Risen Star
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Biggest needs
Cornerback: Orlando Scandrick played fine as the nickel corner covering slot receivers, but there are problems on the outside. Brandon Carr has a cap number of more than $12 million and might be cut. On the other side, both Sterling Moore and Morris Claiborne struggled. Dallas was in the bottom five in completion percentage and yards allowed per throw to the defense's right, while intercepting only two passes.
Safety: Dallas gave up 1.03 open-field yards per carry (rushing yards gained at least 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage) last year, third worst in the league. Meanwhile, Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox ranked 25th and 61st among safeties in run stops (tackles that stopped an offense from gaining 45 percent of yards to go on first down, 60 percent on second, and 100 percent on third or fourth).
Running back: Even if they can re-sign DeMarco Murray, they need depth here; remember, Murray missed two to six games in each of his first three seasons. Behind him are Joseph Randle, who has been arrested twice in the past five months and is still under investigation for domestic violence, and Lance Dunbar, who was 16.4 percent worse than an average running back, according to Football Outsiders' DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) metric in 2014 despite running behind the NFL's best offensive line.
Top targets
Jermey Parnell, T: Doug Free might be expensive to retain as an upcoming free agent, but his backup, Parnell, played quite well and is significantly younger. Parnell could be the Cowboys' right tackle for the next several years at a discount price while Free ends up making more than he is probably worth with a new team.
Mark Ingram, RB: This team is built on its running game, and while Murray had an outstanding season, giving him what he is sure to receive on the open market is just bad business after his 2014 workload. Unless Murray comes at something close to a discount, a cheaper option such as Ingram might yield similar results to Murray in this offense.
Stephen Paea, DT: Henry Melton has been let go and the Cowboys need all the defensive line help they can get. On a dreadful Bears defense, Paea didn't get much publicity, but he is still young, has strength at the point of attack and is an above-average interior pass-rusher. Dallas could use him.
Predictions
1. Murray could be a goner: Dez Bryant was given the franchise tag. That was the easy part. The difficult decision will be on Murray, setting up an interesting dynamic between coach Jason Garrett and owner/GM Jerry Jones and those who will want to maintain fiscal responsibility in dealing with the NFL's leading rusher. The Cowboys don't want to lose Murray, but they don't want to overextend themselves by keeping him and then face questions in the future. Can Jones win the argument to keep Murray? Remember, he lost the Johnny Manziel debate last year at the draft.
2. They aren't going to make a big splash: While the Cowboys are always linked to the high-profile, high-priced players in free agency, their focus will be on retaining their own players. They won't get involved in the big money chase. Executive vice president Stephen Jones said teams end up paying "great player" money for "good players," and they rarely receive value in return. In the past two years the Cowboys have been able to work team-friendly deals with their own players, such as Sean Lee and Tyron Smith, as well as free agents Melton and Jeremy Mincey.
3. They'll do their best to keep their own: The Cowboys would like to keep Free, Justin Durant and Anthony Spencer, but at the right price. The idea is to fill holes in free agency -- defensive line, linebacker, right tackle, cornerback -- with cost-effective players and then be able to head into the draft with the idea of taking the best player available, especially in the early rounds. It worked out last year when they took guard Zack Martin with their first-round pick.
Biggest needs
Cornerback: Orlando Scandrick played fine as the nickel corner covering slot receivers, but there are problems on the outside. Brandon Carr has a cap number of more than $12 million and might be cut. On the other side, both Sterling Moore and Morris Claiborne struggled. Dallas was in the bottom five in completion percentage and yards allowed per throw to the defense's right, while intercepting only two passes.
Safety: Dallas gave up 1.03 open-field yards per carry (rushing yards gained at least 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage) last year, third worst in the league. Meanwhile, Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox ranked 25th and 61st among safeties in run stops (tackles that stopped an offense from gaining 45 percent of yards to go on first down, 60 percent on second, and 100 percent on third or fourth).
Running back: Even if they can re-sign DeMarco Murray, they need depth here; remember, Murray missed two to six games in each of his first three seasons. Behind him are Joseph Randle, who has been arrested twice in the past five months and is still under investigation for domestic violence, and Lance Dunbar, who was 16.4 percent worse than an average running back, according to Football Outsiders' DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) metric in 2014 despite running behind the NFL's best offensive line.
Top targets
Jermey Parnell, T: Doug Free might be expensive to retain as an upcoming free agent, but his backup, Parnell, played quite well and is significantly younger. Parnell could be the Cowboys' right tackle for the next several years at a discount price while Free ends up making more than he is probably worth with a new team.
Mark Ingram, RB: This team is built on its running game, and while Murray had an outstanding season, giving him what he is sure to receive on the open market is just bad business after his 2014 workload. Unless Murray comes at something close to a discount, a cheaper option such as Ingram might yield similar results to Murray in this offense.
Stephen Paea, DT: Henry Melton has been let go and the Cowboys need all the defensive line help they can get. On a dreadful Bears defense, Paea didn't get much publicity, but he is still young, has strength at the point of attack and is an above-average interior pass-rusher. Dallas could use him.
Predictions
1. Murray could be a goner: Dez Bryant was given the franchise tag. That was the easy part. The difficult decision will be on Murray, setting up an interesting dynamic between coach Jason Garrett and owner/GM Jerry Jones and those who will want to maintain fiscal responsibility in dealing with the NFL's leading rusher. The Cowboys don't want to lose Murray, but they don't want to overextend themselves by keeping him and then face questions in the future. Can Jones win the argument to keep Murray? Remember, he lost the Johnny Manziel debate last year at the draft.
2. They aren't going to make a big splash: While the Cowboys are always linked to the high-profile, high-priced players in free agency, their focus will be on retaining their own players. They won't get involved in the big money chase. Executive vice president Stephen Jones said teams end up paying "great player" money for "good players," and they rarely receive value in return. In the past two years the Cowboys have been able to work team-friendly deals with their own players, such as Sean Lee and Tyron Smith, as well as free agents Melton and Jeremy Mincey.
3. They'll do their best to keep their own: The Cowboys would like to keep Free, Justin Durant and Anthony Spencer, but at the right price. The idea is to fill holes in free agency -- defensive line, linebacker, right tackle, cornerback -- with cost-effective players and then be able to head into the draft with the idea of taking the best player available, especially in the early rounds. It worked out last year when they took guard Zack Martin with their first-round pick.
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. I like to hear the fans POV. Sports is a fan driven entity. 105.3 thinks it's all about them.
