IRVING, Texas -- A wrap-up of the Dallas Cowboys’ draft.
Best move: In Randy Gregory, the Cowboys have the best pass-rusher available in the draft. In two years at Nebraska, he had 17.5 sacks. There are on- and off-field concerns with this pick, but the Cowboys needed to find a player to affect the other team’s quarterback. Go back to January’s divisional-round loss to the Green Bay Packers, and the Cowboys could not sniff an injured Aaron Rodgers. They had just 28 sacks during the regular season and were led by Jeremy Mincey’s six. They signed Greg Hardy to a one-year deal, but he is facing a suspension. When the draft process started, Gregory was viewed as a top-10 or even top-5 pick, but the off-field worries dropped him to the second round. There are some on-field concerns too. Can he maintain weight? Gregory said he weighed 240 pounds, but he dropped a lot of pounds during the season. The Cowboys hope he can add 15 pounds and maintain his speed when doing so, which is what separated him from other pass-rushers.
Riskiest move: How could it be anybody but Gregory? The Cowboys felt comfortable taking him in the second round despite the failed drug test at the NFL scouting combine and other off-field concerns. If the Cowboys are right about Gregory, they have a catalytic player. If they are wrong, then they will have a big miss and have delayed their defensive line rebuild. Gregory could be the most scrutinized defensive player in the draft, with many expecting him to potentially fail. The Cowboys have a long history of taking risks. In his pre-draft visit to Valley Ranch, Gregory let the Cowboys know he needs a support system in place, which is something the Cowboys have done for a number of players through the years. Before turning the card in for Gregory, Jerry Jones had a long conversation with him. It is Jones’ personal involvement in Gregory’s future that ultimately made the Cowboys feel OK with the move, but it still comes with a lot of risk.
Most surprising move: DeMarco Murray took 392 carries and 1,845 rushing yards to the Philadelphia Eagles. While just about everybody thought the Cowboys needed a running back, they did not draft one. The Cowboys are confident in a committee of backs that will be comprised of Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden, Lance Dunbar and Ryan Williams. McFadden has the lone 1,000-yard season among the group and hasn’t averaged better than 3.4 yards per carry since 2011. Randle and Dunbar have been complementary backs. While the move might scratch heads elsewhere, it shows the belief the team has in an offensive line that has three Pro Bowlers in Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin.
File it away: The Cowboys have struggled with the safety position since Darren Woodson retired in 2004. They have paid big prices (Ken Hamlin), medium prices (Gerald Sensabaugh) and low prices (Will Allen) and have yet to find a long-term answer. Current starters Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox are similar players, better when they are closer to the line of scrimmage than in coverage. While Byron Jones, the Cowboys’ first-round pick, has the skills to play cornerback, he was also a two-year starter at safety, and the Cowboys believe he can be a true center-field safety in the back end of Rod Marinelli’s scheme. They don’t want to overwhelm Jones with too much too soon his rookie year, but a move to safety, like what New England did with Devin McCourty, is a real possibility.
My take: The Cowboys needed secondary and pass-rush help, and they covered both areas with Jones and Gregory. These players have a chance to be special. There are some ifs involved with both players, however. Does Jones have a true position? Can Gregory stay on the straight and narrow? Based on what we think we know now, the Cowboys came away with immediate defensive help. Thumbs up.
