An NFL roster is ever changing. Despite a salary cap once again on a steady rise, there never seems to be enough room to keep everyone. For Dallas, which has done a great job of hitting on more of their draft picks than most organizations, they’ve been able to build a foundation that has finally led to some level of sustained success. But regardless of how the 2022 season finishes, whether with the ultimate success of a championship, the frustration of an early playoff exit or somewhere in between, the Cowboys will have holes to fill come April.
So it’s time to start getting to know some of the top draft prospects they will need to consider to plug those vacancies. Some of the holes are apparent, like cornerback. Dallas has Trevon Diggs, who unless there’s an early extension will be entering his walk year in 2023. Opposite him, though, there appears to be a glaring gap. Dallas also could use help at linebacker, where both veteran starters are on one year deals and both top prospect youngsters are recovering from devastating injuries. The interior of the defensive line still needs work as well, and that’s not even considering the help needed on offense.
The backup QB is almost assuredly gettin offered good money to leave. Cooper Rush’s 5-1 record as a starter is eye-catching for a team and while Dallas might want to give Will Grier that shot, they also need to consider that they have zero way of forcing Dak Prescott to staying beyond 2024. They might need to build in some protection. In between, there are a few other spots to address.
We try to accomplish that in our way-too-early first mock of the year. Our favorite simulator is having technical difficulties right now, so we resorted to using the one on Pro Football Focus. PFF does a good job scouting the college ranks, but their rankings tend to be a bit off the beaten path. That’s generally a good thing, but it can make things feel a bit unrealistic when players fall well below their projections.
That’s the case this week, but it’s mid-December. Deal with it.