Dallas Cowboys (Last Year: 13-3)
2008 NFL Draft Grade:
Good Moves:
Even with the acquisition of Pacman Jones, Dallas needed to find some talent at cornerback. They did just that, drafting Mike Jenkins at No. 28. There were mocks out there that had Jenkins as high as 11, so I consider him a steal late in the first round. Orlando Scandrick also figures to be a solid corner ... Martellus Bennett wasn't really a need in the second round, but you could argue that he was the best player available ... Tashard Choice was incredible value in the fourth round.
Bad Moves:
Jerry Jones wanted a running back from Arkansas and he got one. That said, I don't agree with the pick. Felix Jones was a second-round prospect and there were tons of potential quality complements to Marion Barber available in Rounds 2-4. It's odd but Tashard Choice (taken with the 122nd pick) might be a more talented running back than Jones ... Where was the wide receiver? Unless Jerry Jones is confident Terry Glenn will be 100 percent next year, I don't get why he failed to address the wideout position.
Grade give on 4/28/08: B-
2008 NFL Draft Picks:
22. Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
I had the Cowboys drafting Felix Jones - with the 61st pick in the draft. I can't say I'm surprised though, seeing as this is Jerry Jones we're talking about. What an obvious reach.
(Pick Grade: D)
28. Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
As bad as Dallas' first selection was, this pick was incredible. Some mocks had Mike Jenkins going 11th, so the Cowboys got a steal at the end of Round 1.
(Pick Grade: A)
61. Martellus Bennett, TE, Texas A&M
Not sure if I understand the need for Martellus Bennett, but you could argue that he's one of the best players available. I don't hate this pick, but I don't quite get it either.
(Pick Grade: C)
122. Tashard Choice, RB, Georgia Tech
There's absolutely no reason Tashard Choice should have been available at 122. The Cowboys may have landed the fourth-best running back in the draft (McFadden, Mendenhall, Stewart.) Funny that Felix Jones isn't on that list.
(Pick Grade: A)
143. Orlando Scandrick, CB, Boise State
Great value in Round 5; Orlando Scandrick was projected to go in the third round by some. This is filling a big need as well.
(Pick Grade: A)
167. Erik Walden, DE, Middle Tennessee State
There were better options here, but Erik Walden fills a need, and it's the sixth round.
(Pick Grade: C)
Season Summary:
Ever have deja vu? If you're a Cowboys fan, you definitely should be nodding your head right now. Dallas' 2007 campaign mirrored its 2006 season. Tony Romo started hot; Dallas looked like the team to beat in the NFC East; Romo began dating a succubus around Thanksgiving; he started tossing picks and committing fumbles at an alarming rate; a divisional foe passed his team by; and the Cowboys lost a heart-breaker in the playoffs. Note to Romo: Date chicks in the offseason and focus on football between September and February.
Offseason Moves:
Cowboys trade TE Anthony Fasano and ILB Akin Ayodele to the Dolphins for a fourth-round pick
Cowboys obtain CB Pacman Jones from the Cowboys for a fourth-round pick
Cowboys re-sign G Cory Procter
Cowboys re-sign G/T Joe Berger
Cowboys re-sign TE Tony Curtis
Cowboys re-sign CB Evan Oglesby
Cowboys trade NT Jason Ferguson to the Dolphins for an exchange of sixth-round picks and a sixth-rounder in 2009
Cowboys re-sign OT Flozell Adams
Cowboys tender (first, third) RB Marion Barber
Cowboys tender (first) DE Chris Canty
Cowboys cut FB Oliver Hoyte
Cowboys sign ILB Zach Thomas
Cowboys franchise S Ken Hamlin
Offseason Needs:
- Two Cornerbacks: Besides an anti-Jessica Simpson repellent (i.e. an encyclopedia), what the Cowboys need most is a cornerback to play across from Terence Newman. Anthony Henry is old and is now a better fit at free safety. Meanwhile, Jacques Reeves and Nathan Jones, a pair of free agents this offseason, leave much to be desired. How incredible would Dallas' defense look with a stud corner like Nnamdi Asomugha in the starting lineup? If the Cowboys can't get him - he'll cost a lot of money, but he's well worth it - I could see them drafting a corner late in the first or second rounds, and picking up a guy like Randall Gay for depth purposes. Traded for Pacman Jones; drafted Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick
- Wide Receiver: Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn will both be 34 years old for the majority of the 2008 campaign. The Cowboys must acquire a young receiver this offseason - perhaps DeSean Jackson at No. 22 overall.
- Strong Safety: I find it unbelievable that Roy Williams made the Pro Bowl this year, as there is a good chance Dallas could cut him. Williams is terrible in coverage and happens to be a huge liability in the secondary. Whether Williams is released or not - a move that would stun a lot of casual fans - the Cowboys could be looking for a new strong safety. There aren't many of those in free agency, so Tom Zbikowski, Craig Steltz and a few others could be options in the third round.
