No matter what the NFL salary cap is this year, the Cowboys are going to field a very different team from last season. Unfortunately, because of the lock-out, we have no idea what this team will look like. Also, if Jerry wants to be a player in the free agent market — and he probably does — he’s going to have to cut some overpriced veterans. That much we know for certain.

One of the biggest factors in this is how the new CBA affects Doug Free’s situation. If, under the new agreement, players in Free’s position — four year veterans — remain restricted free agents, the Cowboys will be able to sign Free at an affordable price. However, if he becomes an unrestricted free agent, his price tag is going to be quite a bit higher. Either way, he’ll remain a Cowboy, but it will impact the decisions the team must make when it comes to several veterans. (more…)

I have to give credit to SI’s Peter King for coming up with this great concept for an article. I disagree with him rating us as the 10th-best team in the NFL–picking us after the Dolphins and the Panthers is bordering on lunacy–but I have to give him credit on this idea of writing about things he thinks he thinks about the NFL.

I’ll be focusing on the Cowboys, of course.

1. The Cowboys have to have one of the most difficult schedules in the NFL: The Cowboys get the new-look Redskins the first week of the season and won’t have any tape on Donovan McNabb. The Redskins were awful last year but it’s the NFL and upsets happen. After that it gets worse: at Houston in the third week won’t be a walk in the park, an early bye week followed by 13 more games including at Minnesota, at Green Bay, home against New Orleans then away to Arizona and Philly to finish the year.

2. If the Cowboys make it to the playoffs, they’ll make a run: This is the upside to playing this hard a schedule. The Cowboys will probably play more playoff teams during the year than teams that will have their golf clubs out after week 17. They’re going to be playing playoff football all year and they’ll be better for it.

3. Dez Bryant will start one game before week 8: The guy is too good to keep off the field. Cornerback Mike Jenkins said that Bryant has the potential to be the best wide receiver on the team. Roy Williams certainly has to see Bryant in his rearview mirror and all the comments he’s making about the work he’s putting in this summer suggests that he knows he’ll have to perform to keep his job.

4. The Cowboys won’t sign another safety: Any dreamers thinking that the Cowboys will work out some kind of trade for O.J. Atogwe ought to wake up now. It’s not going to happen. That’s ok, though, because Alan Ball and Mike Hamlin will be able to handle one of the safety spots. If it were up to me, I’d have Gerald Sensabaugh at free safety and let Hamlin play strong safety. I think Sensabaugh has better range and Hamlin is a better tackler (not in a Roy Williams way–the guy can cover pretty well).

5. The Cowboys will create more turnovers than they did last year: The Cowboys defense was one of the best defenses in the league last year if you don’t use turnovers to judge defenses–so the Cowboys just had a pretty good defense last year. Only 21 turnovers in 16 games last year won’t cut it, especially with DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer rushing off the edges.

6. Anthony Spencer will have 10 sacks this year: This guy is figuring out the NFL and he had six sacks last year. He’s got 10.5 for his career and he’ll nearly double that total this year as he’s getting better and better.

7. The Rams will come out ahead in the Bobby Carpenter-Alex Barron trade: Barron has to beat out Doug Free or Marc Columbo or hope for one of them to get hurt in order to see the field–I’m not buying that there’s really an open competition for the left tackle spot. Carpenter will get to start over in a defensive scheme he’s more comfortable with. Am I saying it was a bad trade for us? No. We weren’t going to be using Carpenter after taking Sean Lee in this year’s draft and we needed the depth at offensive tackle. It was a smart move for both parties, but the Rams will see an immediate impact from Carpenter.

8. Mike Jenkins will become one of the elite cornerbacks in the NFL this year: Jenkins is a big, physical corner that can keep up with quick receivers while still being able to fight with larger receivers. If he can put up some better stats and intercept a few more passes, he’ll be on the Pro Bowl roster from the start and will be considered within the top six or seven corners in the game.

