With the season over, it was time to take stock of what happened to make the performance so poor in 2020. Once that stage is over, it’s time to look forward. The NFL calendar offers two instances for franchises to reinforce their rosters depending on their goals. The first of these is precisely free agency.
Here large numbers are usually given to those who ended their contracts with their previous teams. However, that will not be the case for Dallas. It is true that this year it will be difficult to see so many onerous movements due to the economic situation caused by the coronavirus. But the real reasons are different.
As a fundamental issue, it should be noted that this is not the way Jerry Jones operates. Generally speaking, the Cowboys are never the biggest spenders in this period. The focus is always on finding important parts at a low price to fill in some gaps. To this must be added that there is currently no urgent need on this side of the ball.
2021 Projected Salary Cap Space Leaders.
Full list at https://t.co/JdRg7AJ5FG under the 2021 tab pic.twitter.com/T4R0IacEPN
— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) November 15, 2020
Although the main reason is that there will not be much money available to invest. Dak Prescott will likely take up most of the available salary space. Whether by making the mistake of appointing him a new franchise tag or signing a multi-year bond, the margin left will be very narrow. Much more if it is the first case.
The offense is very well built if everyone comes back from injuries. This makes free agency a long shot for this unit. However, in such a competitive league it never hurts to see if there are interesting options on the market. We’ll talk a little more specifically about who might be available below.
What does Dallas need on offense?
Logically the most important thing is what will happen to Prescott. If the Joneses somehow manage to screw up that negotiation, this will undoubtedly be the primary quest. But assuming the quarterback remains on the team in either way, there are no glaring weaknesses to cover.
With Andy Dalton leaving, maybe a reliable backup will be important, but there are too many concerns on defense for this to become a priority. The offensive line is then the place to be reckoned with because casualties were an anchor for optimal unit performance.
Where Kellen Moore can rest easy is in skill positions. The wide receiver spot will only require filling in the face of the possibility of Noah Brown and Cedrick Wilson leaving. Blake Bell could go too. However, their replacements in case they don’t remain in the franchise should come through rookies.
Who could be available?
The great weakness of the offense was in the tackles sector. Having Tyron Smith in just two games was a huge shock. The other thing that didn’t help is that La’el Collins was on the disabled list all season. This is why both Brandon Knight and Terence Steele were forced to contribute without being very prepared.
It was shown that it is not convenient to settle for little in that position because the price can be high. Luckily Dallas is covered there from no physical inconvenience. But in case they don’t create successful recoveries from Smith or Collins possible, a high pick in the draft should be the solution. Not a cheap free agent.
To project who the franchise could hire, it is essential to take into account the money they will be able to use. It makes no sense to mention examples like Trent Williams for that reason. That leads to considering more realistic scenarios to include old acquaintances if they don’t see Knight or Steele as decent-level backups.
#DallasCowboys offensive tackles Zack Martin & Cam Erving to miss multiple weeks due to injury
Breaking News | @lgus
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 27, 2020
The simplest thing would be to give Cameron Erving another chance. The veteran tackle was injured for several weeks last season, but his knowledge of the scheme along with its low price could see him return in 2021. Erving was able to be in just six games, of which he had offensive snaps in five of them.
The other possibility to at least analyze is Cameron Fleming. This may be tricky because the swing tackle started all 16 games of the season for the Giants for the only time in his career. New York could then hold him. Fleming was part of the Cowboys totaling 28 appearances between 2018 and 2019, with six starts.
As for the interior linemen, the gap is smaller. Joe Looney will be an unrestricted free agent, so there will be a spot to fill out. Surely the starter will be Tyler Biadasz because of the confidence that is placed on the fourth-round pick in 2020. Although thinking of a veteran to have depth is logical.
In this example the best alternative is still on the roster at least until March because re-signing Looney is the ideal situation. The veteran would be a solid replacement for the experience he has in the franchise. If the center doesn’t get an offer to be an important piece on another team, it would be wise to retain it.
