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5 Cowboys draft questions; Was Jason Garrett completely on board with Randy Gregory pick?
Jon Machota
To switch things up a little bit, I’m giving my thoughts on this year’s Dallas Cowboys draft by answering the following five questions. Feel free to share your answers in the comments section below.
Randy Gregory. Yes, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered here, but if he’s able to stay on the right path off the field, Gregory has the potential to be a Pro Bowl caliber player. For a team that has so badly needed pass rush over the last few years, Gregory fills a major need. Not often does arguably the draft’s top pass rusher fall to pick No. 60. Also, considering that Greg Hardy is only under a one-year contract, Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence suddenly give the Cowboys a group of affordable young edge rushers for the next few seasons. It was a risky pick, but one I’m completely on board with.
Which Cowboys pick are you least excited about?
Texas tight end Geoff Swaim. Nothing against Swaim, he could end up being a really good blocking tight end. But how excited is anyone supposed to get over a blocking tight end near the end of the seventh round? Also, I was just about finished writing on Saturday after the Laurence Gibson pick and then the Cowboys traded back into the final round to make another selection. It gave me more work to do! So, yes, I’m being selfish. But good luck to Swaim, hope he makes the team.
Are you worried about not addressing the running back position?
If I was a Cowboys fan I’d be a little concerned. It’s unlikely that Darren McFadden will come close to having the impact DeMarco Murray had, despite Jerry Jones making several comparisons between the two on Saturday. The combination of McFadden, Joseph Randle, Lance Dunbar and Ryan Williams could be a good group, but I favor a bell cow backfield over a committee. The Patriots have won with a committee. It can obviously work. Jay Ajayi would’ve been nice if it weren’t for the concerns with his knee. Then again, he probably wouldn’t have been there in the third or fourth round if he had two healthy knees. I will say this, I don’t think they’re done at the position. I’d keep a close eye on running backs that are cut as we get closer to the season.
What will it take for this Cowboys draft to be a success?
If Randy Gregory stays out of trouble and Chaz Green becomes the team’s future starting right tackle. If both happen, the Cowboys will have a quality pass rusher and they’ll avoid having to spend a high round pick on an offensive tackle a couple years from now. The last five picks are just icing on the cake. If the Cowboys hit on the first three, this draft will be a success.
Most fun or interesting thing I saw or heard in the draft:
The most interesting thing to me is always the draft room camera. As the Cowboys were closing in on making their second round pick, Jason Garrett didn’t seem as excited as the others in the room. There were several serious discussions between the Cowboys head coach and Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones, Rod Marinelli and Will McClay. Did Garrett need to be talked into the pick? Stephen Jones assured reporters after the second day of the draft that everyone in the room was 100 percent in agreement on the pick. But I wonder if Garrett wanted to go in another direction. Perhaps running back? Garrett loves a bell cow back and Tevin Coleman and Duke Johnson were still available.
Jon Machota
To switch things up a little bit, I’m giving my thoughts on this year’s Dallas Cowboys draft by answering the following five questions. Feel free to share your answers in the comments section below.
Randy Gregory. Yes, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered here, but if he’s able to stay on the right path off the field, Gregory has the potential to be a Pro Bowl caliber player. For a team that has so badly needed pass rush over the last few years, Gregory fills a major need. Not often does arguably the draft’s top pass rusher fall to pick No. 60. Also, considering that Greg Hardy is only under a one-year contract, Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence suddenly give the Cowboys a group of affordable young edge rushers for the next few seasons. It was a risky pick, but one I’m completely on board with.
Which Cowboys pick are you least excited about?
Texas tight end Geoff Swaim. Nothing against Swaim, he could end up being a really good blocking tight end. But how excited is anyone supposed to get over a blocking tight end near the end of the seventh round? Also, I was just about finished writing on Saturday after the Laurence Gibson pick and then the Cowboys traded back into the final round to make another selection. It gave me more work to do! So, yes, I’m being selfish. But good luck to Swaim, hope he makes the team.
Are you worried about not addressing the running back position?
If I was a Cowboys fan I’d be a little concerned. It’s unlikely that Darren McFadden will come close to having the impact DeMarco Murray had, despite Jerry Jones making several comparisons between the two on Saturday. The combination of McFadden, Joseph Randle, Lance Dunbar and Ryan Williams could be a good group, but I favor a bell cow backfield over a committee. The Patriots have won with a committee. It can obviously work. Jay Ajayi would’ve been nice if it weren’t for the concerns with his knee. Then again, he probably wouldn’t have been there in the third or fourth round if he had two healthy knees. I will say this, I don’t think they’re done at the position. I’d keep a close eye on running backs that are cut as we get closer to the season.
What will it take for this Cowboys draft to be a success?
If Randy Gregory stays out of trouble and Chaz Green becomes the team’s future starting right tackle. If both happen, the Cowboys will have a quality pass rusher and they’ll avoid having to spend a high round pick on an offensive tackle a couple years from now. The last five picks are just icing on the cake. If the Cowboys hit on the first three, this draft will be a success.
Most fun or interesting thing I saw or heard in the draft:
The most interesting thing to me is always the draft room camera. As the Cowboys were closing in on making their second round pick, Jason Garrett didn’t seem as excited as the others in the room. There were several serious discussions between the Cowboys head coach and Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones, Rod Marinelli and Will McClay. Did Garrett need to be talked into the pick? Stephen Jones assured reporters after the second day of the draft that everyone in the room was 100 percent in agreement on the pick. But I wonder if Garrett wanted to go in another direction. Perhaps running back? Garrett loves a bell cow back and Tevin Coleman and Duke Johnson were still available.
