2021 NFL Team Draft Page

The Cowboys are moving up the draft board, thanks to a litany of injuries, the league's worst turnover differential, and an underperforming defense. Now, we can add to those troubles with the recent dissention in the locker room. As frustrations continue to build, it's natural to have doubts about the future of this roster and coaching staff. Right now, the defense is the top concern, but what if a change is made with Defensive Coordinator Mike Nolan? The defensive personnel we could target here changes. What if the fit between Mike McCarthy and this roster just isn't a good one? What if the Jones's decide to put the blame on the roster and construct a slight rebuild? Now many other possibilities open up.

As this season continues to slip away, the future of this team starts to look more bleak. Perhaps the most-troubling concept is that we could still win this division by default, get crushed in the first round of the playoffs, and only hurt our draft position next spring. I am hoping that as the season goes along, we see the coaching staff and roster come together.

I hope we see more positive signs, because at this moment, there are very few. I hope we start looking like a team that is only a handful of pieces away from being one of the top contenders in the NFC. Still, the direction this team takes over the next few months is going to play a significant factor in whether or we are drafting for need or drafting to rebuild next April.

~ Austin Smith, DraftTek Senior Analyst