5 AFC North players Cowboys should call before NFL trade deadline

The Dallas Cowboys have temporarily stopped the bleeding. With a short break, beating the New York Giants in Week 3 on Thursday Night Football wasn't a pretty exercise. They also paid a heavy price, losing both Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence to lower extremity injuries, likely for several weeks.

Aside from these injury issues, the Cowboys also have other needs. Aside from All-Pro CeeDee Lamb, there have been very few contributions to the passing game, and while they were able to shut down the Giants' running game, it has been less than a week since they allowed a total of 464 rushing yards in two games. There is a need to improve the roster and they should consider trading accordingly.

The Cowboys extended both QB Dak Prescott and Lamb before the start of the season, opening up plenty of leeway for the 2024 internationals to make in-season moves. If they feel like it, Jerry and Stephen Jones have more than $25 million at their disposal to bring in outside help. Blessed with a mini-bye in which to sit back and observe other teams' work, it makes sense to identify teams that may be looking to lure players in exchange for draft picks.

Picks are a commodity for the Cowboys more than most teams. Therefore, they are unlikely to want to part with something unless the price is in their favor. But with four 2025 comp picks, the Cowboys might be willing to part with any of those players who could help.

Our first look is at the AFC North, where three of the four teams are under .500 entering the weekend. The Pittsburgh Steelers are 3-0, but both Baltimore and Cleveland are 1-2 and the Bengals are winless. The Ravens aren't going to stay bad, so the focus of these trade offers will be on Cincinnati and the Browns' talent.

WR Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals Wide Receiver Tee Higgins (5)

Higgins is currently playing as a franchise player since he and the Bengals were unable to reach an agreement all summer. If he plays with the fifth-year option, he'll make $21.8 million per year, so if he were acquired, he would cost Dallas a large chunk of remaining cap space, $1.2 million for each remaining week in the season.

But the Bengals are struggling and are already 0-3 this year. If they don't win a few games in a row, the season is lost and giving up Higgins for a fourth-rounder in 2025 would make perfect sense. The kicker? The two-time 1,000-yard receiver is a free agent signing who will likely land his next team a 2026 third- or fourth-round comp pick.

DT BJ Hill, Bengals

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Another Bengals prospect to keep an eye on is center back BJ Hill. Hill is the player Dallas hoped Jordan Phillips would be, a 310-plus three-tech with pass-rushing and run-stopping skills. The Giants' 2018 third round lineup consists of three different seasons with at least 4.5 sacks.

DE Trey Hendrickson, Bengals

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Probably a non-starter, but the Cowboys have a need at the position. This is even more true with Lawrence out for most of the season, as the team is somewhat unclear about what exactly is going on with his foot.

Hendrickson is similar in build to Lawrence, although he is a more productive sack artist and not as good at setting the edge. He doesn't fit particularly well as he has only played on the right side, Parsons' side, and rarely steps inside. He's also signed through 2025 and won't be a free agent like the others on this list, but he's too big of a talent not to ask if the Bengals launch a fire sale.

WR Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns

Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper celebrates after scoring on the team's first drive of the first half against the New York Giants, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Cleveland.

Cooper made a splash this summer, threatening to leave and getting the final year of his contract (originally written by the Cowboys) guaranteed. But if the Browns continue to falter, perhaps Cleveland's front office would bite the bullet and send him back south.

Cooper had a career-high 1,250 yards in 2024 and would be a huge compliment to Lamb; They have already proven what they can be as a duo.

DT Quinton Jefferson, Browns

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Jefferson is a veteran three-tech player who just signed with the Browns in the offseason for about $4 million. A lost season means he could be acquired for low draft compensation and would help in a rotation in Dallas.