The Dallas Cowboys have been active at the NFL trade deadline as sellers even though the team is falling behind in the playoff picture. Prior to making a blockbuster Quinnen Williams trade that doesn't make much sense when you factor in the Micah Parsons of it all, the Cowboys made a surprising trade for a linebacker who is likely going to replace 2020 LA Chargers first-round pick, Kenneth Murray.
The Cowboys traded a seventh-round pick to the Cincinnati Bengals for Logan Wilson, who has been less-than-impressive this season on a terrible Bengals defense. It's not common for a team to trade draft capital for a middling linebacker but the Cowboys had no choice. All thanks to Murray.
Dallas traded for Murray in the offseason in a move that Chargers fans instantly knew wouldn't work. Murray struggled in Los Angeles, he struggled in Tennessee, and he was bound to struggle in Dallas. Now, half a season into his Dallas tenure, the Cowboys have admitted defeat.
Cowboys learned what the Chargers already knew about Kenneth Murray
Don't just take our word for it; even the Cowboys faithful have admitted defeat on Murray. Jerry Trotta of The Landry Hat didn't hold back when breaking down how bad Murray has been for the Cowboys this season.
"No matter how you slice it, Murray has been a disaster for the Cowboys this year. He is still a slow processor six years into his career, has poor situational awareness, and often engages blocks against the run with little to no tenacity."
This may change the dynamic of the Chargers-Cowboys game in December. The Chargers went after Murray and attacked him on defense when they played against him and the Titans in 2024. Based on how he is playing, it's safe to assume that the Chargers would take a similar approach in Dallas.
With Wilson in the fold, there's no guarantee that Murry will even get any snaps. This Cowboys defense isn't one the Chargers need to lose sleep over, but it is a bummer that the Chargers can't attack the defensive player who held the team back during his four-year tenure.
That's been the story of Murray's career thus far. Not only has he struggled on an individual level, but the defenses he has played on have struggled as well. The Chargers consistently fielded one of the worst defenses in the sport during the Murray and Brandon Staley tenure. The 2024 Titans ranked 30th in points allowed per game. The 2025 Cowboys currently rank 31st.
Any move that results in fewer snaps for Murray will probably be for the best. However, it's hard to imagine this trade having that big of an impact on Dallas' struggling defense. It's not like Wilson is a game-changer, even if he's a marginal upgrade from Murray.
But hey, the Cowboys clearly think they have the pieces to turn it around. If they didn't, they wouldn't have traded a seventh-round pick for Wilson, or a first and second-round pick for Williams.
The Cowboys now just have to hope those trades don't end up like the Murray trade. Chargers fans can't give them any insight there.