A massive trade proposal has the Dallas Cowboys adding yet another game-changer to their star-studded defensive unit.
The Cowboys’ D will already look different in 2024, a yet-to-be-announced coach replacing Dan Quinn as the defensive coordinator. Quinn, who guided the Dallas defense to three straight finishes as a top-10 group, left to become head coach of the Washington Commanders.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine proposed several offseason trade ideas for the Cowboys, who are coming off another early postseason exit (a 48-32 loss to the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round. One of Ballentine’s proposals has Dallas acquiring five-time Pro Bowl linebacker C.J. Mosley and the No. 186 pick from the New York Jets in exchange for linebacker T.J. Bass and a 2024 third-round pick:
“The Cowboys defense was one of the best in the league, but it still had a few glaring weaknesses that hurt them at pivotal times. One was an apparent lack of depth at off-ball linebacker. Moving Markquese Bell to a linebacker role from safety was a resourceful move.
However, the Cowboys would have benefitted from another true linebacker to play alongside Damone Clark and Leighton Vander Esch.
Dropping C.J. Mosley in the middle of this defense is the kind of move that could kick it up a notch. Looking at some of the defenses that survived through the playoffs there were some good linebackers. Fred Warner is key to the Niners defense. The Ravens advanced to the AFC Championship in part because of the trade to bring in Roquan Smith last season.”
Mosley signed a lucrative five-year deal with the Jets worth $85 million back in the 2019 offseason. Because he opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, that year was taken out of his contract, so Mosley has one year remaining on his current deal.
The do-it-all linebacker had 0.5 sacks, seven pass defenses, two forced fumbles, one interception and 152 combined tackles for the Jets in 2023.
