The Dallas Cowboys might be one of the biggest franchises in the National Football League (NFL), however, that doesn’t mean they’ve never missed out on some top talents in the past.
Of course, the Cowboys are no different than any of the other teams in football, as everyone has missed out on prospects in the draft and via free agency that would have been able to make a difference to their team; with it being rather difficult to watch sometimes especially when it comes to players making plays for other teams or, perhaps worse, divisional rivals.
Nonetheless, whilst many sports bettors will continue to look to find the best ways of covering the spread, “America’s Team” has proved to be a rather good choice based on some of the players that they have chosen in the past.
Throughout their history, the Cowboys have had some of the biggest and best draft picks in NFL history, with the likes of Troy Aikman, Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith, Roger Staubach, Ezekiel Elliott amongst many others. However, there have also been a number of individuals that they have missed out on in previous drafts that could have cost them dearly.
Tiki Barber
Despite having joined divisional opponents and fierce rivals the New York Giants in 1997, the Dallas Cowboys could have had the running back if they had not decided to draft David La Fleur instead. The tight end was one of the biggest busts that “America’s Team” had, as he only managed 85 receptions for 729 yards, whilst picking up just 12 touchdowns in his four years.
With Smith getting older, Tiki Barber could have been a suitable replacement and would have made it a painful watch as he went on to become a three-time Pro Bowler, achieving 10,449 rushing yards in his career and 55 rushing touchdowns.
Randy Moss
Arguably one of the greatest wide receivers the NFL has ever seen, Randy Moss could have been a Cowboy if they had wanted him in the 1998 NFL Draft. Of course, there was no chance of acquiring either Peyton Manning or Charles Woodson as both had been drafted early, but by the time Dallas had the 8th pick, Moss was still on the board.
The Cowboys opted for Greg Ellis, who would in all fairness have a decent career, however, Moss would go on to have an iconic one.
Drafted by the Minnesota Vikings with the 21st pick, the wide receiver won Rookie of the Year honors, had seven Pro Bowls, was a member of the 2000 All-Decade Team, and has a plethora of NFL records to his name. If they had him and Tony Romo together, the Cowboys might have had a sixth Super Bowl by now.
Joe Montana
The Dallas Cowboys could have had one of the best quarterbacks the game has ever known if they had picked wisely in the 1979 Draft, as Joe Montana was available to select right up to the 82nd pick when the San Francisco 49ers took him.
The Cowboys had three opportunities to take Montana, as they had the 27th, 55th, and 76th picks, but opted for Robert Shaw, Aaron Mitchell, and Doug Cosbie, respectively. Anyone who knows anything about the NFL will know that Montana was a star and was recently ranked as the fourth-best player to have ever been in the NFL in their centenary year.
Montana’s records speak for themselves, so missing out on him would have to be considered one of the biggest misses the Dallas Cowboys have ever had and one they probably still regret now, despite having the likes of Aikman lead them at quarterback after Montana’s time.