According to Field Yates of ESPN, the Dallas Cowboys can now sign unrestricted free agents without affecting the 2018 compensatory formula.
Note: any unrestricted free agent signed after today will not count towards the 2018 compensatory pick formula. Example: LeGarrette Blount.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) May 9, 2017
This is actually really good news for the Cowboys considering they are looking to be awarded four compensatory picks in 2018, which is by the way the max number a team can receive. That is because they lost more FAs than they signed.
Barry Church, J.J. Wilcox, Morris Claiborne, Brandon Carr, Jack Crawford, and Ronald Leary all played significant roles for the Cowboys last season and based on their salary/playing time, should net the Cowboys some pretty valuable compensatory picks in 2018. This is one of the reasons they weren’t very active in free agency.
Well, that could change now that they aren’t at risk of losing any of the potential compensatory picks next year. I personally don’t believe they will be very active even now, but there are some available FAs still out there that can come in and upgrade the roster.
The Cowboys could use a change of pace/3rd down back behind Ezekiel Elliott and Darren McFadden. I’ve already shared with you 5 running backs that could fill that role, but what about another young offensive tackle with starting experience?
Enter Austin Pasztor, formerly of the Cleveland Browns.
Pasztor has started 43 of 58 games at both guard and tackle for the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars since entering the NFL. It’s that kind of versatility the Cowboys like in their offensive lineman and with the right tackle and left guard position currently available, he makes a lot of sense.
Pasztor is just 26 years old, and at 6’7″, 308 could possibly be the player the Cowboys are looking for to fill the void left by Doug Free at right tackle. He may not have been a consideration before because it would have cost them one of their compensatory picks, but he should be now.
I know they are experimenting with La’el Collins at RT right now and Jonathan Cooper at LG, but they have always believed Collins’ best position is inside at guard. I tend to agree, which is why Pasztor makes sense.
Collins has the potential to develop into an All-Pro offensive guard, but I’m not sure the same can be said for him as a tackle. If not for a foot injury last season, he could’ve possibly joined Travis Frederick, Zack Martin, and Tyron Smith in the Pro Bowl.
The Dallas Cowboys certainly have several options available to them right now to put together a starting unit for the upcoming season, so the signing of Austin Pasztor seems unlikely. But, it’s definitely something I think they should seriously consider.
The good news is they can go out and sign any unrestricted free agent and not lose any of their 2018 compensatory picks. Whether or not they bring in any more free agents is still a mystery and we will all just have to wait and see how it turns out.
Paztor sounds like the exact kind of player they would be interested in. Still young by OL standards and has the position flex that you mentioned. I’d be interested in him.
I would actually love for this to happen, but I think the Cowboys are probably going to stick with status quo for now.
My guess on Collins is that he will excel at RT. He could prove that wrong of course but he has the size at 6′ 5″, 322 lbs and the agility for it. And he started his last 2 years at LSU at LT.
If so we will very likely get a pass-blocking upgrade from the years of Doug Free, who was a powerhouse run blocker but not quick laterally. As I mentioned previously when you factor in that he has not played a complete season in 2 at LG because of injuries, it’s possible the move outside will help keep him upright as well.
Free at last! ;^)
I actually prefer Collins at guard because of his strength and agility. He is able to handle both the quicker and more powerful DTs because of those traits. Chaz Green is my choice at RT if he can remain healthy. I think Smith, Collins, Frederick, Martin, and Green would actually be an upgrade from last season.
Dont forget we have Bryan Bell. Was a solid RT for Panthers before injuries forced him to LT. Out in 2016 with dislocated ankle. 72 career starts over the past five seasons
We do have Byron Bell, but I think his better position in the NFL is at OG. We will have to wait and see if he is a consideration at RT.
He made his mark at RT. Not very good at LT but not many are. He did play some OG but on a really bad and injured line. Would like to see him get a shot at RT and LG. Between Witten and Zach on the RT and Tryon and Frederick at LG
The position battle between RT and LG is really going to be interesting to follow this off-season. I personally like Smith, Collins, Frederick, Martin, and Green as my starting five. But, that would mean that both Collins and Green would need to stay healthy.
not sure that we’ve seen enough of Green to know if hes good enough to be on the NFLs bets OL
He looked pretty good as Tyron Smith’s replacement last year when he was injured.
True, but that was only for a minute. 2 starts I think. Not long enough to see if he can stay upright and move okay over the course of a season. The fact that they’ve told La’el to get ready for a move to RT may give us a clue. Mini-camps may tell us more.
Two starts is a lot more than Collins has had at tackle. And Green played LT in those two contests. I just have a feeling that they are just getting Collins ready in case Green isn’t ready. But, that’s just what my gut is telling me right now.
But you go with what you have. Hes certainly part of the equation
BTW – wonder if there is any hope for 6’10 OT Dan Skipper. Normally you would want OT to get up under the pads of the DTs/DEs but he’s probably too tall for that. We had a 6’10 1/2 OT that I played ball with in college, John Massengail. Had the same issues. They finally changed the way he blocked to ‘pushing down’ instead. Had better success
The Cowboys worked out Skipper pre-draft, so they must like him at least a little bit. But, like you said they may have to change up his technique, which probably means he needs a year or two to develop.
2018 Mock Draft ~
The Super Bowl Champion Cowboys bundle up several picks to move up the 1st round, and get that dominant RDE they couldn’t get in 2017… ;^)
Meanwhile I project it’s Lawrence moving back to RDE. He lacks the classic first step of a Harvey Martin or Charles Haley, but he is a good player with a good motor. It’s not awful there for 2017.
To me that is more likely than Charlton at RDE. They will probably try him there but he looks to me like a DL who’s future is inside.
Then you have the Jaylon Smith wildcard. The big if is the knee, and then how the Cowboys deploy him. I am trying him out at SS but the team is probably not going to listen to that… ;^)
So at MLB, does his ability come off the field on long downs? I don’t think so. I think you move him around the LOS on those downs the way the Giants did with Lawrence Taylor. He attacks the QB as he sees fit.
I could see Lawrence moving back to RDE. I think Charlton is a classic LDE and that will be his position for years to come.
Smith is going to be your MLB. He’s already said that he is going to start Week 1. He is in every down LB and his value really lies in his ability to use his speed from sideline to sideline in both the run and passing game. I doubt he is used as a pass rusher much until his knee is 100%.
Thanks Brian. Interesting prospect. Also CBs Jason McCourty from the Titans and Trumaine Brock from SF are out there. And if you want to go pure OT, King Dunlap from the Chargers or Ryan Clady from the Jets. OLB Elvis Dumervil has 99 sacks. Wonder if he would be worth a flyer? Has a lot of mileage on the wheels
There are definitely several FAs still available that can come in and help
So, right now I would think we get two 4’s, a 5 and a 6 in comp picks next year. Will comp us for the well spent 5th to get 6th rounder LaTech S Xavier Woods. Thought we might go for him in the 3rd or maybe 4th. Not sure that I would have imagined him available in the 6th
Xavier Woods was definitely a steal in the sixth round. And, your guess is as good as mine on compensatory picks, but that sounds about right.
for me smith cooper federiclk, martin collins
That’s what it’s looking like as of right now. I personally really liked what I saw from Chaz Green when he filled in for Tyron Smith last season. He would be my preference to start at RT and keep Collins at LG. To me, that’s the Cowboys best starting 5. I like Jonathan Cooper also, but he just doesn’t play with the same kind of physicality as Collins. I don’t know if that would have a negative impact on the running game.