5 offseason moves that are making the Cowboys look like geniuses

The 2023 season has been mostly great for the Dallas Cowboys, and in addition to building a great roster over time, you need to have some hits in the most recent offseason to truly take that next step as a franchise. You need the "missing ingredients", if you will.

The Dallas Cowboys had a really solid offseason in 2023 that has helped lead this team to contending for the top seed in the NFC and certainly looking like one of the strongest contenders in the conference.

The brain trust of Stephen Jones, Will McClay, Mike McCarthy, and of course Jerry Jones all put their heads together this offseason to determine what would be the best course of action for the franchise, and they made some really underrated moves that have helped push the franchise into a position where they might have a shot at winning a Super Bowl this season.

What moves are making the Cowboys personnel brain trust look like geniuses right now?

1. Trading for CB Stephon Gilmore

When you look at the entire spectrum of moves made in the 2023 offseason by the Dallas Cowboys, I don't think any individual move has made more of a difference at this point than trading for former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore. Gilmore was previously with the Indianapolis Colts, who cost Dallas just a 5th-round pick.

Now, you can find gems in the 5th round, but you're not likely to find them and you're certainly not likely to find players who can play a premium position at the level of someone like Stephon Gilmore. Even at the age of 33, Gilmore has his 10th multi-interception season of his NFL career. His 12 passes defensed are the most he's had in a season since 2019 (with the Patriots), and Gilmore has allowed just 54.5 percent of passes thrown his way to be caugh.

That's also his best number since 2019.

Simply put, Gilmore has found the fountain of youth with Dallas, and getting him for just a 5th-round pick was an act of mastery on the part of the Cowboys. Especially when you consider the fact that Trevon Diggs went down with an injury, having Gilmore is not so much luxury as it is necessity. And the Cowboys only had to pay a 5th-round pick.