Cowboys' Jones Talks Trade; Who Started Dorance Armstrong Rumor?

Dorance Armstrong is coming off a career-high 8.5 sacks and is slated to make $5 million in 2023. Why in the world would the Cowboys trade him?

FRISCO - Not long ago, we were talking with Dallas Cowboys COO Stephen Jones about the 2023 roster-building process. And in context? Jones offered up a familiar by-rote answer - but for one unfortunate word choice.

"There’s a chance we may trade some guys out,” Jones said. “Guys we decided we don’t want to take the camp, and we replace that guy with another again in the same position.”

Wait. What? Trade? No. He was not revealing that the Cowboys, as they pack for training camp in Oxnard, are on the verge of a "trade''; he meant "trade out'' some guys at the back end of the depth chart as part of a roster churn. (By the way, Jones said this right about the same time Dallas was in the process of cutting practice-squad receiver Antonio "Odds Against Me'' Callaway. And that's the sort of thing he meant.)

Unfortunately, what some associated with Dallas might call "Cowboys Casuals'' have misunderstood Jones' intentions. And the next thing you know, valued pass-rusher Dorance Armstrong being cited as a "name to watch'' on the Bleacher Report list of top potential trade candidates for Dallas.

As is too often the case, BR hasn't interviewed anybody inside The Star about Armstrong, who is headed into the final season of a two-year contract and is scheduled to have a $5 million salary in 2023 - an absolute bargain in exchange for what he does. 

Which is? Armstrong is coming off a career-high 8.5 sacks while playing in all 17 games, including five starts, for Dallas in 2022. The pass rusher also added 33 tackles, 16 quarterback hits, 10 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. 

"It was one of the best seasons of my career so far," said the 26-year-old Texas native Armstrong said, per KPRC in Houston. "I'm looking to come back better and stronger.''

He has also been a core special-teamer, a freakish athlete who at 6-4 and 260 can play multiple D-line roles and also run and tackle in kick coverage.

BR nevertheless suggests he's expendable because of the presence of Micah Parsons, Demarcus Lawrence, Sam Williams, Dante Fowler Jr. and rookie fourth-round pick Viliami Fehoko. They write, "The Cowboys might find more value with Armstrong on the trade market. Any contender that has struggled to get after the quarterback would likely offer up an enticing trade package for his services.”

"More value'' than what? What "enticing trade package''? Among the many oddities here: BR doesn't mention what Armstrong could net the Cowboys in trade ... and seems to be unaware that if they utilize him this year, and he performs well again before being allowed to leave via free agency, they'll get a compensatory pick (a third? A fourth?) ... that will likely match whatever "enticing trade package'' can be had now.

So you keep him. And you play him. Obviously. (Smart teams trying to win a Super Bowl don't dump a 8.5-sacks guy making $5 million for a fourth-round pick.) And then, when it's time to pay him a rich contract? Then you start thinking about the elevation of Williams and Fehoko and whomever. But Stephen Jones' "trade'' reference? It isn't about Dorance Armstrong ... or anybody on the Cowboys roster like him.

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