[brid autoplay=”true” video=”793751″ player=”23231″ title=”3%20NFC%20East%20stars%20the%20Dallas%20Cowboys%20must%20neutralize%20to%20top%20standings%20in%202021″ duration=”88″ description=”Each of Dallas’ division foes feature electrifying talent that could ultimately lead to the team’s demise if not neutralized in 2021. Here is one player from each NFC East rival that the Cowboys must prioritize in order to circumvent yet another year of disappointment.” uploaddate=”2021-06-03″ thumbnailurl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/thumb/793751_t_1622746687.png” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/sd/793751.mp4″]
Fresh off an ugly six-win campaign under then first-year head coach Mike McCarthy, the Dallas Cowboys have done a lot to upgrade at some areas of major need. They still need to make some moves to compete with the Washington Football Team in the NFC East this season.
Dallas Cowboys sign Richard Sherman
Youngsters Trevon Diggs and Jourdan Lewis could end up being a nice pair of cornerbacks. Rookie second-round pick Kelvin Joseph from LSU has a bright future ahead of himself. With that said, the Cowboys must add more experience to the defensive secondary if they want to improve a defense that yielded 34 passing touchdowns against 10 interceptions a season ago.
That’s where the 33-year-old Sherman comes into play. He’s going to wait until training camp to latch on with a contending team. Despite missing all but five games a season ago with the San Francisco 49ers, Sherman is one year removed from earning a Pro Bowl spot. At the very least, he’d act as a tremendous veteran presence for the three youngsters listed above.
Dallas Cowboys trade Jaylon Smith
There’s been talk that Dallas could move off either Smith or injury-plagued former first-round pick Leighton Vander Esch. More recently, Smith has been subjected to trade rumors with the Cowboys’ brass reportedly intent on keeping the latter. Either way, the Cowboys have a surplus of starter-caliber linebackers. If they can acquire a draft pick or a player at a need position for Smith, it makes sense.
The additions of Neal, Parsons and Cox makes Smith expendable. That’s especially true following the struggles we saw from the former Notre Dame standout in 2020 and his high salary. Perhaps, a team like the Los Angeles Chargers comes calling — offering up a third-round pick or the equivalent to take Smith off Dallas’ hands.
Dallas Cowboys trade for Gardner Minshew
Dak Prescott is 100% and ready to go after suffering a devastating ankle injury a season ago. That’s the good news. However, we have no idea how said ankle is going to hold up in live-game action. It just makes too much sense for Dallas to add insurance behind Prescott in the form of a capable backup who might be able to start in a pinch.
Gardner Minshew of the Jacksonville Jaguars would be more than that. Firmly on the trade block, the former sixth-round pick from Washington State has tallied 37 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions in 20 starts over two seasons with the Jaguars. He’s obviously now expendable after Jacksonville selected fellow quarterback Trevor Lawrence No. 1 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. What makes Minshew an even more attractive option for the Dallas Cowboys is the fact that he’s set to earn a combined base salary of $1.825 million over the next two seasons.