With the draft only three weeks away, it’s time to look closer at team needs for every NFL club. (Translation: We’re desperate for new content.)
We’ll be rolling a few team needs posts per day in the rumor mill. Now up: The Cowboys.
OL: The team’s best tackle (Doug Free) is a free agent. So is guard Kyle Kosier. Their other tackle (Marc Colombo) and highest paid lineman (Leonard Davis) should be replaced sooner than later. The Cowboys may reach for a pick at No. 9 because the need is so great.
DE: A position that Bill Parcells emphasized has slowly deteriorated. Marcus Spears will leave, while Stephen Bowen and Jason Hatcher are free agents. It’s a problem when Igor Olshansky is the bedrock of the position. Taking an end in the first round could be a better value considering this offensive line class.
S: Jerry Jones overpays a safety every few years (Roy Williams, Ken Hamlin), but he doesn’t have the option via free agency yet. Barry Church showed promise as a rookie and Gerald Sensabaugh might be brought back, but no one here is irreplaceable.
LB: Anthony Spencer is a free agent after 2011, so the team could use a situational pass rusher that could develop along with Victor Butler. While inside linebacker looks stocked, Keith Brooking shouldn’t be on this team that much longer.
Overview: The Cowboys are built like a fantasy team: They are deep at the skill positions and they ignore the kicker. They could use help everywhere else, including cornerback where Terence Newman’s contract remains a problem.
Dallas’ last two drafts have been so-so at best. They need to do better this year or a significant talent drain will catch up to them in coming seasons.