- Offensive Tackle: Flozell "The Hotel" Adams, another old Cowboy (33), will be hitting free agency if he's not re-signed before the market opens. I'd sign him to a short-term deal and draft his heir apparent in April. Re-signed Flozell Adams
- Running Back: Both Marion Barber and Julius Jones will be free agents this offseason. I don't expect the latter to return, but I am concerned with the former's ability to carry the load. If he could, why didn't the Cowboys give Barber the bulk of the carries the past two years when it was obvious that he was far superior to Jones? Look for Dallas to re-sign Barber, and obtain a running back between Rounds 3 and 5, as this draft class is extremely deep at that position. Felix Jones is also an option toward the end of the first round. Drafted Felix Jones and Tashard Choice; tendered Barber
- Inside Linebacker: Bobby Carpenter has been a bust thus far (perhaps just a poor fit in the 3-4), and I'm not really high on Akin Ayodele. There aren't many quality free-agent inside linebackers, so the Cowboys must search for one in the draft. Signed Zach Thomas
- Nose Tackle: It wouldn't hurt Dallas if it obtained a massive nose tackle to eventually replace Jason Ferguson. Doing so would allow Jay Ratliff to move to defensive end. This isn't a huge need this offseason, but more of a luxury.
- Interior Line Depth: The Cowboys don't really have much behind Kyle Kosier, Andre Gurode and Leonard Davis. A late-round selection could be used to fix this.
Dallas Cowboys Free Agents:
Salary Cap (As of Feb. 11): $20.61 million
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Marion Barber (RFA), RB. Age: 25.
Tendered (first, third) by Cowboys
I'll never understand why the Cowboys messed around with Julius Jones so much instead of giving Marion Barber 80 percent of the workload. Barber is infinitely better than Jones. But I'm listing him below Ryan Grant because we have no evidence he can carry the load for an entire year.
-
Ken Hamlin, FS. Age: 27.
Cowboys franchise Ken Hamlin
Ken Hamlin will be looking for tons of cash this offseason, as he will be the starting free safety for the NFC in the Pro Bowl. Given the problems in their secondary, the Cowboys cannot afford to let him go.
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Chris Canty (RFA), DE. Age: 25.
Tendered (first) by Cowboys
The Cowboys are likely to tender Chris Canty, who works really well up front in their 3-4.
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Flozell Adams, OT. Age: 33.
Re-signed with Cowboys (6 years, $43 million)
Flozell "The Hotel" Adams is one of the better offensive tackles in the NFL. But given that he's reached the age of regression (33), I wouldn't give him a huge deal.
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Keith Davis, FS. Age: 29.
Signed with Dolphins (2 years, $3.5 million)
Assuming he's not asking for anything crazy, the Cowboys should re-sign Keith Davis, a solid reserve defensive back and a great special teams player.
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Julius Jones, RB. Age: 27.
Signed with Seahawks
I really have no idea why Wade Phillips kept Julius Jones in the lineup for so long. He's not a starter. He's a solid change-of-pace back, but nothing more.
- Jacques Reeves, CB. Age: 25. - Signed with Texans
- Tyson Thompson (ERFA), RB. Age: 27.
- Stephen Bowen (ERFA), DE. Age: 24. - Re-signed with Cowboys (1 year)
- Nathan Jones, CB. Age: 26. - Signed with Dolphins (2 years)
- Oliver Hoyte, FB. Age: 23. - Signed with Chiefs
- Cory Procter (ERFA), G. Age: 25. - Re-signed with Cowboys (1 year)
- Remi Ayodele, NT. Age: 25.
Divisional Rival History:
New York Giants: Peyton Manning couldn't get past the New England Patriots for years, and it looked like Eli would have similar problems with the Cowboys. Dallas swept the Giants in the regular season, but the latter claimed revenge in the playoffs en route to a Super Bowl victory.
Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles usually dominate their divisional opponents. They've won 12 of the past
16 matchups against the Cowboys, including a sweep in 2006 and a stunning upset late in the 2007 season.
Washington Redskins: Remember when the Redskins could never beat the Cowboys? Well, they've somehow won four of the past six battles. Go figure.
Features to be Posted This Offseason:
- Detailed season preview
- Fantasy football projections
- Positional rankings
- Daily updates on free-agent signings
More 2008 NFL Offseason Pages:
DAL / NYG / PHI / WAS
CHI / DET / GB / MIN
ATL / CAR / NO / TB
ARZ / SF / SEA / STL
BUF / MIA / NE / NYJ
BAL / CIN / CLE / PIT
HOU /IND / JAX / TEN
DEN / KC / OAK / SD
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