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D-Day Has Arrived Cowboys Liking Flexibility Of Two First-Round Picks Nick Eatman
IRVING, Texas - In less than 24 hours, the Cowboys will finally be on the clock. Or at least, they're scheduled to be. Because here we are, on the eve of the NFL Draft, and it's still anyone's guess what the Cowboys, or for that matter, what most every other team ahead of them in the first round might do come Saturday when the draft begins at 11 a.m. (CDT). The Cowboys have the 11th and 20th overall picks, and as of Thursday, owner and general manager Jerry Jones has said the team could either trade down from the 11th spot to gain additional picks, possibly even trade up one or two draft positions or just stand pat and pick a player. And that's just one pick. The Cowboys could also use the 20th pick as trade bait, depending on who is available and just what the Cowboys need at that point in the draft. "It's an exciting time for the organization," Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones said Friday. "I know it's been a while since we've had two first-round picks (1992). It's great to be in this situation. We'll wake up (Saturday) and at the end of the day, we'll be a better football team." The Cowboys are counting on being better, but it's unlikely they know for sure just who it will be to get them there. Basically, anything could happen on D-Day. Rarely is there much certainty in the NFL Draft past the first few picks, and this year you can't even say that. San Francisco owns the No. 1 pick, and either the 49ers are throwing out major smokescreens or they still are unsure of what they will do with the first pick. Will it be quarterback Alex Smith? Will it be quarterback Aaron Rodgers? Might they trade out of the pick? And what the 49ers do will affect what Miami does at No. 2 and what Cleveland does at No. 3 and for sure what Tampa Bay does at No. 5. And then there are the Redskins at Nos. 9 and 25, calling all around the league trying to jump up higher in the top 10, maybe to draft a quarterback or maybe to nab Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who some consider the best player in this draft. But if we are going to lend any sort of common sense to this madness while analyzing the Cowboys, it would seem they are intent to get immediate help for their defensive front seven. This team needs pass rushers in the worst way, and despite failed attempts to acquire quality defensive ends in prior drafts, it appears the Cowboys will likely try their hand once again at finding a pure pass rusher. And this year, there are several players projected to go in the middle of the first round who seemingly would be good fits for the Cowboys - still undecided if they will switch permanently from the 4-3 defensive alignment to the 3-4. New scouting director Jeff Ireland said last week the Cowboys want players who can play in both schemes. Well, here are two: Maryland's Shawne Merriman and LSU's Marcus Spears. Merriman played both schemes in college, showing the ability to rush the passer either as a standup linebacker or with his hand on the ground as a true defensive end. "Shawne is big. He can rush the passer with a three-point stance, but he can also rush in a two-point stance," Ireland said. "He's also covered, too and he has great range. But we're just looking for players who are versatile and could fit well in both schemes." As for Spears, he, too, would fit into either scheme with his rare combination of size and speed. The 6-4, 305-pounder could play defensive end in the 3-4, a needed commodity if the Cowboys should shift to that defense, or the strong-side end in the 4-3. But the Cowboys are also high on Troy's Demarcus Ware, who played defensive end in the 4-3 defense in college, using his superb athletic ability to make plays, but then often against weaker competition. Ware, though, at the Senior Bowl in late January, was moved to outside linebacker and played well in the game, recording three tackles in limited playing time to lead the South squad. Now it would be an adjustment for Ware to move to the 3-4 defense, and that's why he is one player whose stock has ranged anywhere from a top-10 pick to top 20. Just know the Cowboys could take him at No. 11, but if not and he falls to No. 20, he likely won't be there at No. 21. Other pass rushers to keep an eye on are Wisconsin's Erasmus James and Georgia's David Pollack, who might turn into a 3-4 linebacker. Both players are being projected somewhere between the Cowboys' two picks at No. 11 and No. 20, but certainly could slide into the Cowboys' lap. Now one thing that could shake things up dramatically for the Cowboys is the re-emergence of a possible trade with the New Orleans for Darren Howard. The fifth-year defensive end is still on the trading block, with the Saints desperately trying to rid themselves of his $7.8 million cap hit. Jerry Jones said the team was "no where" in discussions for a possible trade last week, but things could certainly heat up on Saturday. The Saints have been asking a for a first-round pick, one reason the trade talks stalled in the first place. But if New Orleans lowers it price to possibly a second-round pick (the Cowboys 42nd overall selection), then it could get interesting. However, despite some reports that trade talks were heating up, Stephen Jones said he didn't think anything has occurred of late to make the Cowboys think a draft-day trade is possible. "I don't think so," Stephen Jones said when asked if the trade talks were heating up on Howard. "We're looking at all of our trade opportunities at this point. But I wouldn't say things are heating up there." If the Cowboys made that trade, endless possibilities for their first two draft picks then open up. No longer needing a true defensive end and probably then resigned to playing a 4-3, the Cowboys then would be free to draft the best available player at linebacker, safety, wide receiver or even offensive tackle. The Cowboys are one of four teams to have two first-round picks in Saturday's draft, also owning the 20th pick, a selection they obtained from Buffalo last year in a draft-day trade, that resulted in the Cowboys drafting running back Julius Jones in the second round. And know that Stephen Jones and the Cowboys certainly haven't forgotten that deal, and certainly wouldn't be opposed to duplicating that move if the right opportunity arose. "We did well with Julius last year and we'd like to match that success," Jerry Jones said of the possibility of trading down. "There could be a good opportunity there. If we can, that might be a way to get some other picks in the first three rounds." Currently, the Cowboys have only three picks in the first three rounds - the 11th and 20th in the first round and then the 10th spot (42nd overall) in the second round. They already have spent their third-round pick, trading it to Houston last spring for Drew Henson, a sixth-round pick of the Texans in 2003. So in a way, the Cowboys already have found their quarterback prospect in this draft, although at some point they will need to add a fourth quarterback, at least for training camp purposes, either late in the draft or by signing a rookie free agent. And since Jerry Jones has been known for making draft-day deals ever since buying the club in 1989, you can count on the club at least making an effort to move around in the first round to find another first-day pick. Few will ever forget the Herschel Walker trade back in the middle of the 1989 season that gave them a slew of draft choices, the majority used to select the likes of Emmitt Smith, Kevin Smith, Russell Maryland and Alvin Harper. And even with those guys, the Cowboys moved around in the first rounds to land them. Now the Cowboys don't have bushel-full of picks this year, but they do have some ammo with two first-round picks, the first time that has occurred since 1992. And you know Jones isn't afraid to dangle them around, hoping some team might take the bait and offer something the Cowboys can't refuse. So there you have it. That about covers all bases. With the No. 11 pick, look for the Cowboys to either trade up, trade down or make the pick. And at No. 20, they could also trade up, trade down or make the pick. Now that we've narrowed it down for you, just sit back, relax and enjoy the draft.
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