Best and Worst Trades in Cowboys History

quickccc

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In their 60+ years of storied history, the Dallas Cowboys have made some great trades that helped win some championships. And they also had some trade bummers too.

Here’s a look at the best and worst trades in our history:
BEST
  • 1989- The Hershel Walker Trade- In arguably one of the most one sided trades in NFL history, the Cowboys traded HW for 4 number one draft picks over a three year period, and the Cowboys turned those picks into guys like Emmitt Smith, Russell Maryland, and Darren Woodson. We also received some spare part players like Ike Holt and Jesse Solomon. That trade became the foundation for the 90s championship run of 3 SB wins in 4 years. It’s was Jimmy Johnson’s greatest move.
  • 1977- The Seattle Trade to get Tony Dorsett- on draft day, 1977, everyone knew the Cowboys were looking for a RB. At the last minute it was announced that the Cowboys acquired Seattle’s first round pick (second overall) in exchange for the Cowboys first round pick in 77 plus 3 future 2nd round picks. The Cowboys picked Heisman winner Tony Dorsett. That trade translated into winning the SB that year for the Cowboys and also winning NFC in 77 and 78.
  • 1974- The Trade with the Oilers for Too Tall and Danny- the Oilers traded the #1 overall pick in the 1974 NFL draft along with their 3rd round pick to the Cowboys for WR Billy Parks and DE Toadie Smith (Bubba Smith’s little bro) The Cowboys selected Ed “Too Tall” Jones with the first pick. One of the most underrated DL in Cowboys history. Jones played 15 seasons and half of his career, sacks weren’t even kept. He probably had over 100. With the 3rd round pick, the Cowboys acquired QB/P Danny White, who backed up Roger Staubach for 5 seasons before taking over in 1980, leading the team to 3 straight NFC Championships.
  • 1990- The Steve Walsh Trade- I think this is an underrated trade. The Cowboys traded Steve Walsh to New Orleans for a first, second and a third round pick. The Cowboys eventually acquired LB Dixon Edwards and more importantly T Erik Williams with that trade capital.
WORST
  • 2000- The Joey Galloway Trade- Having lost Michael Irvin to injury in ‘99, Jerry was feeling desperate with the clock ticking on Troy Aikman’s career. Jerry worked a deal with Seattle to acquire WR Joey Galloway in exchange for two Cowboys #1 draft picks- in 2000 and 2001. Galloway suffered a serious knee injury in his first game with Dallas in 2000 and was lost for the entire 2000 season, and Troy ended up retiring at the end of the season. Galloway never turned into much in Dallas.

  • 2008 The Roy Williams Trade- Apparently not learning from the Galloway debacle, Jerry pulled another disaster WR trade out of the hat just before the mid-#season trade deadline in 2008. The Cowboys gave up their 2009 first round pick and a third round pick also in 2009 to the lions in exchange for Williams. And he just never fit in. He dropped passes constantly, ran poor routes and was considered lazy. To top it off, in 2009, Williams was given a $54 million contract extension. Probably the worst trade in Cowboys history.
  • 2012- The Mo Claiborne “trade up”- in the 2012 draft, we traded up 8 spots- giving our 14th and 45th pick in that year’s draft to acquire Morris Claiborne with the 6th pick in that draft. Claiborne spent the next 5 years constantly nursing injuries, blowing coverages and basically sparing us all to death. In 2017-18 he played with the jets, then had a one year stint with the chiefs in 2019. He was out of the league at 29.
There are certainly more trades- good and bad that could be mentioned. Any thoughts?

Steve Walsh was adequate backup type ...at best. Giving up a 1st round pick per supplemental draft because Jimmie liked and trusted him as a team player - at Miami in college, just did not make sense and ended up being the worst move Jimmie ever made as a Cowboys member, imo.

Especially since Jimmie already had drafted Aikman as a No.1 overall pick in 1989. But giving up another 1st round on a QB, made it clear that early on, Jimmie did not trust Aikman as a leader and player.
Of course as time went on, and other dynamics changed, Jimmie learned to trust Aikman
- and the rest became history.

