Before the season started the Cowboys suffered several injuries to key players that were thought to have derailed Dallas' season before it even began. Since then a 5-1 start coupled with the play of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott have at least minimized the losses of Tony Romo, Kellen Moore and Darren McFadden.
Could Dallas trade away some returning talent to help out areas of need? Or could they make separate trades altogether?
Below are some trade scenarios that national writers think should or might happen. Be sure to scroll to the bottom to vote on which trade you'd most like to see happen.
A surplus of RBs
Cowboys give up: Darren McFadden
Cowboys get: A 2017 conditional sixth-round pick from the Detroit Lions
CBS Sports' Joel Corry said that the Cowboys' surplus at running back could net them an additional pick in this year's draft.
"McFadden is a luxury for the Cowboys because Ezekiel Elliott , the No. 4 overall pick in the last draft, is leading the NFL in rushing," Corry said. "Alfred Morris has done a nice job relieving Elliott."
Note: CBS Sports' Jared Dubin also said the Cowboys can trade McFadden to either the Lions or the Green Bay Packers.
Cowboys give up: McFadden
Cowboys get: A fourth- or fifth-round pick from the Lions
From FOX Sports' Cameron DaSilva:
"The Lions could probably land McFadden for a fourth- or fifth-round pick, which isn't exactly the costliest price. It's a move that could elevate the offense and balance it out a bit, taking pressure off of Matthew Stafford."
Beef up the pass rush
Cowboys give up: A 2017 sixth-round pick from the Miami Dolphins
Cowboys get: Defensive end Mario Williams
Williams has played in seven games this year with the Dolphins and has racked up 10 tackles and a sack. The 31-year old is currently in his 11th season in the league and is in the first year of a two-year, $17 million deal with Miami.
"The Miami Dolphins have cornered the market on older passer rushers with Mario Williams and Cameron Wake," Corry said. "Wake is coming off an Achilles tear that cost him the final nine games last season. He is beginning to cut into Williams' playing time after starting the season as a situational pass rusher.
"Dallas looks like a team that could have a deep playoff run. Putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks is still an issue despite ranking 10th in total defense and eighth in scoring defense."
Cowboys give up: N/A
Cowboys get: Defensive end Cameron Wake from the Dolphins
Dubin went the opposite direction as his co-worker when picking a Dolphins defensive end to join the Cowboys. Here's why he chose Wake:
"Wake is getting up there in years, but he still has it," Dubin said. "On only 137 snaps for the Dolphins this year, Wake has 20 pressures, making him one of the most productive pass-rushers on a per-snap basis. If the Dolphins aren't going to use him on an every-snap basis, maybe the Cowboys will."
Wake just signed a one-year, $10 million extension with Miami that starts at the beginning of the 2017 season. His cap hit for the 2017 season is $7 million and then $7.875 million in 2018. He's also 34 years old.
Cowboys give up: A fifth-round pick
Cowboys get: Wake
From FOX Sports' Cameron DaSilva:
"For that price, the Cowboys could take their defense from being solid to downright formidable. The coverage has been great, but the pass rush could stand to be improved dramatically. Just last season, Wake had seven sacks in seven games before getting injured, including four in one game."
Say goodbye to Tony Romo
Cowboys give up: Tony Romo to the Denver Broncos
Cowboys get: N/A
CBS Sports' Jared Dubin didn't say what Dallas would get in return, but did say that Denver could use the veteran quarterback.
"Contrary to popular belief, it doesn't make all that much sense for the Cowboys to deal Romo," Dubin said. "Doing so accelerates too much money onto their cap for a player that won't be on the team, and anyway, having two good quarterbacks is not actually that big of a problem. But if they got enough in the deal, maybe they would be motivated to do it...
"The one thing this Broncos team is missing right now is a dynamic quarterback to take its offense to the next level. Romo could conceivably push them back over the top."
Cowboys give up: Tony Romo
Cowboys get: A third-round pick from the Broncos and defensive end Shane Ray
From FOX Sports' Cameron DaSilva, who listed this as a possible blockbuster that is "highly unlikely" to happen:
"In exchange, the Cowboys would get a much-needed pass rusher in Shane Ray and a second-rounder (maybe) to help build on their young core of players. Ray would probably become Dallas' best pass rusher right away and would make a nice pairing with Demarcus Lawrence at defensive end. Contractual issues and the unlikelihood of Dallas trading Romo make this a pipe dream, but who says no to it in a parallel universe where money is no object?"
Getting defensive
Cowboys give up: N/A
Cowboys get: Outside linebacker Willie Young
From NFL.com's Gil Brandt:
"The 5-1 Cowboys are currently in the driver's seat in the NFC East, but if they want to hold off the likes of the Eagles and Giants, they'd do well to increase their sack differential (currently plus-two) and ratchet up the takeaways (five, tied for 27th in the NFL). Dallas' schedule will be tough going forward, and it would help a great deal to have someone capable of collecting 10 sacks on the field."
Willie Young's cap hit in 2017 will be $4.1 million and it'll jump up to $5.4 million for the 2018 season.
