Ranking Dallas Cowboys' Top Position Needs Ahead of 2018 Offseason

The 2017 season hasn't gone the way Dallas Cowboys fans were hoping. Through the first 11 weeks of the campaign, the Cowboys sit at 5-6 and could well be out of the playoff hunt already. With so many teams ahead of Dallas, the Cowboys would need to win their final five games to give themselves an outside chance of making it into the postseason.

More than likely, Dallas will use the last five games of the season to evaluate some of the younger players on the roster. Players such as Noah Brown, Ryan Switzer, Rico Gathers, Chidobe Awuzie and Jaylon Smith could all see an increased number of snaps before the Cowboys finish up the season. 

With just five games left in the regular season, which spots should the Cowboys look to upgrade ahead of 2018? Here is what you should expect Dallas to do this offseason in regard to its biggest roster needs.

No. 1: Linebacker

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The position with the most uncertainty heading into 2018 will probably be linebacker. Let's start with Sean Lee. When Lee has been on the field over the past several seasons, you could make the argument he's the best linebacker in the league. He has no weaknesses and can dominate games with his instincts and athleticism.

Lee will turn 32 before the 2018 season, but his age hasn't affected his play. However, the Cowboys might not be able to rely on him consistently any longer. Because of this, the team might need to use a draft pick or free-agent money to secure a high-quality backup if and when he is not in the game. But as long as Lee wants to continue to play, Dallas should continue to pay and to play him.

The team's starting middle linebacker, Anthony Hitchens, is scheduled to hit free agency in 2018. Over the past four years, Hitchens has started in 43 games and has played in 55 total. He's not the most dynamic of linebackers, but he's a quality starter in the NFL who can play multiple positions. It's highly unlikely he returns next year, as he will likely want to be a full-time starter and should fetch a decent-sized deal this offseason.

If Hitchens does leave via free agency, that would force Jaylon Smith into the lineup. While Smith has played better over recently, specifically in the passing game, the Cowboys probably can't count on him yet. He's better in a limited role or as the team's third linebacker.

With the Cowboys expected to be up against the cap next season, they will likely need to spend a top-100 pick on a linebacker. The team will likely go into the season with Lee and Smith as its starting linebackers, but Dallas has to find another reliable option in case one of them goes down for any amount of time.

No. 2: Cornerback

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Even after the Cowboys invested two top-100 picks on cornerbacks in the 2017 draft, the position will once again be a priority for the team in the offseason. First and foremost, Orlando Scandrick's spot on the team in 2018 isn't as secure as many may believe. His play has been sporadic this season, and he turns 31 in February. He hasn't been able to stay healthy over the past few years and has just one interception in his past 25 games, per Pro Football Reference.

Scandrick is signed through the 2019 season, but the Cowboys could cut him this offseason and save nearly $1.5 million, per Spotrac. While the savings aren't as much as you would expect, he may be clogging up a roster spot for a younger player. Dallas could ask him to take a pay cut—he has a $5.28 million cap hit—or outright release him.

Rookie Jourdan Lewis has been better than anticipated, but he is the only reliable option the team has on the outside. Anthony Brown has struggled in his second year, which could be due to the fact he's had to play more on the outside this season. His best spot for the future is likely inside as a slot cornerback who can double as the third outside cornerback.

Second-round pick Chidobe Awuzie has played just 58 snaps this season, per Pro Football Reference, but most of his snaps have come as a safety. Dallas will likely use him at both positions going forward, but there is no way the team can rely on him as a full-time starter anytime soon. Rookie Marquez White has spent the year on the practice squad, but he may be ready to compete for a spot on the 53-man roster.

Dallas could use another top-100 pick on a cornerback who could play on the outside, or if a safety falls to them, they could move Byron Jones to cornerback. Either way, expect the Cowboys to use one of their first two picks on a defensive back and then find a way to mix and match what they have to find their best five in nickel situations.

Their defensive back situation isn't bad as it may appear, but the Cowboys are still at least one player away from completing the rebuild. The future looks bright here, but it still needs some work.

No. 3: Left Guard

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After much discussion about the left guard spot in the offseason, the Cowboys finally settled on Jonathan Cooper as the team's starter at the position. And to his credit, he has played fairly well. Cooper has started the past eight games for Dallas, and the team has rushed for a total of 1,215 yards—what's more, three of those games were without Ezekiel Elliott.

However, Cooper is scheduled to hit free agency in 2018 at the age of 28, according to Spotrac. While Cooper won't make the Pro Bowl this season, he has likely done enough to earn a starting contract from some team.

At the same time, Dallas knows a big reason why Cooper has played relatively well is that he's sandwiched between two All-Pro players in Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick. When Smith didn't play this season, Cooper's play dramatically dropped off.

Ideally, Dallas would have Cooper back on a similar deal to what he got this year (one year for $2 million) and have him compete for the left guard job again or to be the team's primary backup inside. Cooper has experience playing center and could make a solid career for himself as a swing guard/center.

