The Dallas Cowboys are about to enter the NFL Draft after a catastrophic free agency period that is almost over. If they hope to contend in 2024, they will need to do a lot of work in this draft.
Unquestionably, the Cowboys have been worse since free agency began.
They have only signed one external free agent thus far after losing a number of starters, notably Tyron Smith, the All-Pro Left Tackle.
Although it is difficult to envision the current squad competing against the 49ers, Eagles, Lions, and Packers in 2024, they can do their hardest to alter that by selecting a strong class of players in the April draft.
Dallas’ roster currently has too many gaps for them to address every issue.
What they can do is make the most of the internal talent they have when it matters most, and then draft players to fill in the gaps left by insufficient options.
Although the draft cannot resolve every issue they face, they still have a chance to qualify for the postseason if they play their cards well.
The Cowboys may use the draft in three different ways to improve their squad before 2024.
Dallas will earn compensatory picks for the 2025 NFL Draft, which is the only benefit of their significant losses.
Due to the departures of Tyler Biadasz and Dorance Armstrong, they will receive two fifth-round picks and two sixth-round picks in exchange for Smith and Tony Pollard.
Dallas will have 11 draft selections overall in the 2025 draft class as a result.
To put it plainly, holding off on using those picks until next year would be foolish.
Dallas has an ideal opportunity to move up in the 2024 draft thanks to the amount of draft cash they will have in the upcoming year’s draft.
The Cowboys may very well move up in the first, second, third, or even fourth rounds to acquire a starting caliber player in a needful situation given how deep this draft class is. They have to do this if they want to compete the following season.
Dallas’ roster will be in terrible shape if they plan to only use the picks they presently own.
The Cowboys presently have just three selections in the first 172 picks as a result of the Trey Lance deal. That is really not good.
That wouldn’t be a huge deal if Dallas had a full roster, but if the Cowboys don’t trade for more selections, this season may end up being more of a rebuilding project given the obvious gaps on the offensive line, at wide receiver, and on all three defensive levels.
A mistake would be to accumulate picks for the year 2025. In order to move up in this draft, they must use those picks as leverage.
It has been anticipated that offensive line and linebacker will be the Cowboys’ top picks in the draft class, but if they want to contend in 2024, that would be a mistake.
Dallas now has players on its offensive line that can start in the upcoming campaign.
The Cowboys will have a youthful, highly-potential starting offensive line in 2024 if they move Tyler Smith to left guard and start T.J. Bass and Brock Hoffman up front instead of spending their limited draft resources on a rookie tackle.
The inclusion of Eric Kendricks at linebacker has the same effect.
They have a decent linebacker room with Kendricks in, DeMarvion Overshown expected to make his debut following an ACL rupture sustained in his rookie season, and Damone Clark starting his third season.
The same cannot be said for the running back position or the wide receiver corps, particularly with Michael Gallup’s release.
Dallas now lacks a running back on the roster and only has two receivers of starting ability.
The Cowboys need a potent offensive line in order to succeed. If they target a genuine WR3 and a starting running back in the first few rounds of the draft, they can have that in 2024.
They may target first-round receivers like Adonai Mitchell, Brian Thomas Jr., and Xavier Worthy and then select one of the best running backs in the second round because there isn’t a standout running back in this draft class.
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