Dallas Cowboys: Why Dalvin Tomlinson should be top free agent target
Dak Prescott's contract numbers are huge. Second biggest contract ever given out, and the highest signing bonus ever. That said, the long-term deal will actually save the Dallas Cowboys money in the immediate future. The Dallas Cowboys are set to pay Prescott just $22 million in 2021. The number would be $38 million had Prescott […]
Dak Prescott's contract numbers are huge. Second biggest contract ever given out, and the highest signing bonus ever. That said, the long-term deal will actually save the Dallas Cowboys money in the immediate future.
The Dallas Cowboys are set to pay Prescott just $22 million in 2021. The number would be $38 million had Prescott just been franchise tagged for the upcoming season.
The lower cap-hit and the restructuring of three deals means that the Cowboys will have roughly $17 million to work with this offseason. It is very possible that the Cowboys have their eyes on being a little more aggressive than usual this offseason.
It is very unlikely that the Cowboys will look to spend big money in free agency. Dallas has not shown to be an organization willing to pay top-dollar on the open market. That should not prevent the Cowboys from acquiring a quality free agent or two, though.
Dallas has immediate needs along the defensive line and in the secondary. Offensive line and linebacker are two other positions that need to be addressed at some point as well. The Cowboys do have a top-10 draft pick and another top-50 selection, but you never want to go into the draft with one arm tied behind your back.
Free agency gives the Cowboys the opportunity to identify veterans around the league that have the ability to make an impact once the 2021 season kicks off. Building the defense is the priority with the core of the offense locked in through 2024.
Keanu Neal, Patrick Peterson, and Richard Sherman are defensive backs that the Cowboys will likely have some interest in. Dan Quinn has a connection to both Neal and Sherman.
Adding a big body to the interior of the defense should be the Cowboys' plan. Giants defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson is who the Cowboys need to go after when free agency opens.
DALVIN TOMLINSON IS WHO COWBOYS SHOULD PURSUE
The Dallas Cowboys have largely ignored the defensive tackle position for years. As a result, the middle of the defense has been a weaknesses more often than not. That hurts not only the defensive line, but also the linebacker play.
Upgrading that area of the roster must be a priority for the Dallas Cowboys as soon as when the new league year begins next week. Antwaun Woods is a candidate to be brought back. There have also been reports suggesting that Gerald McCoy might sign a new deal.
However, the player that the team needs to go out and sign is New York Giants defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson.
The Giants drafted Tomlinson out of Alabama in the second-round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The Crimson Tide product has developed into a very solid defender in the NFC East. There is no doubt that the Cowboys are very familiar with what he brings to the table.
Productive against the run and above average as a pass rusher, Tomlinson will be a hot commodity in free agency. Both The Athletic and Pro Football Focus rank the defender as the 40th overall player on the market.
PFF predicts Tomlinson to sign a four-year, $52.5 million contract. Spotrac is in the same ballpark, predicting a four-year, $45 million deal. It seems likely that Tomlinson will command somewhere around $12 million a year.
Signing Prescott to a long-term deal and lowering his initial cap-hit, along with the restructuring of other deals, has made it possible for the Cowboys to hand out that kind of contract.
MORE OPTIONS IN SECONDARY THAN DEFENSIVE TACKLE IN DRAFT
Furthermore, there is a better chance that the Cowboys add a premium player in the secondary than at defensive tackle in the draft. Both the defensive backfield and the interior of the defensive line must be addressed. The quality of talent at cornerback at the top of the draft is much better than at defensive tackle.
Virginia Tech's Caleb Farley, Alabama's Patrick Surtain II, and South Carolina's Jaycee Horn are all considered blue-chip talents. Northwestern's Greg Newsome and Kentucky's Kelvin Joseph are two more corners that are generating round-one hype.
On the flip side, you would be hard-pressed to find many defensive tackles projected to go high in the draft. Alabama's Christian Barmore and Washington's Levi Onwuzurike are really the only two players at the position that seem to have real possibilities at going within the first 32 picks.
Therefore, it would make a ton of sense for Dallas to address defensive tackle through free agency and cornerback through the draft. Signing Tomlinson and drafting one of those premier corners at 10th overall would be smart building. It would also help Dan Quinn a ton in rebuilding the defensive side of the ball.
Dalvin Tomlinson would be a big addition to the Dallas Cowboys. He has the ability to solve a lot of problems that the Cowboys have in stopping the run. He also possesses some pass-rushing upside that would pair nicely with DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory in the trenches.
Tomlinson is the player that the Cowboys need to have their eyes on as soon as free agency begins.
Featured image via Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
