The Dallas Cowboys already made big moves by retaining Amari Cooper and Dak Prescott, but they can win the offseason with a few more shrewd signings.
The NFC East was a thoroughly mediocre division last season with the Philadelphia Eagles winning it at 9-7. The Dallas Cowboys had the most talent in the division but underachieved at 8-8, leading to a coaching change from Jason Garrett to Mike McCarthy.
The new staff should be able to get more out of a very good roster and Jerry Jones has already shelled out big bucks to retain Amari Cooper. A long term contract with Dak Prescott is also a priority, but the Cowboys can make a big push towards winning the offseason with a few more shrewd moves.
Sign Jadeveon Clowney
One area where the Cowboys could use a boost is in their pass rush and the top guy still on the market is Jadeveon Clowney. A former top overall pick in the draft, Clowney had a solid year in Seattle but has not seen the type of offers he is interested in on the market to date.
There is an opportunity here for the Cowboys to make a value play for Clowney, utilizing the fact that Texas has no state income tax to get the most out of his next contract. Clowney could be a game-wrecker on the Cowboys’ defense opposite Demarcus Lawrence since teams couldn’t double-team him all the time.
Sign Xavier Rhodes
The Cowboys have a gaping hole in their secondary with Byron Jones off to Miami for the NFL’s richest contract in the cornerback market. With Prescott being tagged the Cowboys had to choose between paying Jones or Cooper, opting to keep Prescott’s favorite target around long term.
The draft is an option to find a long term answer but the Cowboys need to sign a veteran to help fill Jones’ shoes right now. The top corner on the market is former Viking Xavier Rhodes, who was cut in a cost-saving measure by Minnesota. Rhodes is 30 years old so this would need to be a short term deal but he might be willing to leave a bit of money on the table for a better shot at a ring.
Take a shot that Jordan Reed stays healthy
The Cowboys also need to find a tight end after Jason Witten departed for Las Vegas. Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz are good complementary pieces but Dallas needs to find a difference-maker over the middle.
The most interesting tight end on the market is Jordan Reed, who has flashed All-Pro ability but has had a lot of trouble staying healthy in recent years. Reed will likely need a one-year prove-it deal to rebuild his value and there might not be a better place to do that than in a loaded offense like the one in Dallas.
A deal like that would come at low financial risk for the Cowboys and also have a massive reward if Reed stays healthy. That kind of swing can put Dallas over the top if it hits, and aggressive moves like this can help the Cowboys take advantage of a win-now window in a very winnable division.