By all accounts, the Cowboys are extremely happy with Tyler Guyton, the player they selected in the first round of this spring’s draft. The just-turned-23-year-old out of Oklahoma is expected to take over for eight-time Pro Bowler Tyron Smith and become the franchise’s left tackle of the future.
The Cowboys were even able to trade back five spots to get him, and they scored an extra third-round pick for the trouble.
But the rest of the draft might have worked out very differently if the Arizona Cardinals had gotten their way.
In the latest edition of the team’s Flight Plan YouTube series, the Cardinals reveal that general manager Monti Ossenfort was trying hard to move up from 27th to 24th, the spot originally held by the Cowboys.
“We’re talking to Dallas,” Ossenfort told Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell as Miami was still on the clock at No. 21. “Dallas is interested in bailing.”
They were indeed. With three picks to go before the Joneses would be up, there were more first-round prospects than that still on the Cowboys’ board. Sliding back, even just a couple spots, would allow them to get one of their targets… and amass a little extra draft capital to boot. The phone lines in Frisco were suddenly burning.
Ossenfort called the Cowboys and offered Picks 27 and 104 in exchange for 24 and 174.
“Obviously,” he added, “if our guy is there.”
When the Cowboys’ turn finally came around, they did trade the pick. But they had done a deal with Detroit. The Lions had offered Picks 29 and 73, getting the 24th selection and a 2025 seventh-rounder in return.
Detroit used the pick on Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold. Tackle Jordan Morgan and Duke center Graham Barton went next, to the Packers and Buccaneers, respectively. Arizona ended up staying put at 27 and still got Missouri defensive end Darius Robinson, who it appears they had been trying to jump Green Bay to get all along.
“Some of the best deals are the ones you don’t make,” Bidwell whispered to Ossenfort.
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The Chiefs selected Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy at 28. Then, although it was five spots later than planned, the Cowboys still walked away with a starting-caliber offensive lineman with the 29th pick.
But the trade had given Dallas an additional bite of the apple within in the top 75. They used it on Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe, who could very well be the Week 1 starter at center.
Had Dallas taken Ossenfort’s offer, the Cowboys could still have secured Guyton at 27. And while the deal would have caused them to miss out on Beebe, the 104th pick would have allowed them at least a chance at a running back like Tennessee’s Jaylen Wright, Oregon’s Bucky Irving, Clemson’s Will Shipley, Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen, or Notre Dame’s Audric Estimé.
The proposed Arizona trade would also have seen Dallas give up the pick they ultimately used on Wake Forest cornerback Caelen Carson.
Guyton/Beebe/Carson vs. Guyton/RB.
Time will tell if Bidwell was right about those deals you don’t make.
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