Dallas Cowboys Post Draft Commentary

The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2008 season with high hopes but in the end the team fell far short of preseason expectations. The roster is loaded with talent, yet underachieved mightily; causing many to question whether Wade Phillips is the right man for the job. In 2009, the Cowboys released Terrell Owens in what was termed a “quarterback friendly” move and hope that the move proves to be a case of addition due to subtraction.

With the release of Owens, the burden falls squarely on the shoulders of Roy Williams who did little to impress last season as he would often times seem to disappear. Miles Austin and Isaiah Stanback are primarily role players and should not really be counted on to produce great numbers. Patrick Crayton has proven himself to be an adequate player, albeit unspectacular and is already 30. The unit could have used a bit more of a positive injection other than a 7th round selection on Manuel Johnson. If there is one injury to either starter, the team could be in trouble as there is little dependable depth in my opinion. I honestly expected this to be one area the team would invest in due to the current depth situation and overall talent on the roster.

The offensive line also needed some help, especially at guard, where the team was thin in terms of depth. There is not one starter that is under 30 on the unit and that could be an issue as the season wears on. The Cowboys have spent picks on finding quality backups for offensive tackle, but regardless the depth across the board is lacking. The team drafted Robert Brewster in the 3rd round as a bridge to the future. Brewtser is not a physical mauler, but he is more athletic than one may initially think. He could prove to be a valuable player who can rotate between guard and tackle.

Defensive linemen were also on the wish list after losing Chris Canty to Free Agency, but the team chose to draft two conversion prospects in Brandon Williams and Victor Butler. The team currently has quality players at the position such as DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer so the selection of two more players may seem a bit out of the blue. But, when you consider the level of quality depth behind the two starters and upgrade was necessary. It could be a case of a team looking to fill a hole that may not be readily apparent this year, but one that will show up in the future. Corner was also a need after Anthony Henry moved on to Detroit and with Mike Jenkins disappointing this far into his career. The Cowboys drafted two former teammates in DeAngelo Smith and Mike Mickens with the hopes of providing depth to the position. If these two players fail to contribute however, the Cowboys could face some issues due to the lack of quality players behind the starters.

Dallas did not have many glaring needs, and many of the holes they did have were in terms of depth and they drafted accordingly. The team did garner some quality players at key positions such corner, inside linebacker and rush linebacker, but others such as receiver and defensive line depth were bypassed. These positions could prove to have an effect on the 2009 season as there is little behind the starters in case of an injury. Dallas could very easily fall into the trap of thinking they are better than they are. On paper they appear to have improved, but have they really or will the areas of concern show themselves during the season?

Pre Draft Needs: WR, CB, S, LB, DL, OL