The Dallas Cowboys' Bargain Guide to the 2015 Offseason

With the Super Bowl in their sights, the Dallas Cowboys have to improve their team through free agency and the draft this offseason. To accomplish this task, the Cowboys need to stick to the plan that they have been utilizing the last few offseasons. 

That plan entails the Cowboys making fiscally responsible decisions that improve the depth of the team. Look at what the Cowboys did last season: They signed Jeremy Mincey for a bargain, and he proved to be more than worth it. 

Also, look at the draft, as they drastically improved the depth of their linebackers by selecting Anthony Hitchens in the fourth round, who proved to play much better than his draft position would indicate. 

Those are the types of moves the Cowboys need to try and replicate this offseason. 

Without further ado, let's look at the positions the Cowboys could fill at a bargain. 

Defensive End

Colin E. Braley/Associated Press

The Cowboys' No. 1 priority this offseason needs to be improving their pass rush, specifically from the defensive end position. They have DeMarcus Lawrence, who appears to be developing at a rapid rate, but they need to look for someone to consistently get after the quarterback alongside Lawrence. 

In free agency, the top two targets for the Cowboys should be the Baltimore Ravens' Pernell McPhee and the Philadelphia Eagles' Brandon Graham. 

Both players had extremely productive seasons last year while being extremely underutilized. They both played less than 550 cumulative snaps last year, per Pro Football Focus, and that is really a shame for two players who have played as well as they have. 

Because neither player has really broken through as a consistent starter, they should be able to be signed at much lower prices than their talents suggest. 

However, if the Cowboys went the draft route, there are a plethora of options that they could pursue. Another positive about going the draft route is that even if they choose a defensive end in the first round, it comes at a much cheaper price than almost all of the worthwhile free agents. 

One target the Cowboys could pursue is Virginia's Eli Harold. He is as talented as they come, as he has the upfield burst, bend and closing speed to consistently put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

He wasn't used ideally at Virginia, as it played him as a closed 5-technique defensive end on many occasions, which limits his effectiveness. However, when Harold was put at a more traditional 4-3 defensive end alignment, he was almost unstoppable.

Other targets include UCLA's Owamagbe Odighizuwa, Arkansas' Trey Flowers, LSU's Danielle Hunter and Utah's Nate Orchard. 

1-Technique Defensive Tackle

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

One position the Cowboys are always shopping for in the bargain bin is the 1-technique defensive tackle, or nose tackle. The Cowboys have proven over and over that they don't feel the nose tackle position is important enough to warrant significant resources allocated to it. 

This means that the next time Ndamukong Suh comes to Dallas, it will be in a visitors uniform. Even if the Cowboys wanted to bring him in to play the 3-technique defensive tackle, he is going to be way too expensive to warrant consideration. 

Therefore, the most realistic option in free agency for the Cowboys will be the Chicago Bears' Stephen Paea. He has all the tools that the Cowboys could possibly want in a nose tackle. He is extremely strong at the point of attack, and he knows how to take on double-teams and occupy blockers.

However, unlike any other nose tackle the Cowboys have had in the last two years, he can also provide some pass rush from the interior defensive line. 

Another route the Cowboys could go to fill this hole would be the draft. Nevertheless, the Cowboys would not allocate more than a mid-round pick to improving the position. That means players like Oklahoma's Jordan Phillips and Texas' Malcom Brown will not be options. 

The one player who could be a perfect fit is Northern Iowa's Xavier Williams. He has incredible length and strength to be able to plug his gap versus the run. He also has the quickness to be a penetrator and make some impact as a pass-rusher. 

The Cowboys wouldn't have to invest more than a third- or fourth-round pick to select Williams, which puts him right in their wheelhouse. 

Free Safety

Rick Bowmer/Associated Press

One position that the Cowboys will almost certainly not address in free agency is the free safety position. Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox have proven to be solid, but unspectacular, players for the back end of the defense. 

Nonetheless, this is a position the Cowboys could potentially improve through the draft. The one player who could push Wilcox or Church for a starting position on day one is Utah's Eric Rowe. 

Rowe has played safety for most of his career; however, the Utah coaches moved him to cornerback in his senior campaign to try and maximize the play of the defense. As was the case when he was at safety, Rowe played extremely well, to the point where many teams may still consider him as a cornerback at the next level. 

However, for the Cowboys, Rowe would best be utilized as a safety. He has the range, instincts and ball skills to be a true playmaker for the Cowboys in the back half of the defense. He has the ability to play as a single-high safety, or he can move down and match up with wide receivers or tight ends one-on-one. 

He compares well with Jimmie Ward from last year's draft; however, he has better size and is more physical as a run defender, which perfectly fits what the Cowboys want. 

If the Cowboys want to get an impact safety with minimal financial resources, Eric Rowe should be the pick in the first round. 

Right Tackle

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We're going to work under the assumption that the Cowboys don't re-sign Doug Free, which would be a monumental mistake. If that is the case, the Cowboys will likely bring back Jermey Parnell, which should scare the life out of the team's coaches and fans. 

Unfortunately, there are not many better options on the free-agent market for the Cowboys. Therefore, they would likely have to go the draft route to improve this position. 

At the back end of the first round, the Cowboys would have to hope that a player like Pittsburgh's T.J. Clemmings or Miami's Ereck Flowers fell in the draft. Another option would be to select Colorado State's Ty Sambrailo, but his skill set seems primed for a move inside to guard. Therefore, a first-round selection doesn't seem likely. 

The sweet spot for the Cowboys should be late in the second or third round, as players like Oklahoma's Tyrus Thompson and Daryl Williams, along with Wisconsin's Rob Havenstein, should be available. The best fit for the Cowboys would be Williams, who has the mean streak, strength and technique to seamlessly transition to the right tackle position for the Cowboys.  

He would be able to step in right away and outplay Parnell for the right tackle position, as he has better technique than any other tackle the Cowboys have on the roster outside of Tyron Smith. 

Running Back

J Pat Carter/Associated Press

The Cowboys will most definitely be bargain shopping at running back. With DeMarco Murray likely pricing himself out of Dallas, the Cowboys will need to bring in someone who can help replace Murray's production. Now, that player could already be on the Cowboys roster in Ryan Williams, but there is a high probability the team will look to free agency or the draft as well. 

In free agency, the Cowboys' No. 1 target will likely be Mark Ingram. Head coach Jason Garrett is supposedly a big fan, and he will likely be much cheaper than Murray. The one problem with Ingram is that he has not proven the ability to stay healthy for long periods thus far in his career. 

What he does have is the patience, vision and athletic ability to thrive in the Cowboys' running scheme and maximize the considerable holes that the offensive line opens up. 

In the draft, the Cowboys have a ton of options. If they want to really target the position in the second round, they could grab someone like Miami's Duke Johnson or Indiana's Tevin Coleman.

In the third, they could target Boise State's Jay Ajayi, Minnesota's David Cobb or Nebraska's Ameer Abdullah.

In the fourth and fifth rounds, they could even grab players like Mississippi State's Josh Robinson or Auburn's Cameron Artis-Payne, who could both be significant contributors early. 

Georgia's Todd Gurley could even be an option if the Cowboys wanted to really get a value; however, they may not get a payoff for one or two years in the future. 

Whomever the Cowboys select just comes down to preference and how much resources they want to allocate to the position. Johnson would be a great fit because he has the vision, agility and speed to be a home-run threat and have significant production with the Cowboys. 

If the Cowboys selected Johnson, he would be one of the front-runners for the Offensive Rookie of the Year.