Cowboys roster needs after prime free agency and heading into the draft

How the changes on the roster have affected the Cowboys needs for the draft

It’s been about three weeks since free agency opened in the NFL, and Cowboys fans have been more than a little disgruntled about their team’s lack of activity. But even with far more departures than arrivals so far this offseason, Dallas hasn’t been completely quiet. With what moves they have made, have the Cowboys addressed any roster needs as our focus begins to shit towards the 2024 NFL Draft?

Just before free agency news started dropping on March 11th we looked at the Cowboys’ roster position-by-position and ranked them based on strength. This was based on the players’ under contract for 2024 at that time, so potential free agency departures were already accounted for. The bottom five positions in those rankings, otherwise the weakest spots on the roster, were:

Five Biggest Needs as of 3/10

1. Running back
2. Linebacker
3. Offensive tackle
4. Center
5. Cornerback

Interestingly, despite their miserly ways, Dallas has given attention to three of those five positions so far. They signed veteran LB Eric Kendricks to replace the now-retired Leighton Vander Esch and help his old coach, Mike Zimmer, install a new defense. They potentially filled out their top three on the CB depth chart by re-signing slot man Jourdan Lewis. And while the starting job likely remains open at RB, Rico Dowdle was brought back for depth.

So accounting for these moves, are these still the Cowboys’ five biggest needs? Let’s update the rankings and see if any new positions join the group, or at least if there’s movement within the current five.

Five Biggest Needs as of 3/31

1. Offensive tackle
2. Running back
3. Center
4. Linebacker
5. Defensive tackle

The Cowboys’ biggest issue is now at offensive tackle. Tyron Smith’s gone and none of the backup tackles have proven they should be trusted to protect QB Dak Prescott’s blind side. The option to slide Tyler Smith into that spot is there and it may end up as the best choice they have. But hopefully, Dallas can find a new LT and allow Smith to keep being an All-Pro at his ideal position of guard.

Whether Smith goes to tackle or not, the backup job is also an issue. None of Josh Ball, Asim Richards, or Matt Waletzko would inspire confidence if they had to play. Even if the Cowboys draft a LT prospect and he’s not ready to start, at least he might be able to improve the depth.

At running back, Dowdle’s return helps but doesn’t move the needle much. Dallas still needs a more dynamic player as the primary, especially if their offensive line woes are going to force him to make some plays without elite blocking. Tony Pollard didn’t have that in his arsenal last year and it was a consistent issue for the offense.

Even if you’re a huge Brock Hoffman fan, center is still a need for competition and depth. Nobody else on the roster is known to have experience or potential at the position. Hoffman could replace Tyler Biadasz just fine, but what if Hoffman goes down? The Cowboys would be wise to add another egg in the basket here with a guy who can push Hoffman for the top job or at least provide backup insurance, especially if he can combo at guard as well.

For the linebackers, Kendricks’ arrival really just gets Dallas back to a suspect status quo. He fills Vander Esch’s spot, but he is also 32 and not a great option on passing downs. We hope for third-year growth from Damone Clark and that DeMarvion Overdown’s long-awaited debut won’t disappoint, but that still leaves the group thin and heavily reliant on variables. With Markquese Bell potentially moving back to safety, the Cowboys need at least one more guy here who could be trusted to play significant snaps and hold up against the run.

Jourdan Lewis’ return at CB gives Dallas a clear top three with Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland. Depth isn’t pretty, but Zimmer and Al Harris at least have some guys to work with in Israel Mukuamu, Eric Scott, and Nahshon Wright. That’s why we’ve bumped cornerback from the group and added defensive tackle, where the depth chart is almost non-existent.

Osa Odighizuwa is a clear starter and Mazi Smith will hopefully be ready to do more this year, especially if Zimmer has better strategy for using him than Dan Quinn did. But with Johnathan Hankins and Neville Gallimore gone, Dallas has to add more guys to the mix both for rotation purposes and especially as options if Smith doesn’t make progress. Veteran Carl Davis is on the roster, but the 32-year-old has only started 19 games since entering the league in 2015. Counting on him to even replace Hankins is a stretch at this point.

We still have about a month to go until the draft and more free agency moves could come. We saw with the Kendricks, Lewis, and Dowdle signings that the Cowboys see their needs similarly to how we do. Over the next four weeks, we’ll see if they make any other modest moves to add help and decrease their dependence on draft weekend.