Cowboys Nation is up in arms on social media clamoring for the Dallas Cowboys to do something in the first couple of days of free agency.
Approximately 18 hours into the legal tampering period where teams can come to agreements but not officially sign, the Cowboys are the least active team in the entire NFL.
With their so-called “all-in” strategy of Owner/GM Jerry Jones, the Cowboys have accomplished nothing besides re-signing LS Trent Sieg to a league-minimum deal.
There have been rumors of talks between the Cowboys and some high-profile free agents, but that’s nothing new.
Every offseason it’s more fun for the media to start rumors about players meeting with the Cowboys, only to turn around and laugh when a deal doesn’t come to fruition.
So far this free agency period is no different.
Fans have to sit back and watch the Cowboys’ NFC East Division rivals shore up their weaknesses with big-money free agents, regardless of the state of their salary cap.
Honestly, it’s depressing and Cowboys Nation is better off looking ahead to the draft for reinforcements.
Dallas All-Pro WR CeeDee Lamb is one of those draft picks that fans look back on and applaud.
Lamb was chosen with the 17th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, but the Cowboys drafting him was a special case.
He fell way past where he was projected to be drafted, and the Cowboys took him despite not having a glaring need at wide receiver at the time.
The pick was a no-brainer, and it made me think of finding five players in the 2024 NFL Draft that could slide to the Cowboys at pick 24.
Mock Draft Mayhem
I decided to experiment with the thought of another player like Lamb falling to the Cowboys at pick 24, and how it would rejuvenate a melancholy fan base.
The vessel for this experiment was an easy choice. I used Pro Football Focus 2024 Mock Draft Simulator to help me with the task.
It was a fun exercise, but mostly because it was my first time utilizing the Mock Draft Simulator this season.
The results of this experiment were gathered using the default settings of the simulator, and I ran a 10-simulation sample.
Each player on this list was available for the Cowboys in at least one of the ten simulations completed.
DE Jared Verse, Florida State
PFF ADP: 18.4
Simulations available to Dallas: 1
Common Draft Position: 19th to the Los Angeles Rams (two times)
Dallas has already lost two defensive ends in the first wave of free agency this week.
Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler Jr. both agreed to terms to follow former DC Dan Quinn to Washington.
DeMarcus Lawrence isn’t guaranteed to return with a $20 million salary cap hit, and the only player behind him with any experience is Sam Williams.
Jared Verse would not only fill a need but also be a luxury based on where he is projected to be drafted.
Verse was only available to the Cowboys in 10% of simulations, with landing spots as high as 13 to the Las Vegas Raiders and as low as 22 to the Philadelphia Eagles.
DE Laiatu Latu, UCLA
PFF ADP: 22.4
Simulations available to Dallas: 1
Common Draft Position: 11th to the Minnesota Vikings (three times)
I feel like DE Laiatu Latu is more of a possibility than Jared Verse, but even with a PFF ADP of 22.4, he only fell to the Cowboys in 10% of the simulations.
Like Verse, Latu would fit a need for the Cowboys with uncertainty at the defensive end position.
He would also be a better option than what is left on the free agent market when you weigh possible production on the field versus price.
A young, play-making defensive end on a rookie deal would make a great deal of sense for the Cowboys in the team’s current state.
In the simulation, Latu went as high as 11th to the Minnesota Vikings and as low as 20th to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
DE Dallas Turner, Alabama
PFF ADP: 13.6
Simulations available to Dallas: 2
Common Draft Position: 13th to the Las Vegas Raiders (two times)
I promise I didn’t plan to start this list with three defensive ends, but maybe it’s a sign that it’s the position to target in the first round.
It wouldn’t be a terrible idea. Defensive end/pass rusher is one of the Money-5 positions along with quarterback, wide receiver, left tackle, and cornerback.
Dallas Turner from Alabama is a pipe dream, but we also thought that of CeeDee Lamb before he fell to 17.
Pick 24 is quite a few picks later so it’s not the same scenario, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
Turner fell to the Cowboys in 20% of the simulations and was drafted as high as eighth to the Atlanta Falcons and as low as 22nd to the Philadelphia Eagles.
CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson
PFF ADP: 18.3
Simulations available to Dallas: 1
Common Draft Position: 9th to the Chicago Bears
We are finally off of the defensive end train on this list and moving on now to cornerback.
Nate Wiggins is a highly-rated cornerback, but concerns about his size surfaced at the NFL Combine when he measured in at a slight 6’1″ 173lbs.
His instincts and speed (4.28 40-yard dash) may be enough to make up for what he lacks in size, but a first-round draft pick from last year may discourage teams.
There were concerns about the size and weight of Emmanuel Forbes, but that didn’t discourage the Washington Commanders from selecting him 16th overall.
Forbes didn’t play well, often pushed around by opposing wide receivers on his way to a poor rookie season.
If the Cowboys can overlook Wiggins’ size, he would be a welcome addition in the slot to replace a departed Jourdan Lewis.
Wiggins was available to the Cowboys in 10% of simulations and was drafted as high as ninth to the Chicago Bears and as low as 18th to the Cincinnati Bengals.
OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State
PFF ADP: 15.9
Simulations available to Dallas: 2
Common Draft Position: 22nd to the Philadelphia Eagles (three times)
Tyron Smith and his agent left the NFL Combine without a new deal after meeting the Cowboys’ brass in Indianapolis.
It appears that Dallas is willing to address offensive tackle in the draft, or perhaps they trust the development of Matt Waletzko or Asim Richards.
While it’s not a bad idea to develop young players, I don’t feel particularly comfortable with Dak Prescott’s blindside being protected by a rookie or a project player.
The ideal situation would be to find a way to bring Tyron Smith back, but as of right now, maybe the Cowboys can bank on Olumuyiwa Fashanu falling to them at 24.
The massive offensive tackle affectionately known as “Olu” out of Penn State University stands at an imposing 6’6″ tall and weighs 319 pounds.
Dallas has had success with first-round offensive linemen over the past decade and a half.
Names like Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin, and Tyler Smith should give Cowboys fans confidence should Fashanu fall in the draft.
Fashanu was available for the Cowboys in 20% of simulations and was drafted as high as 10th to the New York Jets and as low as 22nd to the Philadelphia Eagles.