Duncan looks the part, though he'll need to add weight at the next level. And while the Cowboys need depth at WR, the loss of Tyron Smith was a reminder that there was very little margin for error along the offensive line, too. Forty-year-old Jason Peters will be the stopgap, but bolstering the unit is a priority, even after using a 2022 first-rounder on Tyler Smith.
Replacing Leighton Vander Esch has been on the Cowboys' radar for a little while now and getting to dial in another physical hammer makes all the sense in the world. Noah Sewell allows the Cowboys to have the flexibility to continue moving Micah Parsons around as they desire, meaning they're maximizing two roles on the defense with one addition.
The Cowboys have Demarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons power their pass rush most but also could use a versatile and often explosive piece to move around from the SEC. They get in Ojulari, the brother of the Giants' Azeez.
Micah Parsons was not only NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year but a First-Team All-Pro selection as he led the Cowboys with 13 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. But both Leighton Vander Esch and Anthony Barr are on one-year contracts for the 2022 season. Adding Simpson to the linebacking corps would help allow Dallas to free up Parsons to be utilized more as a pass rusher. Like Parsons, Simpson is a versatile defender and freakish athlete (he runs the 40-yard dash in the high 4.3s).
The Cowboys have some very solid hands in the secondary right now. One way to make sure it stays that way, as players age, is to continually replenish. Smith isn't a terrific athlete, but he's a very good cornerback who is tough to beat — he allowed only 15 receptions last season. And he'll keep getting better.
The Cowboys struck gold when they drafted Micah Parsons in 2021. The do-it-all linebacker proved that he can excel as an edge defender or as a stand-up off-ball linebacker—his versatility greatly helped the Dallas defense. That being said, the team is still in search of a pass rusher opposite Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. After they failed to re-sign Randy Gregory, the need has grown. Nolan Smith is a bit undersized, but he is twitchy, powerful, and is as violent as they come.
Fifty-five receptions, 1,099 yards, eight touchdowns. Those numbers don't exactly scream "NFL," especially when you realize they are over a two-year span. So why is Quentin Johnston the fourth receiver off the board in this 2023 NFL Mock Draft?
6'4", 215 pounds, 42" vertical, and a 4.4 40-yard dash. Now those are NFL numbers. We need to see Johnston put it all together in 2022, and if he does, he could go as high as the second WR overall in the class.
Dallas could use another wide receiver after trading Amari Cooper, but considering the franchise hasn't been shy about drafting linebackers in the first round in recent years, Sewell makes sense here. Adding the instinctive and physical hitter would free up Micah Parsons to work more off the edge. Sewell had 112 tackles and 4.0 sacks last season.
