Dallas Cowboys must keep Dez Bryant, stand pat until draft

Despite some glaring needs and no cap room, the Dallas Cowboys must stand pat until the 2018 NFL Draft. That includes keeping Dez Bryant, who is still the best player in the Cowboys’ passing game.

No matter how poor or successful a team’s season was, there are always major offseason questions on the front burner. The NFL turns over too much for even the best teams to advance a calendar year unscathed. Let’s continue the team-by-team overview with the Dallas Cowboys.

In 2016, the Cowboys were a great surprise. In 2017, partially thanks to Ezekiel Elliott‘s unavailability, the team was disappointed to finish 9-7 and miss the playoffs. Now, during the 2018 offseason, Dallas has done next to nothing and has no cap room to change that. Is this a problem?

Two brothers from New York, Dan Salem and Todd Salem, debate the Dallas Cowboys in today’s NFL Sports Debate.

Todd Salem:

The most obvious move Dallas could make is releasing Dez Bryant, who has looked like a shell of his former Pro Bowl self. That would give the Cowboys $8 million in cap room but no number-one wide receiver, which is a major issue. If you believe in Dez even a little bit, he cannot be cut. The Dallas offense is still primed to be one of the best in the NFC with that offensive line and running game. If there are no outside threats, the Dallas offense suddenly becomes what the Bills were when they lead the league in rushing.

It seems like standing pat heading into the NFL Draft is the best move for Dallas, but that is a hard pill to swallow for a fan base that got a taste in 2016 and had it taken away. Dak Prescott is making less than half of what fullback Jamize Olawale will pull in this season. If that isn’t a building block, I don’t know what is.

The Dallas defense continues to lack, even with the breakout season from DeMarcus Lawrence. That is the side of the ball that really needs to be addressed, which makes a potential cut of Bryant and subsequent drafting of a wide receiver at 19th overall in April seem foolish. In SB Nation’s roundup of mocks, nine of 15 writers have Dallas selecting a wide receiver with that pick, without even knowing if Bryant will be around.

More from NFL Spin Zone

• Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
• Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
• Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
• Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
• Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens

Doing so would mean the team creates a hole just to fill it and gain some cap space, though the replacement would likely be worse than what existed. And heading into the first week of April, who is the difference-maker Dallas is clambering to sign with that extra space? They weren’t getting Ndamukong Suh with $8 million. Terrelle Pryor would not have been the answer after the 2017 he just had, and Allen Hurns is hardly a game-changer at the position. Same goes for Deonte Thompson.

If the team waits until after June 1 to cut Bryant, it would gain an extra $4 million in cap space, meaning they would have even more room to spend and even fewer players to spend it on. This club is really in a tough spot thanks to little room for maneuverability. The best move seems to be making no move at all, addressing the defense in the draft, and hoping for a renaissance season from Bryant.

Dan Salem:

The addition of Hurns may make some folks think that Bryant is surely gone, yet these two players are not on the same level. I’m a big fan of Hurns and what he adds to an offense, but we have no evidence to suggest he can be the number one guy. As Dallas’ second option he will excel, assuming Bryant is still a member of this offense.

Outside of a gift from the football gods, one that lands this team a stud free agent for far less than his going rate, I see no way that the Cowboys can do anything other than stand pat until draft day. Snatching up Hurns was a shrewd move with little risk and lots of room for reward. As you noted, getting rid of Bryant to free up cap space in order to add another player is foolish. No matter who they add, he won’t be as good as Bryant still is.

Perhaps the Cowboys feel they can win without Bryant, assuming they bolster the defense sufficiently. This is again a foolhardy line of thinking. Dallas was dominant because they had Pro Bowl talent at wide receiver, running back, and quarterback. The tight end position has dropped off in recent years, but was once an area of strength for this team as well. To say the hole left by Bryant would be huge is an understatement. You can’t simply replace his kind of talent immediately, unless the Cowboys somehow trade for Odell Beckham Jr. Apparently the Giants have forgotten how great he was and how hard it is to replace that kind of talent.

I understand why you’re against Dallas drafting a wide receiver, but I’m a believer in the “best player available” draft strategy. This is especially true of the first and second rounds. Take the best player, because adding greatness to your roster always works out. You can handle the repercussions later.

More NFL: Will Matt Patricia Take Detroit Lions To New Heights?

If that player is a wide receiver, then the Cowboys better draft him. If its a defensive end or cornerback, then select that player. Dallas has done a great job of drafting stars in recent years, so I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt. They can wait and improve through the draft. It might not get them ahead of the Eagles, but it should keep them in front of Washington and New York.