Dallas Cowboys: 3 personnel changes to avoid collapse

Tied with the Eagles and facing a harsh schedule, the Dallas Cowboys are bound by constraints these three personnel changes can break.

The Dallas Cowboys loss to the Minnesota Vikings was painful in many ways. To pour salt in the wound, I’ll just add one more. Think of the difference if Dallas would have secured a certain Pro Bowl safety a few weeks ago.

Add New York Jets safety Jamal Adams to the Cowboys defense and Dallas beats the Vikings. Adams makes a living stifling big tight ends and knifing down slick runners in the open field. The trade price was too high from most accounts, but oh what could have been.

Which brings me to the point, the trade deadline has come and gone. The key players on the roster today are the same ones who will make or break this season. Well apparently after four losses the status quo isn’t good enough.

If Dallas is going to face the remaining tough schedule and win the division, snap distributions much change in key areas. Below are three positions that must adapt.

BENCH CONNOR WILLIAMS

For the short term this problem has solved itself. Connor Williams will miss time with minor knee surgery and is expected out a few weeks. There is no cheering of injuries here, but it does help correct this major issue naturally for now.

Xavier Su’a-Filo is a much more powerful blocker. He has the occasional slip in pass protection. But for a team hell bent on pounding Ezekiel Elliott even when outnumbered, Su’a-Filo is the much better option to move big bodies.

UNLEASH BLAKE JARWIN

It’s true Blake Jarwin is not the ideal blocker for the starting tight end position. However, age-challenged Jason Witten is not exactly blowing up defenders either.

What we do know is Jarwin is blazing fast, has good size, and is a rangy mismatch. Combine that with Dallas’ downfield weapons and they can expose almost any defense. There’s no good reason Witten should continue taking double the snaps.

DEBUT DONOVAN WILSON

This one drives me nuts. Donovan Wilson was drawing rave reviews in training camp practices. He backed it up with standout preseason performances. The fan base was excited as was the coaching staff.

Wilson suffers an injury before the season starts, yet becomes available before Week Three. To date he still does not have one defensive snap. Maybe he isn’t healthy? 76 special teams snaps since then tell a different story.

Dallas needs a more powerful presence roaming the second level at strong safety. Someone that has good range, which Wilson showed in practice and exhibition games. Just another example of coaches naively playing cautious and favorites.