6 Players Dallas Cowboys Must Make Priority This Offseason
Sitting at 6-6, the Dallas Cowboys have just four games remaining on their schedule. Whether or not they are able to sneak into the playoffs is anyone's guess, but the offseason is quickly approaching. Like most years, the Cowboys won't have a ton of money to spend in free agency, and they will likely opt to keep their own, rather than paying for outside players.
But what players do the Cowboys have to retain next season? Are there any must-have free agents this offseason who could drastically improve the Cowboys' roster at a reasonable price? Is there a certain player or position the team must go after in the draft? Here are the six players Dallas needs to make a priority this offseason.
Defensive End DeMarcus Lawrence
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Finding pass-rushers is hard. Finding young pass-rushers is even more difficult. Consider this; since 2003, there have been just 19 players under the age of 26 who have recorded at least 13 sacks in a season, per Pro Football Reference. The names on the list include the usual suspects: J.J. Watt, Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware, etc. It's a pretty impressive list once you see the names. With four games still left on the schedule, DeMarcus Lawrence has added his name to that list.
In what should be a slam-dunk decision, the Cowboys have to retain their best pass-rusher since DeMarcus Ware. Lawrence has proved that when he is healthy, he can be a force. Lawrence doesn't turn 26 until April, but he should already have a long-term deal by then.
The only thing that comes into question with re-signing Lawrence is the price tag. Talented edge-rushers don't hit the market often, but when they do, they get paid. According to Spotrac, he's projected to get $9.2 million per year, but that number seems awfully low. Instead, expect Lawrence's contract to come close to $16 million per season, the average price of an elite-rusher in the NFL.
Dallas will pay Lawrence one way or another, but he will be worth every penny. He's just that good.
Defensive Linemen David Irving
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While DeMarcus Lawrence has been the team's best defender, David Irving isn't far behind. In his last 11 games (dating back to 2016), Irving has 10 sacks, eight pass deflections and two forced fumbles on just 497 snaps. What's even more impressive is that he is dominating as a defensive tackle, a spot that typically doesn't produce high sack totals. And to top it off, it's not even his natural spot. His best play comes as a left defensive end, not as a 3-technique.
Heading into 2018, Irving will become a restricted free agent. That will allow the Cowboys to place a tender on Irving, and if another team offers him a contract, the Cowboys would be given the choice to either match the deal or be rewarded with a draft pick as compensation from another team.
However, don't expect the Cowboys to even get to this point with Irving. Dallas knows that it has a developing superstar on its roster, and the Cowboys aren't going to expose him to 31 other teams in the league. Expect the Cowboys to get a long-term deal done with both Lawrence and Irving before the start of free agency.
Offensive Guard Zack Martin
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Of all of the decisions the Cowboys have to make this offseason, this one is by far the easiest. Zack Martin's current contract runs through the 2018 season, but the Cowboys have to and will lock him up to a new deal well before that.
The Cowboys know that their team is built around the play of their offensive line, and locking up the best guard in the league for the next five to seven years is a must. Martin is a three-time Pro Bowl selection and twice has been voted All-Pro. He hasn't missed a game yet in his NFL career and is one of the biggest reasons why the Cowboys are top-five in rushing yards per game, even without Ezekiel Elliott.
Martin will get his long-term contract this offseason. It's just a matter of when it happens and how much it will be for. Martin will be a Cowboy for life, and he might be the team's No. 1 priority heading into the offseason.
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Linebacker Anthony Hitchens
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Of the Cowboys' top free agents scheduled to hit free agency (or restricted free agency in the case of David Irving), linebacker Anthony Hitchens will probably be considered the "least important." But if the Cowboys let him sign with another team, that would be a massive mistake.
Make no mistake about it; the Cowboys have linebacker issues. Sean Lee can't stay on the field for a full 16-game schedule, and he turns 32 this offseason. Jaylon Smith is growing as a player, but he is nowhere near the player that he was at Notre Dame. Dallas needs stability at the position, and that's exactly what Hitchens provides.
Hitchens was drafted in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft and has since played in 59 total games for the Cowboys, including the playoffs. He's started in 45 of those games and has done so at multiple positions. In his fourth year in the NFL, Hitchens is now playing the best football of his career. Last Thursday night against the Washington Redskins, Hitchens recorded 12 solo tackles, the most in a game in his career, per Pro Football Reference.
It's unlikely that Hitchens is going to demand a high contract, but the Cowboys need to make sure that they retain the one part of their linebacker core that has been consistent over the past four years. If Dallas can re-sign Hitchens, it would likely allow them to avoid having to spend a valuable top-100 selection on a linebacker. Hitchens is a key piece to this defense, and he is someone Dallas needs to hold onto.
Defensive Tackle Star Lotulelei
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Assuming the Cowboys retain DeMarcus Lawrence and David Irving, most of their defensive line is set. With Lawrence, Irving, Tyrone Crawford and Taco Charlton, the team is four-deep at defensive end. That doesn't even count Randy Gregory, who may return next season after serving a year-long suspension or 2016 fourth-round pick Charles Tapper.
But the one piece the Cowboys' defensive line is missing is a true 1-technique. Their two nose tackles from 2016 (Cedric Thornton and Terrell McClain) are both gone, and the 2017 starters in Stephen Paea and Brian Price have both been lost for the season due to injuries. However, even when Paea and Price are healthy, they are just average players, at best.
In order to improve that spot on the defensive line, the Cowboys could spend a high pick on the position or use free-agent dollars in order to save the draft picks. The one player that they could and should target in free agency to shore up the position is the Carolina Panthers' Star Lotulelei.
Lotulelei was a first-round pick by the Panthers in 2013, and the Cowboys liked him, as they gave him a first-round grade, according to Blogging the Boys. Lotulelei has been a staple of the Panthers' rush defense and still has a lot of quality years left on his body. Because he's not a premier pass-rusher, he shouldn't be a high-priced free agent.
Lotulelei is the type of player the Cowboys need in the middle of their defense if they want to take the next step as a unit. He's a must-get this year in free agency.
Running Back Sony Michel
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The Cowboys' rushing attack is still one of the best in the league, even without Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys are averaging over 138 yards per game on the ground this season and 120 without Elliott. While Alfred Morris has played well in Elliott's absence, he turns 29 later this month and is scheduled to hit free agency. Dallas needs to find someone to either pair with or potentially replace Elliott if he were to be missing for any period of time. Given Morris' mileage and current contract situation, it's unlikely that he will be back next year in this same role.
If and when the Cowboys try to find another running back, they will have a few options when trying to find a suitable replacement. But one intriguing option would be to add some speed to the backfield in the way of a specialty back. The Cowboys will likely have the same group of receivers and tight ends heading into 2018, but they desperately need to infuse speed in their offense.
In 2017, the New Orleans Saints drafted Alvin Kamara in the third round to pair with Mark Ingram. Together, the duo has helped the Saints turn their franchise around. The Cowboys need to do something similar this season, and they can do so by selecting another SEC playmaker; Georgia's Sony Michel. Like Kamara, Michel likely won't cost anything more than a third-round pick, and that would be a wise selection for Dallas given how important their rushing success is to their offense.
Michel has the size to be an every-down back in the NFL, but his best role would be as a slashing running back who can rip off big plays on the ground and through the air. As a part-time player with the Bulldogs, Michel has averaged over six yards per touch throughout his career. He's a big play waiting to happen and could instantly bring some electricity to the Cowboys' offense.
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