✭ Dallas Cowboys TRADE RUMOR: Is This the Final Piece on Defense?

✭ Dallas Cowboys TRADE RUMOR: Is This the Final Piece on Defense?

The Dallas Cowboys left the 2025 NFL draft with a few glaring needs. A true wide receiver, too being one of them. It rang loud in the halls of a star. And Jerry and company decided to answer the call. Enter George Pickkins. Ultra talented, fiery, polarizing, and now a Cowboy. But while the headlines focus on the star receiver trade, the work is far from done. Because one of the Cowboys most persistent problems still lingers in the trenches. Defensive tackle, specifically a nose tackle, a one tech. And yet, no splash was made in free agency. No early pick was used in the draft. Just a late day three selection of UCLA’s Jay Toia. An intriguing prospect, yes, but one we must meet with cautious optimism. The Cowboys have walked this road before when it comes to day three defensive tackles. Quinton Bohannah, John Rididgeway, Justin Rogers. Names that never quite stuck here in Dallas. And then there’s Mazy Smith, a former firstrounder now entering year three with his third defensive coordinator and third defensive line coach. He’s flashed. He’s battled, but the consistency is still missing. So, here we are. Fans are asking the question, what’s the move? What can be done to finally fix this? Well, there might be an answer. And it starts with one name, DJ Reer. Pro Football Focus’s Mason Cameron recently floated one final offseason move for each NFC team. For Dallas, he suggested a move that makes too much sense, acquiring Lions defensive tackle, DJ Reer. A seasoned veteran, a run stuffing machine, a true A gap enforcer. Reer signed a two-year $22 million deal last offseason with Detroit. But now after a 15-2 season, the addition of Roy Lopez in free agency and rookie Tyreek Williams in the first round, the Lions are crowded at defensive tackle. That opens a door. Reader could be a cap casualty post June 1st. But there’s a catch. Detroit already paid his $4 million roster bonus this year, so they still could cut him, but more likely a trade. That’s where Dallas enters a conversation. DJ Reer’s fit with the Cowboys is as clean as it gets. 6’3, 335 lbs of grown man strength. He lives in the A gap. He takes on double teams, frees up linebackers, and he moves the line of scrimmage. He plays with the kind of savvy that only comes with years of battle in the trenches. He allows Osa de Gizua to thrive in 101s as an attacking three tech just the way new defensive coordinator Matt Eberloose wants it. Reer isn’t a pass rush specialist, but that’s not what Dallas needs him to be. He’s an early down enforcer, a tone setter, a wall. For years, the Cowboys have struggled to fix their run defense. trading for DJ Reader would send a message, a clear sign that this team has a plan and the will to plug the final gaps in the roster. They’ve already shown that they’re not afraid to make a bold trade. George Pickkins was the first move, but if the team wants to contend, if they want to stop getting pushed around in the postseason, then addressing the heart of the defense can’t be optional. It has to be next. DJ Reer isn’t a long-term fix, but he could be the right now answer to a long-term problem. And if the Cowboys want to prove they’re not just running it back up there, but building something better, this is the move that shows it. We’ll see what they do next. But one thing’s for sure, the window is still open. And the question is, how badly do they want it? If you enjoyed this breakdown, do me a favor, hit that like button, subscribe to the channel, and drop your thoughts in the comments. Would DJ Reer be the missing piece? Is this a move Dallas has to make? Let’s talk about it. This is Skywalker Unleashed and we’ll catch you next time. [Music] [Music]

Could DJ Reader be the missing piece for the Dallas Cowboys defense?
In this video, we break down why a trade for the veteran run-stuffer could make sense from every angle — scheme fit, contract, and the Cowboys’ long-standing need at nose tackle.

💥 Let’s talk about it:

Why the fit with Matt Eberflus’ defense works

How the move could unlock Osa Odighizuwa

Detroit’s DT depth and why he could be available

The Cowboys’ history of Day 3 DTs that didn’t pan out

Whether Dallas is serious about fixing the run defense

👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments — should the Cowboys make this move?
🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you don’t miss more breakdowns like this one!

#Cowboys #dallascowboys

https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/cowboys/2025/05/10/pff-target-lions-dj-reader-if-released/83553552007/

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-last-offseason-move-every-nfc-team-2025

✭ For more Cowboys coverage be sure to follow here

Twitter: https://x.com/SkywalkerSteele
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dallascowboysblitz

✭Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statutes that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. No copyright infringement intended. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS*