{"id":59679,"date":"2025-06-05T08:31:56","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T08:31:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=59679"},"modified":"2025-06-05T08:31:56","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T08:31:56","slug":"trade-update-cowboys-ripped-over-trade-for-28-million-former-first-round-pick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=59679","title":{"rendered":"TRADE UPDATE: Cowboys Ripped Over Trade for $28 Million Former First Round Pick"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Kenneth<\/p>\n

The Dallas Cowboys, like they do almost every offseason, have grabbed headlines almost as much as any team in the NFL.<\/p>\n

And just like almost every offseason, those headlines don\u2019t have much to do with winning games.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s drama over a new head coach, Brian Schottenheimer, who it seems like nobody wanted. There\u2019s drama over a trade for a new wide receiver with a bad reputation in George Pickens. There\u2019s drama over their best overall player, edge rusher Micah Parsons, not having a contract extension yet.<\/p>\n

Those are huge talking points. Huge issues. They makes what seem like smaller issues or issues that don\u2019t seem as consequential kind of fade into the background.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not a good thing. The margins of error in the NFL are just too small to overlook anything that could impact winning.<\/p>\n

In the case of the Cowboys, that might turn out to be one of the NFL\u2019s weakest groups of off-ball linebackers and a bad trade for a bad linebacker who\u2019s\u00a0slated to start for Dallas\u00a0in former first round pick\u00a0Kenneth Murray Jr.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey raded for Kenneth Murray Jr., who, I\u2019m just not a fan of his game, to be honest,\u201d ESPN\u2019s Mina Kimes said on \u201cThe Mina Kimes Show\u201d on June 4. \u201cAnd I don\u2019t think he solves any of their problem \u2026 that\u2019s a very, very weak linebacker group. That\u2019s been the Achilles heel of their defense, of course.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The Cowboys obtained Murray in a trade with the Tennessee Titans on March 5, sending a 2025 sixth round pick to the Titans in exchange for Murray and a 2025 seventh round pick (No. 239 overall) the Cowboys used on Clemson running back Phil Mafah.<\/p>\n

Murray Might Be Playing Out of Position<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s very little Murray does well at inside linebacker besides rush the passer, and he\u2019s only done that at a high level the last 2 seasons.<\/p>\n

In 2024, his\u00a045.9 overall grade from PFF was one of the worst in the NFL for his position \u2014 169th out of 189 eligible players at his position \u2014 and showed Murray was almost equally as bad against the pass as he was against the run.<\/p>\n

Murray was a first round pick (No. 23 overall) by the\u00a0Los Angeles Chargers\u00a0in the\u00a02020 NFL draft\u00a0and started\u00a0all 16 games as a rookie, when he had a career high 107 tackles.<\/p>\n

Murray missed 6 games in 2021 and only had 31 tackles. When he returned to a full time starter in 2022, he\u00a0only had 76 tackles. That rollercoaster led the Chargers to decline his fifth year option and he signed a 2-year, $15.5 million free agent contract with the Titans in March 2024.<\/p>\n

Murray is due $7.5 million in 2025, which will bring his career earnings to $28.5 million.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Kenneth Murray is a firecracker off the snap. He has nice speed and doesn\u2019t hesitate. He\u2019s more of a finesse shedder than a physical one, so he\u2019ll get washed out when blockers square up on him, but he has enough athleticism to make plays. Good move by the Cowboys.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sanborn Could Give Cowboys Lift at Linebacker<\/h2>\n

Even if Murray doesn\u2019t pan out, the Cowboys may have signed\u00a0another free agent linebacker\u00a0who might be able to give the group an unexpected lift.<\/p>\n

Bleacher Report\u2019s Matt Holder\u00a0called Jack Sanborn the \u201cBest Kept Secret\u201d on the roster after he\u00a0signed a\u00a01-year, $1.5 million free agent contract with the Cowboys on March 12.<\/p>\n

Sanborn spent the first 3 seasons of his career with the\u00a0Chicago Bears.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe team\u2019s run defense could use some help, and that\u2019s always been his strength, recording a 70.5 run-defense grade from Pro Football Focus in 2024,\u201d Holder wrote on May 19.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Dallas Cowboys, like they do almost every offseason, have grabbed headlines almost as much as any team in the NFL. 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