BARGAIN BIN FREE AGENTS DALLAS COWBOYS SHOULD TARGET TO FILL BIGGEST NEEDS

Posted 2020-09-03

With the new league year beginning on March 9, the NFL‘s free-agency period is in full swing with the legal tampering period starting<a href="http://www.authenticcowboyssale.com/shop-by-players-anthony-brown-jersey-c-2_69.html">Anthony Brown Womens Jersey</a>  on Tuesday. But over the past few years, the Cowboys have been anything but major spenders. They‘ve opted to sign their own players to long-term deals and sat out the first few weeks of free agency.

 

2017 won‘t be different for the Dallas Cowboys. The team has very limited resources to spend in free agency, but its overall philosophy towards the period is to wait until later on in the month to bring in players. A perfect example of that is Benson Mayowa, who Dallas signed in the third week of free agency in 2016.

 

That philosophy and the limited cap space available will force the Cowboys to find bargains after the first couple of waves of free agency ends.

 

Here are some of the top bargain-bin players the Cowboys could sign that would help fill significant needs.

 

Quarterback Geno Smith

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Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

With Tony Romo likely leaving via trade or release, the Dallas Cowboys have a need for a backup quarterback. And with the Cowboys<a href="http://www.authenticcowboyssale.com/shop-by-players-barry-church-jersey-c-2_36.html">Barry Church Jersey</a>  likely hoarding all of their available resources for defense and re-signing their own players, it‘s unlikely they are going to spend top dollar for an aging backup.

 

What is far more likely is that the Cowboys bring back veteran Kellen Moore on a cheap deal and then entertain the idea of a Josh McCown-type of backup behind Dak Prescott. But the problem with Moore, Mark Sanchez and the McCown‘s of the world is that they are all much different than Prescott in terms of play-style.  

 

Ideally, the Cowboys would like to find a quarterback that plays a similar style to Dak Prescott, so they don‘t have to adjust their offense if the backup was forced into action. Enter Geno Smith.

 

In 2013, the Cowboys gave a second-round grade to the former West Virginia quarterback. Smith was picked by the Jets, found success in his rookie season, but after a broken jaw in the preseason in 2015, Smith lost his job to Ryan Fitzpatrick and was never able to win back the gig.

 

Smith certainly has talent. Like Prescott, he relies more on his arm than his legs, but they can be useful at times. Smith has the ability to carry out all of the read-options/zone-reads, but Smith wins inside of the pocket on short to intermediate throws. With a better supporting cast than he had in New York, it‘s possible Smith could find success in Dallas.

 

Running Back Rex Burkhead

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Eric Christian Smith/Associated Press

The strength of the Cowboys‘ roster is their rushing attack. With their offensive line and Ezekiel Elliott running behind them, it‘s one<a href="http://www.authenticcowboysstore.com/shop-by-players-tony-romo-jersey-c-2_3.html">http://www.authenticcowboysstore.com/shop-by-players-tony-romo-jersey-c-2_3.html</a>  of biggest trump cards in all of football. They can run on any defense against any front. They can run zone and they can run power. The Cowboys have the best-run game in the NFL.

 

In order to protect that strength, the Cowboys need to find a suitable backup for Elliott. Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar are both free agents, and Alfred Morris just doesn‘t provide enough juice or third-down ability to warrant keeping him on the roster. There‘s also been some discussion that he could be traded or released in the near future, as per Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram.

 

If the Cowboys decide to look in free agency for a veteran back, a target could be former Bengals player Rex Burkhead. Stuck behind Gio Bernard<a href="http://www.authenticnflraidersshop.com/shop-by-players-aldon-smith-jersey-c-2_62.html">http://www.authenticnflraidersshop.com/shop-by-players-aldon-smith-jersey-c-2_62.html</a>  and Jeremy Hill, Burkhead has proved to be a useful player in the Bengals‘ offense, especially on third down. At 210 pounds, Burkhead is one of the more explosive running backs in the league.

 

Burkhead has experience in both zone and man blocking schemes, as well as on third down. He was also a core special teamer for the Bengals in the past four seasons. If the Cowboys choose to address their running back need in free agency rather than in the draft, Burkhead is a high-upside play at running back for a cheap price.

 

Wide Receiver Torrey Smith

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Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Just two seasons ago, Torrey Smith signed a five-year, $40 million deal with the San Francisco 49ers to be their No.1 receiver. But after just 53 receptions in two years, Smith was released this week.

 

Smith likely won‘t command top dollar in free agency, as Alshon Jeffery, Terrelle Pryor and DeSean Jackson should gobble up most of the money in the early portions of free agency.

