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By Bob Sturm Jun 9, 2020
If you remember the first weekend of 2020, you will clearly recall the odd reports out of Frisco that the Cowboys weren’t completely sold on a new coach and that Jerry Jones had not ruled out another year(s) of Jason Garrett. We have since had those reports confirmed, and it took Mike McCarthy calming those mixed emotions for Dallas to firmly move on from the Jason Garrett era.
The deal got done on January 5th. We are now over 150 days down that road, and we can certainly argue it feels like 500. McCarthy will tell you that he has barely seen the inside of the Cowboys’ facility and has instead been bunkered down in his Green Bay home for much of that time. But that doesn’t mean his football team has sat idly by.
Below are the many changes this roster has undergone. To the best of my knowledge, these lists are correct, although they are missing less-significant names used for developmental spots or roster and camp filler. But these are the big spots of addition and subtraction from the 2019 squad that seemed to wildly underachieve and thus cost Garrett his job.
Teams chase parades, and this organization has seen an entire generation of fans be born and go through college without anything resembling a close call since February of 1996. Perhaps because of that, 17 new significant players were added, which exceeds and confirms what we see just about every year in terms of turnover (the average is usually around 14 or 15). Let’s look at the additions (especially those I haven’t spent much time on) as we head into the quiet time of summer on the transaction wires.
Let’s start with the offense using the Ourlads depth chart.
As you can see, the offense remains largely unchanged aside from three significant changes in the starting group.
First, as you know, Randall Cobb went to Houston for way more than what seemed logical (good for him), and the Cowboys fell into an amazing upgrade with CeeDee Lamb, who I have said over and over is the best wide receiver in this 2020 draft. I assume once that player gets settled in, we will see some astronomical growth in the passing game thanks to three receivers who demand coverage. Add to that the expanded use of a tight end down the seams, and we should see some real options available to Dak Prescott.
Speaking of, Blake Jarwin’s elevation at tight end is big, even though it does not really involve an outside addition unless bumping Blake Bell into some sort of meaningful role counts. (I am skeptical about what that role might be, by the way, as Lamb’s presence hopefully forces the Cowboys to stray from thinking they want to run too much 12 or 13 personnel in 2020 and leaving Michael Gallup or Lamb on the sideline to do so.)
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the Cowboys are finding a new center. Tyler Biadasz will eventually be that guy, but it might require a brief installment plan that starts with veteran Joe Looney in the short term. There is no real rush to push the young Biadasz out there, but his future is bright and it is expected to begin very soon.
Otherwise, the Andy Dalton move might not result in a single snap in 2020. Then again, it could be 1,000. When your starting QB is unsigned and unhappy, you had better believe the upgrade from Cooper Rush to Andy Dalton is significant. His mental processor alone is valuable for the possibility of being thrust into duty. No, he doesn’t have anything close to Prescott’s ability or potential upside moving forward, but he is also miles beyond Rush in just about every way.
Finally, I am not crazy about Cam Fleming being flipped for Cam Erving, but neither are starters in the NFL, so debating this point is probably about figuring out who is a 4.1 and who is a 3.9 on a scale of 1-10. Fleming is better, but neither is worth writing home about.
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS ON OFFENSE:
WR – CeeDee Lamb – Age 21
C – Tyler Biadasz – Age 21 – Here is my review from last month of Biadasz.
QB – Andy Dalton – Age 32 – Here is my review from last month of Dalton
TE – Blake Bell – Age 29
T – Cam Erving – Age 28
Now, here is where things get interesting for sure. Let’s look at the defense.
I think we can make the case there are as many as 10 names added to this defense who should really be able to improve or change this entire operation. Obviously, this type of change also means that so much has left the team, as well, so we are wildly speculating about the improvement part when logic says the losses of Byron Jones and Robert Quinn could be mitigated by a number of small additions. Those two are the most significant subtractions of the team (Travis Frederick’s retirement might also say something about that) and imagining smaller pieces can bring it all together is optimistic.
So, let’s hope. Here are the 10 additions to the “top 22” defense.
Gerald McCoy – DT – Age 32 – Here is my look at McCoy from March.
McCoy is a very high-workload DT who should instantly upgrade the 3-technique spot in a big way. We assume he can take on 40-50 snaps per game and will be a factor. There is very little chance that he is the same guy he was back in his late 20s, but he wouldn’t be available for the very appealing price tag Dallas signed him to if he were. Perhaps more importantly, he’s here to provide a loud voice in the room from a vocal veteran presence well known from his travels in this league. A leader of men lined up next to Tank Lawrence has a chance to be a very good duo that will work together to create opportunities for each other.
