The Dallas Cowboys have won 12 games in each of the previous two seasons it's clear that they are a good football team. However, the Cowboys still haven't gotten over the divisional round blues that have plagued them since the 1990s. 

That meant there was work to be done this offseason and the Cowboys did just that with a lot of their key moves coming in the form of re-signing in-house free agents. But two other moves were critical for Dallas as they look to make a deep playoff run.

These strategic moves were highlighted by ESPN's Mina Kimes last week after she praised the Cowboys for retaining defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

"I think they addressed their two biggest areas of need. Run defense, they draft Mazi Smith the defensive tackle out of Michigan, and depth at cornerback, they trade for Stephon Gilmore," said Kimes. "So the offense doesn't have to start out hot because this defense, I believe, is one of the three best in the league."

The drafting of Smith, along with the re-signing of nose tackle Johnathan Hankins is extremely important for the Cowboys' defense. 

Thanks to the dominance of All-Pro linebacker/edge Micah Parsons, the Cowboys finished with 54 sacks in 2022, the third-most in the NFL. So, with Smith and Hankins as space-eaters on run plays, it can force more third and long situations. With guys like DeMarcus Lawrence, Sam Williams, Dorance Armstrong, and Dante Fowler joining Parsons, that spells doom for opposing quarterbacks.

What Smith also does is help keep interior offensive linemen from reaching the second level. This is extremely helpful for linebackers, especially a guy like Leighton Vander Esch who thrives when he's kept clean and can roam the field, and giving rising star Damone Clark more opportunities to run freely is a good thing also.

Gilmore is a savvy and knowledgeable veteran who is coming off of a season with the Colts that was comparable to his Pro Bowl and All-Pro years. Instantly, he gives the Cowboys another shutdown cornerback opposite Trevon Diggs, and yes, it helps with depth since Anthony Brown is no longer on the team and Jourdan Lewis is coming back from an injury. 

During OTAs, Gilmore has looked sharp, but he's also shown another aspect that he'll bring which is versatility. In addition to his work on the outside, Gilmore took reps in the slot which is important for when the Cowboys face bigger receivers who line up inside. With 2022 rookie sensation DaRon Bland having the ability to play on the outside it allows the Cowboys to experiment with Gilmore in the slot.

An already top-level Cowboys' defense has a shot to be better in 2023.

Feature image via Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports