Let’s go back to the first game of the Cowboys season for a second, where we see a loss to the New York Jets twenty first ranked pass offense and twenty second ranked rushing offense. Which mattered more: Romo’s fumble and interception, or the fact that we couldn’t stop Mark Sanchez from connecting with Plaxico Burress? Take into account we had the Jets pinned at their own 15 yard line and didn’t hold them to a 3rd down play until they were at the Dallas 26 yard line. If we had a defense worth their salt we would have won that game, changed our entire season and the seasons of many other teams (including the New York Giants). But we didn’t and sadly our Cowboys were scheduling tee times instead of practice times.

I’ll skip the Detroit Lions game for obvious reasons, but how about our week six match up against the AFC Champion Patriots? The Cowboys were winning heading into the 4th quarter, but once again the Cowboys defense failed to hold Tom Brady to much more than a 3rd and 1. Three plays after that 3rd and 1, we were watching Aaron Hernandez throw imaginary dollar bills into the air from the end zone. Again, another situation where a good defense could come in handy, don’t you think? Keep looking at our loss column and you will see the same thing over and over again.

Cardinals game: Couldn’t stop the mighty Kevin Kolb from hooking up with Stephens-Howling for a 52 yard scamper to win the game.

Both Eagles games: Our defense couldn’t stop a nose bleed.

Both Giants games: Our defense looked like they made a wrong turn heading to the Texas Rangers game.

All 8 of our losses can be credited, in many ways, to the lack of play by our defense. When Romo messes up, we should be feeling confident in our defense making a stop, not holding our breath and betting on the over/under for how long it takes them to score.

Defense is just as important now as it was fifty years ago. Heck, even the best offense in the league can have a bad day. Look at Green Bay. I thought they were Super Bowl bound the very second Aaron Rogers put up 61 points in one of my fantasy leagues. But wouldn’t you know it, the Giant’s defense held the great Aaron Rogers to only two touchdowns. Meanwhile the Packer’s Defense that was so good last year, gave Eli the opportunity to throw for 330 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Putting defense on the back burner this draft could make for another painful season next year. Like I said in my last article, I like DeCastro, from Stanford not USC, but I would feel very disappointed if we were to draft him with our fourteenth pick. If we don’t address the needs of our twenty third ranked pass defense then the Cowboys are in trouble.

Now, if the Cowboys did draft DeCastro and then made some big free agent pick ups I would feel a little more comfortable. But the 2011 Cowboys were interested in getting younger so I don’t see them pulling a 180 and spending what little cap space we have left on a big name free agents. During the Jerry Jones era of the Dallas Cowboys we have seen two types of teams: the Troy Aikmen led winners and the interchangeable Quarterback black hole led by Ryan Leaf and Quincy Carter. I don’t want to be known through out the league as winning one playoff game in 15 years anymore. I want our doomsday defense back. I saw enough offense at Texas Tech during the Mike Leach era to know that however good your offense is you can still lose without a good defense. I know that drafting a DB could be boom or bust, and I know DeCastro could be Pro Bowl material, but we would be picking him just to pick him, or for the “safe play”. Research who our last ‘safe’ draft picks are and you’ll find Barbie…I mean Bobby Carpenter, the slow starting Anthony Spencer, the highly touted yet highly mediocre Felix Jones, and Mike Jenkins. Even if we go with Quinton Couples, like the mock draft 2.0 projects, I would be happy. And at this point, I don’t care who we draft as long as they play defense.

Defense still matters. Go Cows.

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The NFL is allergic to trades.  A brief look at the Cowboys recent history will clarify why.  In 2000, Dallas traded 2 first round draft picks to Seattle for Joey Galloway.  The Cowboys were looking to replace Michael Irvin and regain their offensive swagger.  Aikman and Galloway were injured that season and a long run of mediocre quarterback play followed.  Galloway’s tenure in Dallas is mostly considered a failure considering the two lost draft picks contributed to extending a painful rebuilding effort.  In 2008, a trade for Adam Jones for a 4th round draft pick was widely publicized.  While the risk v. reward was reasonable, the outcome of Jones getting suspended in 2008 and subsequently released further embarrassed a proud franchise.  Again in 2008, the Cowboys sent a 1st and 3rd round pick to the Detroit Lions for Roy Williams.  He has underperformed the value of the draft pics and his contract extension.  Aside from being Super Bowl MVP, Williams may never redeem himself in the eyes of some Cowboys fans.  Considering the above track record, the general manager would be shown the door.  Bad trades more often than bad draft picks get GM’s fired.  Not in Dallas.

What’s the common thread in the above trades?  The Dallas Cowboys were buyers and not sellers.  The greatest trade in Cowboys history was the Herchel Walker trade to the Vikings for a bevy of picks and players.  This allowed for the resurgence of the franchise in the 90′s.

