Your Wednesday morning news around the Dallas Cowboys.
So far, Dallas Cowboys have passed on RB free agency wave. Could that put them in a bind? – David Moore, Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Cowboys could lean on the NFL draft to find their No. 1 running back.
It goes beyond losing Tony Pollard. Dallas didn’t make a serious push to acquire any of the other 11 backs to change teams since the soft opening of free agency kicked off late Monday morning. It’s hard to see the club finding an unquestioned starting back with the free agents that remain.
That means the Cowboys must look to the draft to land their lead back. Teams do that every year with success. But ask yourself this: Why have an inordinate number of veteran backs switched uniforms in free agency so far?
Because this isn’t considered a particularly talented or deep class. No back is projected to go in the first round. It could be late second or even the third round before players at that position begin to come off the board.
Dallas selects in the bottom third of every round it has a pick except the seventh, when it has two picks. The Cowboys are at No. 56 in the second round, No. 87 in the third and aren’t on the clock again until the fifth.
The only place to take a back you could feel confident about being able to step in and start would be at No. 56 or No. 87. Every other team knows that as well.
Any team interested in drafting a back in the second or third round will assume it must jump ahead of the Cowboys to get the back it wants. That’s bound to create some anxious moments in the draft room at The Star.
Cowboys free agency, Day 2: NFC East stocks up, RBs gone, best in-house targets – Jon Machota & Saad Yousuf, The Athletic
Resetting the free agent names ahead of the first day of the new league year.
Derrick Henry, Aaron Jones and Joe Mixon joined a growing list of RBs on the move. Is this a sign the Cowboys will target RB1 in the draft?
Machota: It’s not considered a great running back draft class, but that’s likely where the Cowboys will get their most notable runner. I expect their second- or third-round pick to be used on the position. Maybe that’s Florida State’s Trey Benson or Texas’ Jonathon Brooks or Notre Dame’s Audric Estime. The Cowboys could still address the position in free agency, but it’s unlikely going to be the type of move that would prevent running back from being a major need next month. Running back is a young man’s game, so a rookie runner getting the bulk of your carries shouldn’t be a concern.
Yousuf: The plan should have always been to target a running back with RB1 potential in the draft, but this draft is not very deep at the position. That’s why it’s important that the Cowboys enter the draft process with some semblance of stability, which they don’t have. They didn’t need to go out and sign a running back from the top of the market, but a quality RB2 with RB1 potential at a reasonable price would have been ideal. You never want to reach for need in a draft but especially not at running back — especially not this year.
Which of Dallas’ unrestricted free agents remaining should it make a priority to re-sign?
Machota: Tyron Smith or Stephon Gilmore. Without Smith, the left tackle situation is a major question. The answer could be moving Tyler Smith out to tackle. It could also be drafting a tackle in the first round. If the Cowboys don’t re-sign Gilmore, they have a major question at one of the starting cornerback spots. Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland are quality starters, but three are needed. Without Gilmore, will the draft be the answer? Maybe a trade for a veteran, similar to how they acquired Gilmore. Bringing at least one of those two back would be ideal.
Yousuf: Gilmore and Tyron Smith are in the top tier and Jourdan Lewis a notch below. If there are financial concerns to work around, the priority should be Smith and Lewis. Gilmore is a nice player but on the back end of his career, and the Cowboys have solid top-end talent at cornerback. Despite durability concerns, Smith is still a top talent at left tackle who the Cowboys won’t find elsewhere immediately. Of the lower-end guys, C.J. Goodwin and Rico Dowdle are good options to bring back for the right money and right role.
Former Cowboys great Dez Bryant feels lack of free agency activity by Dallas indicates ‘they are rebuilding’ – Garrett Podell, CBS Sports
Former players have been voicing their opinions about the Cowboys’ approach to free agency.
“I love my boys, and I’m going to go on the record and say it: it’s not enough in this draft to give up what you gave up and expect to win this upcoming year,” Bryant tweeted on Tuesday. “These past two, three years was the Cowboys’ best chance to play in the Big Game. I think they are rebuilding in my opinion.”
Eight days ago, Aikman echoed Bryant’s sentiments when discussing the 2023 season.
