Any needs should be addressed in free agency.
Use the draft to acquire the best talent regardless of position.
I am a big proponent of making a team better by improving their overall score (to do this you have to be able to honestly grade the current guys you have). If you can take a guy you have graded on your current team as a 50 and upgrade him with a guy from the draft that graded 85, you have improved the overall ability of the team if the coaches can figure out how to utilize him.
With that said, salary cap and numbers do come into play.
Which position do you think is the one that we should be looking to upgrade the most?
Here is how I see it.
As far as FA goes, hope they resign some of their own -- and one big splash signing of Von Miller.
QB -- they have Dak and too much money tied up in him. They will make no major changes here. Changes to backup QB at the very best but most likely no changes.
RB -- they have Zeke in a position it would cost too much to cut and Pollard under contract. No changes
WR -- they have Coop and CeeDee under contract. A development in Simi. A project is Vasher. Maybe a pick, but I can't see it being to high with your #1 and #2 WR already locked up.
OL -- Smith, McGovern, Biadasz, Martin, LCollins, Steele, Ball, Farinok, Alarcon, Hyatt, ACollins -- developmental guy I am guessing. If they think Ball can take Smith place eventually or LCollins can move that side -- I don't see too much need here. Bigger need at G than T -- or need to churn.
TE -- Sprinkle and Jarwin with a maybe (no for me) on the resign of Schultz--- this is a position I think they need to upgrade badly. Possible #1 or #2 pick.
DE -- Lawrence and hopefully a resigned Gregory. Then you have Basham and Gholston still under contract, and Anae and Armstrong as resign possibilities. Watkins is a possible resign. I still think they should sign Von Miller and bring him home and move Lawrence inside some but I don't see them using high draft capital on DE IF they resign Gregory. This changes if Gregory not resigned.
DT -- Gallimore, Hill, Osa, Bohanna, Faoliu -- Watkins a possible resign (plays both DT and DE). I think they could find a upgrade here. Possible 1-4 round draft pick. If they wait till the later rounds I hope they pick up Siaki Ika from Baylor -- huge guy who will at least DEMAND a double team -- not sure about his quickness, nor motor -- but if they are looking for a moving trashcan full of dirt -- he can play that role.
LB -- Parsons, Cox -- maybe resign Neal, and Bernard........Big Need and Yes if they can find a guy who can play beside Parson so he can free lance.........you might have the starting of something special. #1 or #2 round pick -- if that guy is available.
CB -- Diggs, Joseph, Brown, Lewis are all under contract. Wright, Robinson, Canady, KBrown -- 4th or lower is my expectation. Can't improve too much here.
S -- Kearse resigned hopefully, Wilson, Mukuamu --- maybe Hooker or Kazee resigned, Coyle. I can only see a big increase if they have BPA as a FS. So unless their board has on FS they think will start, I think they would find one 4th or below.
So from what I am seeing, they really need to look at LB, TE, and DT in the top three rounds with any of these dropping the DT to lower if they see another OL or FS (as BPA and will be starting by mid season at least next year). So in order -- LB, TE, DT, FS, OL in a perfect, it fell their way draft.
What position do you think Dallas should be looking to upgrade in the top of the draft?
Draft BPA. Use need to differentiate players on the same tier.
Find a Wow player at any position and it's a win for the team.
I think the Cowboys would prefer that BPA match up with need.
Most likely for round 1:
TE: They need a player maker that is also a better blocker than Schultz.
- Schultz benefits from the elite WRs on the field with him.
LT: Steele is much better at RT; although he has been getting better on the left.
- Coaches have a much better idea about Josh Ball than we do at this point.
- It is good that Tyron's issue is not related to his back, but they have to be prepared for him to be done at any time.
DE: I think Quinn would like a DE with 3-4 OLB traits (i.e. Can drop into coverage as well as pass rush and play the run).
- Quinn likes the option of dropping a DE into coverage when Parsons rushes from the LB spot.
DT: Only if the player projects to develop into a Wow play-maker. They've got enough bodies at the position now.
More likely 2nd or later:
LB: They'll consider it in the 1st but more likely in the 2nd to 4th.
- Parsons will be on the field on almost all snaps.
- That means 1 other LB in Nickel and zero other LBs in Dime.
- Maybe with Jabril Cox being an above average coverage LB, they'll play more 3 LB sets, but this year LVE & Neal usually only together if Parsons at DE.
WR: I think McCarthy will want to draft a WR every year; although, it could be anywhere from 2nd to 7th.
RB: Zeke's salary is guaranteed for 2022 which means Pollard likely departs in free agency.
- They would like to find a RB with speed, blocking ability and receiving ability.
Safety: Quinn likes Safeties. He plays a significant percentage of 3 Safety sets.
- The issue is that the Cowboys might always lean towards veteran players to fill the Safety spots.
- It's a mentally challenging position and it's hard to project how well college players will develop at Safety.
OC: I think they would like to have another option at this position.
- It appears that McGovern can't meet their requirement for snapping the ball.
- Farniok has been active for more games than not which is good for late round rookie OL.
Note about OG:
- I think the Cowboys want to keep Steele in the starting lineup.
- Steele is a better NFL player at OT than McGovern is at OG.
- If Tyron and La'el both return, they really might consider La'el at OG.
- With base salaries for Tyron at 13.5M and La'el at 10M...
- I'm not 100% certain they don't consider trading La'el if they don't project him to OG.
QB: I think McCarthy likes to draft QBs...