Cowboys' never-ending safety nightmare could be over with one easy trade

A lot was learned during Christian Parker's introductory press conference. From his emphasis on building a “multiple” defense tailored to his players’ strengths to his belief that teaching is the foundation of coaching, the Dallas Cowboys may have a young star on their hands.

That said, Cowboys fans should temper expectations. Matt Eberflus left behind a lot of scar tissue, and Parker's system isn't going to stick right away. And we're not breaking any news when we say that the personnel is nothing to write home about.

It needs at least one starting caliber cornerback, potentially two capable linebackers, and maybe a completely overhauled safety room. In terms of the latter, Donovan Wilson is a free agent, and there is an easy out in the final year of Malik Hooker's contract.

Regardless of whether Hooker is back, the Cowboys could put an end to their never-ending safety headache by trading for Miami Dolphins veteran Minkah Fitzpatrick, who's reportedly been involved in trade talks as Miami works to retool its roster.

The Dallas Cowboys should trade for Minkah Fitzpatrick while the iron is hot

Hailing from the Vic Fangio coaching tree, Parker’s defense will likely demand a lot from its safeties in coverage. That’s a stern departure from previous Cowboys defensive coordinators, who didn’t prioritize the position nearly as much.

Trading for a proven veteran like Fitzpatrick would solve a lot of problems. Parker wants to run a 3-4 defense, and Fitzpatrick thrived in that alignment with the Steelers, who surprisingly traded him to Miami last June.

Despite being dropped into one of the worst secondaries the NFL has to offer, Fitzpatrick put together a banner season, ranking eighth at the position with a 78.3 coverage grade and 17th with a robust 79.6 run-defense grade, per Pro Football Focus. He did a little bit of everything for Miami's secondary, including serving as its vocal leader who got everyone aligned pre-snap.

Even with a decorated resume, Fitzpatrick likely won't cost anything more than a Day 3 pick. A fifth-rounder could be enough to get it done, as the team that trades for him would be on the hook for $15.6 million in non-guaranteed money.

What's not to like? DaRon Bland is the last Pro Bowler Dallas drafted on Day 3. Before that, you have to go all the way back to Dak Prescott in 2016. The point being that fifth-round picks are the equivalent of dart throws.

The best way to utilize them is to trade for established vets when the opportunity arises. The Cowboys did exactly that three years ago when they acquired Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore in clear win-now moves. They didn't translate to playoff success, but the logic behind them was airtight.

Fitzpatrick falls right into that bucket, and he'd instantly become the Cowboys' best safety in years.