Cowboys draft day rumor: Jonathan Brooks a trade down candidate if offensive line is wiped out

The draft day whispers are all over the place for the Dallas Cowboys.

Welcome to the 2024 NFL Draft. We made it. Technically speaking the draft is not here yet as we have some hours to go. Get fueled up and ready to experience anything, my friends.

What kind of anything are we anticipating, though? NFL Network’s Jane Slater offered some breadcrumbs on Thursday morning when she shared that there are two offensive linemen who the Cowboys like a lot and that they could trade up to get one if they happen to fall. She also shared that Jonathon Brooks could be a trade-down candidate.

Slater mentioned Graham Barton and Tyler Guyton (who was the Cowboys selection in both Peter Schrager and Field Yates’ final mocks on Thursday morning for what it is worth) as offensive line options at the end of her note, and also threw in Amarius Mims’ name. but in order to get there you have to read everything else.

First off Slater notes that if quarterbacks go early and push down someone Dallas likes that they could move up to get their guy. Consider that Dallas is projected to receive a handful of compensatory picks next year which means their current 2025 capital is there to work with in trades

This makes sense and is very logical. Hopefully the Cowboys are indeed aggressive in this way if they feel the need to be. But Slater also mentioned the name Jonathon Brooks. Brooks is regarded by many as the best running back in the class, but that he is coming off of a significant injury is a cause for concern. Dallas has shown a tendency to use their second-round pick on players like this in the name of getting some sort of value, but those risks have hardly worked in recent history.

Slater seemed to imply that Dallas could trade down tonight if things do not go the way they want and pick up Brooks, potentially in the first round. That would be a controversial choice. This hypothetical would be softened by the Cowboys picking up some extra capital during rounds 2 and 3, but they would have still utilized their most premium asset on a running back and one coming off of injury.

Among the more strange parts of Slater’s note is that the “biggest concern” seems to be the Philadelphia Eagles could take Brooks in the second round. Not to doubt Slater, but the Eagles just paid Saquon Barkley this offseason. The idea of them doubling down on the position by spending a second-round pick on Brooks is interesting to say the least. Even more interesting is that this idea is the “biggest” possible concern.

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