Cowboys Mock Offseason

[Stretch82]

I don't think there is anything left to this season beyond player evaluation.  Yes, the playoffs are in reach, but it won't last past the 1st round, so probably not helpful to get there.

Step 1: Re-Sign Dak Long Term.  Easier said than done, but I'm going to be optimistic that is happens  I'm going to guess a 5yr deal worth $185-190M, lots guaranteed, might even have a voidable 6th year for cap-anomics, cap figure for 2021 ends up being in the $25-27M range.

Step 2: Resign other in house free agents before outside signings can start.  Unfortunately, everyone leaves due to focus on Dak.  Dallas tries hard to keep Chido, but another team w/ more cap space overpays what Dallas can afford and lures him away

Step 3: Outside Free agengy - its budget buying only.  Fans get a little excited when Dallas is able to land Roy Robertson-Harris from Chicago.  Younger more athletic version of Crawford - but also with same history of shoulder issues.  Marquette King also finally gets signed and spices up the punter position.  With Bones Fassel, this could make for some fun fakes in the play book.

Step 4: Draft.  Irvin has said Dallas needs to land a difference maker from the draft, and my make-believe scenario has that happening, but not with a rookie.

Rd 1- Penei Sewell - OT - Oregon - Best player available and considered a generational talent.  I don't know that he is an instant upgrade on Tyron Smith, but...

Dallas Trade Tyron Smith to LA Chargers for Derwin James.  Both have injury history, James is younger, but Smith is under contract for longer allowing this deal to be consummated.  The move is also born out of salary cap relief planning for Dallas

Rd 2 - Derion Kendrick.- CB - Clemson  Slightly raw CB that only recently transitioned from WR....this has had promising early results before, I think Kendrick/Diggs make a great outside pair.

Rd 3 - Tedarrell Slayton - NT - Florida Big body in the middle should instantly help run D.  Plays with leverage for a big guy, not a pass rusher of note, but shrinks the pocket as a bull rusher

Rd 3 Comp - Richie Grant - S - UCF - Versatile safety prospect with coverge ability.  Can improve run fits, but also has some highlight tackles.

Rd 4 Nico Collins - WR - Michigan - a bit of a slide needed to get him here, but there are a lot of talented WRs, and with him opting out of 2020 its possible.  This pick is made with 2022 in mind.  Collins takes the downfield role currently manned by Gallop when he prices himself out of Dallas

Rd 4 Comp - David Moore - OG - Grambling - Just a big nasty interior OL that will bring attitude to OL.  May need time to get pass blocking up to NFL standards due to current competition, but he can have time to learn and provide depth.

Rd 5 - Palaie Gaoteote IV - LB - USC - Lot of athletism for a big LB, needs to improve assignment discipline, but would be a great ST player early with ability to be in regular defense down the line

Rd 6 - Patrick Johnson - Edge - Tulane - talented edge rusher falls to the 6th.  Value pick that could take a year or two to get regular defense snaps, much like Anae last year.

[D82]

I don't think a Smith/James trade would happen without some sort of other draft compensation being included, even with injury history. Smith is a HOF player and James, while promising, hasn't been able to stay on the field for a full season in two years. 

The rest of the draft isn't bad. I just dislike the idea of taking an OT high given what we currently have on the roster - even if Smith is traded/retires.

[Texas_OutLaw7]

I'd honestly dislike the trade. A premium pick is spent on a position we already have a top 5 player at that continues to have an incredibly affordable contract. 

Love the effort though. Absent the 1st and 2nd rounds. I know nothing about the names. 

[D82]

9 hours ago, Texas_OutLaw7 said:

I'd honestly dislike the trade. A premium pick is spent on a position we already have a top 5 player at that continues to have an incredibly affordable contract. 

Love the effort though. Absent the 1st and 2nd rounds. I know nothing about the names. 

Here's the thing with Smith. Yes, he's a future Hall of Famer and a top five player at his position - but he's not played a full season in five years, and this year missed the entire season with the exception of two games. And it isn't as though these are fluke injuries, it's the same ones popping up time and time again. 

It's no good having a top asset around if he is rarely or as so happened this year, never on the field for you. The team absolutely needs to start planning for a future without him around, and I'd rather they do it perhaps too early than too late. Now, I'm not a fan of taking an OT with a top five or top ten pick. I think Knight has shown to be an effective RT, we have another HOF OL in Martin who proved he could play the position as well. We also have La'el Collins, who was a top OT last season as well. If the doctors clear him, I'd move forward with Collins at LT (or maybe even give Connor Williams a look at the position) and take another guard at some point in the draft or FA, as McGovern just doesn't seem to be in the cards here for whatever reason. 

A line of Collins - Williams - Biadasz - Martin - Knight moving forward is something we can work with and not have to devote a high draft pick toward. 

