Two days into the NFL legal tampering and the biggest move the Dallas Cowboys have made is striking a deal with long snapper Trent Sieg. Not exactly “all in” level stuff. Sieg has reportedly agreed to terms with the Cowboys, on a one-year deal, keeping him in Dallas for the coming season.
Of course there was some news yesterday, but it was all about who the Cowboys lost, not who they were acquired. Day one saw big names come off the board all over the NFL including the Cowboys losing two starters on the offensive side of the ball to other teams and the team’s second-leading sack-getter from 2023 to a division rival.
In fact, the new HC Dan Quinn and the Washington Commanders poached both center Tyler Biadasz and defensive lineman Dorance Armstrong. If that weren’t enough running back Tony Pollard won’t be wearing a Cowboy jersey for the first time in his NFL career as the Tennessee Titans agreed on a three-year/$24 million deal.
So, with not much happening on the free-agent front let’s turn our attention to the 2024 draft–as that’s exactly what it appears the Jerry Jones and the Cowboys front office are doing.
With two compensatory draft selections given to them last week by the NFL the Cowboys will now head into the draft cycle officially holding seven picks in April’s draft. They have their original first-round (No. 24), second-round (No. 56), third-round (No. 87) and seventh-round (No. 244) picks as well as a seventh-round pick that was acquired in the trade for Johnathan Hankins (No. 233) and the two compensatory selections (No. 173 and No. 216).
Just who are some of the most likely candidates? Let’s have a look shall we…
Given the Cowboys have already lost two offensive lineman trading up for a tackle like Alabama’s JC Latham could be a no brainer to help replace All-Pros Smith and Biadasz. Some other interior linemen they will look hard at are guys like Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson or West Virginia’s Zach Frazier most likely around the bottom of Round 1 or early on Day 2.
As Day 2 goes into full swing defenders like Clemson lineman Ruke Orhorhoro, Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and Utah edge-rusher Jonah Elliss could get some serious attention. Then again, depending on how free agency plays out a d-back like Minnesota safety Tyler Nubin or Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter could peek interest by Dallas early on.
With Tony Pollard out of the Cowboy fold expect some running backs to get some hard looks, too. Florida State’s Trey Benson, Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen and Notre Dame’s Audric Estimé will all be in the consideration list.
In the end it looks like the Dallas Cowboys will do pretty much what they always do, which is not make any huge splashes in free agency, but build out their team and fill holes in the roster through the draft. That being said, you never know exactly how free agency will play out, but the legal tampering window is quickly closing, and the focus is on getting contracts done for Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb.