The Cowboys were remarkably active in the first round of the NFL draft, doing two different deals with teams to move both up and down in the order over the course of Thursday night.But fans shouldn't expect similar fireworks on Friday.Dallas first swapped opening-round picks with Miami. The one-spot climb from No. 12 to No. 11 allowed them to take Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, but it cost them two of their fifth-round selections.Later in the evening, they worked a deal with the division-rival Eagles, trading back to No. 23 so Philadelphia could take wide receiver Makai Lemon at No. 20. That move earned Dallas a pair of fourth-round picks and required giving up their seventh-rounder.After all the wheeling and dealing, it took the team's total draft capital from 2,326 points (on the Jimmy Johnson chart) to 2,346.1.
Entering Friday night, they'll have a long 59-pick wait until they come on the clock again at No. 90.But making more dramatic moves with those new-found fourth-rounders just to jump into the second round seems unlikely."What we don't want to do is give up- because we feel that way philosophically- you don't want to be giving up three and four football players for one player," Cowboys co-owner Stephen Jones said Thursday night as part of the Day 1 press conference. Based on the numbers, that's what it would take to move into Round 2: the team's lone third-round selection plus at least three- and almost certainly more, maybe all- of their five Day 3 picks."Obviously, to have draft capital is helpful," Jones continued, "but it'll be a challenge to get into that second round based on where we sit right now with our picks, not unless you're willing to give up a handful of picks for one player."As it stands, the Cowboys will leave the draft with seven new players instead of eight, but all of them would come off the board in the top 152.Vice president of player personnel Will McClay suggested that turning those fifth-round selections into fourth-round players will be a bigger deal than the draft slots make it seem."I think you're going to add quality players, competition.
We're going to strengthen the competition for roster spots," McClay told reporters. "That makes your team stronger, top to bottom."But this is the Cowboys. And Jerry Jones is still the man in the big office.
And with a host of quality players- many of whom have visited extensively with Dallas in the pre-draft process- still available in Round 2, there's always the possibility that the Chief Gambling Officer will want to get back into the action once the picks start flying."Would we totally rule it out?" Stephen Jones mused. "Absolutely not.
We don't ever rule out anything."Except, if they are to be believed, one of Thursday night's late-breaking rumors. Despite wide receiver George Pickens signing his franchise tag and therefore clearing the way for the team to use him in a draft-weekend trade, Jones doubled down when asked if that might still be a possibility with 225 picks still to be made and roster holes still to be filled in Dallas."We have zero intention of moving [him]."It could be a quiet Friday in Frisco.Todd is on X at @ToddBrock24f7. Also, follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys' Stephen Jones: Trading into Round 2 would 'be a challenge'