The Dallas Cowboys have been quite successful in their drafting for a number of years. They’ve done a fantastic job internally scouting and growing their roster under the direction of Will McClay. Even though they haven’t hit consistently, they’ve performed admirably, particularly in Round 1.
They lost a lot of quality in free agency, so this year they’ll have to rely on the draft once more. In addition to filling a number of voids, they should identify backups for these three seasoned players to ensure they never find themselves behind the eight ball again.
3. Donovan Wilson, S
Despite being drafted two years after Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson is actually the oldest of the starting safeties in Dallas. Wilson recently turned 29 and is under contract for two more seasons. He signed a three-year extension worth $21 million last year, which was a surprise. Dallas was expected to lose him after a breakout season in 2022.
Wilson continued to play well in 2022 but wasn’t the same impact player. He recorded two interceptions and 88 tackles but went from five sacks in 2022 to none this past season. He also had issues in coverage while seeing his PFF grade go from 71.3 to 66.2.
Although Dallas doesn’t have to start Wilson over right away, they ought to add a late-round pick to develop into a potential backup. That would give them some leeway in the event that Wilson’s performance falters this year. Furthermore, given that he will age 30 before 2025, it’s possible that he regresses, as Jayron Kearse just shown.
2. DeMarcus Lawrence, EDGE
In the 2014 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys knocked it out of the park in Round 1 and Round 2.
Jerry Jones nearly ruined it all with his strange obsession with Johnny Manziel but the rest of the war room convinced him Zack Martin was the right pick. Entering 2024, Martin is still going strong and is one of the best guards in the league.
As good as that selection was, Dallas did just as well in Round 2. They were criticized when they decided to send picks No. 47 and 78 to Washington for the 34th selection. That was used to bring in Boise State edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence.
The move panned out for the Cowboys as Lawrence is entering year 11 and has 436 tackles and 58.5 career sacks. He’s capable of disrupting the pass with his rush and is one of the better defensive ends when it comes to run defense. The only concern with Lawrence is his age.
Lawrence will turn 31 during draft weekend and while he’s shown no signs of slowing down, it would be a good idea to add a player capable of filling his shoes one day. They hope Sam Williams can contribute more but he’s a pass-rusher first. Dallas needs someone who can do the dirty work on early downs the way Lawrence does.
1. Brandin Cooks, WR
Dallas is about to be in the midst of a contract negotiation with CeeDee Lamb, who went off in 2023. The former Oklahoma Sooner has become an elite wide receiver and is going to get paid as such. The problem for Dallas is that he doesn’t have much help around him.
After releasing Michael Gallup, they now have Lamb, Brandin Cooks, and Jalen Tolbert as their top three wideouts. Tolbert made progress in year two but still has a lot of room for growth. Cooks has been a 1,000-yard receiver for much of his career but got off to a slow start with the Cowboys.
Cooks finished with 54 receptions for 657 yards on the season. He did have eight touchdown receptions but overall, they were expecting more. Now with Gallup out, the pressure will really be on Cooks, who turns 31 in September — and is in the final year of his contract.
Dallas hopes he remains the same player they saw close out the 2023 campaign but his age could be a reason for concern. They should protect themselves by adding someone they believe can push Tolbert while potentially replacing Cooks in 2025 — since they’re highly unlikely to re-sign him after paying Lamb.
Regardless of what they do in the draft, the Cowboys will start the season as the NFC East favorites. They are currently +125 favorites on FanDuel Sportsbook to win the division. Head over to FanDuel now to get in on the action. Don’t forget to claim your sign-up offer of $200 in bonus bets after your first winning wager.
