John Williams
As things took a slow turn into a lost season, the Dallas Cowboys find themselves in a weird position. They’re only a half a game out of first place in the NFC East, but with all of the injuries to their offensive line, a historically bad defense, and likely down their second quarterback this season, there’s little hope the Cowboys could do anything meaningful with their final nine games of the regular season.
So to get a jump start on the 2021 season, the Dallas Cowboys have begun the process of rebuilding this roster by tearing it down. First to go was Everson Griffen, who the Cowboys traded to the Detroit Lions for a sixth-round pick that could turn into a fifth-round pick dependent on production and playing time in his new home.
He’s likely just the first of several soon to be free agents for the Dallas Cowboys to be on the move before the trade deadline on November 3rd.
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Cowboys are trying to trade defensive vets Griffen, Poe & Worley.
According to Mike Fisher, who covers the Dallas Cowboys for 105.3 The Fan and Sports Illustrated, the Cowboys are looking to move other veterans like Dontari Poe and Daryl Worley. Both players came to Dallas with expectations they’d be able to provide valuable depth after the departures of Maliek Collins and Bryon Jones in free agency.
Neither player has done anything meaningful, much like the rest of the defense, and the Cowboys would be wise to see if there is any compensation to be had from the trade market.
But the Cowboys shouldn’t stop there. They’ve got several players in the final year of their contracts that may not return in 2021, and so the Cowboys should consider shopping them as well. Players like Jourdan Lewis and Xavier Woods haven’t really shown enough to warrant the Cowboys signing them to second contracts this offseason. They may not have been as good as we would have liked when they were drafted in 2017, but they could be solid depth options for a contender looking to shore up its roster.
From the Dallas Cowboys, their main goal is to begin the evaluation process for 2021. Who on this roster will stick around next year and have a place on the depth chart, and who do they need to move on from.
While I would like them to bring back Chidobe Awuzie and Antwaun Woods, if they don’t plan on keeping either of those guys who are in the final year of their deals (Woods is on a one-year deal), then they should see what they could get in return.
With as many holes as this team has on the defensive side of the football and the offensive line question marks that will carry over into 2021 (Tyron Smith in particular), they need all of the draft resources they can get moving forward. Thankfully, they should have quite a few compensatory picks coming their way after the losses they endured in the 2020 free agency. It’s projected that the Cowboys could end up with a third, a fourth, a fifth, and a sixth, according to Cowboys Wire’s K.D. Drummond. Those picks, plus what is looking like a top ten pick in the 2021 draft, should get the Cowboys started as they attempt to rebuild the worst defense in the NFL.
Some players wouldn’t make sense for the Dallas Cowboys to trade because of the dead money they’d incur to make the trade. Still, anyone else that makes financial sense where there is interest from another team, the Cowboys should highly consider moving them.
Sadly, all the Cowboys can realistically hope to gain out of this season is an understanding of where they’re heading in 2021 with their roster. Where they can move on, they’d be wise to go ahead and do so.
If I were the Cowboys, I would definitely try to trade Woods and Lewis. We aren’t resigning neither one so see what you can get for both. Pennies on a dollar.
I don’t understand why they don’t payed Malik Collins and just for the same money they brought Poe.
DT Woods should be resign, he is an underrated and cheap player, don’t think the same about Awuzie I prefer to resign Lewis at low cost obviously.
I say let Jourdan Lewis go he hasn’t did anything worth keeping him. We can keep DT Antwuan Woods as a back up but we got to draft a Starter at DT in this draft! I say try to keep Chidobe Awuzie but need to draft a Starting CB in this draft as well. Xavier Woods we can’t walk away from everybody so if it doesn’t cost to much money. But we have to draft a free Safety someone that can start as well. We got to get luck in so many area in the next draft and free agency as well. LB is another big need too. OT and Guard is another big need. Left Tackle is biggest of the two. So see we got our work cut out for us.
Apart from drafting all needs as we could, we should try to sign Free agents, trying to have better luck than this year.
Can get all the draft picks they want – if Dallas doesn’t get a good defensive coordinator, DB backs coach and linebacker coach, this team will continue to give up 30-40 points a game. Should’ve kept Rod Marinelli for the transition – instead kept Kellen Moore, go figure.
Resign Woods, trade or cut Poe, Worley, Crawford. Unless Gallup is in long term plans, instead of Cooper, trade him now. Put the non exclusive tag on Dak, should have done that this year, to find out true market value and get comp picks if he leaves. Trade Zek, even take on some of the salary if needed. Lawrence may bring something in return. There wont be a chance for another Herchel Walker trade so trade all the “valuable” assets and get as many picks/players that want to win
Moving on from Worley, Poe and Griffen was the right move. This shows the rest of the players that, if you don’t produce, your place on this team is not guaranteed. Now, those two other ridiculous contracts of Elliot and Lawrence need to be reduced or gone. The presence of either of them has not produced wins and, in the case of Elliot and his fumbles, have negatively impacted this team. His fumbles have led to points on the board for the opponents.
The best thing the cowboys can do right now that will help this year and years to come. Give a number 1 pick and trade for Quinnen Williams he’s a number 1 pick and he has NFL experience now.plus he will help the LB position O-lineman will have to account for him for years to come.also he’s on a rookie contract for a few years.then you get ahold of Denver and make a trade for Simmons now you have fixed your defense.then in next years 2nd round pick you draft one of the best offensive tackles coming out of college.and a good cornerback and now with dak back you have a solid football team.no rebuild only reload!!!
Stephen- I would like to move on from Elliott and Lawrence as badly as u and also J Smith for that matter. But unfortunately the dead money cap hit that we would take for any of those three , would be massive. Sadly we are stuck with all three for at least a couple of more yrs
That’s why u don’t hear alot of talk (from those in the know) about trading/cutting them. It’s just not fiscally smart to do so right now.