Free company or draft? Figuring out how the Cowboys will deal with every space of their roster

It’s free company week! Yay for followers whose groups take part in free company. For a lot of, this can be a time to get excited as followers get some new toys to root for. For the Dallas Cowboys, it’s a little bit of a special story. As we all know, our beloved Cowboys will not be huge gamers in free company. Due to that, we’ve conditioned ourselves to decrease our expectations. That is our actuality.

However… the Cowboys have lately accomplished some restructures and moved some cash round making a heap of sources accessible to spend nonetheless they need. Does that imply they might dare splash round in free company? Not essentially, however something is feasible, amiright?

With free company kicking off, let’s run by means of every place group and determine how they could deal with sure areas of their roster.

QUARTERBACK

The Cowboys are set with Dak Prescott as their beginning quarterback. Prescott is locked in with the crew as he’s beneath contract for the following 4 seasons, however they might nonetheless use a backup. Each Cooper Rush and Trey Lance are unrestricted free brokers. Rush looks like a candidate to retain as he’s been their “steady Eddie” backup over the previous couple of years. The crew might additionally look to pick out a improvement QB late within the draft because the Trey Lance experiment seems to be over.

Resolution: Re-sign Rush and add a late-round rookie

RUNNING BACK

Deuce Vaughn and Malik Davis are the one operating backs beneath contract this upcoming season, so it’s no secret this place group is an enormous concern heading into the brand new season. The Cowboys want critical assist on this space so anticipate a number of items to be added. It could or might not embody Rico Dowdle relying on his value, however the crew might bundle a low-cost free agent with a brand new rookie. They completely should draft a operating again subsequent month as their lack of consideration in prior drafts has boxed them right into a nook. It may well nonetheless be mounted with out something main, however they need to take motion over the following couple of months.

Resolution: Re-sign Dowdle and choose a operating again inside the first two days of the draft

WIDE RECEIVER

That is one other space the place assist is required because the crew has CeeDee Lamb and no person else. The Jalen Tolbert experiment hasn’t gone effectively and he solely has one yr left on his rookie deal. The Cowboys traded for Jonathan Mingo final yr, however few are holding their breath with that one. They should add a bona fide WR2 someplace, whether or not it’s one of many attractive accessible veteran free brokers or within the draft. Which approach will they go?

Resolution: Choose a large receiver inside the first two days of the draft

TIGHT END

The Cowboys have some our bodies at tight finish with the trio of Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, and Brevyn Spann-Ford beneath contract. Ferguson is coming into the final yr of his rookie deal, so the crew ought to begin trying forward, however don’t anticipate something ground-shaking right here. New offensive coordinator and former offensive strains coach Klayton Adams loves to make use of his tight ends, so anticipate the crew to convey on a high quality in-line blocker to assist Fergy and Schoony maintain issues down. That might come within the type of a low-cost free agent or reaching deep within the draft pool.

Resolution: Late-round draft decide or precedence free agent

OFFENSIVE LINE

Oddly sufficient, the crew is in comparatively good condition alongside the offensive line. Sure, in lower than a yr, they’ve misplaced Tyron Smith and Zack Martin, however they appear unfazed by it. The inside line is about with All-Professional Tyler Smith, rising star Cooper Beebe, and the surprisingly dependable Brock Hoffman. The actual questions belong out on the sting. Regardless of his inconsistent play, Terence Steele isn’t going anyplace and will shock some folks this season within the Cowboys revamped dashing assault. The most important enigma is second-year deal with Tyler Guyton. Can he take a step ahead? If that works out, the road could also be higher than some anticipate as they nonetheless have strong younger depth with T.J. Bass and Asim Richards ready their flip.

Resolution: Low-cost free agent of no consequence who has place flexibility

DEFENSIVE END

Micah Parsons and Marshawn Kneeland will likely be fixtures alongside the sting for not less than the following three years. Sam Williams returns from harm, however he solely has one yr left on his rookie deal. The DeMarcus Lawrence state of affairs is fascinating as it will be fantastic if they might sneak him again on the crew for a short-term, team-friendly deal. Whether or not it’s Tank or another person, the Cowboys are artful to find these short-term veteran options to hurry the quarterback. Gamers like Aldon Smith, Robert Quinn, Dante Fowler, and most lately, Carl Lawson have all been good provides lately. Whereas these are short-term solutions, we will’t rule out utilizing one other premium draft useful resource if the correct man falls to them.

Resolution: Re-sign Carl Lawson

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

The crew already made an enormous splash by giving Osa Odighizuwa a four-year extension. In addition they have Mazi Smith who is simply midway by means of his rookie deal. Whereas the starters could also be intact, they don’t have a lot for depth. Up to now, they beloved to seek out low-cost veteran nostril tackles like Carlos Watkins, Johnathan Hankins, or Linval Joseph, so why ought to we anticipate something to alter? Just like edge, DT could possibly be a place the place they make a shock draft decide if the correct participant is there.

Resolution: Low-cost veteran free agent for depth

LINEBACKER

That is one other space the place the Cowboys want some our bodies. With DeMarvion Overshown’s well being in query, the one trusted linebacker they’ve is second-year participant Marist Liufau. Like operating again, we should always anticipate the crew to double-dip with a low-cost free agent and a rookie draft decide. Linebackers have thrived beneath new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, so it’s onerous to think about the Cowboys skimping at this place if they need their protection to have a combating likelihood.

***SPLASH ALERT***

Resolution: Mid-level value free agent linebacker + mid-round rookie draft decide

CORNERBACK

Resolution: Re-sign Lewis and draft a high collegiate nook by spherical two

SAFETY

Malik Hooker continues to be beneath crew management for the following two years and so they are also conserving Juanyeh Thomas round for not less than yet one more season. Donovan Wilson is a wild card as he might find yourself being launched for cap-saving functions as he’s due $6.5 million this season. The Cowboys have choices right here. They might sift by means of the cut price bin for an inexpensive free agent filler like they did with a number of years in the past with Jayron Kearse and the aforementioned Hooker. Or they will take a late-round flyer on a man like they did with Xavier Woods and the aforementioned Wilson. Or, they might do each. The Wilson resolution will dictate what number of darts they throw to shore up the protection place.

Resolution: Launch Wilson and draft his substitute on Day 3

Here’s a structure of a possible offseason plan for the Cowboys. If that is the method they take, what gamers do you assume would fill within the lacking items?