2018 Disaster Draft: The Dallas Cowboys

dallas cowboys

The plan for protection in the Dallas Cowboys disaster draft preparation comes down to keeping their absolute strength together. It shouldn’t be hard, as it’s almost entirely on one side of the ball. They’re a team on the rise who took a step back due to an Ezekiel Elliott 2017 six-game suspension. Now they look to regroup and rebound in 2017. They don’t have many extremely difficult choices, but it’s still worth figuring out.

Free agents lost: Stephen Paea, Byron Bell, Jonathon Cooper, Alfred Morris, DeMarcus Lawrence

 

The No Doubters:

Player POS. 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Tyron Smith LT $17,545,000 $15,545,000 $13,545,000 $12,245,000 $13,500,000
Travis Frederick C $13,235,000 $9,235,000 $10,235,000 $9,385,000 $8,450,000
Sean Lee OLB $11,016,666 $10,066,668 UFA
Zack Martin G $9,341,000 UFA
Ezekiel Elliott RB $6,806,274 $7,940,655 UFA
La’el Collins RT $5,833,333 $7,333,334 UFA
Taco Charlton DE $2,279,179 $2,735,015 $3,190,851 UFA
Chaz Green G $877,245 UFA
Dak Prescott QB $725,848 $815,849 UFA

It’s pretty clear what the game plan is here. Keep the entire super strong offensive line together to keep Dak Prescott from snapping in half. They also keep Zeke Elliott to keep defenses distracted so Dak Prescott doesn’t get snapped in half. They also keep Dak Prescott, who they hope to not have snapped in half. They add two defensive players: superstar linebacker Sean Lee and sophomore edge rusher Taco Charlton. Now things get tricky.

 

The More-Than-Likely Staying:

QUARTERBACKS POS. 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Dez Bryant WR $16,500,000 $16,500,000 UFA
Tyrone Crawford DE $9,100,000 $10,100,000 $9,100,000 UFA
Jason Witten TE $6,500,000 $6,500,000 $6,500,000 $6,500,000 UFA
Terrance Williams WR $4,750,000 $4,750,000 $5,250,000 UFA
Byron Jones FS $2,736,981 UFA
Ryan Switzer WR $696,496 $786,496 $876,499 UFA
Chidobe Awuzie CB $973,543 $1,168,251 $1,362,960 UFA

I’m going to be honest… Dez Bryant is close to not making the cut, and likely will not make this cut if we redo this exercise in 2019. He’s not capital D capital B Dez Bryant anymore, but he’s still a quality receiver. Still, their cap is a mess and they need to pay Dak soon, so Dez might not be resigned. Crawford, Jones and Awuzie are two of the best parts of a godawful defense. Witten is old as dirt but he will literally play for the Cowboys until the heat death of the universe. Switzer is a budding return man and Terrance Williams is a quality #2 WR for Dak to throw the ball to instead of Dez.

 

The Leftovers:

They were America’s team, now they’re America’s Expansion Teams. The following players will be eligible for the Conquistadors and Arches.

Player POS. 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Orlando Scandrick CB $5,281,021 $5,600,000 UFA
Cole Beasley WR $4,250,000 UFA
Dan Bailey K $4,200,000 $3,400,000 $3,400,000 UFA
Benson Mayowa DE $3,850,000 UFA
James Hanna TE $3,500,000 UFA
Jeff Heath FS $1,950,000 $2,450,000 UFA
Jaylon Smith ILB $1,771,355 $2,066,584 UFA
Chris Jones P $1,700,000 $2,300,000 $2,400,000 $2,500,000 UFA
Randy Gregory OLB $1,213,844 UFA
Maliek Collins DT $975,288 $1,071,816 UFA
Damien Wilson OLB $821,581 UFA
Datone Jones DE $790,000 UFA
Charles Tapper DE $784,470 $874,470 UFA
Jourdan Lewis CB $768,357 $863,357 $963,357 UFA
Geoff Swaim TE $718,685 UFA
Rod Smith RB $705,000 UFA
Joe Vellano DT $705,000 $805,000 UFA
Marqueston Huff FS $705,000 UFA
Anthony Brown CB $663,736 $753,739 UFA
Kavon Frazier S $655,089 $745,089 UFA
Richard Ash DT $630,000 RFA
Xavier Woods SS $594,972 $684,972 $774,972 UFA
Noah Brown WR $572,984 $662,984 $752,986 UFA
Cooper Rush QB $556,666 $646,668 RFA
Blake Jarwin TE $555,000 $645,000 RFA
Kadeem Edwards G $555,000 ERFA
Lewis Neal DE $555,000 ERFA
Daniel Ross DE $555,000 ERFA
Tre’Von Johnson OLB $555,000 ERFA
Jameill Showers QB $480,000 $570,000 ERFA
Brian Brown WR $480,000 $570,000 ERFA
K.D. Cannon WR $480,000 $570,000 ERFA
Lance Lenoir WR $480,000 ERFA
Rico Gathers TE $480,000 $570,000 RFA
Jarron Jones DT $480,000 $570,000 ERFA
Duke Thomas S $480,000 ERFA
Marquez White CB $480,000 $570,000 ERFA

 

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