The Dallas Cowboys season is all but over. With a loss to the Carolina Panthers on Thanksgiving, the Cowboys saw their season hopes go down the drain and they saw their quarterback go down with a major injury, an injury that has affected himself three times so far in his career.
Despite the Cowboys’ record, this team is a team that can do some serious damage when they’re healthy. And while all isn’t okay right now in Texas, a good draft means that the Cowboys will find themselves right in the thick of things atop the NFC when the 2016 NFL season rolls around. With the way salary caps restrict teams from spending in free agency, the NFL Draft is the best way to improve your football team in today’s age.
With all of that being said, the Cowboys need to continue to find impact players through the draft. Just last year, the Cowboys selected Byron Jones at the end of the first round. Jones has been incredible in the slot cornerback position all season long, shutting down top options like Rob Gronkowski. Despite Jones’ play, the long-term plan is to move him to the free safety position.
If and when the Cowboys do that, they will need to figure out the problem they have at the cornerback position. The good news is that Orlando Scandrick will return in 2016. The bad news is that decisions will need to be made with both Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cowboys placed the franchise tag on Claiborne, but as far as Carr, I think it’s safe to say he’s as good as gone in Dallas.
Tyler Patmon is a decent guy in some nickel and dime packages, but the Cowboys would be wise to look to the draft to find another cornerback. One that jumps out to me is Jalen Ramsey from Florida State. Similar to Jones, Ramsey is a guy that can play either cornerback or safety. However, I see him developing better at the next level as a cornerback.
At 6-foot-1, 204 pounds, Ramsey fits that mold of a bigger cornerback. He’s extremely athletic. He has unbelievable fluidity to change direction. He plants extremely well and he’s extremely shift. When you pair this ability with his vision, it’s easy to find out that Ramsey is a guy that can create a ton of takeaways at the next level. He sees the field really well and he’s long arms that he can use to his advantage at the line of scrimmage to jam opposing receivers.
The secondary hasn’t necessarily been bad this year, but the Cowboys haven’t gotten the turnovers that are needed for a defense to be top-notch. Nabbing a guy like Ramsey in the top 10 would mean that the Cowboys would get someone who can pair with Jones for awhile and become a really, really special tandem.
I would agree with you, if Romo hasn't gotten injured this year. With no heir apparent on the roster, the same scenario will repeat itself, simply because of Romo age, 36 next season and injured 3 of the last 6 seasons. As a season ticket holder, my husband and I aren't getting any younger either. Rather have at least a quality young quarterback being groomed for the future, instead of retread quarterback, with no value. We would like to see the Cowboys win another Super Bowl, with young talent. Everyone is saying that the young quarterback are hard to develop, that's what Jason Garrett coaching staff is paid to do, so that we fans see a quality product on the football field. Maybe Jerry will finally pull the trigger and a quarterback in the 1st round. I don't want to experience another pretty Romo era either. At leather we will will have hope for the future, with a heir apparent. GO COWBOYS! !
Quarterback and depth!!!!!!!!!!! Tony is great but going to be 36 next season and in 2 years the team needs a new one!
Well, there may just not be a quarterback in the 1st round at the position we are going to draft. I don't think we'll have the #1 overall pick. I think Matt Cassel (like it or not) will gain momentum and win at least a couple games so I'm guessing we're sitting at 5-11 or 6-10. In the 2015 draft, the 5-11 Bears picked at #7 and there were 6-10 teams at positions #8-10. If I had to guess, that's exactly the range we will be drafting in.
With that said, you can bet the top quarterback will be off the board by the time we pick. Potentially the top two quarterbacks, even.
Outside of a trade-up scenario, we may just be forced to select a position of immediate need with our top 10 pick and target a quarterback with our second pick. Being as Romo will probably be in Dallas at least one more season (maybe two), a 2nd round quarterback would be a great idea since he would have some time to learn under a great pocket passer.
We can't just draft a qb in the first round we need to hit on every pick of this year's draft! When/if we draft a qb we have to make sure he is our qb of the future.
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Better get a quarterback or it wont matter who is on defense!
You mean u don't like Kellen Moore
Jalen Ramsey is at the top of my draft wishlist for Dallas. The secondary has been trash for years and needs to be fixed yesterday. I can only hope this article is more than just a premonition,we could use this guy followed by Will Redmond and I would be a very happy camper about our chances ! Cowboys 4 Life