If you have been paying attention to the Dallas Cowboys rumors leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft, there is a growing belief that the team is strongly looking into a potential trade up into the top 10.

Every analyst appears to have heard the growing buzz that Dallas is one of the most likely teams to trade up in next week’s draft,

Now, Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones is only adding fuel to the fire.

Jones appeared on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday afternoon and discussed the possibility of a potential trade. He also commented on this year’s draft class, which indicates the Cowboys’ list of first-round targets is not as wide a net as in recent years.

According to Jones, the Cowboys typically enter a draft with 16 to 22 first-round grades on prospects. However, Jones noted, “I’m not sure we will get there this year.”

Dallas Cowboys Trending Toward Active Draft Day?

The Cowboys are no strangers to picking up the phones and engaging in trade talks, and Jerry Jones is always looking to make headlines. So when the draft rolls around, don’t be surprised to see the chatter about a potential Cowboys move increase.

Jones noted that trade talks generally begin the week of the draft, but he’s a “big believer most of these trades happen when you are on the board.”If that’s the case, Dallas will actively be monitoring any potential slides in the top 10 and could be looking to move out of the No. 20 pick.

“Next week, people finalize their boards and have their strategy sessions. I’m a big believer that most of these trades happen as you’re on the board. Players fall off that you wanted, and then you’re willing to come out. Players are staying on the board that you thought might not be there, and then you’re attempting to move up a little bit,” Jones said. “You might not be willing to give up what it costs to move way up in the draft. But if a player starts to fall, then you get a little thought that maybe we could move up and it wouldn’t cost as much and we would still get the guy that we think is the best player for us at a particular position for where we’re going to pick.”

Because of Jones’ comments that the team may not get to 22 prospects with first-round grades, a trade up seems like the most likely scenario.

Should a player like Arvell Reese, Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, or Rueben Bain begin to fall in the draft, it would be a perfect opportunity for the Cowboys front office to get active and make the splash that it has teased all offseason.

Jerry Jones has promised to “bust the budget” in an effort to rebuild the roster, and while the team may not have done so with any high-profile signings in free agency, draft day could provide the perfect opportunity for Dallas to come through on its promise, so get your popcorn ready.

The 2026 NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, April 25.

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The Texas Department of Transportation Dallas District is preparing for in-personal and virtual public hearings on the proposed widening of FM 740/Fm 548.

TxDOT Dallas posted a reminder about the meetings to its social media page on Thursday afternoon.

The purpose of the hearings are to gather public input and provide more information about the proposed reconstruction and widening of FM 740/FM 548 from I-20 to FM 1641 in Mesquite and Forney within Kaufman County.

According to TxDOT, the proposal includes reconstruction of FM740/Fm 548 from a two-lane rural roadway to a four-lane divided urban roadway with raised medians, curb and gutter, a bridge widening at the Mustang Creek crossing, and a 10-foot-wide shared-use path on both sides of the road for approximately four miles.

The roadway passes through the cities of Mesquite and Forney. The existing right-of-way width ranges from 60 feet (along FM 740) to 150 feet (along FM 548). Where proposed right-of-way is needed, the width is generally 130 feet wide.

That means the proposed project would potentially displace three residential and one non-residential structures. Relocation assistance is available for displaced persons and businesses.

The in-person meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 16 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Forney High School (1800 College Ave.).

The virtual hearing will start at 5:30 p.m. and will consist of a prerecorded video presentation. It will remain online for at least the next 15 days and materials can be viewed at any time during that period.

Anyone without internet access may call 214-320-4431 between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. to ask questions and access project materials during the project development project.

View the project materials online here. The materials will also be available in hard copy form for review at the in-person session.

The Dallas Cowboys are widely viewed as a team that could make a trade up in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and more specifically, from their No. 12 overall pick.

It’s something Dallas should definitely consider given how badly the team needs impact players on defense. And, with a pair of first-round picks, the Cowboys can make a giant leap up, too.

But which teams would be willing to move back to allow Dallas to grab a player it covets? Well, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer has just listed them for us.

Breer is reporting that the teams in the Nos. 3-7 picks are looking to move back for more draft capital. That list includes the Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders.

“Teams picking behind the Jets are looking to move down,” Breer revealed. “Count the Cardinals, Titans, Giants, Browns and Commanders among those already looking at trying to drop down in the order to accumulate capital. The problem for those five is finding teams to move up.”

Who could Cowboys move up for?

Breer goes on to note that he believes there are two players who could force a team to strike a deal for one of those five picks: Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (or Texas Tech’s David Bailey if the Jets take Reese) and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.

Of course, Reese is one player the Cowboys would likely move up for if given the opportunity, but it would take a gigantic and costly leap. Assuming Dallas would have to move all the way up to No. 3, which is very likely, that move would cost Dallas two first-round picks and then some.

The “and then some” part might sound crazy, but if we’re going off the NFL Draft Trade Value Chart, Dallas’ two first-round picks are worth 2,050 points and Arizona’s No. 3 pick is worth 2,200 points. On top of closing that gap, the Cowboys might have to pay even more to convince a rebuilding team to move down that far.

We just don’t see all that happening, especially when you consider the Cowboys don’t have a second-round pick and might not be able to keep their third-rounder because of this trade.

Cowboys’ trade-up starting point is No. 4

There is a sizeable 400-point difference between the No. 3 and No. 4 picks, so the latter is the most realistic starting point for the Cowboys when it comes to a trade up.

We would probably rule out a trade up with the New York Giants and Washington Commanders because of the whole division rival thing, so cancel out Nos. 5 and 7 as possibilities. That leaves us with Nos. 4 (Titans) and No. 6 (Browns).

Dallas could swing a deal with the Titans that would still give up their first-round picks but the Cowboys can get back the No. 4 selection (1,800 points) and the No. 66 pick (third round, 260 points).

In that scenario, at least the Cowboys get something back beyond the pick they’re moving up for, and more importantly it’s a second Day 2 pick that Dallas doesn’t currently own. Having a pair of third-round picks will also give the Cowboys a chance to move back up into Round 2.

We’re also intrigued by a trade with the Browns because Dallas can get Cleveland’s No. 6 pick and its early second-round pick for its two first-rounders in a trade that is just a 50-point advantage for Cleveland. That would put the Cowboys in the second round.

Now, we need to talk about who the Cowboys would be trading up for in those spots. If Reese or Bailey are available at No. 4, we are making the move up. Styles is another possibility at four, but we would feel more comfortable with him at six. Unfortunately, the Ohio State product doesn’t have a good chance to still be available in that spot.

If the Cowboys can’t get their hands on one of those three players, we would not anticipate them trading up for someone else, but never say never in the NFL Draft.