Heading into the 2024 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys defense is reeling.
They have, so far, lost six defensive players to free agency, or, in Leighton Vander Esch’s case, medical retirement.
This is a unit that cost Dallas badly once the lights got bright in 2023.
In nine games against opponents in the top 15 for total offensive yards, the Cowboys defense gave up an average of 360 total yards.
That ranks 26th in the league for yards allowed per game.
This weakness to perform against top offenses is, in large part, what ended their season in the playoffs.
With a new defensive regime under Mike Zimmer and countless personnel changes, is it unreasonable to say this should be a defensive-heavy draft?
Can Dallas really expect to make a playoff push next year with a downgraded defense?
I don’t think so, and with free agency largely in the rearview mirror, the NFL Draft is where they have to upgrade it.
Let’s take a look at why Dallas could prioritize defense and who those players could be.
Pre-Draft Interest
One of the best barometers to see what Dallas is thinking in the draft is their top-30 visit list.
These are 30 guys the Cowboys can bring into The Star for a full visit.
Considering how limited the amount is, these players always end up being the guys Dallas is most interested in.
When you look at the list, 25/30 names are known, and 8 of them are defensive players.
While that means the Cowboys are bringing in more offensive players, you have to take a look at the positional breakdown to get a true inclination.
Six of the eight defensive visits are linebackers.
Half of those guys are clear-cut 1st-2nd round prospects.
Edgerrin Cooper out of Texas A&M, Payton Wilson out of NC State, and Junior Colson from Michigan are the most likely top-three linebackers in the draft.
It seems they are interested in drafting a linebacker with one of their first two picks.
They are also visiting with 1st-rounders Byron Murphy II and Darius Robinson on the defensive line.
Dallas could also be targeting one of those two guys in the 1st.
Then, they could whichever of the three linebackers get to their second-round pick at 56.
Either way, it does not seem impossible that Dallas goes defense in the 1st round, 2nd round, or both.
Pre-draft interest is a real thing, and it certainly seems the Cowboys are at least looking at defensive guys.
The Zimmer Factor
You absolutely can’t forget about Zimmer heading into the draft.
The new defensive coordinator and his new assistants are bringing in a new scheme, philosophy, and playbook.
A lot of the current defensive guys came in during Dan Quinn’s tenure.
Because of that, Zimmer is going to need to convert players from Quinn’s scheme to his.
Not to mention, with the Cowboys free agency disaster, Zimmer is going to be working with a ton of new starters in 2024.
It is a lot easier, however, to draft players who are immediate scheme fits rather than relying solely on guys who are going to make a major adjustment.
It is certainly possible that Zimmer will have a lot of say in the draft room this year.
If he does, this draft could quickly become a defensive-heavy class.
The last thing the Cowboys want is a discombobulated defense in 2024. That would likely be a fatal blow to their playoff chances.
Zimmer could draft a couple of guys that fit his scheme, lean on his top dogs like Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, and DeMarcus Lawrence, and work through the kinks with the rest.
If Dallas does go all-in on the defense in the draft, Zimmer will be a big reason why.
Defensive Talent Throughout
Aside from the teams’ pre-draft interest and Zimmer’s influence, there is a much simpler reason why the Cowboys’ defense may be their top draft priority.
This draft class is stacked defensively, from the early rounds to the very end.
One example of this is Kentucky Linebacker, Trevin Wallace, who the Cowboys have taken a liking to.
They visited with him at the combine and he is a top-30 visit.
He could go anywhere from the third round to the early fifth, which again sets up a scenario where they go defensive with two or three times early on.
Solely working off the Cowboys’ 30-visit list, they could go Murphy II in the first, Cooper in the second, and Wallace in the third as a pass-rush/linebacker swiss army knife.
Does this leave holes on offense?
Of course, it does, but with so many holes on the roster, Dallas should draft the best player available.
If they do that, they can still get a starting running back from rounds 4-7 and work with in-house options and late-round picks on the offensive line.
Whether or not the Cowboys’ defense is their top draft focus is yet to be seen.
But, It is certainly a possibility when you look at their interest, Zimmer, and this draft class.