Reassessing Cowboys' Offseason Plan and Breaking Down What's Left to Address

Entering the 2015 offseason, the Dallas Cowboys knew they would have an interesting time filling out the roster. With so many big-name free agents, it was difficult to tell exactly what this team would look like come draft time.

Now that we're only two weeks away from the first round of the 2015 NFL draft, the team needs are quite clear. Jerry Jones and the front office know that defense will be the focus, with the exception of running back.

Before moving to the draft, let’s recap how Dallas did this offseason and what’s still left to be done.

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The most significant move was designating wide receiver Dez Bryant with the franchise tag. Dallas knew he was the top priority, and even though a long-term deal hasn’t been reached, the explosive receiver isn’t going anywhere for now. Bryant will make $12.823 million this season.

The next biggest decision was the choice to not give DeMarco Murray the money he was looking for. The Cowboys obviously wanted to bring back the Offensive Player of the Year, but at a friendly price.

The Eagles swooped in and stole Murray after trading away LeSean McCoy and missing out on signing Frank Gore. Murray signed a five-year, $42 million contract with Chip Kelly and Philadelphia.

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Adding Greg Hardy was easily the team’s most impactful free-agent signing. Although the defensive end missed basically the entire 2014 season, he is a quality edge-rusher who tallied 15 sacks in 2013. Hardy might face a short suspension to start the year, but he’s a gifted talent who improves one of Dallas’ biggest defensive flaws.

Players like Anthony Spencer, George Selvie, Bruce Carter, Justin Durant, Sterling Moore and Dwayne Harris have joined new teams. In order to fill their shoes, Dallas added Darren McFadden, Corey White, Andrew Gachkar, Jasper Brinkley and Keith Rivers. Dallas also re-signed Doug Free, Nick Hayden, Rolando McClain and Cole Beasley.

With the draft only two weeks away, the Cowboys roster probably won’t change until then. Heading into the draft, Dallas’ top needs are defensive tackle, cornerback and running back. It could also add a defensive end, safety, linebacker, offensive lineman and quarterback.

It will be interesting to see what Jones does with the No. 27 pick. It’s possible Dallas could trade up or back depending on how the draft takes form. The most intriguing scenario is which top running back prospects, if any, will fall to the Cowboys.

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Georgia’s Todd Gurley and Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon are the most sought after at their position. Some mock drafts have Gurley going as high as No. 14 to Miami and Gordon as high as No. 17 to San Diego. It’s quite possible that Dallas will need to trade up in the first round if it wants to grab one of these backs.

Other options will be available along the defensive front. Defensive tackle Arik Armstead from Oregon, Jordan Phillips from Oklahoma and Eddie Goldman from Florida State would all fill a need.

There is an abundance of quality corners in this draft as well. The Cowboys might miss out on a few of the top-rated players; however, guys like Washington’s Marcus Peters, Utah’s Eric Rowe and Connecticut’s Byron Jones could still be available.

It’s difficult to project exactly what Dallas will do with its pick because there are so many options. If the last few years are any indication, fans should be confident that the front office can make a wise decision and pick a solid NFL player. Both Travis Frederick and Zack Martin were criticized as poor picks but have turned out to be exactly what the franchise needed.

The Cowboys seem to like taking the best player that falls to them, but don’t be surprised this year if they make a move up in this draft. With only a few holes on the roster, Dallas is only a player or so away from making a trip to the Super Bowl.