Cowboys Rumors: Reported ‘intrigue’ with CJ Stroud means absolutely nothing

The 2023 NFL Draft is two months away, and there’s no telling which direction the Dallas Cowboys go in the first round. Owners of the No. 26 overall pick, the Cowboys could go receiver, cornerback, defensive tackle — or simply the best player available — and seemingly nobody would bat an eyelash.

If there’s one position you can rule out, however, it’s quarterback. Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s CJ Stroud, Florida’s Anthony Richardson, and Kentucky’s Will Levis highlight this year’s quarterback pool, and the general consensus is all four will be off the board by the middle of the first round.

With the draft still a ways away, Cowboys fans should expect myriad rumors — authentic or otherwise — to be unearthed between now and then. The Bijan Robinson buzz and links are a testament to that.

Some will have legitimate steam, while others will be snuffed out for what they really are upon arrival.

Care to hazard a guess where Sports Illustrated’s Mike Fisher‘s report claiming the Cowboys are “intrigued” by CJ Stroud falls under?

Cowboys Rumors: Dallas “intrigued” by Ohio State QB CJ Stroud.

This is what we’re doing? The NFL offseason is exactly a week old, and we’re already connecting Dallas to a likely top-five pick? The smart money says the Cowboys are intrigued by numerous prospects, QBs and all. If Dallas has taken a shine to Stroud’s draft profile, odds are the same can be said about Bryce Young.

This is just a complete waste of time.

For starters, the Cowboys would actually have to move heaven and earth to position themselves to draft Stroud. ESPN’s Todd McShay’s latest mock draft has the former Buckeye going second overall to the Texans. (Young went first overall to the Colts, who traded up from the fourth pick).

PFF’s Michael Renner had Stroud going No. 9 overall to the Panthers in his post-Super Bowl mock draft. That’s the lowest we’ve seen Stroud fall. Trading into the top 10 from the end of the first round would cost Dallas at least three first-round picks. Trading into the top-five would cost even more capital.

There’s also the two-ton elephant in the room: Dak Prescott. You know, the Cowboys’ undisputed franchise quarterback? His name ring a bell?

Fisher even noted in his article that the team plans to extend Prescott despite the fact he has two years remaining on his deal. The endgame there is to create some $20 million in cap space, and entrust Prescott with the keys of the franchise for the remainder of his prime, if not the rest of his career.

Don’t get it twisted. The Cowboys ‘intrigue” with Stroud does not create intrigue to what they might do with Prescott this offseason. At most, they draft a backup somewhere in the final four rounds.

Quick, someone in the know ask their sources if Dallas is “intrigued” by Alabama DE Will Anderson and Georgia DT Jalen Carter.

Re-grading the Cowboys 2022 NFL Draft class after Year 1

The Cowboys are one of the best drafting teams in the NFL. With the season in the books, let's re-grade Dallas' 2022 draft class after Year 1.