DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys offense just found a 6-foot-2-inch, 198-pound nitrous oxide button named Cedarian.
They already had the engine (running back Ezekiel Elliott), the high-speed transmission (wideout Amari Cooper), and the navigation system (quarterback Dak Prescott). Heck, even the auxiliary parts and pieces are awfully nice, with Michael Gallup and Tony Pollard.
The bumper could use a fresh coat of paint after center Travis Frederick retired. And it's getting a little rusty in spots. But overall, the offensive line is in good shape to again be in the upper echelon of collision protection systems around the NFL.
But by drafting University of Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb with the 17th pick last night, the Cowboys sent their finely-tuned Bugatti hurtling down the road with a little extra horsepower.
I mean, really? Just look at what this kid did at Oklahoma.
Adding that to Prescott, Elliott, Cooper, Gallup, Pollard, and Blake Jarwin is bonkers. Throw in the fact that now you have Mike McCarthy at the helm, and the sky is the limit for the Cowboys offense.
In 2019, the Cowboys ranked first in the NFL in total yards, first in yards per play, third in first downs per game, tied for second in third-down conversion, and sixth in points per game.
And they just drafted a wide receiver that by 2022 will be the best wideout on the roster.
(I really believe that, by the way. One, because the NFL is an attrition league. Two, because I think that Lamb's ceiling is higher than Gallup's. And it may be sooner.)
Calling the Cowboys offense should be like playing with fireworks for Kellen Moore. And this kid named Cendarian is a roman candle.
OK, now what?
So now that the Cowboys did the logical thing, drafting a player they rated as the sixth-best player in the draft with the 17th selection... now they have to go defense from here on out. Seriously, unless there is a center on the board that they really like over the next two days, I'd be hard-pressed to say they should select any other offensive players. They're perfectly fine on offense right now. And the defense needs serious help.
A safety, a corner (or two), and an edge rusher have to be of utmost priority, and a linebacker thrown in the mix would probably be wise, too.
There should be a dose of realism applied to any critique of what Dallas did Thursday night. Yes, they needed defense far more than a wide receiver. But getting a sure-fire, top-end player at 17 isn't common. They did that Thursday. And their offense is in a fantastic position for years to come, as a result.
But for the final two days of the defense, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys need to eat their vegetables and draft defense.
