Why Cowboys traded up just 1 spot with Dolphins to pick 11th in NFL Draft instead of 12th originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Dallas Cowboys made a trade that seemed at least a bit head-scratching.

They were slated to pick No. 12 in the 2026 NFL Draft. Instead, they traded up exactly one spot to pick at No. 11.

The Miami Dolphins traded that pick to Dallas to swap spots while getting a bit in return.

The Cowboys sent the 12th pick along with 177 and 180 to the Dolphins.

It's an odd trade, yes, but one the Cowboys felt they had to make.

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Simply put, the Cowboys didn't want to miss their guy.

They must've felt like the Dolphins might take the player they wanted, and they didn't want that to happen.

A couple of late-round picks to make the one-spot move and ensure they get who they want was a small price to pay.

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Miami may have bluffed just enough to convince the Cowboys to make a move.

There's also a chance the Dolphins actually had two players they viewed equally and figured it didn't matter much.

The end result is the Cowboys picked 11th, not 12th, and got their guy.

They're also slated to be on the clock at No. 20, so more to come on Thursday night.

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