A better draft strategy than standing pat in draft order

The Cowboys enter the upcoming draft with 10 of the draft’s 257 picks. With holes at almost every position group on this roster, and with this organization’s refusal to take free agency as a serious way to upgrade the roster, we need a plausible approach that can upgrade this team quickly in the upcoming 2025 draft. Here are the Cowboys current picks by round:
  • Round 1: No. 12
  • Round 2: No. 44
  • Round 3: No. 76
  • Round 5: No. 149
  • Round 5: No. 174 (compensatory pick)
  • Round 6: No. 204 (from Lions)
  • Round 6: No. 211 (compensatory pick)
  • Round 7: No. 217 (from Titans)
  • Round 7: No. 239 (from Packers)
  • Round 7: No. 247 (from Chiefs)
It’s great having 10 picks but only 3 of them are in the top 100. That gap between pick 76 and 149 is huge. Having 7 picks in the back end of the draft decreases the chances of immediate impact. Five of those current picks will be in rounds 6 and 7 where most of those players will be STers or deep backups at best.

So…what if we could get aggressive and do a couple of trade downs to give us 5 picks in the top 100 instead of just 3?
  • Trade down at 12 to pick up an extra 2nd or 3rd round pick.
  • Consider trading a current player on the roster in a draft pick trade.
  • Use some of the compensatory picks at the bottom to sweeten a deal.
Bottom line for me: Having only 3 top 100 picks and having 7 picks from rounds 5-7 is not enough help. We should convert some of the compensatory picks and round 6 and 7 picks into less overall picks but more in the top 100.

Without some move ups, our draft picks will mostly be bottom of the talent pool.
All depends on who's there at 12, if there are a few guys there the team can say they would be happy to draft and can pickup an extra 3rd a few spots down I think it makes a lot of sense.

It's really about how many at bats you get and sticking to bpa in the draft. So I'm with you if the right trade comes along.
 
I understand wanting to trade down. But the truth is, you actually can find players in later rounds. It's not about your draft position. You can draft a player in round 1 that's a complete bust or draft Mr. Irrelevant and nail a pick that beats out your busted round 1 pick.
It's more than that. The Cowboys need more picks because of them not using FA to build the roster.
 
It's more than that. The Cowboys need more picks because of them not using FA to build the roster.
Look I know they don't do blockbuster stuff in free agency but don't say they don't when you use the word don't as if they don't even bring in free agents at all none of them that are on your list but I'm pretty impressed with the stuff they've done this offseason compared to last anything is better than last offseason..

You are on here every day do we need to see the transaction list not only free agents that they've already brought in but the ones they made sure didn't become free agents that kept on their own team that's a pretty active offseason so don't act like they sat on their hands I mean last year they brought in Kendricks waited till after the draft and brought in a bunch of fair parts that's not the case this year that's a solid group they brought in so far...

So a better use of the word would be they don't bring in big name free agents they don't do high risk free agents but the word budget doesn't even work either because Kendricks came in here last year but the Eagles did this you want to see the Yang and the Yang two of their defensive players they brought in were allegedly budgeted minded they were kind of like the linebackers we brought in this year I think it was a safety and I don't know a linebacker if I'll say a corner they did pretty well but the $17 million they spent on Huff just got flushed down the toilet last year so they're better picks in free agency we're the ones that they spent less money on it's kind of ironic right?

Look last year was a disastrous offseason and I know they don't do a lot as far as things that would impress a fan base but this offseason has been very active and I'm content with it at this point and it's not over...

To say they're not participating in free agency is acting like only the free agents in the first 10 days with the big names that make the biggest money are the only ones that can make an impact on your team and I'm going to say that's untrue....
 
The Cowboys enter the upcoming draft with 10 of the draft’s 257 picks. With holes at almost every position group on this roster, and with this organization’s refusal to take free agency as a serious way to upgrade the roster, we need a plausible approach that can upgrade this team quickly in the upcoming 2025 draft. Here are the Cowboys current picks by round:
  • Round 1: No. 12
  • Round 2: No. 44
  • Round 3: No. 76
  • Round 5: No. 149
  • Round 5: No. 174 (compensatory pick)
  • Round 6: No. 204 (from Lions)
  • Round 6: No. 211 (compensatory pick)
  • Round 7: No. 217 (from Titans)
  • Round 7: No. 239 (from Packers)
  • Round 7: No. 247 (from Chiefs)
It’s great having 10 picks but only 3 of them are in the top 100. That gap between pick 76 and 149 is huge. Having 7 picks in the back end of the draft decreases the chances of immediate impact. Five of those current picks will be in rounds 6 and 7 where most of those players will be STers or deep backups at best.

So…what if we could get aggressive and do a couple of trade downs to give us 5 picks in the top 100 instead of just 3?
  • Trade down at 12 to pick up an extra 2nd or 3rd round pick.
  • Consider trading a current player on the roster in a draft pick trade.
  • Use some of the compensatory picks at the bottom to sweeten a deal.
Bottom line for me: Having only 3 top 100 picks and having 7 picks from rounds 5-7 is not enough help. We should convert some of the compensatory picks and round 6 and 7 picks into less overall picks but more in the top 100.

