FRISCO, Texas — The flurry of NFL transactions ahead of Tuesday’s cutdown deadline are also aren’t simply about the daunting task of reducing the roster headcount from 90 to 53, and the Dallas Cowboys are making additional moves to try and give themselves ammunition — a decision tied to Asim Richards having been made.

Richards will not be on the Cowboys’ roster in 2025, and he’s been be traded to the New Orleans Saints along with a 2028 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round pick, and the young offensive lineman will now be under the wing of Kellen Moore, whom the Cowboys know very well from his time in Dallas as a quarterback, quarterbacks’ coach and offensive coordinator prior to departing following the 2022 season.

A fifth-round pick in 2023, Richards made his way to Dallas after a standout career for the University of North Carolina, one that saw him elevate himself as one of the top offensive tackles in the nation.

His initial season in the NFL saw him get work on the offensive interior due to a rash of injuries amongst teammates, but the 24-year-old was ultimately moved back to tackle, where he spent a good bit of this year’s training camp in competition with players like Nate Thomas, Hakeem Adeniji and Ajani Cornelius.

The development of Thomas, in particular, stood out the most for the Cowboys as they help former first-round pick Tyler Guyton recover from a knee injury suffered in camp. For Richards, that meant the road to landing a spot on the 53-man roster was daunting.

Instead of waiving him, however, the Cowboys were able to find a trade partner in the Saints.