The Cowboys know their team is built off their elite offensive linemen. While Cooper hasn't been bad, there has been a severe drop-off from Ronald Leary to him. If the right guard were available in the first two rounds of the draft, expect Dallas to pounce on that opportunity. However, the team will likely try to cover itself until April by re-signing Cooper or someone of the same caliber.

There is always the possibility the Cowboys move La'el Collins from right tackle back to left guard, but that likely wouldn't happen until after the draft if an elite tackle prospect were to fall into their laps. Expect Cooper and a rookie to compete for that spot in 2018.

No. 4: 1-Technique

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One of the team's biggest needs is at the 1-technique spot. Because of poor planning and bad injury luck, the Cowboys have been forced to move second-year defensive tackle Maliek Collins to that position. Collins is a penetrating defensive tackle who struggles when having to take on double teams. It's just not his natural position, and the Cowboys are suffering the consequences.

In 2016, the Cowboys used Terrell McClain to man that role, and he was a big reason why the team was No. 1 in the league in stopping the run. But when he left for the Washington Redskins via free agency, the team counted on Cedric Thornton, Stephen Paea and two rookie draft picks (Joey Ivie and Jordan Carrell) to replace him.

But just four weeks into the 2017 season, all of those players were off the roster. Dallas then signed Brian Price off of the Green Bay Packers practice squad, but he dislocated his kneecap in the Week 9 game against the Kansas City Chiefs and was lost for the year.

After the rash of injuries, Collins was the only logical choice left to play that spot. David Irving has assumed the role of the ever-important 3-technique, but his best spot in the NFL is as a left defensive end. If the Cowboys want to move both of these impact players back to their natural positions, investing in a 1-technique could prove to be useful.

However, Rod Marinelli's teams usually don't invest in high picks in 1-techniques, as the defensive coordinator believes you can find those players later in the draft, as Rowan Kavner of the team website noted. But if a dominating force inside, such as Maurice Hurst from Michigan or Derrick Nnadi from Florida State, is available in the first round, the Cowboys would have to consider selecting them. That move could help unlock the potential of the rest of their defensive line, as it would put two of their top-three defensive linemen back at their natural positions.

If the Cowboys don't select a defensive tackle in the draft, expect Price, Collins and likely another bargain-bin free agent to compete for snaps inside. Dallas needs some young blood at this position, but given Marinelli's history and preferences, an early-round pick likely won't be used to address this need.

No. 5: Backup Running Back

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One of the Cowboys' more underrated needs this upcoming offseason is a suitable backup to Elliott. It's evident the entire offense runs through the running back and that he provides the edge this team needs. Any time he's not on the field, Dallas has struggled. Over the course of his short NFL career, the team is 13-2 with him and 0-4 without him.

With a target on his back from the league office and with the nature of the running back position, the Cowboys have to cover themselves better here this offseason. Alfred Morris has done a fine job replacing him in recent weeks (37 carries for 180 yards over three games).

Morris doesn't demand the same amount of attention from a defense. Instead of defenses loading the box to stop him, they are dropping more men into coverage to stop quarterback Dak Prescott. They are willing to concede yards on the ground to Morris because they don't believe he can consistently beat them all the way down the field like Elliott can and does.

Knowing that running the ball is so critical to the Cowboys' success, the team would be wise to spend a top-100 pick on a running back to sit behind Elliott or to work with him. Morris is scheduled to be a free agent this upcoming season and is well past his prime. Rod Smith will likely return as the third running back, but the Cowboys need to find another player who can scare teams if Elliott isn't on the field.

Luckily for Dallas, it's another loaded running back class in 2018. Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, Royce Freeman and L.J. Scott are all talented players who should be available after the first round. Expect the Cowboys to consider selecting a tailback after the first two rounds.

No. 6: Wide Receiver

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After Thursday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, many fans and media members around the league were calling for an overhaul of Dallas' wide receiver corps. However, that's not likely when considering what the Cowboys have invested in the unit.

Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley have all recently signed long-term deals, and each has guaranteed money in 2018. It's highly unlikely any one of those three won't be in Dallas next season.

In 2017, the Cowboys invested two draft picks in Ryan Switzer and Noah Brown. It's hard to envision either of those two won't be on the roster in 2018. Switzer is the team's primary kick and punt returner and the eventual replacement for Beasley in the slot. Brown is the team's best blocking receiver and one of the better special teams players on the roster. He could see an increase in snaps before the season is out as the Cowboys try to figure out where he fits in for the 2018 season.

The only receiver who may not be back next season is Brice Butler, who is scheduled to hit free agency. Butler turns 28 in January and has proved over his six-year career that he shouldn't be anything more than a fourth receiver on the team.

If Butler does leave in free agency, the Cowboys could look for a replacement for Williams as the Z receiver. Prescott doesn't have a target on the outside who creates quick separation, and that could be a spot the Cowboys try to upgrade this offseason. But more than likely, this receiver unit will look similar in 2018 to what it did in 2017.