 

The NFL1000 wasn‘t kind to Smith, as he graded out as the 105th out of 155 wide receivers in 2016. But as for Smith‘s fit in Dallas, it makes sense.

 

The Cowboys are looking for a receiver opposite of Dez Bryant who not only has the speed to make plays down the field, but also the physicality to hold up at the point of attack in the run game. Both of those traits are why he was one of the better receivers in the league in Baltimore.

 

Smith needs to be a No. 2 receiver to thrive in the NFL, and he needs to play with a quarterback that can get him the ball down the field. And with the Cowboys valuing compensatory picks, this signing makes sense, as he wouldn‘t count against <a href="http://www.authenticcowboyssale.com/shop-by-players-benson-mayowa-jersey-c-2_4.html">Benson Mayowa Womens Jersey</a> the compensatory formula because he was released by his former team.

 

He could be a big improvement over Terrance Williams at a fraction of the price.

 

Wide Receiver Marquise Goodwin

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Kelvin Kuo/Associated Press

The Cowboys like to have at least one player on their roster who can double as a receiver and a returner. For years it was Dwayne Harris, and in the past two seasons, Lucky Whitehead. But, Whitehead‘s roster spot is far from secure, as he wasn‘t able to produce to the standards of Harris and his off-the-field conduct got him suspended for a critical game against the Giants.

 

While many would like to see the team sign Vikings receiver Cordarrelle Patterson to fill that role, it‘s unlikely the Cowboys will entertain that thought as he will likely command more money than they are willing to spend on a gadget player.

 

But a player that may interest them is Buffalo Bills receiver Marquise Goodwin. He is a former USA track star who has a trump card; he can win down the field.

 

The Cowboys don‘t have a receiver with legit deep speed, and Goodwin certainly fills that need. Goodwin also has experience on special teams and running jet sweeps, reverses and end-arounds, all of which are vital to the Cowboys‘ offense.

 

Cornerback Nolan Carroll

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Gary Landers/Associated Press

In 2016, the Dallas Cowboys brought in Nolan Carroll for a visit during the free agency period. Carroll had a down year, finishing 108 out of 120 CBs for Pro <a href="http://www.authenticcowboyssale.com/shop-by-players-anthony-hitchens-jersey-c-2_17.html">http://www.authenticcowboyssale.com/shop-by-players-anthony-hitchens-jersey-c-2_17.html</a> Football Focus and 86th out of 133 in the NFL1000.

 

Carroll‘s poor season with the Eagles may drive down his price again in 2017. The Cowboys loved his height at 6"1‘, and with Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne free agents in March, Carroll makes a lot of sense for Dallas.

 

He‘s not going to be your elite, shutdown<a href="http://www.authenticraiderssale.com/shop-by-players-ted-hendricks-jersey-c-2_29.html">http://www.authenticraiderssale.com/shop-by-players-ted-hendricks-jersey-c-2_29.html</a>  cornerback. But what he will do is provide suitable depth that won‘t force the Cowboys hand when April‘s draft rolls around. Carroll is a much better fit in a Cover-2 defense when he doesn‘t have to worry about getting beat deep. He‘s a gambler that will take chances but will also lose his fair share of battles.

 

In Dallas, turnovers are always the goal. For a cheap one- or two-year deal, Carroll makes a lot of sense as your third or fourth cornerback.

 

Don‘t be surprised if the Cowboys give Carroll a call again in 2017. He‘s not the ultimate answer in the secondary, but he could allow the team to wait on defensive back in the later portions of the draft.

 

DE DeMarcus Ware

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Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

Last but not least is a player the Cowboys happen to know very well. After spending the last few years in Denver racking up sacks, DeMarcus Ware has hit the free agent market once again.

 

Ware will turn 35 in July, but providing that he is fully healthy, he‘s still a legitimate threat on the outside that the Cowboys do not have.

 

Despite suffering from multiple back and neck injuries, Ware graded out as the 24th best 3-4 outside linebacker, according to the final edition of the NFL1000. In Dallas, he would be a part of a heavy rotation across the defensive line, and <a href="http://www.authenticsteelerssale.com/shop-by-players-troy-polamalu-jersey-c-2_9.html">http://www.authenticsteelerssale.com/shop-by-players-troy-polamalu-jersey-c-2_9.html</a> the team could save his body on earlier downs by using Demarcus Lawrence as the base end.

 

If Ware is healthy, he would be an outstanding fit back in Dallas as a situational pass-rusher who can get to the quarterback. And at his age, the price tag shouldn‘t be too expensive. Steelers linebacker James Harrison (who is five years older) just signed a new deal worth $3.5 million over the course of the next two seasons. A similar deal for Ware would make sense for both parties.