The Dallas Cowboys are making a move right before their preseason begins as they bring in an underachieving talent from the Minnesota Vikings. Dallas has not been much of a noisemaker this offseason, but sending Nahshon Wright to Minnesota at this stage is certainly eye-catching.
The Cowboys boast an All-Pro duo at corner with DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs, while Wright was expected to be a backup in 2024. Now, it appears he will look to make his case with the Vikings according to Dallas Morning News reporter Calvin Watkins. Meanwhile, Andrew Booth will try to kickstart his career in Dallas.
“Cowboys are finalizing trading CB Nahshon Wright to Minnesota a person with knowledge of the discussions said,” Watkins posted on X on August 9. “Cowboys are getting CB Andrew Booth, former second-round pick by the Vikings.”
Essentially, Dallas and Minnesota are swapping two corners who haven’t quite lived up to their draft billing. Wright has arguably had the better start to his NFL career, but neither can say they’ve nailed down a long-term home.
If anything, both sides are hoping for a “buy low, sell high” situation where they can unlock their respective players’ potential.
What Cowboys Are Getting in Andrew Booth
As a first-team All-ACC corner with Clemson in 2021, Booth was considered one of the top defensive back prospects heading into the 2022 NFL draft. Booth pulled down 5 interceptions in his last two seasons with the Tigers.
However, Booth faced adversity to open up his NFL career with the Vikings. The 23-year-old dealt with a knee injury in his rookie season that sidelined him for all but 6 games. In those appearances, he did record a single pass defended or interception.
A rookie season disrupted by injury can be a major problem, but Booth was at least able to stay healthy in 2023. According to Pro Football Reference, Booth appeared in all 17 games for Minnesota.
The problem is that Booth did not make much of an impact for Minnesota. He recorded one PD over the 2023 campaign and actually made less tackles (8) than he did in 6 games in 2022 (12.)
Booth has had a rough start, but is still very young. Despite entering his third NFL season, Booth will not turn 24 until late September.
What Vikings Are Getting in Nahshon Wright
In many ways, Wright was what the Cowboys were hoping for. A third-round pick providing reliable cover is decent return for that draft spot, and Wright has been a consistent backup for Dallas since 2021.
According to Pro Football Reference, Wright made 32 appearances for Dallas over the past three years. However, his best stretch was in 2022 when he only played in 7 games due to injury.
Over that span, Wright recorded his first NFL interception and also swatted 4 total passes. Wright has also been a regular presence for the Cowboys’ special teams, playing over 60% of the team’s ST snaps in each of the past three seasons.
While Wright didn’t pan out as a starter for Dallas, he provided clear value for the Cowboys. A move to Minnesota could be the next step to the former Oregon State Beaver to advance his career.
