Cowboys tried to trade up with Browns during 2026 NFL Draft

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 23: Caleb Downs of Ohio State poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected 11th overall by the Dallas Cowboys during Round One of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 23, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Dallas Cowboys wound up with Caleb Downs with their first selection during the 2026 NFL Draft. It never gets old saying or typing that out.

As we are all aware, it took the Cowboys being a bit aggressive to fully land Downs. Dallas originally sat at 12 when the draft began and had to send two fifth-round picks to the Miami Dolphins (177 and 180 overall, compensatory selections that the Cowboys received) to move up one spot and secure their guy. Hopefully we are able to tell that story many times in the future about how it all worked out wonderfully.

We have continued to learn more and more about how the Cowboys had eyes for Downs. The trade up demonstrates that clearly. The Cowboys tried to trade up with Cleveland In the lead-up to the draft there were many an analyst who theorized that the Cowboys could trade up with the Cleveland Browns.

This was when Cleveland sat at six, but early in the draft they traded down with the Kansas City Chiefs and then held the ninth overall pick. This is where the Cowboys wanted to move up to. ESPN released a documentary on Sunday night, “The Pick Is In”, where they chronicled all sorts of happenigns throughout the 2026 NFL Draft.