The Dallas Cowboys may very well be leaning closely on the NFL Draft if that’s the place proprietor Jerry Jones needs to focus his “all-in” strategy. The group strategy without cost company is the way it’s at all times been—modest, with some tier-two gamers sprinkled in.
The 2023 class has been criticized for not assembly expectations as rookies, and the primary three picks (Mazi Smith, Luke Schoonmaker, and DeMarvion Overshown) will now be recovering from surgical procedures earlier than coaching camp. Which means the Cowboys would have extra strain to hit grand slams with Will McClay and the scouts within the batter’s field.
Will McClay and the Jones household have completed an important job drafting instant-impact gamers it doesn’t matter what spherical, with CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons, Jourdan Lewis, DaRon Bland, Jake Ferguson, Dak Prescott, and others. Whereas final 12 months’s rookies rightfully deserve extra time to develop, there’s no query Dallas wants contributors from their 2024 class.
The Cowboys presently have seven draft picks (No. 24, No. 56, No. 87, No. 173, No. 216, No. 233, and No. 244) in each spherical apart from one, which was their fourth-round decide that went to the San Francisco 49ers within the Trey Lance commerce. If Dallas needs to make its presence felt within the first spherical of the draft, whether or not to commerce up for a blue-chip participant or commerce again to accumulate extra picks, listed here are some commerce companions that might make sense.
(*I’ll be utilizing the Professional Soccer Focus Mock Draft Simulator to give you these eventualities*)
Commerce-Up:
Situation #1 – Cowboys commerce up with the Los Angeles Rams to Decide No. 19.
(Commerce Phrases: DAL receives No. 19 and No. 213 / LAR receives No. 24 and No. 87)
This state of affairs can be a lofty value and doubtless an excessive amount of for the Cowboys’ liking. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t be probably the most shocking transfer on this planet in the event that they really feel assured in including extra gamers in free company to make a transfer like this.
The explanation for going as much as the Los Angeles Rams at 19 can be for a number of gamers. Dallas can be making this transfer to leap in entrance of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, and Philadelphia Eagles—all groups that should deal with their middle place.
Jackson Powers-Johnson and Graham Barton are on the board with the Rams on the clock. If the Cowboys need to draft what they might think about the most effective middle within the class, Los Angeles can be the best group to commerce with. Giving up a third-round decide is a troublesome capsule to swallow, however getting an instantaneous starter at middle will go a good distance for Dallas’ offensive line woes.
When the group chosen Travis Frederick in 2013, he got here into the league as among the finest at his place, regardless that nobody anticipated him to be. JPJ and Barton are thought of higher prospects than Frederick, and with Dallas seeking to enhance their speeding assault, both can be a super match. To not point out, doubtlessly stealing a participant from the Eagles proper from underneath their noses is interesting.
Photograph by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Photographs
Commerce-Down
Situation #2 – The Cowboys commerce down with the New England Patriots to Decide No. 34.
(Commerce Phrases: DAL receives No. 34, No. 68, and No. 229 / NE receives No. 24)
It may very well be extra advantageous for Dallas to commerce down on this draft slightly than up. The center of this class has nice gamers in nearly each spherical, so the Cowboys gathering extra picks to do harm is a fast strategy to repair their present issues.
A cause why buying and selling again with the New England Patriots may very well be attainable relies completely upon what they do with third total. On this state of affairs, the Patriots don’t choose a quarterback and determine to commerce out from the decide. With Dallas on the clock at No. 24, they’re calling to come back again up and select Micahel Penix.
With the Cowboys accepting the provide, they’re leaving Powers-Johnson, Barton, Tyler Guyton, Jordan Morgan, and Zach Fraizer on the board. The road of pondering can be, between picks 25 via 34, a type of gamers can be there in the beginning of the second spherical. It turned out they had been.
Dallas selects Morgan, the sort out from Arizona, at Decide No. 34 and would have an additional third-round decide to play with. Enjoying out the remainder of the four-round mock draft, the Cowboys find yourself with Morgan, linebacker Junior Colson, defensive sort out T’Vondre Sweat, and middle Sedrick Van Pran. That haul of gamers ought to make followers really feel a lot simpler about 2024 and inject some juice into the roster instantly.
Commerce-Down
Situation #3 – Cowboys commerce down with the Baltimore Ravens to Decide No. 30.
(Commerce Phrases: DAL receives No. 30 and No. 93 / BAL receives No. 24)
On this state of affairs, the Baltimore Ravens are determined. The Cowboys make the most of their must compete straight away and get their third-round decide in return for shifting down six spots within the first spherical. Regardless that Dallas doesn’t have a fourth-round decide, getting one other top-100 decide is just too good to move up.
The Cowboys did lose out on some good gamers between picks 24 and 30. The Ravens took Graham Barton, Guyton to the Packers, Johnny Newton to the Bucs, JPJ to the Cardinals, Adonai Mitchell to the Payments, and Chop Robinson to the Lions.
This can be a state of affairs the place the Cowboys might have to achieve on their first-round decide, however with them selecting so near the top of the spherical, it received’t matter as a lot in the event that they view the participant as a second-round grade. Right here, Dallas pulls one other Travis Frederick stunner and selects West Virginia middle Zach Fraizer at No. 30.
Dallas met with Fraizer formally on the NFL mix, and if he’s a prime 30 go to over the subsequent month, that may additional verify their potential curiosity within the prospect. With the subsequent three picks, Dallas selects working again Jonathan Brooks, offensive sort out Patrick Paul, and defensive sort out Michael Corridor, with him being the decide from Baltimore.
In 4 picks, the Cowboys enhance their speeding offense and protection. Paul won’t be a day-one starter, however he might compete in coaching camp to see if he or Tyler Smith are the higher choices at left sort out. Corridor would pair effectively with Mazi Smith at defensive sort out and shield the Cowboys if they’ll’t re-sign Osa Odighizuwa in 2025.
