Ja’Quan McMillan could be a solid replacement for Jourdan Lewis.
George Pickens, Kenneth Murray Jr., Kaiir Elam, and Joe Milton have all been acquired via trade so far this offseason by the Dallas Cowboys, and they may not be done just yet using this avenue to acquire talent.
After the completion of the 2025 NFL Draft, Jerry Jones hinted the Cowboys still had a couple of potential trades in the works. We now know one of those players was George Pickens, but beyond him we don’t know who else they could possibly be targeting.
Although they re-signed Israel Mukuamu, traded for Kaiir Elam, and drafted Shavon Revel Jr. in the third round (76th overall), the Cowboys still haven’t definitively replaced Jourdan Lewis. DaRon Bland could possibly slide back into that nickel CB role, but other than him Dallas’ other options currently on the roster are suspect.
Whether to provide some much-needed depth in the slot or to add a potential starter, the nickel CB position is one we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Cowboys target at some point the remainder of the offseason. And with that in mind, they should inquire about Denver Broncos CB Ja’Quan McMillan.
McMillan may be the odd man out in Denver after watching the Broncos draft former Texas Longhorns CB Jahdae Barron in the firstround (20th overall). Barron is expected to replace McMillan as the Broncos slot CB with Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss playing on the outside, creating possibly the best CB trio in the entire league.
McMillan is a former undrafted free agent who has developed into an effective starting-caliber slot cornerback. Last season he held opponents to 6.8 yards per target and had a 85.7 passer rating in coverage, recording 10 passes defensed and two interceptions.
He was in exclusive rights restricted free agent and received a one-year, $1.03 million tender instead of a multi-year extension from the Broncos this offseason. That’s chicken feed for a slot CB, and fits within the parameters the Cowboys prefer when making these types of trades.
Considering McMillan is only under a cheap one-year deal, he’s a trade chip the Broncos could use to acquire future draft capital or immediate help for the upcoming season. As far as the Cowboys are concerned, giving up another late-round draft pick in 2026 to acquire a potential slot CB is a no-brainer.