Dallas needs a pass stopper first, pass catcher second

By Anthony Bialy  |   Wednesday, April 23, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

Dallas Cowboys
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Asking the Cowboys to survive one more season with only their current receivers wouldn’t create much of a crisis; having to wait until pick No. 28, then, seems like barely a sacrifice at all. It would work best for Dallas to first focus on its other most prominent necessity, cornerback, at the draft, as the combination of talent among the roster’s current wideouts coupled with the meager selections up for grabs means the team should logically get a pass defender prior to getting a passing target.

Knowing that the Cowboys own choice 22 as well as that aforementioned 28th option is a tremendous luxury that makes the decision to go for a cornerback first easier; that said, waiting until at least their next turn to nab a receiver is still the proper approach. For one, need has to be weighed against opportunities for improvement, and the available wideout pool is Tila Tequila-shallow.

While the two most prominent receiving hopefuls might emerge as answers, they both bring questions. For one, Oklahoma’s Malcolm Kelly’s sluggish 40-yard dash performance is troubling itself and yet of less importance than his reaction to it, namely shrieking at every university employee he could track down about what he perceived to be the wrong turf. He could have simply been standing up for himself; on the other hand, crabbing about circumstances is at best eyebrow-raising.

As for the other big receiving name on the radar, Devin Thomas’ single outstanding season as a Michigan State Spartan might not be enough evidence to convince Dallas that he’s a lock for pro success. He caught a school-record 79 passes last year, but can he keep on that upward trajectory or has he peaked as quickly and briefly as Kris Kross?

On the other hand, there’s a stronger case for the secondary being the primary focus. Notably, the falloff on the team after Terence Newman is precipitous; the next-best staffer, Anthony Henry, has dealt with some injury trouble that is compounded by a physical style that might inhibit an extended pro future. It’s not dire, but the Cowboys’ noticeable lack of depth is something that certainly could use early attention.

As for now-Cowboy Pacman Jones, those expecting he’ll get on the field and contribute in 2008 may as well hope that parking and concession prices at the team’s new stadium will decrease: It’s best just to put the fantastically remote possibility out of mind. The Cowboys would be much better off taking a chance on an unproven rookie instead of banking on a proven hooligan, and Jones is more likely to have his picture displayed at the post office than get a chance to play this season.

Coincidentally, the collective level of prospects at the spot is impressive, which conveniently matches the Cowboys’ requirements: Corners such as Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie of Tennessee State and Mike Jenkins of South Florida are two top examples of corners who are precocious on their own in addition to generally being more enticing than their potential offensive adversaries.

On top of the talented obtainable candidates, a prize cornerback could specifically allow the Cowboys to play more aggressively on defense: They’ll be more comfortable blitzing knowing they can leave a talented cover man on an island. The theoretical defender would bring more versatility and aggression to his side of the ball for this team than a receiver would.

It’s true that generally accepted wisdom says wide receivers take a few seasons to develop, meaning the Cowboys should ideally be looking for a future standout now. That’s compounded with the reality that their top three current wideouts include an aging Terrell Owens, recovering Terry Glenn, and promising yet still somewhat untried Patrick Crayton. But, issues aside, this is already a proficient group; if we, oh yeah, remember to include the exceptional Jason Witten, they clearly possess a fine array of receiving options.

With so many offensive weapons already on hand, the Cowboys should be OK if management decides to pick up a cornerback before they bring aboard a wide receiver. On top of the fact that their scarcity at corner is more glaring, the offense can rest knowing the wait for help might only be an hour or so.
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