Dallas acquired Tavon Austin from the Rams for the 192nd pick…
Dallas acquired Tavon Austin from the Rams for the 192nd pick in the 2018 draft. Dallas acquired Tavon Austin and got two seasons of offensive and return-game work from him. Austin produced multiple touchdowns and gave the Cowboys a flexible speed option who could contribute in several roles. The impact was not star-level, but Dallas extracted useful snaps and scoring value from a very modest acquisition cost. In hindsight, that result supports a B- grade for Dallas Cowboys in a deal ultimately judged as Dallas Cowboys Win.
Dallas Cowboys Received
- player Tavon Austin
Los Angeles Rams Received
- pick 2018 6th round pick (192nd overall, Jamil Demby )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Dallas acquired Tavon Austin from the Rams during the 2018 draft, while Los Angeles received the sixth-round selection at No. 192 and used it on Jamil Demby. The transaction was modest in scale, so the fairest comparison is the football value each side actually received rather than the perceived value of the assets on the trade date. Team transaction histories and the downstream draft record support the core exchange, leaving the outcome to be judged on production and longevity.
Dallas Cowboys Return
Dallas acquired Tavon Austin and got two seasons of offensive and return-game work from him. Austin produced multiple touchdowns and gave the Cowboys a flexible speed option who could contribute in several roles. The impact was not star-level, but Dallas extracted useful snaps and scoring value from a very modest acquisition cost. That body of work supports a B- grade for Dallas Cowboys. The grade reflects the actual contribution tied to this exchange, not the player's broader reputation or the nominal value of the original asset.
Los Angeles Rams Return
The Rams received the 192nd pick in the 2018 draft and used it on Jamil Demby. Demby provided only limited playing time for Los Angeles, so the sixth-round return never developed into a comparable on-field contribution. Recovering a pick for Austin was sensible, but the realized value of that pick stayed modest. That body of work supports a C grade for Los Angeles Rams. The result is measured against what the other side realized from the same transaction, with the size of the original deal keeping the grades proportional.
Value in Hindsight
This is a hindsight result built on realized value. Neither side should be credited simply for acquiring a recognizable name or a draft choice; the important question is what that asset became for the club that received it. In this case, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams produced different levels of usable football value, and that separation is enough to choose a winner without overstating a relatively small trade.
Final Verdict
Dallas Cowboys Win. Dallas Cowboys receives a B-, while Los Angeles Rams receives a C. The winning side generated the stronger direct return from the documented exchange, while the other side still receives credit for whatever useful value it actually obtained. The margin is reflected in the grades rather than treated as a franchise-changing result.