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Did the Dallas Cowboys get enough help in the draft?

By Ben Grimaldi

Jan 1, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Jaylon Smith (9) cries as he is carted off the field after suffering an injury un the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the 2016 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Jaylon Smith (9) cries as he is carted off the field after suffering an injury un the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the 2016 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Did the Dallas Cowboys get enough help for the 2016 season in the draft?

The NFL Draft has come and gone and now the Dallas Cowboys are now ready to prepare for the new year. It’s too early to tell just how well the Cowboys did overall, but the question remains; did the team do enough to get better for the upcoming season?

Their first pick, Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott, will surely contribute big-time in 2016, but who else in the draft class can help the Cowboys right away? Dallas had needs at several positions and they mostly selected role players throughout the process.

Coming out of a draft, conventional wisdom says teams should get starters in the first three rounds; no one picked will be taking a starting job for the Cowboys this season, save for Elliott.

Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith could be a steal for the Cowboys, but he is unlikely to see the field this year, despite what he says. Nebraska defensive tackle Maliek Collins and Oklahoma defensive end Charles Tapper should be in the defensive line rotation for the team, but both need some work to be major factors.

And, of course, Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott will not see the field unless Tony Romo gets hurt or if he can beat out Kellen Moore for the backup job. Either way, Dallas will only have one of their first five picks see significant time on the field this season.

Instead, the Cowboys will be hoping for better health to get better results in 2016. Not a smart way to prepare for a new season.

As good as Elliott is, he plays a position where the Cowboys weren’t desperate for help, but he will likely be the one to carry the team’s rookie class. He is also probably the only draftee who is going to unseat a starter. That means the Cowboys are preparing to enter the season with almost the same starting lineup they came into 2015 with. The Cowboys did go 4-12 last year and it wasn’t all due to injuries.

This doesn’t mean Dallas had a poor draft because it has the potential to payoff big in years to come and the team did draft some very good young players who should grow into larger roles. However, it’s difficult to find more than one rookie who will carve out significant playing time this season.

Anyone who was worried the Cowboys were in ‘win-now’ mode got a wake up call this weekend. With a team who has the quarterback capable of taking Dallas to the Super Bowl now, we’ll find out how just how wise that was this season.

Patience is a virtue, unless you want to win a Super Bowl.

You can chat with or follow Ben on twitter @BenGrimaldi

Next: NFL Draft Grades 2016 - NFC East Winners and Losers

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