ss “NO ONE SAW THIS COMING!” — ESPN’s Bill Barnwell just dropped a bombshell on Cowboys Nation! Sources say Dallas could be preparing to sell, and even the unstoppable Brandon Aubrey isn’t safe. Fans are losing it — how could the team even think about trading away their most consistent weapon? The locker room whispers tell a story no one’s ready for…

With the NFL trade deadline rapidly approaching, there have naturally been countless conversations about what the Dallas Cowboys are going to do before Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. Eastern. Are they buyers? Are they sellers? Do they do nothing at all? Honestly, given the state of this franchise right now and where Dallas sits in the standings, every single one of these scenarios seems possible.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell is of the thought process that the Cowboys should be sellers, as he recently placed America’s Team in the “should probably deal players for picks” section in his recent column about what all 32 teams should do ahead of the deadline.

As for the players he thought might be good candidates to put on the block, Barnwell listed wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, running back Javonte Williams, defensive tackles Mazi Smith and Kenny Clark, edge rushers Sam Williams and James Houston, and kicker Brandon Aubrey.

Yeah, you read that last one correctly. But just in case you glossed over the list, we’ll say it again—kicker Brandon Aubrey. I would say it a third time, but it’s Halloween weekend, and I don’t need any kind of bad juju floating around that might prompt Jerry Jones to actually entertain this.

Cowboys trading Brandon Aubrey would be franchise malpractice of the highest extreme

Now, to be fair, Barnwell did say he included Aubrey as a “thought experiment.” Nevertheless, even the mere mention of it is a blood-boiling thought for Cowboys fans everywhere, especially given what they just recently went through with the loss of Micah Parsons. Here’s what Barnwell had to say:

“I would be stunned if the Cowboys traded Aubrey, but I’m throwing him out here more as a thought experiment than anything else. A going-nowhere Cowboys team doesn’t have much use for Aubrey, and although kickers can play into their 40s, the former soccer player is already 30 years old. He’s obviously a valuable player, but Aubrey is eligible for an extension next offseason, and the Cowboys need to save money around Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb to address their defense.

“Most teams aren’t going to trade a premium pick for a kicker, but Aubrey is so good that I wonder whether all-in teams might be willing to make an exception. Would someone like the Rams be willing to offer the Cowboys a second-round pick for Aubrey? My guess is no, but it’s fun to think about.”

Fun for who, Bill? Actually, let’s retract that because that’s a genuinely loaded question, as it’s no secret that every non-Cowboys football fan loves to see this franchise suffer, even if they have no reason to whatsoever.

Look, we obviously have to admit that Barnwell makes one good point here, as the Dallas defense does have to improve immensely for this team to truly compete for a title. And that will cost money. But seriously, find that money ANYWHERE ELSE!

Aubrey is a generational, record-setting kind of talent who is absolutely beloved by Cowboys fans. Truth be told, he’s probably the most beloved player on this team right now, even more so than CeeDee Lamb, who’s the most likable guy on the planet. We’re not going to pretend it’s Dak Prescott because even when he’s at his best, plenty of fans still call for him to be replaced.

But there is not a single Dallas fan in the world that would welcome Aubrey’s departure. Again, this is a generational kind of a player that is beloved in the locker room, beloved by fans, and does things on the football field that are just mesmerizing.

Now, what kind of owner would trade a player like that?“NO ONE SAW THIS COMING!” — ESPN’s Bill Barnwell just dropped a bombshell on Cowboys Nation 😱 Sources say Dallas could be preparing to sell, and even the unstoppable Brandon Aubrey isn’t safe. Fans are losing it — how could the team even think about trading away their most consistent weapon? 💣 The locker room whispers tell a story no one’s ready for…