In 2012, Dallas was picking 14th. They then moved up to 6th to take CB Morris Claiborne. Dontari Poe was taken 11th. Fletcher Cox was taken 12th, not a top 10 pick. Michael Brockers was ironically selected in Dallas's original pick at 14.
In 2013, with their 2nd round selection, Dallas took TE Galvin Escobar. 2 picks later, NYG took longtime NFL stalwart Jonathan Hankins at DT.
In the 2014 Draft, Aaron Donald went 13th overall. Also not a top 10 pick. Dallas picked 18th, approximate value of that move up is a third + fourth rounder.
In 2015 Dallas drafted way back at 27th. 5 picks later, NE took their defensive lynchpin DT Malcolm Brown. Brown has 2 SB rings in 3 visits, and signed a giant contract with miami last offseason. He is awesome.
In 2016, you drafted Ezekiel Elliot 4th overall. Deforest Buckner went 3 picks after. He is currently Indianapolis's DT after they traded a first rounder for him and gave him the largest Dline contract in team history. He was All-Pro in 2020 and has 45 sacks in 6 years despite playing the 3-tech. In the second round, Dallas selected Jaylon Smith. 3 picks later, a player named Chris Jones was selected. Despite also playing the 3-tech, 3-4 DE and 4-3 DT position, Chris Jones has 50 sacks in only 6 years, and is on pace to go to the hall of fame.
In 2018 in the first round, Dallas drafted LVE 19th overall. Vita Vea went 12th overall, also not a top 10 pick. That would have cost approximately a 2nd round pick to move up. If not willing to move up for Vea, Dallas could have selected 1st round pick Taven Bryan. Bryan has been quiet because he was drafted in Jacksonville, but Cleveland just signed him this offseason to be their starting DT.
In 2019, Dallas traded their first round pick for WR Amari Cooper, whom they they traded away for a 5th round pick 3 years and 50m$ later. That pick was #27, LAC took a DT with the very next pick, Jerry Tillery. Tillery has played in 47 of a possible 48 games for the Chargers in his 3 year career, and will be starting in 2022 opposite Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. You will know his name very shortly. in the 2nd round, Dallas reached for malcontent Trysten Hill. The very next DT drafted was 3-tech Dre'Mont Jones to Denver. Dre'Mont already has 15.5 sacks in his 3 year career, despite not being an every day starter. He is projected to be in 2022, and that number should balloon.
To say you had no shot at strong DT's because they were top 10 picks is all hullaballoo. You've quite literally avoided drafting some of the greatest DT's of our generation, not to mention another half dozen guys who would easily start in Dallas's current roster. Dallas has had every opportunity to not just fix the position, but to have the strongest interior Dline in the entire NFL.
Again, the most you've invested in the position in the last 10 years was reaching for Trysten Hill in the 2nd round. No trades, no major free agent acquisitions, no big contract extensions for DT's who surpassed expectations... because there weren't any. You get out of it what you put into it. The Jones's have indirectly acknowledged against building the DT position because that does not fit their model for winning Super Bowls.
