When free agency began the Cowboys took the wait and see approach. They waited till all the big name free agents fell. Then they waited for the high money guys to find places. Finally, they went and got some solid pieces that can make immediate impacts. After a quiet start to the free agency signing period, the Cowboys have had one of the best offseasons in the league.
When the season ended the Cowboys had a ton of questions marks. How to get more production out the wide receiver position? What should they do with Demarcus Lawrence? Who will play left guard? How do they fill the shoes of Tyrann Smith if he continues to have back problems?
The Cowboys were able to address all those questions in free agency and now enter the draft with the ability to add quality young players to their already young team. The Cowboys began the offseason with giving Demarcus Lawrence the franchise tag. This was the best move because he has been inconsistent for most of his career. Last season was his best season and he flashed potential in all the years prior. By tagging him for the 2018 season they force him to show them that he can be a consistent pass rusher and put up those 12 sack seasons. First question answered!
The offensive line is the bloodline for the Cowboys. This is a unit that struggled at times last year. Replacing Tyran Smith when he missed time was something they couldn't do. Now I'm not going to pretend like replacing the best left tackle in football is easy. Giving up 6 sacks to Adrian Claybourne was completely unacceptable, I don't care who is playing. They also lost last seasons starting left guard Jonathan Cooper.
The approach the Cowboys took to addressing the issues with the offensive line is what was masterful. The Cowboys were able to sign Marcus Martin and Cam Fleming to team friendly deals. Both these guys have been spot starters in the league. Fleming has had success filling in at Right Tackle for the New England Patriots. At the very least the Cowboys get two guys that can compete at left guard. It appears like they have Martin penciled in to start at left guard. He will compete with a rookie they draft of some other veteran they get after the draft. Fleming will be the swing tackle, which should be an upgrade over Chaz Green and Bryon Bell. That’s the second question answered!
The last question of how to get more production from the wide receiver position is a tough one. The team would like Dez Bryant to take a pay cut. If I were Dez I wouldn't because the Cowboys still need me. Dez may not be the same receiver he was two years ago but he can still contribute to this team. With the team knowing they have to add talent while not overspending at the position they were able to bring in Allen Hurns. Hurns was a solid receiver with the Jaguars but like Dez, he has battled some injuries. What Hurns does give you is an upgrade over Terrace Williams. If they're going to be stuck with Dez then they have to upgrade the players around him. Adding Hurns did that.
Adding Kony Ealy is the other move that really put the Cowboys in perfect position to draft best available. This team still has to address this defense. Having addressed all the major issues prior to the draft they can get aggressive in the draft. I would love to see them move up to grab either Darwin James or Roquan Smith. Both of these players could come in and be immediate impact players for the Cowboys. If they stay put I think they should continue to build the defense with the 19th pick. If the Cowboys can have another draft like the one they had in 2016. They will be able to add four new starters to the team and put themselves in position to play with any team in the league!
Comments
Post a Comment