Beware of believing in the draft.  Players like Ryan Leaf, Andre Wadsworth, Charles Rogers, Mike Williams, etc. never live up to their expectations.  The Baltimore Ravens are arguably the best franchise in the past decade choosing players in the first round, and they even missed on Kyle Boller.

The Patriots of done an amazing job of coaching up players, and then trading them when they have an inflated value on the market.  Deion Branch and Richard Seymour were closer to the end of their careers than the beginning when they were trade for first round picks.  While Seymour wasn’t entirely the product of the Patriots system, he certainly won’t continue to have as much longevity as a rookie in 2011 entering the league.

And so that brings us to the Dallas Cowboys.  The team is constituted with a large number of young players.  The older players on the team are mostly along the offensive line.  There is very little trade value for Flozell Adams, 34, or Marc Colombo, 31.  At best, a team in need may offer a 4th round draft pick as a stop gap measure.  Keith Brooking, 34, has limited trade value and will not being changing team colors either.

Recently the Cowboys have been suggested as a possible trading partner with San Diego.  Antonio Cromartie for Tashard Choice.  Wade Phillips coached Cromartie during his rookie year with San Diego.  Reports indicate Cromartie has a questionable worth ethic and suspect practice habits.  Perfect for the Cowboys you say?  Hold on.  The Cowboys should engage in a trade with the Chargers, but rather sending Choice, Marion Barber should be given the one way ticket.

Barber will be 27 years old at the start of the 2010 season, and that is an old 27.  While 30 years old is the normal line of demarcation for a productive running back, Barber’s style has lead to injuries and he had proven in individual games as well as over the course of a season, that he is unable to handle the duties of a 20 to 30 carry a game back.  Additionally, he has never been fast, but he appears to not hit the hole with the same quickness and ferocity as in previous years.  Maybe the Chargers have no interest in this fading dinged back, but if they did…

The Cowboys should rely on Phillips to make the call on whether the rumors about Cromartie are justified.  If they are, engage in a three team trade with a team like Green Bay who are in need of a talent upgrade in their secondary.  The Cowboys, in my estimation, should be able to receive a 2nd round draft pick in the deal.  Even if the pick is a third rounder, it is still value for a player on the downside of his career.

Alternately, if Wade believes the rumors are unfounded, the Cowboys would have a glut of talent at CB.  I would wholly suggest trading Terrence Newman, 31, to the Packers and keeping Cromartie, 26.  Yes Newman signed a contract extension 2 years prior, and Cromartie would be due a new costly contract, but in 5 years, who will still be in the league?  Newman has never evolved into a shutdown corner.  While Cromartie is unlikely to improve over his past performance with the Chargers, it is conceivable that he would be able to duplicate, if not better, Newman’s sometimes uneven performance.

This is all conjecture, and it is likely that the Cowboys have zero trades leading up to the draft.  At some point, the Cowboys have to cut ties with older players and coldly trade them to other teams for draft picks.  It’s a system that works in the salary cap era, trade high salaried players for draft picks who earn substantially less.  In the 2010 uncapped year, the strategy may change in how the game is played off the field, but aging veterans in exchange for young talented players will always be en vogue.

Ever hear Roy Williams complain that Detroit consistently stinks, and threaten to hold out if he is not traded?

The answer is no, we have not. That’s because Boldin and Williams have class. They have respect for their teammates and their coaches.

So, it makes you wonder what is up Chad Johnson’s rear end, and do the Dallas Cowboys want to inherit that malady? Yes, the Bengals have flopped after a promising season a few years ago. Yes, the Bengals have been one of the worst franchises over the past 20 years. But so have Detroit and Arizona. Their players aren’t making threats and telling announcers on every radio and television sports program that they’ll take all offers.

So far, the only offer for Johnson came from the Washington Crapskins, a team that we can’t really consider a Super Bowl caliber team.

During yesterday’s press conference with Jerry Jones, he said that the Cowboys may move up, move down or trade during Saturday’s highly-anticipated draft. He said he has not contacted Cincinnati about Johnson. But he admitted he has had discussions about a different wide receiver, likely Boldin or Williams.

Hooray for Jerry!!! I think it is a smart move to steer far away from Chad Johnson. I mean, for some reason, the duo of Terrell Owens and Johnson doesn’t sit well in my stomach. Who would implode first, even though T.O. seems to have turned a new leaf?

UPDATE: ESPN is reporting that Boldin is asking to be traded, but this comes through his agent, the ubiquitous Drew Rosenhaus. The Redskins, acting as if fire is lit to Daniel Snyder’s ass, made an offer for the receiver. It, too, was turned down in a blaze of glory.