[CAPJ]

52 minutes ago, D82 said:

Here's the thing with Smith. Yes, he's a future Hall of Famer and a top five player at his position - but he's not played a full season in five years, and this year missed the entire season with the exception of two games. And it isn't as though these are fluke injuries, it's the same ones popping up time and time again. 

It's no good having a top asset around if he is rarely or as so happened this year, never on the field for you. The team absolutely needs to start planning for a future without him around, and I'd rather they do it perhaps too early than too late. Now, I'm not a fan of taking an OT with a top five or top ten pick. I think Knight has shown to be an effective RT, we have another HOF OL in Martin who proved he could play the position as well. We also have La'el Collins, who was a top OT last season as well. If the doctors clear him, I'd move forward with Collins at LT (or maybe even give Connor Williams a look at the position) and take another guard at some point in the draft or FA, as McGovern just doesn't seem to be in the cards here for whatever reason. 

A line of Collins - Williams - Biadasz - Martin - Knight moving forward is something we can work with and not have to devote a high draft pick toward. 

If we're that worried that Smith may be done, I dont love it but I would take Sewell. He is an elite talent.

If Smith plays then I would go Smith - Collins- Biadasz - Martin and Sewell.

If Smith doesn't play and we can't upgrade our LG, I would go Sewell - Collins- Biadasz- Martin - Knight.

[D82]

29 minutes ago, CAPJ said:

If we're that worried that Smith may be done, I dont love it but I would take Sewell. He is an elite talent.

If Smith plays then I would go Smith - Collins- Biadasz - Martin and Sewell.

If Smith doesn't play and we can't upgrade our LG, I would go Sewell - Collins- Biadasz- Martin - Knight.

My preferred scenario is one in which a QB-needy team sells the farm to trade up with us and we land a nice haul. 

[CAPJ]

1 minute ago, D82 said:

My preferred scenario is one in which a QB-needy team sells the farm to trade up with us and we land a nice haul. 

Agreed. Would love to get a haul and drop to 7 or 8. If that haul is not available, I would take Sewell and not think twice.

[D82]

52 minutes ago, CAPJ said:

Agreed. Would love to get a haul and drop to 7 or 8. If that haul is not available, I would take Sewell and not think twice.

I'd take Parsons, personally. He isn't just an off-ball LB and I feel like we could do a lot with him a la Isaiah Simmons. 

[Nextyearfordaboyz]

Trading down to a QB-needy team should be priority #1. But if we can’t do that, Penei Sewell makes sense no matter what happens with Tyron/La’El in the near term. In the scenario where both of them come back healthy and ready to play 16 games, you have flexibility to put one of them at LG.

And 5 years down the line when Sewell is halfway to a HOF career with a Star on his helmet, and Dak spending the rest of his time in Dallas never having to worry about his blind side, no one will be thinking, “man, I wish we drafted that off-ball linebacker”.

[D82]

4 minutes ago, Nextyearfordaboyz said:

Trading down to a QB-needy team should be priority #1. But if we can’t do that, Penei Sewell makes sense no matter what happens with Tyron/La’El in the near term. In the scenario where both of them come back healthy and ready to play 16 games, you have flexibility to put one of them at LG.

And 5 years down the line when Sewell is halfway to a HOF career with a Star on his helmet, and Dak spending the rest of his time in Dallas never having to worry about his blind side, no one will be thinking, “man, I wish we drafted that off-ball linebacker”.

If our defense still sucks...yeah...I will be. 

[Nextyearfordaboyz]

12 minutes ago, D82 said:

If our defense still sucks...yeah...I will be. 

One non-QB pick cannot completely fix an entire side of the ball. A concerted effort needs to be made to improve that side of the ball, and that’s why a trade down scenario makes the most sense for Dallas.

But spending a top-3 pick on a non-premium position with a generational LT sitting there, in a league where offense rules? Couldn’t be me.

[D82]

14 minutes ago, Nextyearfordaboyz said:

One non-QB pick cannot completely fix an entire side of the ball. A concerted effort needs to be made to improve that side of the ball, and that’s why a trade down scenario makes the most sense for Dallas.

But spending a top-3 pick on a non-premium position with a generational LT sitting there, in a league where offense rules? Couldn’t be me.

I get the argument for Sewell, really - I do. It just wouldn't sit well with me, at least at the moment.

[Northland]

Everything I have read about Sewell says he is a generational type of talent at OT.  If he is there when we pick you  submit that card in a hurry.  Gives you flexibility and some security if/when Tyron gets hurt again.  I would not think twice about taking him.

[DaBoys]

Tyron has definitely dealt with his share of injuries. But it’s a bit misleading to say he hasn’t been able to finish a season in 5 years. I believe 2014 or 2016 or 2018 or all three, they sat Tyron (along with other key starters)in the last few weeks with the playoffs already secured. Most of his missed games are in fact due to injury but there are a few healthy scratches in there during playoff seasons.