Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Reveals Bold Trade Offer for Quinnen Williams

The Dallas Cowboys have been riding high on a three-game winning streak, a success that owner Jerry Jones attributes in part to their recent acquisition of three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. Earlier this month, the Cowboys traded a 2027 first-round pick, a 2026 second-round pick, and defensive tackle Mazi Smith to the New York Jets in exchange for Williams.

Jones disclosed on November 28, 2025, during an interview on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, that he initially sought to acquire Williams while exploring trade options for All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons before the season began. He revealed that his offer included a first-round pick along with Parsons himself. “I thought that much of Williams,” Jones stated, explaining that the trade did not materialize due to the Jets lacking the salary cap space to accommodate Parsons’s contract.

In a subsequent move in late August, the Cowboys traded Parsons to the Green Bay Packers for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks. This trade proved momentous for Parsons, who signed a four-year, $188 million contract extension with the Packers, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Currently, Parsons ranks third in the NFL with 12.5 sacks and is vying for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year title for the fifth consecutive season.

Since joining the Cowboys, Williams has made a significant impact on the field. According to Pro Football Focus, he recorded 21 quarterback pressures in just three games with Dallas, compared to 19 pressures in eight games with the Jets earlier this season. This performance has inevitably led to comparisons between Williams and Parsons, especially given the circumstances surrounding their respective trades.

Jones addressed these comparisons, noting that while Parsons is undeniably impactful, the Cowboys struggled to secure wins during his tenure. “We really hadn’t won with Micah,” Jones explained. He suggested that opponents were able to exploit Parsons’s position, often running plays directly at him or executing quicker passes to mitigate his effectiveness.

With Parsons, the Cowboys made the playoffs in each of his first three years with the team, achieving a remarkable 12 wins in each season. Despite this regular-season success, the team repeatedly fell short in the postseason, failing to advance past the divisional round.

The trade dynamics between Parsons and Williams illustrate a shifting strategy within the Cowboys organization, one that seeks to bolster the team’s defensive capabilities. As the Cowboys continue their campaign, the effectiveness of the Williams acquisition will be closely scrutinized, particularly in relation to Parsons’s ongoing success in Green Bay.

For now, Dallas fans are optimistic, buoyed by the team’s recent performance and the potential that Williams brings to their defensive lineup. With critical games ahead, the Cowboys aim to leverage their recent trades to enhance their playoff prospects and secure a deeper postseason run.