Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders Linked to Arizona Cardinals Veteran RB James Conner

The Arizona Cardinals’ star player, James Conner, has been a subject of trade rumors for the last few weeks. As many rival teams have been linked to him, the Las Vegas Raiders and the Dallas Cowboys have now emerged as potential landing spots for the popular player.

Category

Details

Player

James Conner

Current Team

Arizona Cardinals

Rumored Teams

Dallas Cowboys/Las Vegas Raiders

Contract Status

1 Year Remaining (Signed a revised 1-year, $3M contract; Unrestricted Free Agent in 2027)

Salary Cap Hit (New Team)

$2.58 Million (Acquiring team assumes remaining base salary, workout, and active roster bonuses)

Trade Likelihood

High

Latest Insider Update

Cardinals want to clear space to lean into Trey Benson, Jeremiyah Love, and Tyler Allgeier as Dallas and Las Vegas look for cheap veteran depth

Potential Return

Late-Round Pick (Projected Day 3 selection, likely a 6th-round draft pick due to his age and 2025 injury history)

Which teams are interested in James Conner?

While nothing has been confirmed yet, several teams have now been linked to James Conner. Amid this, as per NFL insiders, the Las Vegas Raiders, the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants have been reportedly interested in him.

What are insiders saying about the trade rumors?

A few days ago, Sportsnaut’s Andrew Buller-Russ noted in a recent report, “Ashton Jeanty is the Raiders’ future. Yet, after a rough rookie season, Las Vegas likely wants to boost the competition in its RB room. Jeanty will undoubtedly still be the starter, but having a veteran like Conner, who’s had to work tirelessly to earn and keep his role, could be invaluable for a young athlete like Jeanty.” Sportsnaut’s Andrew Buller-Russ added, “After a 1,200-yard season, Javonte Williams is the Cowboys’ lead back. But after him? There are some depth questions in Dallas. The Cowboys have four others on the roster, clearly trying to find a reliable backup and potentially a future RB1. Conner won’t be a future RB1, but he’ll erase all doubts about the Cowboys having enough to work with in the RB room.”

Contract details and salary cap implications

For the Arizona Cardinals, trading James Conner will immediately clear up $2.58 million in cap space. Since the Arizona Cardinals have already paid the star player’s signing bonus, the team would have to absorb $2.25 million in dead money on their 2026 books.

How could the trade impact the teams?

In the last season, despite playing just 3 games because of his injury, James Conner recorded 32 carries for 95 rushing yards and scored 1 touchdown on the ground. For the Arizona Cardinals, while trading him does mean losing a strategic player, it will also clear up $2.58 million in immediate 2026 cap space. For both the Dallas Cowboys and the Las Vegas Raiders, the Arizona Cardinals’ star player James Conner seems to be an affordable option with his $2.58 million cap hit.