The Perfect Offseason Plan For The Cowboys
By Ryan Ratty
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It has been a busy offseason so far in Dallas. With the news of Rod Marinelli & Tampa Bay, there is much to talk about for the Dallas Cowboys. With draft season and free agency approaching, there are many players the Cowboys could add to help their team. Without further ado, let’s talk some Cowboys!
Cut Miles Austin
Miles Austin has not lived up to his contract extension in recent years. He has been hampered by multiple injuries, which have kept him out of a ton of games. Even if the Cowboys cut Austin, they will still be paying him money. So, there could be fans reading this saying Dallas should hold on to him. First, the Cowboys have to look for a trade. Finding a suitor would be real nice because Dallas could unload his salary. But if there were a time to trade Austin, it was before 2013. Austin only had 24 catches on the year for no touchdowns. It is clear that Austin’s better days are behind him. With Terrance Williams deserving a chance, the Cowboys may have to let the Monmouth product walk.
Let go of Jason Hatcher & Anthony Spencer
Yes, Jason Hatcher was perhaps the Cowboys’ best player on defense. And yes, Anthony Spencer was perhaps the Cowboys’ best player on defense in 2012. The thing about these two players is that they produced much better in their contract years. The Cowboys have had problems with Spencer in the past. It should be easy to say Spencer is as good as gone. After all, Spencer wants a ton of money, even though he was limited to less than 50 snaps this year. In Hatcher’s case, there is a pressing need if Hatcher leaves at the defensive tackle position. Although having Hatcher back would help the defensive line, it also puts the Cowboys in a situation similar to Jay Ratliff’s. The Cowboys paid Ratliff big-time bucks when he was around Hatcher’s age. Dallas cannot make the same mistake twice with Hatcher.
Draft a DT, DE, S, LB, QB, WR, CB, BPA
As of now, the Cowboys have 8 picks in the upcoming draft. That includes 3 in round 7. In that round, I believe
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the Cowboys have to take some high-risk, high-reward players. This was the case two years when the Cowboys picked Caleb McSurdy over Vontaze Burfict. Burfict had his problems at Arizona State, but he has groomed into one of the best young linebackers in the league. While, McSurdy is not even on the Cowboys’ practice squad. For scouting reports on Dallas’ targets, check my page here. In the first few rounds, I believe Dallas had to fill a bunch of needs on defense. College players like Ra’Shede Hageman, Ha-Ha Clinton Dix, and even Anthony Barr could be immediate impact players. Barr is my favorite player in this draft. You can see his scouting report here. Also, I believe the Cowboys need to draft a QB in one of the later rounds. A guy I really like is Kenny Guiton, who did not play much beind Braxton Miller. Stay tuned on SportDFW for more scouting reports for this upcoming NFL Draft.
Get low-price free agents
The Cowboys have gotten a few gems in the past by signings. Guys like Tony Romo, Miles Austin, and even George Selvie come to mind when thinking of guys who producing, regardless of their “off-the-street” status. To name a few guys the Cowboys could bring in at a low cost: Willie Young, Danny Watkins, Lamarr Houston, and Stevie Brown are just a few players that could really help this team. Willie Young is a classic 4-3 guy, who
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could benefit in Dallas’ scheme. Watkins was a first round pick for the Eagles that deserves another shot. Houston has flourished in Oakland. Stevie Brown is my favorite out of the 4. I cannot tell you how much I love Brown’s game and his potential. His ball-hawking makes me think he is perfect for this defense. Because of his ACL injury earlier in the year, there should be no reason why he would cost that much.
Hire a defensive coordinator
Not that the 4-3 scheme is bad, but Monte Kiffin has to go. With news that Rod Marinelli may likely be gone, this is ominous for Kiffin’s departure. At his age, the game has just flown by Kiffin. There are many good defensive coordinators out there that run a 4-3. One guy that is being highly rumored is Leslie Frazier. Frazier is one of the smartest minds in all of football. He may not have been the best head coach, but he is a terrific defensive coordinator.