Pre-Combine mock off-season (FA & Draft)

[KingintheNorth]

Restructures/extensions
QB Dak Prescott
WR CeeDee Lamb
OG Zack Martin
OT Terrence Steele
Edge Demarcus Lawrence
CB Trevon Diggs
S Donovan Wilson

Cuts/trades:
Traded a 2025 5th to New Orleans for RB Jamaal Williams (adds $2.6m, Saints agree to pay $2m of his $4.6m 2024 salary).
Traded a 2025 6th to the LA Chargers for LB Erik Kendricks (adds $3.5m, Chargers agree to pay $3m of his $6.5m 2024 salary)
Traded QB Cooper Rush (frees up $2.25m) to Tennessee along with a 2025 7th for a 2026 6th.
Traded CB Nahshon Wright (frees up $1.2m) to Washington for a 2025 7th.

WR Michael Gallup (June 1st designation) – frees up $9.5m
LB Leighton Vander Esch – frees up $2.1m

2024 Free Agents
Re-signed:
OT Tyron Smith - 2-year deal
DT Jonathan Hankins – 1-year deal
CB Stephen Gilmore – 2-year deal
LS Trent Sieg – 2-year deal

Let walk:
RB Tony Pollard
RB Rico Dowdle
TE Sean McKeon
OT Chuma Edoga
C Tyler Biadasz
DT Neville Gallimore
Edge Dorance Armstrong
Edge Dante Fowler
S Jayron Kearse
CB CJ Goodwin
CB Noah Ogbinoghene

 

[KingintheNorth]

Signed
Edge Danielle Hunter – 4-year deal
LB Blake Cashman – 4-year deal
DT Mike Pennel – 1-year deal
WR Cedrick Wilson, Jr. – 2-year deal

 

[KingintheNorth]

2024 Starters

QB Dak Prescott
RB Jamaal Williams
WR CeeDee Lamb
WR Brandon Cooks
WR Cedrick Wilson, Jr.
TE Jake Ferguson
LT Tyron Smith
LG Tyler Smith
C Jackson Powers-Johnson
RG Zack Martin
RT Terrence Steele

LE Demarcus Lawrence
DT Derrick Brown
DT Osa Odighizuwa
RE Danielle Hunter
LB Micah Parsons
MLB Eric Kendricks
LB Blake Cashman
CB Trevon Diggs
SS Donovan Wilson
FS Malik Hooker
CB Stephon Gilmore

 

[KingintheNorth]

Not sure why Draft post needed to be and then wasn't approved by Moderators.


Draft

Day 1
Cowboys send their 1st (24), 3rd (87), and a 2025 3rd to the LA Rams for the 19th pick.
1(19) – Jackson Powers-Johnson C Oregon

Day 2
Cowboys send their 2nd (56) and Edge Sam Williams to Carolina for DT Derrick Brown.

Day 3
5(173) Ainias Smith WR Texas A&M
6(213) Isaac Guerendo RB Louisville
7a (231) Qwan’tez Stiggers CB Toronto (CFL)
7b (242) Darius Muasau LB UCLA

 

[ccb04]

Really like this! Quite a bit of wheeling & dealing, but well thought out & some great additions. The players you retained & let walk, are pretty much identical to what I'd do.

I have an offseason mock that includes Hunter, that I'll likely post soon. Have been wanting Hunter for a while now, and have mentioned him here a few times. With Zimmer on board, it makes even more sense.

 

[UncleOscar]

Great moves! The only problem is Jerry and Jethro will never consider these type of bold moves, nor are capable of them

 

[Cowboyny]

2024 Starters

QB Dak Prescott
RB Jamaal Williams
WR CeeDee Lamb
WR Brandon Cooks
WR Cedrick Wilson, Jr.
TE Jake Ferguson
LT Tyron Smith
LG Tyler Smith
C Jackson Powers-Johnson
RG Zack Martin
RT Terrence Steele

LE Demarcus Lawrence
DT Derrick Brown
DT Osa Odighizuwa
RE Danielle Hunter
LB Micah Parsons
MLB Eric Kendricks
LB Blake Cashman
CB Trevon Diggs
SS Donovan Wilson
FS Malik Hooker
CB Stephon Gilmore

Everything seems realistic, except landing Derrick Brown. Don't think Carolina has any intention of trading him and I don't think a late 2nd rd pick with a backup DE would be enough to entice them.

 

[Aven8]

How much is the Hunter deal? And I can’t see Minny letting him go.

 

[TasteMyScythe]

Getting Hunter would be nice, but he will come with a hefty price tag...at least 20 million a year or more.

 

[KingintheNorth]

Everything seems realistic, except landing Derrick Brown. Don't think Carolina has any intention of trading him and I don't think a late 2nd rd pick with a backup DE would be enough to entice them.

I toyed back and forth with adding a 2025 pick.

My thinking is that the Panthers are so far away from contention AND Brown is in the final year of his contract that they would consider adding two young players (2nd round pick and Sam Williams) and do by right by their player and let him go to a contender.

They also have Brian Burns and Yatur Gross-Matos entering free agency now, so the idea of getting Sam Williams, age 25, and at a relatively cheap rate ($1.3M 2024 cap hit and $1.6M 2025 cap hit), would make it worth their while.

 

[KingintheNorth]

Getting Hunter would be nice, but he will come with a hefty price tag...at least 20 million a year or more.

That was their "all in" move in this hypothetical, leaning on his connection to and fondness for Zimmer.

 

[TheDank]

This is what all in would actually look like. The trade up for JPJ feels steep but idk it may be just right on the value chart.

If we can’t make an NFCCG with this roster then we need to blow it up.


Edit: also not sure that’s enough for Brown… I think it would be more like a 2025 R1 and Sam Williams.

 

[Cowboyny]

I toyed back and forth with adding a 2025 pick.

My thinking is that the Panthers are so far away from contention AND Brown is in the final year of his contract that they would consider adding two young players (2nd round pick and Sam Williams) and do by right by their player and let him go to a contender.

They also have Brian Burns and Yatur Gross-Matos entering free agency now, so the idea of getting Sam Williams, age 25, and at a relatively cheap rate ($1.3M 2024 cap hit and $1.6M 2025 cap hit), would make it worth their while.

Sam Williams maybe cheap, but he really hasn't shown anything thus far in his NFL Career. Last year, he become more of a special teamer who committed a ton of penalties. Derrick Brown is a former top 10 pick and started to really live up to that draft status. Even a rebuilding team can use an anchor to their run defense. Don't think he or Burns are going anywhere. For the Cowboys to land him, a 1st rd pick at minimum in my opinion.