Should the Dallas Cowboys Ship Mike Jenkins to...

It seems like the defense has finally caught up to the offense for the Dallas Cowboys. Given the draft picks they gave up, they might start seeking a trade to get some back. Could they find a great deal in sending Mike Jenkins to the Atlanta Falcons?

Winning a playoff game is tops on the to-do list for the Atlanta Falcons. Their offense seems ready to take that next steps after Matt Ryan and Julio Jones led an opening-day thrashing of the Kansas City Chiefs. Sadly the celebration came with a sour note. Just as much hope rests on the Atlanta defense, they took a terrible blow when their best corner Brent Grimes went down with an injured Achilles tendon. He will miss the rest of the season, leaving a huge void in the Falcons defense. Veteran pickup Asante Samuel will have to cover up for him, but the damage will stay there the rest of the year. Atlanta never had the strongest defense in the league, and Grimes earned the franchise tag for his play the last few seasons. Him going down means the other starters and defensive coÃ¶rdinator Mike Nolan need to work some magic or the offense could see a lot of shootouts in their future.

One way Atlanta has improved over the past couple season has come through big trade deals. Their draft-day blockbuster in 2011 netted them Julio Jones. Would they pay up once again to fill the hole left by Grimes? A player many have forgotten since the season started is Dallas Cowboys corner Mike Jenkins. A year ago, he was by far the best player on that defense, but the additions of Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne have made his roster spot shaky. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expects Jenkins to team with the new pair to fortify the Dallas secondary. On the other hand, the 27-year-old becomes a free agent next season. If Jones isn't willing to give him a new deal, then trading him for some compensation is the smartest move left. Atlanta would love him on their team given his speed and ability to cover man-to-man. He isn't what Grimes was, but he is a perfect fill-in.

The Atlanta Falcons lost a lot when Brent Grimes went down. Mike Jenkins was never trade bait for the Cowboys, but at the right price a deal can always happen.

Comments: 2

joe joes Sep 11, 2012, 8:59am UTC

Only a fool would get rid of Jenkins for draft picks.
what happens if Carr or Claiborne go down.
The Cowboys would be in the same position as Atlanta.
I guess your just writing to get a paycheck.
stupid article.

Erik Lambert Sep 11, 2012, 10:03am UTC

Riddle me this then, Joe. You have an injury-prone third corner who has had his struggles since joining the Cowboys but still is young enough and talented enough to draw interest from team. Now Atlanta watches their best guy go down and might surrender a couple good draft picks for him, draft picks that a pretty good front office in Dallas could use to widen that "Super Bowl window" everybody keeps talking about. In addition the team saves a good chunk of salary cap space to bolster the roster elsewhere, say oh I don't know, the offensive line. No reserve player is immune to trade possibilities if the value is high enough. The Falcons are in a championship-or-bust year and losing Grimes could haunt them down the stretch. If I thought I could get a first or second round pick from them for Jenkins I would do it in a heartbeat.

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Should the Dallas Cowboys Ship Mike Jenkins to Atlanta Falcons?

Comments: 2

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