Dallas Cowboys: Trade and free agent options still available

Free agency and suspensions have taken their toll on the Dallas Cowboys starting defense. At some point, the Cowboys need to make some additions.

These days the Dallas Cowboys are losing players faster than I’m losing my hair — Rapidly and in bunches. First, the Cowboys lost five key defensive players in free agency: Terrell McClain, Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, Barry Church, and J.J. Wilcox.

Next, the Cowboys lost players to either poor life decisions or just general stupidity. And in many of the substance abuse cases, it’s a combination of both.

This offseason, the Cowboys have had two players get into legal trouble and two other players suspended for violating the substance abuse policy.

The offenders

If this team doesn’t address its defensive issues, it’s going to be an extremely disappointing season.

Nolan Carroll was arrested under suspicion of a DWI after a welcome party celebrating him signing with the Cowboys.

David Irving will miss the first four games of the season because of using a banned substance.

Randy Gregory loves weed so much that he’s going to miss the entire 2017 season.

To make matters way worse, linebacker Damien Wilson was arrested on two counts of felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (based of reports from the Frisco, Texas Police Department).

I didn’t even mention rookie cornerback, Jourdan Lewis’ pending court date concerning a misdemeanor charge of an alleged domestic violence incident back in March.

With the Cowboys losing half-a-dozen players to either free agency or to suspensions, the Cowboys will have to make a trade sooner rather than later to counter these losses.

As much as I believe Dallas will be a contender this upcoming season, at some point I have to face reality. If this team doesn’t address its defensive issues, it’s going to be an extremely disappointing season.

The blunt truth. Period.

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All Options

Instead of being reactive to these defensive losses, Dallas should be proactive and start making trades… like yesterday. I wrote two articles a few weeks ago about Dallas trading for Richard Sherman or trading Sheldon Richardson because of the aforementioned problems.

After Wilson’s latest arrest, Dallas is running out of time. They need to move forward and consider trading for at least one of the two. They even need to take a look at acquiring Zach Orr and/or Daryl Washington.

Orr retired from football at the end of the 2016 season because of a neck injury, but Orr feels better and wants to come out of retirement and play again.

If that’s the case, then Dallas should trade for him because Wilson is definitely getting suspended, whether he’s found guilty or not. Commissioner Roger Goodell (aka “Dictator” Goodell) is not going to allow players to tarnish the shield under any circumstances.

If golden boy quarterback Tom Brady can be suspended for a deflated football, then Wilson has a better chance of drinking ice water in hell than he does avoiding a suspension.

That’s why Dallas should trade for Orr or sign Washington to replace the soon-to-be-suspended Damien Wilson.

Dallas can get either player for cheap. Orr has a neck injury situation (spinal abnormality) and Washington has history of suspensions stemming from drugs and domestic violence issues.

Dallas can sign either player to team-friendly deals, making them the perfect the high-reward/low-risk signings Jerry Jones has been known to like.

Free Agent Options

I know its been three years since Washington last played a meaningful NFL game, but there might be some gas left in the tank. Besides, Washington was a really good football player. In 2013, Washington recorded 59 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions in 12 games.

In 2012, Washington posted 134 tackles (26 assisted), 9 sacks, and one interception in 16 games. Plus, Washington is available and Wilson isn’t.

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Orr is worth trading for and is one heck of a player. The talented linebacker had 89 tackles to go along with 3 interceptions last season (more than any Dallas defensive player).

If Orr is cleared to play, Dallas should trade for him. Also, both Orr (DeSoto) and Washington (Dallas) are Texas natives. It’s not like Dallas shies away from signing players with career threatening injuries, either (Jaylon Smith).

Speaking of Smith, Dallas’ coaching staff believes Smith will be playing on Sunday night against the Giants. Maybe he’ll playing alongside Orr or Washington or someone not named Damien Wilson.

Conclusion

Kyle Wilber and Anthony Hitchens are solid players, but they ain’t making anybody’s Pro Bowl, so why waste time?

Jerry Jones can always swing for the homerun and trade for Sherman, despite how much Cowboys Nation disapprove of it. Or Jones can make a deal for defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson. But it’s clear something must be done to offset the defensive losses.

Next: Cowboys: Should the NFL police off-field behavior?

Regardless of what side of the fence you sit on when it comes to these players, remember one thing: availability is the best ability.

And as of right now, it appears Dallas has some players that won’t be available any time soon.

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