Who should the Cowboys grab before the trade deadline?
Defensive Line
The Dallas Cowboys added many weapons to their defensive line this past offseason. Things have not gone according to plan. While edge rusher Aldon Smith has been good so far, the others have been invisible, with one missing the entire season due to injury.
This time around, Jerry Jones can’t afford to miss on any players he adds. Defensive tackle Dontari Poe was supposed to be a good interior lineman that would help defend the run. His poor performance led to him being released from the team this on Wednesday.
If the Cowboys can get him without giving up much, defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins would be an option worth exploring. He is playing on his fifth-year option this season, which holds a cap hit of $3.6 million (The New Orleans Saints will pay $2 million for restructured money next season).
Spotrac has his market value at a four-year contract averaging $11.3 million per season. It won’t be easy, but maybe Jerry can figure out a way to lower this number to squeeze him in.
The former first-round pick has been inconsistent in his five-year career. He had a breakout season in 2018 with 8.0 sacks, 40 tackles, and 15 quarterback hits. One of the reasons he has been inconsistent is because of a drop in his snaps.
From 62 percent of defensive snaps in 2018, he played 30 percent in an injury-plagued 2019 and is playing 55 percent so far this season. In Dallas, he is sure to have a larger share of snaps.
The New York Jets have been an organization that makes its star players want to leave. The next man up is defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. What’s crazy is that he was the third overall selection in the 2019 draft, and already the Jets are shopping him around.
Some may believe there is something up. One of those people is Steven Mullenax of The Landry Hat.
"“It makes little sense that the Jets would rid themselves of an ascending top-three drafted player less than two years into his career unless there are some serious issues behind the scenes that the team is unwilling to reveal.”"
I mean, what Steven is saying makes sense; however, there is one trend that catches my attention. They are riding themselves of everything and everyone. From running back Le’Veon Bell to safety Jamal Adams, everyone seems to want out of New York.
While Williams’ rookie season was underwhelming, he has looked better this year. In seven games, he has 3.0 sacks, 28 tackles, and seven pressures. For a soon to be 23-year-old, he is playing well and continues to have an appealing upside.