Walsh wasn't a first round talent. He never played like a first round talent- even when he departed from Cowboys.
We could've still got an Erik Williams and Dixon Edwards - while also making mends on our 1st round pick- who knows what real reputable first round instead of the Walsh supplemental.
 

mrmojo

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Yours were good, though. I almost feel pity for the Seahawks when I think of that Dorsett trade. Like, what in the world were they thinking?
What was great about that draft was that Tampa Bay selected Ricky Bell from USC with the first pick and we ended up with the better back.....
 

CowboysRule

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I really don't think the Galloway was all that bad. Galloway was really good, he just didn't have anything to work with when he was here. Who did he have playing QB? Carter, Hutchinson, Leaf, Wright, Stoerner? Did I miss any? I think he was gone by the time we brought in Vinny. Did you really expect him to put up HOF numbers with that pile of QB-rejects throwing to him?
 

JoeKing

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I despised it when it happened (due to the aforementioned Galloway and R. Williams trades), but it seems to have worked out so far.
To date, I agree. However, I suspect Amari's stock is about to crash with fans if he is a non-participant at training camp and starts the season on the PUP list.
 

Rockport

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In their 60+ years of storied history, the Dallas Cowboys have made some great trades that helped win some championships. And they also had some trade bummers too.

Here’s a look at the best and worst trades in our history:
BEST
  • 1989- The Hershel Walker Trade- In arguably one of the most one sided trades in NFL history, the Cowboys traded HW for 4 number one draft picks over a three year period, and the Cowboys turned those picks into guys like Emmitt Smith, Russell Maryland, and Darren Woodson. We also received some spare part players like Ike Holt and Jesse Solomon. That trade became the foundation for the 90s championship run of 3 SB wins in 4 years. It’s was Jimmy Johnson’s greatest move.
  • 1977- The Seattle Trade to get Tony Dorsett- on draft day, 1977, everyone knew the Cowboys were looking for a RB. At the last minute it was announced that the Cowboys acquired Seattle’s first round pick (second overall) in exchange for the Cowboys first round pick in 77 plus 3 future 2nd round picks. The Cowboys picked Heisman winner Tony Dorsett. That trade translated into winning the SB that year for the Cowboys and also winning NFC in 77 and 78.
  • 1974- The Trade with the Oilers for Too Tall and Danny- the Oilers traded the #1 overall pick in the 1974 NFL draft along with their 3rd round pick to the Cowboys for WR Billy Parks and DE Toadie Smith (Bubba Smith’s little bro) The Cowboys selected Ed “Too Tall” Jones with the first pick. One of the most underrated DL in Cowboys history. Jones played 15 seasons and half of his career, sacks weren’t even kept. He probably had over 100. With the 3rd round pick, the Cowboys acquired QB/P Danny White, who backed up Roger Staubach for 5 seasons before taking over in 1980, leading the team to 3 straight NFC Championships.
  • 1990- The Steve Walsh Trade- I think this is an underrated trade. The Cowboys traded Steve Walsh to New Orleans for a first, second and a third round pick. The Cowboys eventually acquired LB Dixon Edwards and more importantly T Erik Williams with that trade capital.
WORST
  • 2000- The Joey Galloway Trade- Having lost Michael Irvin to injury in ‘99, Jerry was feeling desperate with the clock ticking on Troy Aikman’s career. Jerry worked a deal with Seattle to acquire WR Joey Galloway in exchange for two Cowboys #1 draft picks- in 2000 and 2001. Galloway suffered a serious knee injury in his first game with Dallas in 2000 and was lost for the entire 2000 season, and Troy ended up retiring at the end of the season. Galloway never turned into much in Dallas.

  • 2008 The Roy Williams Trade- Apparently not learning from the Galloway debacle, Jerry pulled another disaster WR trade out of the hat just before the mid-#season trade deadline in 2008. The Cowboys gave up their 2009 first round pick and a third round pick also in 2009 to the lions in exchange for Williams. And he just never fit in. He dropped passes constantly, ran poor routes and was considered lazy. To top it off, in 2009, Williams was given a $54 million contract extension. Probably the worst trade in Cowboys history.
  • 2012- The Mo Claiborne “trade up”- in the 2012 draft, we traded up 8 spots- giving our 14th and 45th pick in that year’s draft to acquire Morris Claiborne with the 6th pick in that draft. Claiborne spent the next 5 years constantly nursing injuries, blowing coverages and basically sparing us all to death. In 2017-18 he played with the jets, then had a one year stint with the chiefs in 2019. He was out of the league at 29.
There are certainly more trades- good and bad that could be mentioned. Any thoughts?
The Herschel Walker trade was the best ever trade in the NFL period. The Roy Williams trade may have been the worst.
 