9. Tony Romo will throw at least five more interceptions but ten more touchdowns than last year: Adding Bryant and having an other year with Martellus Bennett will surely help in the red zone. Bryant isn’t the biggest or fastest receiver, but he fights for jump balls in the end zone. He also has better hands than most of the other Cowboys receivers–I’m not sure he has better hands than Miles Austin but I think he does. I also think Romo will be behind in a few games this year and he’ll probably force a few, but that’s ok. These things happen.

10. The Cowboys won’t be playing in this year’s Super Bowl: I don’t think they’re quite there yet. They’re a strong team and have to be considered amongst the best in the NFC. They just aren’t Super Bowl winners yet I don’t think. The pressure is on the Cowboys this year because the Super Bowl is being played in Arlington. I think they need one more year. I’d love to be wrong here, but that’s what I think.

…I think.

Cowboys fans were expecting a lot from this year’s draft after last year after Jerry Jones shipped out first and third round picks to Detroit in exchange for Roy Williams. Then the Cowboys traded out of the second round and ultimately out of the possibility of any drafted players making big contributions on the field (John Phillips’ 48 catches, 385 yards and 2 touchdowns not included). It was anything but exciting.

This year, Jones and company decided to take a different direction.

#24 OVERALL: Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State

Grade: A

It doesn’t get much better in the first round than this. Bryant slid and the Cowboys went up to get him. Bryant just missed the A+ grade because of character issues but he was the best receiver in the draft. The Cowboys offense just got scary. Imagine this, if you will: Miles Austin and Roy Williams split out wide, Bryant in the slot, Jason Witten at tight end and Felix Jones in the backfield. What do defensive coordinators do? Other teams are going to have to pick their poison. Even Williams looks dangerous in this offense. This was one of the steals in the first round. Great job by Jerry to jump Baltimore to get his guy.

#55 OVERALL: Sean Lee, Penn State

Grade: B

The Cowboys needed to think about middle linebacker at some point in the draft. They had Lee ranked as a first-round pick so they moved up in the draft to get their guy. Lee brings smarts, speed and solid play right away as he’ll undoubtedly unseat Bobby Carpenter as the nickel linebacker and he’s projected to replace Keith Brooking at some point down the road.

#126 OVERALL: Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, Indiana of Pennsylvania

Grade: A

Mr. Impossible Name played a lot of corner and free safety in college. He was a return man too. He could fit in right away as a returner, but his name is going to be in the mix for the starting free safety spot. He might need some time to adjust from a lesser division, but the guy has talent. This is going to be one of the guys to watch during training camp. I sure want to see what he’s made of. Great job by Landry Hat for picking up on this guy early.

#179 OVERALL: Sam Young, Notre Dame

Grade: B

Young was a four-year starter in an offensive line that saw some pretty good collegiate quarterback play. He probably needs some work, but he could replace Marc Columbo eventually. He’s a steal this late.

#196 Overall: Jamar Wall, Texas Tech

Grade: C

The Cowboys needed a corner, but this one might not have been the best option. Wall is a little slow for the NFL. That being said, he saw plenty of Michael Crabtree in practice (Crabtree refused to line up against anyone else because Wall offered the most challenging matchup) and he matched up against Bryant. We’ll keep an eye on Wall. Don’t expect much from him this year, though.

#234 OVERALL: Sean Lassimore, William and Mary

Grade: A

Hustle. Motor. Grit. Lassimore brings all those things and a great value so late in the draft. With all the trade talks going on with Marcus Spears, the Cowboys were smart to lock up a player that can probably play the nose tackle spot or at end.

OVERALL GRADE: A-

The Cowboys had a heck of a draft. This draft class could get the Cowboys over the hump this year and push for a deep playoff run. The Cowboys would be smart to address a few other positions-free safety and offensive line-in free agency. It’s likely that anybody we pick up through free agency would be a backup, so the Cowboys got better by drafting the best players that were out their according to their boards.