The Cowboys pride themselves on being a drafting and development team, and this strategy has largely worked for them. Given that, why wouldn't they try harder to acquire additional draft picks? Get more draft capital by signing some of these players now who may be on the fence in terms of eventually re-singing. If you're not adamant about signing players like Mark's Bell, Sam Williams and Madge Smith to big second contracts, why not focus on what you do best? – Phil Taylor/Seattle, Washington
Nick Eatman: I don't agree with the logic here. Sure, everyone wants more picks, but at some point, players actually need to suit up and play. His three players you mentioned, I think he's probably just three examples, but all of those guys are expected to step up and contribute. The Cowboys lost both Armstrong and Fowler…Hello, Sam Williams. What about Maji Smith? Yes, this team lost Hankins and Gallimore. Therefore, Smith must be able to contribute. As for Bell, it'll be interesting to see where Mike Zimmer wants to play him, but he'll probably have a role. And that might be the case for Jaylon Kearse, who hasn't signed with any team yet. This team is already somewhat broken, so trading more players for picks doesn't make much sense. Now, if we get to the draft and the Cowboys really want to add more picks, it wouldn't be a bad idea to make a deal then. Don't forget this – Chicago QB Justin Fields was sent to Pittsburgh for a 5th round pick. He was a first-rounder who was supposed to be the Bears' franchise quarterback, and I still think he's a good player. So if he gets a fifth point, I don't think Maji, Williams, or Bell will get that much money either. At least not right now. Things can change when the team is at full strength.
patrick: Oh, but they do. It's a joking answer, but it's true. It all depends on your point of view, but let me explain how it works. Comp picks are a way to get draft picks without having to trade off mostly homegrown talent. Let's take this offseason as an example. As I write this, the Cowboys have acquired a total of four compensatory picks in 2025 to compensate for the losses they lost in this year's free agency frenzy. They'll probably have four fifth-round picks and one sixth-round pick next April. In other words, they will sacrifice the current depth for later payments, and do not accumulate picks as a result of separating people, but after entering the public market, specific people will be a building. They're simply refraining from paying big bucks to keep (e.g., Dorrance Armstrong, Tyler Biadasz, Dante Fowler, etc.) This gives them additional picks and players to come. You can leave money in the deck for undeniable expansions. That's just how they see everything.