Bobhaze

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The mess with Ralph Neely in the 1960s. First we trade a 4th round pick and a player for his contract to the Colts. But, in the meantime he signed with the Oilers in the AFL without telling anyone so that he could play in the Gator Bowl THEN decides that he wants to play with Dallas and tries to return the Oilers money. In the resulting law suit settlement we send the Oilers a first, second and two fifths (Not the whiskey kind).

I don't know if this is a good trade or a bad one. We get a darn fine lineman, but give up a ton of picks for him during an era when the organization regularly drafted good players. Plus we started that stupid, nobodycares Governor's Cup game.

Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive......
As an expansion team in 1960 with no draft picks going into the year, we needed bodies.
We traded a 1st and a 6th to the Commanders for Eddie LaBaron . OK, we had to have a QB, but we WAY overpaid for a guy like LaBaron.

But then, we trade our 1st in 1962 and a tackle to Cleveland for their 1st in 1961, which we use to select Bob Lilly. WINNING! in retrospect maybe the best trade in Dallas history......

Mix it all together and we get what will amount to a place holder for Don Meredith and one of the all time greats.
Good stuff! Man those early days with Tex, Tom and Gil B were rocky on the trade front. That Eddie LeBaron trade was terrible.
 

Bobhaze

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Didn't the Craig Morton trade to the Giants net us Randy White and Hollywood in the 1st round in 1975?
Yes! The Cowboys traded Morton to the midgets in ‘74 for their first and second round picks in ‘75. That allowed the Cowboys to have the 2nd overall pick in the first round in 75 from the giants and also the 18th pick (their own) also in the first. Those two picks turned into Randy White and Hollywood Henderson. Hard to beat that. And that was all part of possibly the greatest draft in Cowboys history - the “Dirty Dozen”.
 

Diehardblues

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Greatest move in Cowboys history was using our 10th pick in the 64 draft for Roger Staubach who no one knew if he’d play after serving his tour in the Navy.

Also , most fans don’t know the Cowboys also used 5th round pick on Herschel Walker in 1985 knowing he was going to the USFL New Jersey Generals. But our pick gave us rights to him if the league failed.

These two future picks set up both glory eras for the Cowboys. Thanks Tex !!!!!!!
 

unionjack8

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Mannnn I remember damn near doing cartwheels when we traded for Roy Williams. I thought we would be unstoppable and at least get 2 Super Bowls out of it
I puked, I hated him as a player , my most despised cowboy of all time. The fact the hookem thing came with it riled me even more. Clown footed arse wipe he was, and he was no better as a person either. Dropped catches galore and didn't care. What a nob
 

Majic

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The Roy Williams trade was the worst for me. I was really angry at the time. Nobody gets everything right all the time but I knew that would not work out. With the Lions he was very hit or miss. At the point we traded for him, he had 1 TD and no 100 yd game that year
 

JohnsKey19

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That looks bad now, but Smith was waived after refusing a pay cut. The Eagles signed him in '94 then cut him in training camp. No one else signed him.

If not for the expansion in 1995, it's likely Smith never has an NFL career. The Jags had open tryouts and he got his shot. The rest is history.

Yeah it's hard to blame them. Kinda like Brian Waters who they signed out of North Texas as a TE. He was waived and then goes on to be one of the top OGs in the league years later in Kansas City.
 

pancakeman

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Wow, who the heck are Billy Parks and Toadie Smith and what were the Oilers thinking?!
 

john van brocklin

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In their 60+ years of storied history, the Dallas Cowboys have made some great trades that helped win some championships. And they also had some trade bummers too.

