DALLAS — Luckily for fans of the Dallas Cowboys, the NFL draft is just around the corner. After starting the offseason in a slumber, the annual draft finally gives the organization the jolt that 31 other fanbases have already enjoyed, with a roster ready for an infusion of talent.
The draft is a time for the franchise to get serious about improving through the only avenue that the front office has seemingly cared about over the past dozen offseasons. The Cowboys are one of the league’s best drafting teams and they’ll need to have another solid April if the team is to get where they need to go in the upcoming campaign.
That task is made tougher without a fourth-round pick, a selection they traded for quarterback Trey Lance last August. For a team that has multiple holes that they haven’t filled in free agency, the Cowboys will need to have a near perfect draft to improve. There’s a roadmap for that to happen and to give Dallas the optimal results that they desperately need.
Despite not owning a pick in round 4, the Cowboys do have seven total selections, with two picks in the seventh round. These are their current picks in each round:
- First round: Pick 24
- Second round: Pick 56
- Third round: Pick 87
- Fifth round: Pick 174
- Sixth round: Pick 216
- Seventh round: Pick 233
- Seventh round: Pick 244
While it’s great to have a full complement of picks, not having one on the fourth-round hurts, and their selections in the fifth and sixth rounds are compensatory picks, which means they come at the back end of those respective rounds. That’s not a ton of draft capital for a team that lost five starters this offseason.
The Cowboys put themselves in a bind by not having better options to replace what they’ve lost and by virtually sitting out of free agency. The team is solely relying on the draft to replenish, which means they have to get this right. However, if Dallas can find the right players and utilize a smart strategy in a deep draft, all might not be lost.
Here’s what that plan could look like:
Trade out of pick 24
The easiest way to boost your draft haul is to trade back and acquire picks. The good news is there are aggressive teams behind them in the first round who are always willing to move up, and the draft is deep at positions where the Cowboys need help.
Offensive line is perhaps the deepest group in the draft and the Cowboys have the versatility to go in a few different directions to rebuild the unit. Trading even deeper in the first round for an extra pick would be an ideal move, the team could add a third or fourth round selection while still getting a quality offensive lineman.
Or, if the Cowboys see a better player at a different position worthy of the pick later than the 24th overall selection, they could trade back, get a prospect they love and still find offensive line help in the next few rounds. Either way, the team should have no trouble finding a quality player to boost the OL no matter where they select, so making a trade back and adding picks would be an optimal choice.
Of course, the Cowboys need a trade partner and it’s unlikely that they want to exit the first round altogether – so they have a fifth-year rookie contract option – but the goal should be to add more draft capital. This is a deep draft and Dallas, with many holes to fill, needs to take advantage.
Finding a running back early
For a team that prides itself on the running game and having a premiere RB, the Cowboys have put themselves in a pickle. There isn’t an RB on the roster who is capable of carrying the load that the offense requires and the position is one of the weaker spots in the draft.
The Cowboys cannot wait too long to find a replacement for former starter Tony Pollard, who signed with the Tennessee Titans. That means the team is likely to select a back in the first three rounds. That’s a lot of draft capital for a team lacking a fourth-round pick and down two starters on the offensive line, but there aren’t many bigger needs on the roster.
It’s a big reason for why the Cowboys desperately need to move down from the 24th selection and add more picks. Using a premium pick on an RB when they have other needs, and no fourth-round pick, is a bad combination. The team must find a way to add draft assets to offset using a high pick on an RB.
Don’t ignore WR or edge rusher
While the Cowboys have some gaping holes on the roster, they shouldn’t ignore the ‘best player available’ strategy. The team normally drafts for need early, but they did the smart thing and drafted wide receiver CeeDee Lamb in 2020 when WR was seen as a luxury rather than a need.
Despite being thin at linebacker, RB and on both lines, Dallas shouldn’t fade the top talent if presented. Lamb and edge rusher Micah Parsons lead the way at their positions, but there’s no way the team should pass on a quality player at either spot, even with their first selection. These are two of the more underrated areas where the Cowboys can improve.
It’s a deep draft at WR, so the Cowboys should be looking to find someone to compete with Jalen Tolbert for the third WR spot. After Lamb, only veteran WR Brandin Cooks is a known quality option and if a WR falls into their laps, the team should pounce. There will be opportunities to select one in the first few rounds and Dallas shouldn’t pass that up in a shortsighted attempt to address areas they didn’t address in free agency.
The same goes at pass rusher, there’s Parsons, and veteran DeMarcus Lawrence, but not much waiting in the wings. Sam Williams, a 2022 second-round pick, has his shot to shine now and looks like he can be a solid rotational piece, but there’s little help behind him.
It’s a good draft for the top-of-the-line edge rushers, but it doesn’t look especially deep. If there’s a chance at selecting one of the top pass rushers, the Cowboys need to be ready to make that decision.
Draft plan outlook:
The Cowboys have major needs on their offensive line, on the interior of their defensive line and at running back. Conventional wisdom has Dallas adding two offensive lineman and an RB early, while trying to find fits for other needs later. Expect a WR, DL and LB to be selected as well.
With significant holes throughout the roster, the best strategy would be to trade down, add picks in the middle rounds and to not pass on elite talent in places where the Cowboys already have good options simply to fill a short term need.
It’s a big draft for the Cowboys, and they need to find a way to get it right if they want to win double-digit games for a fourth straight year in 2024.
Do you think the Cowboys will have a successful draft that contributes in 2024? Share your thoughts with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi.
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