and the front office signed veteran defensive tackle Solomon Thomas to a two-year deal. They followed that up with a three-year deal for All-Pro returner KaVontae Turpin, making him the highest-paid special teams player in the league. The Cowboys pulled off a massive trade on Wednesday, acquiring former first-round pick Kaiir Elam in a trade with the Buffalo Bills.

Dallas Cowboys Land Kaiir Elam

Josina Anderson reported the deal that will send Kaiir Elam to the Dallas Cowboys. The rest of the trade compensation is draft picks. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported soon after that Dallas will also be receiving a 2025 sixth-round pick, while the Bills get a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 seventh-round pick. Elam was selected 23rd overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. In three seasons, he has racked up 81 total tackles, six passes defended, and two interceptions across 29 games.

The low production is likely why the Bills were okay to move the former Florida Gator. He only made 12 starts during his three years with the team and struggled with staying on the field. This doesn’t mean this is a bad move. The Dallas Cowboys get a young corner with upside for a cheap price. They lost Jourdan Lewis to the Jaguars, leaving their secondary thin. Elam adds some good depth behind Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland.

Savvy Move

It is very popular to dump on Jerry Jones for his front office moves. However, we have to give credit where credit is due. This is a savvy move and one that good front offices make. The team is not tied to the player long-term. He is on a rookie contract, meaning he isn’t taking up a massive amount of salary cap space. If this works out, they get high-level play on a team-friendly deal. If not, they only gave up a couple of day-three picks.

The Dallas Cowboys will need secondary help if they are going to stop the elite receivers in their division. Philadelphia has AJ Brown and Devonta Smith. Washington traded for Deebo Samuel to play opposite Terry McLaurin. Even the New York Giants have Malik Nabers. Injuries defined last season. The Cowboys hope this season can have a different narrative.