Jerry Jones Says Cowboys Are Interested in Trading Up in 2022 NFL Draft

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Wednesday the team could look to trade up during the early rounds of the 2022 NFL draft, which kicks off April 28 in Las Vegas.

Jon Machota of The Athletic provided the full comments from Jones, who said the decision will be based on if the prospects they covet remain on the board:

Jon Machota @jonmachota

Jerry Jones said the Cowboys would be interested in trading up in this month’s draft pic.twitter.com/AJbXijPJY8

The Cowboys head toward the draft in solid position. While they do have some remaining needs, mostly within the defensive front seven, there isn't a singular glaring weakness that would prevent the team from seriously competing in the NFC next season.

So Dallas has the option to make a luxury pick, potentially another wide receiver to pair with CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, early on despite the position not being a major concern.

It's unlikely Jones and the front office would sacrifice significant capital to make that happen, though. Here's a look at the Cowboys' picks as the order stands:

• Round 1: No. 24
• Round 2: No. 56
• Round 3: No. 88
• Round 4: No. 129
• Round 5: Nos. 155, 167, 176, 187
• Round 6: No. 193

If anything, the Cowboys could use that excess capital in the fifth round to move up in the third if there's a prospect that stands out.

Otherwise, it wouldn't be a surprise if they have a mostly quiet draft, using their picks to add depth to both the offensive and defensive lines while taking a shot on a potential big-play wideout somewhere in the first few rounds without trading up.

Perhaps the one exception would be if a receiver like Ohio State's Chris Olave or Alabama's Jameson Williams is still on the board as the Cowboys' first-round pick gets close. Jumping up a handful of picks to grab one of them without selling the farm is an intriguing option.

Dallas, which posted a 12-5 record to win the NFC East in 2021, doesn't have to make a panic deal if there's an early run on wideouts, though.

Jones' remarks are merely a blanket statement about keeping their options open, a stance taken by most teams this time of year, rather than a declaration of a definite trade up.