Many believe that the safety position should be the Dallas Cowboys’ top priority in the 2019 NFL Draft. Given that, it’s ironic that the Cowboys’ original first-round pick was used by the Oakland Raiders to select Safety Jonathan Abram.
Even if you didn’t want Abram for Dallas, it’s easy to bemoan not having that pick and perhaps missing out one of the top safety prospects. Maybe you preferred Darnell Savage, who went a few picks earlier to Green Bay. Or maybe you have your eye on Nasir Adderley, Taylor Rapp, or Juan Thornhill, who could all go before the Cowboys are on the clock at the 58th pick.
If you are sour about this, just keep in mind what Dallas got for that 27th pick. Amari Cooper not only saved your 2018 season, but the Pro Bowl WR is still just 24 and already a proven commodity at one of the most important positions in football.
Also, let’s pretend that Dallas didn’t ever make that trade. There’d be no debate about safety, tight end, or any other spot being the Cowboys’ top priority in this draft.
That’s because, without question, wide receiver would’ve been our biggest need.
Last October, Dallas looked ahead and saw the writing on the wall. Allen Hurns wasn’t going to emerge as a go-to player. Terrance Williams, like his scooter, was damaged goods. And Cole Beasley, while valuable, wasn’t franchise player.
The Cowboys had a WR problem already during the 2018 season and didn’t want to wait for a possible solution in the next draft. They went ahead and solved it by trading for Cooper.
You can argue the loss of a cheap four-year rookie deal all you want. Sure, Dallas is going to be paying more for Cooper in the coming years than any player they would’ve drafted last night.
But the odds of that player ever becoming what Amari already is are slim. The Cowboys decided to managing a high cap hit was worth more than the risk of mediocrity.
Some have made the case that, had they not traded for Cooper, Dallas would’ve had higher picks in the 2019 draft. They would have lost more games and thus had better picks to use now.
So you’d rather they have tanked last year?
The Cowboys, with the WR they traded for and the safeties they still have, won the NFC East and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. You’d trade that to be 10-15 spots higher in the draft?
Everything you do, from playing to drafting to signing to releasing to trading, is about winning. Dallas made the right move last year to win then and in the future.
Sure, you may watch some of your favorite 2019 safety prospects come off the board. But you’d also be praying that whatever WR the Cowboys drafted last night might one day earn a trip to the Pro Bowl.
Amari Cooper’s already been to three.
Maybe the lack of higher picks means Dallas won’t get a future stud at safety in this draft. But even if they do, that guy wasn’t going to help you win the way Cooper does.
You should have zero regrets about where the Cowboys stand in this draft. They already got an impact player and didn’t have to wait a few years for him to develop.
Whatever safety they draft tonight or tomorrow will be playing for a championship contender thanks to the Amari Cooper trade.
