Dallas sent Ryan Switzer to the Raiders and received…

The Exchange

Dallas and the Raiders completed a direct player-for-player trade on April 28, 2018, sending Ryan Switzer to the Raiders and Jihad Ward to the Cowboys. The timing came during draft weekend, but no draft choice was part of the package. That makes the value question straightforward: compare what each club actually received from the player it acquired and whether either side created meaningful follow-on value.

Dallas Cowboys Return

Dallas sent Ryan Switzer to the Raiders and received defensive lineman Jihad Ward in a straight player-for-player swap during the 2018 draft weekend. Neither acquisition became a major long-term piece for the new club, and neither side created a meaningful downstream asset advantage. The deal produced limited depth value on both sides, leaving the exchange essentially even.

Oakland Raiders Return

The Raiders acquired Ryan Switzer from Dallas and sent Jihad Ward to the Cowboys in return. Both players offered short-term depth rather than lasting surplus value, and the transaction did not create an important secondary asset trail for either franchise. With modest contributions on both sides and no clear winner in hindsight, matching C grades fit the deal.

Value in Hindsight

Neither side gave away a premium asset, and neither side found a lasting difference-maker. That matters because trades of depth players can still be successful when one club extracts several useful seasons or converts the player into another asset, but that type of separation never emerged here. The outcomes remained close enough that trying to force a winner would overstate what either team actually gained.

Final Verdict

This grades as an even trade. Dallas and the Raiders each receive a C because both acquired legitimate NFL depth without generating a meaningful long-term advantage. The swap made sense as a roster fit move at the time, and hindsight does not provide enough separation to move either side above the other.