Jerry Jones and his Cowboys are in a bind, as the draft day inches closer with no top picks at their disposal. Ahead of the free agency, the team owner assured the fanbase with the famous ‘All In’, however, all they managed to do was watch, as the shelf full of top talents found homes elsewhere one by one. Their offensive side of the ball isn’t fooling anybody, especially the running back room. Making a standout addition on D-Day in Detroit seems to be the optimal choice, but Jane Slater of NFL Network emphasizes that America’s Team should prioritize selecting a lineman over a ball carrier in the first round.
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On ‘NFL Total Access’, Slater emphasized the fact that the Dallas Cowboys need to bolster the offensive front with their first three picks: Round 1 (No. 24 overall), Round 2 (No. 56), and Round 3 (No. 87). Deuce Vaughn is the only RB who the Cowboys can count on when the 2024 season begins; therefore, a first-round ball carrier has become the talk of the town for a while now. Especially since the club didn’t even make an attempt to sign four-time Pro Bowler Derrick Henry in free agency.
Jane Slater, however, feels that the team should absolutely go for an offensive lineman in the first round since they have never gone wrong with a first-rounder over the past decade.
“I would remind Cowboys fans that every time they picked an offensive lineman in the last decade for the first round, it’s worked out for them,” Slater said. “So, I think they could probably pick a running back in the second round. I think that they’d probably be leaning a little bit more toward the offensive line.“
Jane certainly has some merit, as America’s Team has been greatly influenced by first-round standout offensive linemen in the past ten years. Tyler Smith out of Tulsa, for instance, notched the Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro nod last season in his second year as a starter. Guard Zack Martin, who was drafted by the team in 2014, is still going strong, with 9 Pro Bowls and First-Team All-Pro nods to his name. Five-time Pro Bowler Travis Frederick has left his mark as well but hung up his cleats in 2020.
What Options Do the Dallas Cowboys Have in Detroit?
The Big D has lost bigger weapons in OT Tyron Smith and center Tyler Biadasz during free agency. RB Tony Pollard is on the list as well. The only impressive move the Dallas Cowboys made was signing LB Eric Kendricks; however, even this position could use some improvement. According to a mock draft by AZSports, which notably refrained from choosing an offensive lineman in the first three rounds; picked DL former Longhorns Byron Murphy II with the 24th overall pick. Next, they picked LB Edgerrin Cooper out of Texas A&M, and for the third-round pick, they finally picked a running back in former Seminoles Trey Benson.
Nevertheless, CBSSports picked former Oregon Ducks star Jackson Powers-Johnson in the first round as Tyler Biadasz’s replacement. They could then make a move on running back Jonathan Brooks out of Texas in the second Round. For the third-round pick, they might opt for ex-LSU DT Mekhi Wingo.
There are all sorts of possibilities, and only draft day can show us what Jerry is cooking. Since he and his Cowboys do not hold a fourth-round pick, they could also decide to trade up to acquire a few standout talents. With that said, it’s worth noting that Ezekiel Elliott can make a great addition to the running back room if the front office decides to bring him back to Dallas.