“I do think this last year is going to be a year that the organization and the players, everybody involved looks back on and feels that they really missed an opportunity,” Aikman said. “There’s been some of those in the last 20 years when they’ve been the No. 1 seed, but the way the year ended for them to be the No. 2 seed, I really thought that they would be in the NFC championship game. I’m certain they thought the same thing.”
The way Jones spoke earlier this offseason conveyed the message the team was going to act like a contender. If they do end up losing eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith, five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore and others in free agency and don’t end up signing replacements, that missing depth could lead to a season with fewer than 12 wins to say the least. That would set up Prescott to be the target of even more vitriol from Cowboys fans. Bryant doesn’t feel that’s fair.
“Get ready to take the blame Dak because I don’t really see no help coming your way unless a miracle happens,” Bryant tweeted. “Everybody in the NFC East got better during free agency but the Cowboys. The draft will not be enough.”
State of the Cowboys roster: Secondary – Tom Ryle, Blogging the Boys
If the Cowboys don’t add in free agency, here’s where things stand on the current roster.
Cornerbacks
Starters: Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland
Depth: Nahshon Wright, Eric Scott, Josh Butler
This is a bit grim, and it is also a little scary to think about what would have happened if Bland had not been such a steal. Diggs is the best corner the team has. That comes with the caveat of his returning to form from the injury that cut his season short in 2023. He was lost in just the second week, after notching an interception the first game. Many players do bounce back, but in Michael Gallup the Cowboys have a cautionary tale. Diggs’ injury was not as severe, but we still are not going to be tabulating fetal domestic fowl prematurely.
Still, the team has to base its plans on a projection of Diggs being their starter, and doing a good job. Bland proved he is a decent coverage player with an uncanny nose for the ball, shattering the NFL record for interceptions returned for a touchdown in a season. That sets the defense up with a very solid starting pair.
However, like most defenses, Dallas is expected to keep using the nickel most of the time, which requires a third starter. With both Stephon Gilmore and Jourdan Lewis entering free agency, there is no readily apparent answer with the team now to fill that nickel back role. (Feel free to make your own jokes about an often derided rock band here.)
Safety
Starters: Donovan Wilson, Malik Hooker
Depth: Juanyeh Thomas, Israel Mukuamu, Sheldrick Redwine
As opposed to cornerback, the safety room looks fairly good. Wilson and Hooker are very solid starters, while Thomas seems to bring a decent bit to the table, and Mukuamu seems to be coming along as he matures in the defense.
Jayron Kearse is another affordable player if the team wants to take a run at re-signing him. But this is another place where Mike Zimmer taking over for Dan Quinn may play a role in what the team decides to do. Kearse was the most productive of Quinn’s hybrid safety/linebacker players, but that does not seem to be something Zimmer is going to use as much. Still, Kearse is a solid, very hard hitting safety. There may be a place for him in Zimmer’s secondary.
There are self-imposed limits on how much the Cowboys will spend on free agents, including their own. We don’t like it, but our opinion doesn’t matter here. There are lots of other places where they need to find answers. Additionally, safety has seldom been a place the current regime has invested much draft capital. Given that they are in relatively good shape here, that trend should continue.
Blogging The Boys Podcast Network and YouTube Channel
We offer two different shows every single weekday on the Blogging The Boys podcast network, and another one on Saturday to start your weekend.
- Monday: 1st and 10 with Tony Catalina and Aidan Davis
- Monday: Press Coverage with Brandon Loree and Jess Nevarez
- Tuesday: The Writer’s Block with David Howman, Brandon Clements and Chris Halling
- Tuesday: Hidden Yardage with Sean Martin and Jess Haynie
- Tuesday: BTB Roundtable with various BTB Staffers
- Wednesday: NFC East Mixtape with RJ Ochoa and Brandon Lee Gowton
- Wednesday: Talkin’ The Star with Connor Livesay and Joey Ickes
- Thursday: The Ocho with RJ Ochoa
- Thursday: Ryled Up with Roy White and Tom Ryle
- Friday: Girls Talkin’ Boys with Kelsey Charles and Meg Murray
- Friday: The Star Seminar with Danny Phantom and Rabblerousr
- Saturday: The World’s Team with Paul Stewart and Mike Poland
The Blogging The Boys podcast network is available on all major podcast platforms.
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