Who should the Cowboys grab before the trade deadline?
Defensive Backs
The Dallas Cowboys need help within their group of defensive backs. They could use a safety, but I’m not too sure on a cornerback yet.
Chidobe Awuzie has missed time this season due to injury but played well so far in his career. While rookie Trevon Diggs has had his bad moments, overall, he has played well and has a ton of potential.
We have seen the defensive backs get torched all season long, and something needs to change heading into next season. One way to do that is by grabbing an already established player. Who is on the market that can serve the Cowboys well?
Because the corners on the roster are relatively young, I can see the Cowboys holding back on trading for one. Instead, I can see them looking to grab a safety, something that the team has refused to give attention to for a long time.
Xavier Woods is operating as the top safety right now and plays more of a coverage style. I can see Jerry Jones looking for a hybrid to compliment him.
One option is Justin Simmons, although he is playing on a franchise tag and will need a new contract this offseason. He would want top dollar for a safety, but that’s because he plays like one.
Last season he played great, holding quarterbacks to under a 60 percent completion percentage and below a 45 passer rating along with four interceptions and 14 passes defended. He has back-to-back 90+ tackle seasons in 2018 and 2019 and is on pace to make it a three-peat this season.
The Buffalo Bills are having cap issues, and that may be to Dallas’ advantage. Buffalo needs to free up some cap room and can do so by trading Jordan Poyer to the Cowboys. He is signed through the next two seasons with a cap hit of $7.9 million and $7.7 million, respectively.
He is not the best in pass coverage, but he makes up for it by defending the run very well. He would have had three straight 100+ tackle seasons, but he had 95 tackles in 15 games during the 2017 season. Not to mention he has 7.0 sacks from 2017 to Week 7 of this season.
If Jerry opts to go with two coverage safeties again next season, look for Ricardo Allen. He is signed through the 2021 season with a cap hit of $8.4 million, so this would save time negotiating a contract in preparing for next season.
I would also expect Allen to demand a lower dollar than Simmons, so he is a cheaper option as well. If Dallas doesn’t trade for him before the Nov. 3 deadline, they can do so at the draft.