NFL Draft Primer: Cowboys offense may look a little different around Dak Prescott – Jason Owens, Yahoo! Sports
The Dallas Cowboys have a lot of needs on offense, and that side of the ball should look a little different after the draft.
The Cowboys are in dire need of a running back after Tony Pollard left for the Tennessee Titans. The move makes third-year back Rico Doodle (385 career rushing yards) the top option in Dallas' depth. But that's not the first round issue. The offensive line.
Longtime left tackle Tyron Smith has been traded to the New York Jets to protect Aaron Rodgers, leaving the high-profile Dallas team. The Cowboys also signed center Tyler Biadasz to the rival Washington Commanders.
Dallas also needs a legitimate No. 2 or No. 3 receiver to play next to CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. And Micah Parsons could use some help to balance out the pass rush. Dallas did little to address these needs in free agency, leading some to wonder what team owner Jerry Jones meant when he said the Cowboys would be “all in” this offseason. There will be. The pressure is on in the draft.
Best first round fit
Talese Fuaga, Office Lady, Oregon
Graham Burton, OL, Duke
Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma
Optimal fit on the second day
Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia
Cedric Van Plan, C, Georgia
Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan State
Jermaine Burton, WR, Alabama
Jalen McMillan, WR, Washington
Jonathan Brooks, RB, Texas
Jalen Wright, RB, Tennessee
Chris Braswell, Edge, Alabama
Adisa Isaac, Edge, Pennsylvania
Is CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons' contracts with the Dallas Cowboys an 'easy check to write'? – Adam Schulz, Sports Illustrated
Extending star players like CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons to contract extensions should be easy, but contract negotiations aren't as easy as you might think.
NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah thinks it should be a no-brainer for the Cowboys to sort out the futures of Lamb and Parsons.
“When you think about guys like CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons, I feel like they did everything they were supposed to do.” [to get a new contract]'' Jeremiah said on NFL Total Access. “It should be easy to write a check like this, but it seems like this is what they're doing, it's, hey, let's hold off on all business and let's go see what this team does this year. With a lot of guys.''Very hungry players. ”
To many, it seems like a “no-brainer” to sign Lamb and Parsons to long-term deals, but there's no word on how the Cowboys are executing business points to facilitate negotiations. .
Given Jerry Jones' comments about Lamb and that the franchise needs to figure out if it's better to pay Lamb $30 million APY or have five players at $6 million APY. And that kind of thought process is not what fans want to hear from their team. Owners are talking about probably their best offensive player.
But while no one here is sure what the Cowboys' real plans are, our own Mike Fisher's “let's blow it up” idea is getting closer to fruition with each passing day. It seems there are.
Next Man Up: Defining the role of Juanyeh Thomas – Nick Eatman, DallasCowboys.com
What can the Cowboys expect from third-year safety Juannie Thomas next season?
past: The Cowboys have had a lot of success finding talent in the undrafted free agent market over the years. Thomas is another example, and he was able to join the Cowboys even though they were in a pretty safe position. During his first two years with the team, Thomas had to compete for playing time with starters Malik Hooker, Jaylon Kearse and Donovan Wilson, as well as Israel Mukuamu and Marquez Bell. Still, Thomas has played a role on both defense and special teams. He made his first significant play of the 2023 season in Week 1 against the Giants when he blocked a field goal attempt and the ball was returned by Noah Igbinoghene for a touchdown. Throughout the year, Thomas saw increased opportunities to play on defense and special teams.
the current: Despite being expected to lose Kearse, who remains unsigned in free agency, there is still plenty of experience at the safety position. It's unlikely he will return to the Cowboys next year. This opens up new spots for physical safety that can be played closer to the line of scrimmage. Additionally, Thomas is a unique player who not only has excellent safety skills but also has a history of returning kicks. This combination of tackling ability and speed usually makes for a good special teams player. And with new kickoff rules in place, players like Thomas will be expected to contribute on both the kickoff return and coverage teams.
future: This is the final year of Thomas' contract, as he will become a restricted free agent after this season. While competing with other experienced safeties on the roster, Thomas gets enough reps to show what he's capable of in preseason games, whether it's for a new contract with the Cowboys or another team. There is a need to. However, this is going to be a big season for him, and considering he has continued to show improvement in each of his first two seasons, this could be a breakout season for Thomas, who could use his playmaking ability to help the Cowboys. may end up keeping him on the field. .
High-Low: Aubrey removes Cowboys' need in NFL Draft – Patrick Walker, DallasCowboys.com
There's at least one area the Cowboys won't have to worry about on draft day. It's the kicking room.
Brandon Aubrey: It took a long time, several different players, and sometimes a bit of recycling (hello, Brett Maher) for the Cowboys to finally find a worthy successor to the legendary Dan Bailey. And they were able to win gold again without using draft picks to lock in the position. Instead, they traveled to Birmingham and signed Aubrey, also a former lifelong football player, who eventually left Tristan Vizcaino with the Stallions of the XFL in a move that brought him back to free agency.
Aubrey was a threat in his “rookie” season, setting records and flashing his accuracy and powder keg right foot whenever called upon, earning both All-Pro first team honors and a Pro Bowl berth in the process. .
brian unger: Speaking of threats, Anger fits right into that category. Arguably the best punter in the entire NFL, he is the king of the coffin corner kick and regularly helps change up the Cowboys' field position. The two-time All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowl player has surgical kicks and is currently only under contract through 2024, but that could change at a moment's notice. Should be changed.
Trent Gieg: Similar to the search for Bailey's successor, the search was for someone to replace another legendary Cowboys specialist, LP Ladouceur, but long snappers have a much higher turnover rate than placekickers. It was low. Zeke re-signed to remain with the Cowboys this offseason after a great 2023 season in which his name was never called on the broadcast, but that means he's doing his job. There is.
