Dallas Cowboys: Could Benson Mayowa be traded?

The Dallas Cowboys find themselves with more players than roster spots along the defensive line. Could they trade away Benson Mayowa?

The Dallas Cowboys may not have an embarrassment of riches on the defensive line but they do have an excess. Running through the roster it’s easy to see someone good is going to get caught in this numbers game.

If the Cowboys wait until the end of camp and cut loose a promising but relatively unknown player, it’s unlikely they’d get anything back in return. Proactively trading a player with value would ensure the Cowboys receive something back in return.

Numbers Game

When I created the first 53-man roster prediction last month, it was clear a couple painful cuts were on the way. Let’s run through the players who seem like roster locks:

Defensive Ends (6): Benson Mayowa, DeMarcus Lawrence, David Irving, Damontre Moore, Charles Tapper, Taco Charlton

3-Technique Defensive Tackles (2): Maliek Collins and Tyrone Crawford

1-Technique Defensive Tackles (2): Cedric Thornton and Stephen Paea

Benson Mayowa isn’t someone you necessarily want to cut, but he may be the most overvalued linemen on the roster, and as such, he’s likely to offer the most in return.

Adding up the players who seem like locks, you come up with 10. 10 seems to be about the maximum the Cowboys will want to roll with heading into the season.

Keep in mind, to even get to 10 Dallas will have to cut two rookie draft picks in Ivie and Carrell.

Additional linemen (7): DT Joey Ivie, DT Jordan Carrell, DT Richard Ash, DE Woody Baron, DE Lenny Jones, DE Leslie Darnell, DE Lewis Neal

With David Irving probably starting the season on the suspended list he won’t count against the Cowboys numbers until week 5 when he’s scheduled to return. That means one player will essentially get a four week tryout, then the inevitable will happen to that person or someone else on the line.

Why Mayowa?

Benson Mayowa isn’t someone you necessarily want to cut, but he may be the most overvalued linemen on the roster, and as such, he’s likely to offer the most in return.

In 2016 Benson Mayowa led the team in sacks with six. The league took notice of the 25-year-old breakout player from Oakland. But where he divides scouts is beyond the stats. Some feel he got the sacks but he didn’t apply consistent pressure, making him destined to regress to the mean in 2017.

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Pro Football Focus highlighted this giving him a 49.0 pass-rush score. That ranks him toward the bottom of the NFL and if weren’t for his run-stopping scores (74.7) he’d be much lower rated than no. 77 overall (among edge rushers).

Also factoring into his expendability is the opportunities available:

The Cowboys already have David Irving and DeMarcus Lawrence who command significant snaps at end.

They added Taco Charlton in the first round of the 2017 draft. They also have Tyrone Crawford who will rotate between 3-tech and DE.

Adding to the scarcity of snaps are the hot new additions of Damontre Moore and Charles Tapper. Moore is a free agent find who’s turned a lot of heads with his burst and elusiveness off the edge in minicamps. Tapper is a draft pick that sat out all of 2016 with injury. He has speed and explosion that makes the coaching staff drool, making him a lock for a role in 2017.

Where exactly does Benson Mayowa fit?

We know just running through the roster that the same opportunities he had in 2016 won’t be available in 2017, therefore a dip in numbers is almost inevitable. If he’s destined for a bit part wouldn’t now be the time to sell…while his stock is the highest?

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Analysis

At the end of the day it comes down to the coaches analysis of Benson Mayowa. Is he the type of player who’s still developing? The kind who has just as high of a ceiling as the others? Is he a stop-gap player or an exciting project player? Or is he another one of Will McClay’s amazing one-year-wonder finds like Jeremy Mincey and George Selvie were?

This is a decision that doesn’t have to happen today. It can wait until the end of training camp. If the Dallas Cowboys feel confident in their situation without Mayowa, they’d be able to get something for him on the trade market — whether that’s a draft pick or depth at another position.

Next: What the experts say about the Cowboys minicamp standouts

One thing is clear, I wouldn’t give him away for nothing. As the 2016 sack leader, he should offer something decent in return. And if he’s going to get caught in the numbers game anyway, Dallas might as well get something back rather than cut a younger, more promising player instead.

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