Without some move ups, our draft picks will mostly be bottom of the talent pool.
All five of those 6-7 round picks have a total draft value of 22 points, which is the equivalent of the Cowboys 5th round pick at 174. At some point teams say “nah, we don’t want five practice squad guys. We have our own.”

To trade for a mid 2nd rounder, we would have to drop from 12 to 21, if you’re just using chart value. Possible but it would take a highly motivated partner. Seattle has two picks in that range by I haven’t seen word they want to move up.

Considering there aren’t really more than 12-15 first round talents out there this year, I’m not sure the front office is going to want to drop out.

Might as well trade all the way out of the first round. Can you imagine if we traded #12 for a 2nd and 3rd this year and next years 2nd from some team?

I don’t see that being a popular move.

This is a draft where a lot of teams will be looking to move down because the first round is pretty poor. As much as I’d like to see us stockpile picks, I just don’t think there will be an appetite from the from office, other teams in the league or with Cowboy fans.
 
To say they're not participating in free agency is acting like only the free agents in the first 10 days with the big names that make the biggest money are the only ones that can make an impact on your team and I'm going to say that's untrue....
It is a factual statement that the Cowboys have been “active in free agency”.

But it is also an accurate statement that the Dallas Cowboys front office has not been a particularly effective participant in free agency in a long time. “Effective” being defined as translating FA signings into playoff wins.

Looking at our FA action so far this off-season, most pro football pundits rate it below average. Pro Football focus gives it a C-, CBS Sports a C-, Yahoo Sports a D-, ESPN ranked the Cowboys 21st in FA, and Sports Illustrated even issued an F.

Normally, I think it’s fair to give an NFL front office time to prove they are capable of putting together a roster than can truly compete for a championship. But is it “unfair” to have lost patience with a GM and FO that has given us 4 wild card wins in three decades and zero appearances in a conference championship?

So Blue, as always I respect your opinion even though I disagree. Saying the Cowboys haven’t done anything special so far in FA seems pretty fair to me. That’s just my opinion…and apparently the opinion of many in the NFL pundit world.
 
give up all the stuff at the bottom to move up anywhere in the first 3 rounds to get the guy we really want.
Next year with a top 5 we'll be set to grab a QB, so even if we trade a 2nd or 3rd for next year I'm fine.
“All the stuff at the bottom” gets you a pick at the end of the 5th round. All five of our 6-7 picks are worth a total of 23 points.
 
“All the stuff at the bottom” gets you a pick at the end of the 5th round. All five of our 6-7 picks are worth a total of 23 points.
This is a good point. But I was thinking we could also include a current roster member in a trade down that could possibly render something higher than a 5th rounder.

My thinking is there are only 2-3 players on this roster that are “untouchable”. Lamb, Parsons and Tyler Smith. And honestly, I would even consider them in a trade if it could give us a better roster. Sadly, I don’t think this FO is capable of that kind of savvy move. They long ago stopped taking home run swings with the roster.
 
All five of those 6-7 round picks have a total draft value of 22 points, which is the equivalent of the Cowboys 5th round pick at 174. At some point teams say “nah, we don’t want five practice squad guys. We have our own.”

To trade for a mid 2nd rounder, we would have to drop from 12 to 21, if you’re just using chart value. Possible but it would take a highly motivated partner. Seattle has two picks in that range by I haven’t seen word they want to move up.

Considering there aren’t really more than 12-15 first round talents out there this year, I’m not sure the front office is going to want to drop out.

Might as well trade all the way out of the first round. Can you imagine if we traded #12 for a 2nd and 3rd this year and next years 2nd from some team?

I don’t see that being a popular move.

This is a draft where a lot of teams will be looking to move down because the first round is pretty poor. As much as I’d like to see us stockpile picks, I just don’t think there will be an appetite from the from office, other teams in the league or with Cowboy fans.
Fully agree. Wish they would move down considerably for a future first. That’s a nice lottery ticket and two first aren’t the worst thing to have when there’s a supposedly big QB talent coming out.

But that’s not gonna happen. Jerry seems to be very much in ‘we’re gonna win now with Dak Prescott’ mode.

I can see a small trade down in round one similar to last year and 2021, especially if Golden is the guy they want…which seems to be the consensus.
 
This team needs more top end talent. We aren't winning a SB this year. Take a star at #12. Do what you want after that but don't give up on a potential All Pro (with luck) to pick up another guy to "fill a hole". We just aren't good enough to be thinking like that right now IMO. If anything I'm being more aggressive and trading up in any of the first 3 rounds if there is a guy on the board that we feel is worth it.This year is a draft to get us moving in the right direction
Bur not the WR from Texas. He is not a star.
 
Naw, we prefer the "let the universe decide" approach to our drafts. It fits Jerry's management style which has resulted in so much success. I hate to break it to you people, but Stephen and Jerry think they are doing a great job and are very proud of all of their success.
 

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