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Worst NFL offseason move for each of the 32 teams

By Randy Gurzi

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 22: Bud Dupree #48 of the Pittsburgh Steelers encourages the crowd against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on December 22, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 22: Bud Dupree #48 of the Pittsburgh Steelers encourages the crowd against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on December 22, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /
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NFL 2021
Jun 3, 2021; Frisco, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (11) goes through drills during voluntary Organized Team Activities at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /

Dallas Cowboys: Thinking linebackers are more important than they are (and that safeties are not)

No matter who the coach of the Dallas Cowboys is, they seem to be stuck in the wrong era. For years, Jason Garrett was in charge and he seemed to think it was the 1990s as he wanted to do nothing but run the ball. He was even a huge part of them giving a massive extension to Ezekiel Elliott as they declared him “the straw that stirs the drink.”

So with every other team moving into a passing-oriented offense, Garrett and the Cowboys often fell behind. There’s a chance they could start to move away from this now with Mike McCarthy but in his second season, it seems he decided to turn the clock back on his defense.

Dallas did wisely move on from Mike Nolan and replaced him with Dan Quinn but with Quinn’s influence, they decided to start acting as though linebackers are the most important piece on a defense. The truth of the matter is, linebackers are much like running backs in that they can be replaced with mid-round options and aren’t nearly as important as defensive linemen or the secondary.

For the Cowboys, they decided to sign Keanu Neal and move him from safety to linebacker, and then they drafted two more linebackers including Micah Parsons at No. 12. This was despite having Jaylon Smith on a monster contract that he hasn’t lived up to (much like the Zeke one that was mentioned earlier) and Leighton Vander Esch who they took in Round 1 of the 2018 NFL Draft.

As for safeties, they took none. They did decide to move Israel Mukuamu to safety, but still he was a cornerback at South Carolina and went in the sixth round — making him a project player which is what they just had in Xavier Woods as well as Donovan Wilson.

For whatever reason, they continue to treat safety as an afterthought and linebacker as king. It has failed them before and could once again unless one of their project players surprises them and turns out to be a steal.

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