The Dallas Cowboys did not make any releases on Saturday, a day after their preseason finale and a day before the NFL's deadline to reduce their roster to 53 players. That gave some indication that a trade may be in the works, either bringing a player in or shipping a player out.
It turns out the latter ruled the day, as the Cowboys sent a third and sixth-round pick over to Pittsburgh to acquire former first-round pick Broderick Jones. The right tackle comes over, along with a Steelers' fourth rounder, and has a chance to eventually give the Cowboys competition at right tackle for incumbent starter Terence Steele.
The Cowboys are sending third- and sixth-round picks to the Steelers for a fourth-rounder and OT Broderick Jones, per source.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) August 29, 2026
Jones
has started 27 of the 28 games he's appeared in over the last two years, and according to Steelers Wire, has outplayed this year's first-round pick Max Iheanachor through training camp and the preseason.
The Cowboys coaches have let it be known they have been looking for more from Steele, who has been a starter since surprising the world as a UDFA rookie out of Texas Tech. He's started all 51 regular season games over the past three seasons, and started 13 games each of the prior two seasons.
Steele has been a strong run blocker, but his pass protection has always needed some work. The issue is that Jones hasn't exactly lit the world on fire with his pass protection, either. He's posted Pro Football Focus grades of 52.1, 54.6 and 59.0 consecutively over his first three seasons, so at least the trajectory is upwards.
Dallas is banking on getting him in the clutches of Klayton Adams and Connor Riley will unlock the potential he had when he left Georgia.
Jones suffered a neck injury last year, leading the Steelers to selecting Iheanachor with the No. 21 overall selection this past April.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys acquire former 1st-round pick to solve right tackle issues
