Dallas shouldn’t focus just on defense this offseason.
Taylor Decker spent the last 10 seasons in Detroit after being drafted in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
During his time in Detroit, everyone knows he became one of the most dependable tackles in the league.
Taylor Decker is the type of reliability I think the Cowboys need at left tackle.
Yes, he has missed a few games, but even last season he was still heavily involved in Detroit’s offense. He played 893 of 1,099 offensive snaps, which is roughly 81% of the Lions’ offensive plays.
This is a starting left tackle who can still play a major role.
The Real Benefit: Moving Tyler Guyton to Right Tackle
This is where I feel the move could be interesting for the Cowboys.
Signing Taylor Decker would allow Tyler Guyton to move to his more natural position of right tackle. This is the position he played at the University of Oklahoma, and excelled.
It’s time for Dallas to (hopefully) get external help.
Extend Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, add $28.6 million in space
This is laid out in detail in the above link, but adding real years and void years to their two defensive tackles really needs to happen this weekend. Especially with Quinnen Williams, this is the centerpiece of the shift to a 3-4 defense and creating room to add pieces while investing in the core is smart on multiple fronts. Anger just isn’t a premiere punter since signing his extension and can be replaced for net savings. Pull these moves off this weekend and the club is sitting at almost $42 million in cap space.
Step 1: Sign Linebacker Nakobe Dean – $3.8 million cap hit
This seems like the simplest fit. Dean was the middle linebacker who wore the green dot for the defense where Cowboys current DC Christian Parker worked the last two seasons. Dean has an injury history, and is coming off a down year compared to his 2024 breakout, but he’s seen as being in line for a good payday.
Jerry may have made the right move in abstaining.
Adam Schefter reported that the Cowboys were willing to offer as much as a first- and-second-round pick, so it’s hard to fault them for missing out. That would have been hard to part with, but they’d still have two first-rounders to work with over the next two years.
According to NFL insider James Palmer, however, Dallas offered a first-rounder, a second-rounder, “and more.”
The Dallas Cowboys nearly gave up way too much for Maxx Crosby
Well, that is absolutely terrifying.
Multiple reports confirmed that Dallas had no intention of giving up two first-round picks, so their offer likely never reached that level.
However, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram pondered if trading a first-rounder, a second-rounder, and a player would be more palatable. Harris reported that the Raiders had been “keen on the idea of taking an interior defensive lineman in a deal.”
While Quinnen Williams is not for sale, Harris noted that Kenny Clark and Osa Odighizuwa have contracts that can be moved, suggesting that Dallas may have been willing to part with one of them to bring in Crosby. That has not been confirmed.
There are other pass rushers on the market.
That was the term used by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Sunday morning’s edition of Sportscenter. Fowler added that the team would have to pivot and named some of the options they’re expected tp pursue either by free agency or through trade.
“They have to pivot. They were devastated they did not land Maxx Crosby. They just had limits as far as how they would go with the draft picks. But if they want to stick with a trade theme, Minnesota’s Jonathan Greenard could make some sense for a day-two pick; a high day-two pick is what Minnesota is looking for. He also needs a new contract. He has two years left on his current deal at around $38 million in total, so he would want to re-up. Teams are grappling with whether that’s worth it or not, but certainly there are several that have checked in on that,” Fowler said via Adam Wells of Bleacher Report.
“I believe Dallas is one of them, but they’re also going to have some options in free agency. Odafe Oweh from the Los Angeles Chargers, Boye Mafe is a sneaky option there in sort of that next tier. Jaelan Phillips, the Eagles are trying to keep Phillips on a new deal, but if he gets free, Dallas could knock on the doors there. Trey Hendrickson is the big name. He’s 31 years old but he’s a premier pass rusher. He’s going to have a huge market so it depends on how much Dallas is willing to spend. I don’t know if they want to go that high for Hendrickson just yet.”
In draft-related news.
Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
Listed as Mel Kiper’s number two safety, Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman has a lot of traits to consider. The first thing that stands out is his instincts. In 2023, he recorded six interceptions while playing for Purdue, primarily by doing a great job of reading the eyes of the quarterback and using his excellent range to track the football. He’s also a very productive tackler, recording on average over 100 tackles in each of the past three seasons.
Once arriving at the combine, Thieneman put himself further on the map with an impressive showing for those in attendance. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds while also posting a broad jump of 10’5” and a vertical jump of 41”. Thieneman isn’t just an exceptional athlete; he has the mental makeup to put himself in the right position and gives the effort to make the tackle once he properly diagnoses the play. He’s not an elite man-coverage defender, but he will create turnovers and limit plays down the field. He’s likely to be drafted between the late first round and the middle of the second.
