4 ways the Dallas Cowboys fix draft day mistakes

It’s fair to say that the Dallas Cowboys have been one of the more successful drafting teams over the last decade. But with every success story, there is an opportunity to improve. Drafting football prospects is a crapshoot but it’s one that this team has staked its reputation on.

The Dallas Cowboys want to be the first team to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. In a prior article, I suggested that Dallas sign defensive players like Patrick Peterson, Daron Payne and Jason-Pierre Paul to elevate their defense. Well, if Dallas prefers not to go that route, I get it. I’ve been disagreed with before.

However, another option for Dallas would be to reverse course on some of the prospects they passed on in prior NFL drafts. Some will be available in free agency while others by way of trades. In any instance, reversing course may put the team exactly where they want to be.

1). Could Jalen Ramsey be on his way in while Ezekiel Elliott be on his way out?

In 2016, the Dallas Cowboys made the decision to give Tony Romo an elite running back hoping that it would help the aging quarterback get over the hump. In fairness, when Ezekiel Elliott was drafted, the NFL was nearing the end of a culture of drafting running backs with top 10 draft picks.

With that decision, Jerry decided against a very talented cornerback Jalen Ramsey who subsequently was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jalen has been arguably one of the best corners in the league since he entered in 2016.

It’s clear his current team, the Los Angeles Rams, have a salary cap problem. They pushed all their chips to the center of the table two years ago and got their Super Bowl ring and now it’s time to pay the piper.

Would the Rams be ready to come off Jalen’s contract? It’s a strong possibility with only one way to find out. If Ramsey isn’t released, the Dallas Cowboys should force the issue and offer their third-round pick and see how desperate the Rams really are. Maybe the compensation is too low but when another team is down that’s the time to see what they are willing to do.

Dallas would be hitting two birds with one stone. Filling the massive void on the other side of Trevon Diggs is the priority. However, if upcoming contract negotiations don’t go as planned with Trevon, you have an All-Pro waiting to fill his shoes. Make the first move, Jerry, if you are serious about going all in.

2). Should Dan Quinn convince the Dallas Cowboys to invest in another Deion?

In that same 2016 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected an outstanding college linebacker but the one that was still recovering from a major knee injury that ultimately affected his play on the field.

All the while, another linebacker from LSU was sitting there waiting for his name to be called. Deion Jones was a little unpolished but an equally athletic linebacker who cut his teeth in the SEC. He was productive in college and as it stands today, he has had the best NFL career of the linebackers drafted that season.

Dan Quinn knows Jones very well. He drafted him, molded him and helped shape him into an athletic freak for most of his time in Atlanta. Who knows what will happen with Leighton Vander Esch? If he walks, is Dallas comfortable going with Damone Clark? I don’t know if that’ll be the case. If the contract numbers are right, this should position Jerry to right another wrong again from 2016.