The Dallas Cowboys fanbase has spoken with vitriol on social media so far this offseason. Many outside of the Cowboys circles feel our ire is warranted. After all, what has the front office done to instill confidence in next year’s team?
The losses have outweighed the gains in a manner as disproportionate as Micah Parsons’ holding calls compared to the rest of the league.
Dallas allowed contracts for 15 players to expire; eight have already signed with other teams.
They’ve brought back CB Jourdan Lewis, ST ace C.J. Goodwin, LS Trent Sieg, and RB Rico Dowdle but the only outside free agent added has been LB Eric Kendricks.
We all know the Cowboys like to build through the draft but after the losses sustained to the roster, fans wonder what the plan is to improve the team.
I don’t have that blueprint, and maybe nobody wants to hear this, but they truly believe the answers lie in who is already in-house, supplemented by the draft.
The 2024 NFL Draft is 27 days away and the Cowboys have needs at left tackle, center, wide receiver, EDGE, defensive tackle, linebacker, and cornerback.
Even though there are seven rounds in the draft to match the seven positions that need to be addressed, it’s unrealistic to believe the draft alone can fix this team.
Today, I want to focus on three positions I believe must be addressed with early picks in the draft because there aren’t viable options currently on the roster.
Center
The Cowboys’ offensive line as a whole needs to improve after the losses of Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz to free agency.
However, I do believe center is a bigger need than left tackle because of the offensive line shuffling that can be done.
Tyler Smith was drafted to be the left tackle of the future and his All-Pro talent at guard has been a bonus.
You might think this would leave a hole at left guard but T.J. Bass has played well when given the opportunity.
I believe he can step in and be a viable option at left guard now and in the future.
Drafting with the 24th pick of the first round, it’s difficult to expect one of the premier left tackles to fall but it’s the perfect range for the top centers of the draft.
Brock Hoffman has been a nice story, from practice squad player to surprise late-season starter, but Dallas needs an influx of talent at the position.
Graham Barton and Jackson Powers-Johnson are options in the first round or possibly Sedrick Van Pran or Zach Frazier in the second and third rounds.
Wide Receiver
Everyone knows CeeDee Lamb has yet to sign an extension and nobody wants to see him play out the final year of his contract without one.
He’s a young player at a premier position, and the Cowboys would be foolish to let him leave the team, but it’s a contingency worth preparing for.
Behind Lamb on the depth chart are veteran Brandin Cooks and third-year player Jalen Tolbert.
Beyond that are late-round and undrafted players who barely cracked the practice squad last season.
Even though Jalen Tolbert showed some improvement last season, he still fell short of the NFL-ready praise he drew before he was drafted.
Dallas would be wise to address this position high in the draft.
Here are some options in the first three rounds that I would be happy to see wear a star on their helmet in 2024:
- Brian Thomas Jr.
- Adonai Mitchell
- Ricky Pearsall
- Keon Coleman
- Ja’Lynn Polk
- Malachi Corley
Cornerback
I don’t buy into the “we have two All-Pro corners” narrative as an excuse not to address the position in the draft.
Personally, I believe that drafting the money positions in every draft should be every team’s strategy.
Yes, we have two All-Pro cornerbacks in Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland but you can never have enough cornerbacks.
We are fortunate that Bland turned out to be a superstar on the boundary after Diggs went down with a torn ACL in practice early in the season.
After seeing Michael Gallup and Terence Steele struggle to return to form after their injuries, can we expect Diggs to be in All-Pro form right away?
Stephon Gilmore is no longer on the roster, and behind Jourdan Lewis, where is the talent?
Nahshon Wright hasn’t shown much and Eric Scott Jr. is a sixth-round pick who never saw the field in 2023, even when the defense was struggling with injury.
The position must be addressed, and it must be addressed early in the draft.
Here are some options in the top three rounds that the Cowboys can target:
- Kool-Aid McKinstry
- TJ Tampa
- Kamari Lassiter
- Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
- Jarrian Jones