There’s been a lot of talk around the Inside The Star landscape, and Cowboys Twitter, about America’s Team potentially shipping off one of their players to a new home in exchange for something nice.
The hippest trade hypothetical out there for the world to digest revolves around Ronald Leary. Considering he asked for a trade it seems likely, but I showed you how recent history suggests that a Dallas Cowboy requesting a trade doesn’t always go the way he wants.
Say the Cowboys trade someone other than Ron Leary. Who would it be then? My fellow Staff Writer Brian Martin suggested five other Cowboys that could be packed up in a box like Amazon Prime.
Maybe the Cowboys decide that they’re good and don’t want to give away any of their toys. Staff Writer Jess Haynie recently told us why Dallas is better off holding onto what they find to be valuable in terms of football players.
So which is it? Will they or won’t they trade someone away? It’s the best question we’ve had to debate since Ross audibly pondered as to whether Rachel got off the plane (spoiler: she did). What’s going to happen?
I know this is shocking to you, but I can’t tell the future. What I can do though is point you to the past. History is a great indicator when it comes to things like this as we can look at what has been done and try to draw conclusions from it. So what does history tell us as far as the Cowboys trading away players?
Who Was The Last Dallas Cowboy To Be Traded Away?
Ronald Leary’s request for a trade makes sense considering that La’el Collins is the starter at his position. Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris (who the Cowboys brilliantly stole by the way) have both been tossed out as potential trade currency considering the selection of Ezekiel Elliott with the Draft’s 4th Overall Pick.
It makes sense that veterans who have replacements are the players that teams trade away. That’s why it makes total sense that the most recent trade in which the Cowboys dealt away a player came under similar circumstances.
Dez Bryant was drafted on April 22nd, 2010. About a week later a veteran threatened by his immense talent named Patrick Crayton asked to be traded (Sam Hurd also requested a trade for what it’s worth).
Crayton had to wait five months, but he ultimately got his wish when the Dallas Cowboys traded him away to the San Diego Chargers for a 7th Round pick. The very same day the Cowboys also dealt away 2006 7th Round pick Pat McQuistan to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a 6th Round pick.
Both of the players that the Cowboys traded away have a very obvious common denominator – depth at their position (at the time and in the eyes of the Cowboys).
Their wide receivers were Miles Austin, Roy Williams, Dez Bryant, Kevin Ogletree, and Sam Hurd (who was not traded as he requested to be). Their starting offensive line from left to right was Doug Free (shout out!), Kyle Kosier, Andre Gurode, Leonard Davis, and Marc Colombo. That’s a lot of star power.
The dots connect themselves when you look at the people the Cowboys are rumored to be in the business of potentially trading away nowadays. They’ve done something similar before, albeit not since 2010 and that was a different regime as far as the Head Coach is concerned.
If Patrick Crayton and Pat McQuistan are any indication then the Cowboys, if they make a trade, are likely to deal veterans where they have young, elite, and 1st Round talent.
Considering that it hasn’t happened since 2010, I wouldn’t hold my breath.
EDIT
Upon further research it was discovered that prior to the 2013 season the Dallas Cowboys traded away Sean Lissemore to the San Diego Chargers in exchange for a 7th Round pick (2015). It’s interesting to note that this trade was also with the Chargers, so two of the last three trades (Crayton and Lissemore) have both been made with San Diego.
That 7th Round selection, 236th Overall, was used on Wyoming’s Mark Nzeocha who is expected to have an increased role in 2016. It’s nice to see that the Lissemore trade, even though initially forgotten by me, will hopefully start to show up in a significant way this season.
Also for what it’s worth the very next day the Cowboys also dealt away Tight End Dante Rosario to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a 2014 7th Round selection (that they would later trade away anyway).
Do you think we’re in line to see another Patrick Crayton or Pat McQuistan type trade? Let us know! Comment below, Email me at RJ@RJOchoaShow.com, or Tweet to me at @rjochoa!
