Inside The Star
Yesterday, Cody Warren wrote that the Dallas Cowboys should not draft a running back in the first round.
Don’t get me wrong. I like Cody.
He’s a good guy, a great writer, and a welcome addition to the staff here.
But on this issue, he’s all hat and no cattle.
Don’t worry, he’s still in better condition than Jerry Jones. The Cowboys’ owner has no hat, no cattle, and nothing but a field full of cow manure.
Cody’s piece asks the Cowboys to focus on the offensive and defensive lines in April’s draft.
In other words, wash, rinse, and repeat. How’s that been working out lately?
In 2022, the Cowboys drafted Tyler Smith (offensive guard) and Sam Williams (defensive end). Those two picks can still both pay off.
It will depend on Williams’ recovery from knee surgery.
In 2023, Dallas skipped on offensive guard O’Cyrus Torrence not once, but twice.
Torrence is playing in the AFC Championship game on Sunday.
Instead, the Cowboys took defensive tackle Mazi Smith and tight end Luke Schoonmaker. Both players are busts.
Both players will be watching the conference title games on television with the rest of us.
This past April, Dallas reached for right tackle Tyler Guyton and defensive end Marshawn Kneeland.
Guyton did not impress at left tackle, and was replaced as a starter during the season. Kneeland battled his own knee injury and had an unremarkable season.
If the Cowboys take Cody’s advice – which is shared by many others – Dallas would focus on their lines for the third-straight draft.
And it would be their third-straight bad draft.
As the lines stand now, the Cowboys have their starters on both sides of the ball.
Offensive Line
Defensive Line
This is not the draft Dallas needs to burn more first and second round picks on linemen. It is time to focus on the area that is holding the Cowboys back.
What Dallas lacks are playmakers. Players you can put the ball into their hands and let them cook.
The Cowboys have one such player on offense – CeeDee Lamb.
That’s really all they have.
Dak Prescott is no longer a playmaker. He can’t run like he used to.
That hamstring injury last year isn’t going to make that fact go away either.
His decision making as a passer is also suspect lately.
Rico Dowdle is not a bell cow running back.
He can be a great change of pace back, like Tony Pollard was for Ezekiel Elliott a few years back. Or, a Justice Hill in Baltimore for Derrick Henry.
But the guy who can carry the offense on his...
