The Dallas Cowboys need all the help they can get this offseason to recover from last year and return to competitive status in 2021. One avenue for that help will be through the NFL Draft, and today Dallas officially received four additional selections through compensatory draft picks.
The Cowboys already had their original selection for the Rounds 1-4 and Round 7. They also have a 6th-round pick from the Detroit Lions after trading Everson Griffen to them last October.
Their original 2021 5th-round pick was used to trade up last year with the Eagles and select Center Tyler Biadasz. Their 6th-round pick belongs to New England as part of the 2019 trade for Defensive Lineman Michael Bennett.
I doubt anyone will be thinking of those picks now.
Thanks to losing free agents like Byron Jones, Robert Quinn, and Randall Cobb in 2020 and not signing commensurate replacements, the Cowboys were awarded a compensatory pick in each of Rounds 3-6 of the 2021 draft.
This gives Dallas 10 total draft picks right now for 2021. They will have multiple selections in the 3rd, 4th, and 6th rounds barring any trades.
This gives Dallas some incredible ammunition for April. Unlike in the past, compensatory picks are tradeable and could allow the Cowboys to be aggressive in pursuing specific players they like.
If nothing else, more picks equal more dice rolls in the NFL’s ultimate crapshoot. Just look at 2016; Dallas’ original 4th-round pick was used on DE Charles Tapper and he only lasted two seasons.
A 4th-round compensatory pick that year was used to select QB Dak Prescott. You may have heard some news about him recently.
Between Dak’s contract news the last few days and now these compensatory picks, excitement for the Cowboys’ 2021 offseason is reaching a fever pitch. Hopefully Dallas does it’s best with these assets and reestablishes as a contender in the NFC.
