Dallas Cowboys: Six Mid-Round Draft Successes

Dec 21, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys injured tackle Doug Free on the sidelines with the offensive lineman during the game against the Indianapolis Colts at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Doug Free | OT | Round 4 | 2007

Poor Doug Free gets much maligned at times.

He plays on the Cowboys lauded offensive line with little appreciation.

He isn’t one of the first round magic trio.

He’s had desperately inconsistent spells, so much so that he accepted a pay cut in 2013 to remain with the side.

What he does add though is veteran leadership both on and off the field.

In 2014 he ranked 21st out of 85 tackles on PFF.

A foot injury bought his season to a premature close and Jermey Parnell played well in his absence.

Both men are soon to be free agents.

Whilst Jerry Jones hasn’t ruled out the possibility of recruiting yet another o-line man in the first round of the draft saying at the weekend that

"“It certainly is possible, It certainly is”"

My ideal scenario is the Cowboys retain Free and draft in a late round offensive tackle for him to mentor.

Both Free and Parnell will demand starters salary so it’s simply a case of one stays and one goes.

But for now, we don’t know which.

Next: Round 3: One Year Wonder?