Here’s a look at the best and worst trades in our history:
BEST
  • 1989- The Hershel Walker Trade- In arguably one of the most one sided trades in NFL history, the Cowboys traded HW for 4 number one draft picks over a three year period, and the Cowboys turned those picks into guys like Emmitt Smith, Russell Maryland, and Darren Woodson. We also received some spare part players like Ike Holt and Jesse Solomon. That trade became the foundation for the 90s championship run of 3 SB wins in 4 years. It’s was Jimmy Johnson’s greatest move.
  • 1977- The Seattle Trade to get Tony Dorsett- on draft day, 1977, everyone knew the Cowboys were looking for a RB. At the last minute it was announced that the Cowboys acquired Seattle’s first round pick (second overall) in exchange for the Cowboys first round pick in 77 plus 3 future 2nd round picks. The Cowboys picked Heisman winner Tony Dorsett. That trade translated into winning the SB that year for the Cowboys and also winning NFC in 77 and 78.
  • 1974- The Trade with the Oilers for Too Tall and Danny- the Oilers traded the #1 overall pick in the 1974 NFL draft along with their 3rd round pick to the Cowboys for WR Billy Parks and DE Toadie Smith (Bubba Smith’s little bro) The Cowboys selected Ed “Too Tall” Jones with the first pick. One of the most underrated DL in Cowboys history. Jones played 15 seasons and half of his career, sacks weren’t even kept. He probably had over 100. With the 3rd round pick, the Cowboys acquired QB/P Danny White, who backed up Roger Staubach for 5 seasons before taking over in 1980, leading the team to 3 straight NFC Championships.
  • 1990- The Steve Walsh Trade- I think this is an underrated trade. The Cowboys traded Steve Walsh to New Orleans for a first, second and a third round pick. The Cowboys eventually acquired LB Dixon Edwards and more importantly T Erik Williams with that trade capital.
WORST
  • 2000- The Joey Galloway Trade- Having lost Michael Irvin to injury in ‘99, Jerry was feeling desperate with the clock ticking on Troy Aikman’s career. Jerry worked a deal with Seattle to acquire WR Joey Galloway in exchange for two Cowboys #1 draft picks- in 2000 and 2001. Galloway suffered a serious knee injury in his first game with Dallas in 2000 and was lost for the entire 2000 season, and Troy ended up retiring at the end of the season. Galloway never turned into much in Dallas.

  • 2008 The Roy Williams Trade- Apparently not learning from the Galloway debacle, Jerry pulled another disaster WR trade out of the hat just before the mid-#season trade deadline in 2008. The Cowboys gave up their 2009 first round pick and a third round pick also in 2009 to the lions in exchange for Williams. And he just never fit in. He dropped passes constantly, ran poor routes and was considered lazy. To top it off, in 2009, Williams was given a $54 million contract extension. Probably the worst trade in Cowboys history.
  • 2012- The Mo Claiborne “trade up”- in the 2012 draft, we traded up 8 spots- giving our 14th and 45th pick in that year’s draft to acquire Morris Claiborne with the 6th pick in that draft. Claiborne spent the next 5 years constantly nursing injuries, blowing coverages and basically sparing us all to death. In 2017-18 he played with the jets, then had a one year stint with the chiefs in 2019. He was out of the league at 29.
There are certainly more trades- good and bad that could be mentioned. Any thoughts?
You nailed the walker trade.
Hard to argue the 2 wr trades being disasters
 

Hoofbite

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Nailed the worst. Galloway, not because he was bad but due to injuries. The other two players absolutely sucked. Watching Williams celebrate a routine first down was just embarrassing. Slow, non-physical WRs don't make it. Its a surprise he ever had any success in Detroit.
 

Insomniac

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I'd rate the Haley trade in '92 among the top 3 best. But otherwise, your list is spot on, in my opinion.

Looking at it from the other side that had to be one of the most stupid trades in NFL history. SF had to dump Haley but they could have sent him anywhere. Why send him to a playoff team that needed a big time pass rusher to move up to the next level?
 

Praxit

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...Roy Williams was the strangest trade. I thought this guy was the Dallas Megatron, boy was I wrong. He disappeared faster then he could signal his Texas Horns.
 
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