One of the most common blind spots we all have as fans is over-valuing too many players on our team. It’s understandable. We love the Cowboys, so we end up being attached to certain players. Even if they aren’t as good or important as we think they are.
So imagine looking at this roster now before the upcoming draft and asking the question, “If you can only keep five players to build for the future…for the next five years, who would they be?” Or put it another way, “Which five current Cowboys players would you value the most for the rebuilding the future of this team?”
For me, it would be these five:
- Micah Parsons - personally I don’t like this guy; he talks way too much and acts like he’s a junior in high school but he’s the most talented player on this roster, he’s only 25, and could be packaged for a great trade or hopefully become the second best player on the defense.
- Cedee Lamb - only 25, clearly one of the best 5 WRs in the NFL. And he’s under contract for 4 more years. Worth building around.
- Tyler Smith - a beast at G and has already been a 2nd team All Pro. And he will be 24 next season. An anchor for another decade.
- Brandon Aubrey - he’s the best kicker in the NFL and is a legit weapon. Kickers are fickle and can get the yips at any time. But imagine this team without him.
- This one I struggled with…Deron Bland. He’s only 25 and has had an All Pro season before his foot injury. I still think he’s worth keeping.
Honorable mentions: Cooper Beebe, with great hesitation Tyler Guyton (if he can develop), DeMarvion Overshown (if he can recover)
Folks that’s about it. Those are the only guys I see on this current roster that should could be the better part of a roster rebuild. Frankly, this team is in desperate need of:
- Talent at DL. Especially talented DT. Not some washed up JAG or a 3 year rookie project.
- Young upgrade at RB. We need at least one impactful RB in this draft.
- Upgrade at WR. Other than Lamb, the cupboard is bare.
- A young LB that can immediately contribute.
- Could use a S that isn’t washed up.
- A QB for the future.
This team is in dire need of talent at multiple positions. I hope this FO is not playing fantasy football and has an actual plan for building a much better roster.
Bob, i like your post. I really do. I think, as you already mentioned too its an important question to also show where our roster is.
Just a minor point
Either you take existing contracts into your decission making or you dont. You did that once (with CD) but then you also didnt (Oza, Dak to name two).
Its ok overall because i got the feeling that you didnt use CDs contract as the main reason to keep him. Still you did and so i wanted to mention it.
Its so important that you showed that after your 5 players there is really not so much left. The next 3 players you would have chosen are medicore at best. One may even never play again.
I dont want to discuss if they are better or have a great upside. You were hard pressed to find even 5! Thats depressing to me. But then, and thats important: you found a convincing way to show how bad our roster really is.
To me if i had to chose 5 players. With the knowledge that our roster is really bad my goal would be to maximize resources and not to keep good players.
I believe that in the modern NFL you have to build good positional groups to win. Not having great players spread over different positions.
So for instance if you believe that the OL wins you games you gather 5 good to great OL players. Not 2 great ones and three medicore ones.
Why that? Because other coordinators will be able toscheme one or two players out of the game. They have to beat you in other ways when you have a overall good group with no weak link.
I believe in the trenches. Hey i am a big fan of Deion (not the talker he is in the media but the great player he was on the field) - but the lines win you the games. Thats at least my opinion.
With all oof the above said i would keep:
- Tyler Smith
- Brock Hoffmann (as backup)
- Oza
- Kneeland (rotational)
- Fowler (rotational)
All our "better" players id try to trade for draft picks. Especially Parsons.
As i mentioned before. In my experience you dont win with one or two great players. You win with groups where no single player has weaknesses that could be exploited. Of course in those groups you can - if you have resources left - implement a great player.
Our team is so far away of being good or competitive that Parsons or CD dont make a difference at all.
But what we would get for them would be a great start to find the needed players for my approach.
