The Dallas Cowboys offseason began a bit prematurely for most Cowboys fans who were hoping for a deep playoff run. After the teams Super Bowl aspirations were quickly snuffed out in the wildcard round, talk has quickly shifted to impending free agents and of course the 2022 NFL draft. Trying to anticipate what the biggest needs are for the Cowboys is a bit of a guessing game at this point but these are the position groups that I believe will need to be addressed in order of highest priority to lowest.
1. SAFETY
It is no small wonder that safety once again hovers near the top of the list of Dallas Cowboys offseason needs. It is a position that the Cowboys front office is simply reluctant to invest any free agent dollars or draft capital on. The Cowboys actually got decent play at the safety position last season but they did so signing a bunch of bargain bin free agents on discounted one year deals. Jayron Kearse far outplayed his contract and is in line for a significant raise. Some believe that he will stay with the team because Dan Quinn is back as defensive coordinator. I do not believe Kearse will pass up what will likely be his only opportunity at a big pay day. Both Malik Hooker and Damontae Kazee will hit the open market again this year and after staying healthy last season and both may generate some interest around the league. Currently, the Cowboys only have 2 safeties under contract and they are Donovan Wilson and Israel Mukuamu. Wilson is on the last year of his rookie deal and Mukuamu, a sixth round pick from a year ago, has barely played. If history is any indicator of how the Cowboys will approach the safety position, the Cowboys are likely to target cheaper options in free agency and maybe a day three draft pick to fill out those roster spots.
2. TIGHT END
Another position group that the Cowboys have neglected for years. Having Jason Witten on the roster was the main reason for that in years past but now the Cowboys are dangerously thin at the position. Dalton Schultz emerged as a reliable option in the passing game the past two seasons and that will likely price him out of getting resigned in Dallas this season. Blake Jarwin has another year left on his contract but injuries and struggles as a blocker have prevented him from realizing his potential. Beyond that, third year undrafted free agent Sean Mckeon is in line to step in and take on a bigger role. Drafting a tight end to step in and become a reliable contributor is very rare in the NFL and the Cowboys will likely have to dip into the free agent market to address this position.
3. LINEBACKER
The Cowboys have an MVP caliber player in Micah Parsons and another promising young player in Jabril Cox. Outside of those two, they are paper thin at the position. Leighton Vander Esch is likely not to going to be retained and neither will Keanu Neal after a disappointing season on one year deal as an expiremental hybrid LB/S. The Cowboys have a couple of warm bodies in Francis Bernard and Luke Gifford but they need some more depth and competition going forward. Especially if they want to use Micah Parsons as more of a chess piece to take advantage of his pass rushing skills rather than limit him as a simple off-ball linebacker. The Cowboys are likely going to draft some more young players but shouldn’t ignore free agency in order to bolster this position group.
4. OFFENSIVE LINE
Many will consider this a higher offseason priority and there are good reasons for that. The Dallas Cowboys offensive line struggled mightily at times last season. Particularly at center with Tyler Biadasz and at left guard with Connor Williams and Connor McGovern. Williams is a free agent and is likely to be scooped up by another team being that he was a four year starter in Dallas. At tackle the issues have more to do with availability as a result of the oft-injured and aging star Tyron Smith and the lack of discipline from La’el Collins. The reason I don’t rank this position higher on this list is because I believe Cowboys fans have become a little spoiled with regards to their offensive line. The offensive line is the most important piece of the entire football team but how they perform as a unit is far more impactful than their individual talent. It is not realistic to expect the Cowboys to keep investing first round picks at every single spot on the offensive line and keep hitting on perennial Hall of Fame talent. At some point, the team has to make due with the players they have and develop that talent into serviceable players. In my opinion, the recent struggles with the offensive line have more to do with coaching deficiencies than anything else. The right coaching hire for the offensive line, the offensive coordinator’s ability to adapt to the strengths of the group of linemen on the roster, and some continuity instead of mixing guys in and out are going improve the OL more so than acquiring individual talent. Regardless of my opinion though, I do acknowledge that depth is pivotal for the offensive line so it still remains very high on the Cowboys offseason list of needs. Replacing Williams and addressing the future at left tackle are the main priorities and upgrading the center position would also be a nice bonus.
5. DEFENSIVE LINE
Equally as important to the offensive line is the defensive line and the Cowboys cannot afford to ignore this position because of it’s impact the rest of the defense. At defensive end, signing Randy Gregory should be considered a priority. There are whispers that DeMarcus Lawrence (along with Amari Cooper) could become cap casualties. The Cowboys would be wise to keep D-Law around a little bit longer. His leadership and willingness to do the dirty work as well as his ability as a complimentary pass rusher are going to be difficult to replace with an undeveloped rookie in the draft. Dorance Armstrong is a solid contributor that the Cowboys will likely lose in free agency and depth on the edge is not something this team can afford to sacrifice.
The interior offensive line has long been a weakness for the Cowboys and they have finally started to invest in that position in the draft. They have a wealth of young, talented players but they lack a true difference maker. It is possible that one or two of the players on the roster like Neville Gallimore or Osa Odighizuwa take a giant leap next season. It is also possible that second year nose tackle Quinton Bohanna emerges as a dominant run stopper. It is more likely though that those guys continue to be key contributors and role players so a chance to upgrade that position, if it presents itself, is something the Cowboys should not ignore.
6. OTHER SNEAKY NEEDS
Wide receiver is one position that could become a major need depending on what transpires in the coming weeks. There is talk of Amari Cooper becoming a cap casualty which would leave a huge hole at that position. That would be a devastating loss for the Cowboys short term but maybe not as bad as losing DeMarcus Lawrence. That is not a popular opinion but hear me out. Both positions are premium positions so free agency is not a viable solution to try to replace either player. Wide receiver has emerged as a position that runs deep in every single draft with young players stepping in seamlessly in their rookie seasons year after year. Quality rookie defensive ends on the other hand, typically take time to develop. Cooper, as elite of a route runner as he is, may not always give the best effort on plays when he is not getting the ball and he isn’t known for blocking down the field to help create splash plays in the run game. Lawrence on the other hand, is a relentless hard worker and a leader on the defensive side of the ball. Given the choice between retaining only one of those players, I would argue that Cooper is the better talent but Lawrence the better teammate. Even if Cooper does stay though, the certain loss of Michael Gallup and the potential loss of Cedric Wilson in free agency is going to require the Cowboys to address the position in free agency and/or the draft.
The cornerback position has been injected with young talent of late but it remains a position that should always be upgraded and where depth is imperative. The Cowboys should not pass up an opportunity to draft a high quality corner in any of the early rounds. Nor should they ignore any chance to bring in a star player via trade or free agency much like the Rams did in recent years by adding Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters, and more recently Jalen Ramsey. Elite cover corners, ball hawks, and pass rushers are difference makers on defense and no team can have enough of either one.
Running back is another position that should no longer be ignored. Ezekiel Elliott was banged up last season and it really impacted the Cowboys running game. Even if Elliott comes back fully healthy next season, he is no spring chicken and his body has taken a huge toll over the years. Tony Pollard is an explosive complimentary back but the Cowboys don’t use him as often as they should and he is on the last year of his deal. The Cowboys don’t need to invest a premium pick on a running back or spend a lot in free agency. They do need some additional bodies though. If the injury bug strikes the backfield again, they can’t afford to tough it out with a banged up Zeke and Pollard. Keeping a JaQuon Hardy or Corey Clement on the active roster or even a fresh young rookie can help the team immensely. A back who can contribute on special teams and in the return game but also get a handful of touches on offense would be a welcome addition.
*Photo by Joe Glorioso https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode