Dallas Cowboys Reportedly Tried Trading For Their Superstar Player’s Brother Before The Deadline

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

The Dallas Cowboys tried to acquire a second New York Jets star before completing their blockbuster deal for Pro Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.

In one of two stunning trade deadline deals by the Jets, the Cowboys acquired Quinnen Williams in exchange for 2026 second and 2027 first-round picks and defensive lineman Mazi Smith. In the other deal, they sent All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts for two firsts and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.

Interestingly, the Cowboys were hoping to get a second notable player from the Jets before completing the Williams trade.

According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, the Cowboys wanted to land both Quinnen and his older brother, Jets All-Pro linebacker Quincy Williams:

“I heard that at one point the Cowboys were talking to the Jets about a deal that would have sent Dallas both Williams brothers — Quinnen and linebacker Quincy Williams. But that didn’t work out, and the Cowboys pivoted to former Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson.”

Before getting Quinnen Williams, the Cowboys landed Logan Wilson from the Cincinnati Bengals for a seventh-round pick. Wilson, a key cog on the Bengals D during their run to Super Bowl 56, had recently requested a trade.

Quincy Williams landed with the Jets in 2021 after two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He earned First-team All-Pro honors in 2023 after recording an interception, 10 pass breakups, two sacks and 139 combined tackles.

Quinnen Williams Is Still A Great Pickup For The Cowboys

Landing both Williams brothers would have been a coup for Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones, but getting Quinnen is still a victory in itself.

Quinnen Williams has been one of the league’s best defensive tackles since his 2019 rookie year. He’s an elite pass rusher and world-class run defender, two things Dallas has lacked all season.

Some Cowboys fans might not like the price Jones paid for Quinnen, but superstar defensive players in their prime years never come cheap. Williams, who turns 28 in December, can single-handedly turn this front seven around.

At the end of the day, draft picks are lottery tickets. In the Cowboys’ case, it was worth cashing two tickets in for a proven game-changer.