Sandyf
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Well the combine has started and the Cowboys have started to talk to several prospects although until the actual player visits and Dallas Days start, we really won't know who they are actually interested in drafting.
And that may not even be a guy they draft especially in rounds 1 and 2 as if a guy with a way higher grade by the Cowboys is there, then they easily could draft that person. Free agency is also going to play a part because as normal we will restructure some contracts to get under the cap and resign some of our guys and then sign some free agents most likely in the range of no more than $3/$4 million a year guys or less expensive to fill spots or backup area.
The problem I see is whether they will keep some good players like Lawrence and Cooper or decide to move on hoping to hit pay dirt in the draft. IMO, they keep Lawrence for at least this year and probably do a restructure. It won't be liked by many but until you resign Gregory, you can't blow your DL completely up. Cooper's case is different. He is definitely a #1 WR but I feel in Dallas' case it is a combination of two things. The first is money where he is making a boat load but maybe more pressing is his not being vaccinated. It appears he MAY be the only guy on the roster or at least starter that is not. It cost him two games last year and we struggled. Yes the OL was a huge factor but Cooper is a guy that can always find a way to get open and after those two games he seemed to struggle to do that very thing.
I do think that they will attempt to trade Cooper. The Browns and Jaguars would seem likely teams that definitely need a true #1. What would we get for him? Remains to be seen although I don't think a second is out of the picture.
The other problem is the OL and it must be addressed in free agency and the draft. We have to run the ball better and protect better. We can point to stats all you want but we watched the games and we constantly were behind the chains either with penalties or poor play with the OL missing blocks on run plays. Don't believe Williams will be back and do not have a lot of confidence in McGovern at this point. Biadasz played better this year but some of his line calls were also the problem where guys came up the middle with little or no problem. Then there is the Smith problem with injuries. He is still a great LT when he is in the game but the problem is how many games is he going to miss. Is Ball ready? Can Collins move to LT (he was one in college)? Will Steele be up to the task if ask again to play LT? Loaded questions.
I don't anticipate this happening but with what is regarded as just a so-so draft class, I wouldn't be surprised to see Dallas trade not only Cooper but Smith and maybe even Brown/Lewis. I would include Jarwin in that phase but he isn't going to be ready to play until probably October if he ever plays again. The surgery he is having is like hockey players have and most do not come back soon and some never. Doesn't bring a lot of confidence in him playing until mid season at best which he probably why the Jones are considering franchising Schultz and also why Fehoko is being now touted as a hybrid WR/TE and also why Nick Ralston has been doing more off season work at TE.
Will any of this change the out look for free agency? Not with Stephen Jones it won't. Jones do not have the same attitude toward things that the Rams do and whether good or bad, it is something fans will have to live with again this season. First up is going to be restructures though as if they want to franchise Dalton they have to get under the cap before that date to franchise comes.
Going to be a fun filled couple of weeks before free agency starts.
And that may not even be a guy they draft especially in rounds 1 and 2 as if a guy with a way higher grade by the Cowboys is there, then they easily could draft that person. Free agency is also going to play a part because as normal we will restructure some contracts to get under the cap and resign some of our guys and then sign some free agents most likely in the range of no more than $3/$4 million a year guys or less expensive to fill spots or backup area.
The problem I see is whether they will keep some good players like Lawrence and Cooper or decide to move on hoping to hit pay dirt in the draft. IMO, they keep Lawrence for at least this year and probably do a restructure. It won't be liked by many but until you resign Gregory, you can't blow your DL completely up. Cooper's case is different. He is definitely a #1 WR but I feel in Dallas' case it is a combination of two things. The first is money where he is making a boat load but maybe more pressing is his not being vaccinated. It appears he MAY be the only guy on the roster or at least starter that is not. It cost him two games last year and we struggled. Yes the OL was a huge factor but Cooper is a guy that can always find a way to get open and after those two games he seemed to struggle to do that very thing.
I do think that they will attempt to trade Cooper. The Browns and Jaguars would seem likely teams that definitely need a true #1. What would we get for him? Remains to be seen although I don't think a second is out of the picture.
The other problem is the OL and it must be addressed in free agency and the draft. We have to run the ball better and protect better. We can point to stats all you want but we watched the games and we constantly were behind the chains either with penalties or poor play with the OL missing blocks on run plays. Don't believe Williams will be back and do not have a lot of confidence in McGovern at this point. Biadasz played better this year but some of his line calls were also the problem where guys came up the middle with little or no problem. Then there is the Smith problem with injuries. He is still a great LT when he is in the game but the problem is how many games is he going to miss. Is Ball ready? Can Collins move to LT (he was one in college)? Will Steele be up to the task if ask again to play LT? Loaded questions.
I don't anticipate this happening but with what is regarded as just a so-so draft class, I wouldn't be surprised to see Dallas trade not only Cooper but Smith and maybe even Brown/Lewis. I would include Jarwin in that phase but he isn't going to be ready to play until probably October if he ever plays again. The surgery he is having is like hockey players have and most do not come back soon and some never. Doesn't bring a lot of confidence in him playing until mid season at best which he probably why the Jones are considering franchising Schultz and also why Fehoko is being now touted as a hybrid WR/TE and also why Nick Ralston has been doing more off season work at TE.
Will any of this change the out look for free agency? Not with Stephen Jones it won't. Jones do not have the same attitude toward things that the Rams do and whether good or bad, it is something fans will have to live with again this season. First up is going to be restructures though as if they want to franchise Dalton they have to get under the cap before that date to franchise comes.
Going to be a fun filled couple of weeks before free agency starts.