Dontari Poe – DT – Age 30
This massive DT and 1-technique is an early-down speed bump who should fulfill the dreams of so many wanting exactly that sort of player up front. We anticipate that Poe, who was also a bigger issue three-plus seasons ago, will share time with Antwan Woods up front while Neville Gallimore should be able to go back and forth depending on what is needed. The turnover up front is remarkable, and it brings an infusion of DT talent.
Neville Gallimore – DT – Age 23
The ability to add Big Neville was never expected, but when he slid to the Cowboys in Round 3, I assume they were left with no choice but to take him. Ourlads likes him more at the 1-tech, but I don’t think I like him there as much as I do at the 3-tech, where his initial quickness is remarkable. That decision will surely be all about the rebound year of Trysten Hill. Not impossible, especially with a brand-new coaching staff, but he better know he is on notice as some sort of Taco Charlton redux.
Aldon Smith – Edge – Age 30 – Here is my look at Aldon Smith from April
This one didn’t even make the Ourlads depth chart. That is nutty to me, as I think there is a great chance Smith will not only be a part of the rotation, but has a real chance to be a full-time player and perhaps match the 647 snaps that Robert Quinn played while being much better against the run. Does he have anywhere close to the twitch that made him one of the most feared pass rushers by age 25? Probably not. But, still, there is no reason he can’t be the best edge on the roster not named Lawrence.
Randy Gregory – Edge – Age 27
It’s hard to believe he is still just 27 years old, and while most people are checked out on his ability after multiple marijuana suspensions, we can get back to watching him do some amazing work off the edge as a freak of nature after the league’s (and society’s) movement on that policy. His 2018 was incredibly underrated, and I think lining him up with Aldon Smith opposite Lawrence is a great plan. This gives them two mighty options on the outside, and if you are looking for a massive personnel upgrade on the team, it has to be a defensive line that looks far more threatening after adding five new significant faces.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix – S – Age 27
I think this move can go in two obviously different directions. If you ask him to simply help account for Jeff Heath leaving and replacing average play, you have something here. If you want him to be the outstanding safety he was in his first few years in the NFL, the last few have certainly not shown many clues of that. He has taken poor angles, made odd decisions and been nowhere near the player he was. But he does find the ball and should be an upgrade in that department, and that is what the Cowboys want. His price was very low, but I suspect we might bet his impact will not equal the name recognition. Let’s give it a fair chance, though.
Photo: Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
Trevon Diggs – CB – Age 22
The draft depended on Dallas getting some high-end talent that could play press-man coverage and gives them a chance to have a player who can match the skill set of a Byron Jones at a significantly lower price tag. For them to add that in the second round is absolutely phenomenal value. I had questions about how much I valued him near the top 20, but I was amazed to see them get this player at the 51st pick.
Reggie Robinson – CB – Age 23 – Here is my full review of his work from April
Robinson is a very interesting pick who I would like to caution might require a little more finishing than Diggs. But with Chido Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis on expiring contracts, this is a significant piece to have handy for 2021, in particular. Robinson is another press-man cover guy who has that long, athletic body and can be a force to be reckoned with moving forward.
Maurice Canady – CB – Age 26
Canady is a veteran who played in two places last season and has had his issues staying fit and available. I suspect he was a March signing that gave the Cowboys some cover and less desperation heading into the draft about taking a corner. He was the insurance policy Dallas needed, and now he can play while Robinson and even Diggs acclimate to the NFL. They wanted options, and now they have them.
Daryl Worley – CB – Age 25
Worley had to have been a pre-draft agreement that was not announced earlier due to the resulting draft-pick compensation. That is the only explanation I have for a player who I don’t really believe they have roster room for, but perhaps he will battle Canady for the last corner spot on the roster. That said, he has played more snaps last year than Canady in his whole career. Meanwhile, Canady is a much better athlete, and if this team truly wants to be able to play plenty of Cover 1, I think Canady’s speed is significantly better. We shall see.
That brings us to 15 new names on this depth chart (and a few more draft picks we didn’t even mention)? That means there is a lot competition for jobs with veterans who no longer have their coaching advocates still on the staff. It is highly possible the Cowboys had a very impressive offseason, but it will be with fewer headline-grabbing names and more strength in numbers.
But I believe when you look at each move and the ramifications of each, we begin to see how the full-sum the changes could actually be.
