It’s clear: The Dallas Cowboys need to improve their offense

Why the Dallas Cowboys Must Draft Defense

Many will read this and assume I’m suggesting the Cowboys ignore defense and go full-on 40-burger with the offense, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The numbers may suggest an elite passing offense  is the most important part of the game, but it also shows strong coverage is the next most important (More than both sides of the running game and more than the pass-rush).

Having a vulnerable defensive backfield is a recipe for disaster in the NFL. On paper, the Dallas Cowboys look atrocious at cornerback. Letting Byron Jones walk was bad because Dallas won’t be able to neutralize the opposition’s most dangerous option anymore.

Last season, opponents targeted players not named Byron and had pretty nice success. Next season they’ll be able to target anyone they want. As I’ve mentioned previously, it’s not like anyone in this draft is going to change that fact since even C.J. Henderson (a long-shot for Dallas but their best case scenario) isn’t expected to play near Byron’s level in 2020.

More from Dallas Cowboys

• Dallas Cowboys Linebackers: 2023 Position Overview
• Ballhawk University: Why the Cowboys will be takeaway leaders
• Dallas Cowboys Player to Watch: Sleeper TE John Stephens, Jr.
• Dallas Cowboys: The impact of Micah Parsons and a well-rounded secondary
• Dallas Cowboys still unsure about their left guard position for 2023

This also doesn’t suggest if a player doesn’t help right away, he’s not worth investing in. Knowing there’s much to do to make this Dallas Cowboys team a real contender, taking an honest view will make us think more long-term in our decision making. This may lead us to take defensive players that are developmental projects. They won’t help much in 2020 but they’ll pay off big-time in the end. And that’s why players like C.J. Henderson and K’lavon Chaisson make sense. They aren’t going to catapult Dallas into contender status this year, but they have the highest ceilings of the lot, and look to help the Cowboys the most in the long-run.

What does this mean?

At face value, this now may all seem to run contrary to the argument being made earlier in the column. It’s actually not. Upgrading offense and defense in the draft don’t have to be mutually exclusive. The Dallas Cowboys can do both!

Given the depth of the draft, the Cowboys don’t need to use a 1st round pick to upgrade their passing attack. They don’t need to devote their top-3 picks on defense either. If they follow the value and select the best player available, they can potentially achieve both.

Reloading the defense is important this draft cycle because that side of the ball got noticeably weaker this offseason and will only get worse next offseason. But improving the offense is the best way to improve both in the present and in the future, the Dallas Cowboys just need to figure out a way to do both.