Who’d Cowboys Protect in NFL Expansion Draft?
FRISCO - We have a major sports league expansion draft for the first time in a while, as the new Seattle Kraken of the NHL will take to the ice for their first season for the 2021-2022 campaign.
It's been a while for the NFL with regard to an expansion draft. The last time the NFL expanded was for the 2002 season with the Houston Texans.
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With attention on NHL expansion, it gives us an opportunity for a fun NFL hypothetical to consider.
For NFL expansion, they use a vastly different draft format than the NHL. For this hypothetical exercise, each NFL team would be allowed to protect up to five offensive players, five defensive players, and one 'specialist.'
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The Cowboys seem 'on the cusp' of an offensive breakout for 2021 and maintaining a certain level of talent would be a priority while exposing players for an expansion draft.
With a fictional 33rd NFL franchise on the clock, here are the 11 players on the Cowboys' current roster I would protect in an expansion draft:
QB Dak Prescott
It might've taken longer than expected and longer than fans were comfortable with, but Prescott was finally locked down long-term by the Cowboys. He's truly your franchise quarterback now for at least the next four seasons.
With 1,856 passing yards through five games last season, Prescott was on pace to shatter the NFL record for passing yards in a season. Then he got hurt and missed the final 11 games.
Prescott looks to be healed and to be 100-percent going into 2021. The team missed his leadership and his play on the field. This one's a no-brainer.
WR CeeDee Lamb
The Cowboys have one of the league's best trios in Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and Lamb. But this one is as easy a decision as the Prescott one.
Take into account Cooper's history of injury, including recent offseason surgery and the choice is clear. After just one season in the league, Lamb looks to have the highest ceiling of the three, and there's already talk about how soon he can take over as the WR1 option for the Cowboys.
He's on a team-friendly rookie deal right now, and there's already talk of letting Gallup go after this season in free agency.
With his starting quarterback out the final 11 games, Lamb was second on the team behind Cooper with 74 catches for 935 yards and 5 touchdowns.
OG Zack Martin
Clutchpoints
Make no mistake about it. Martin is on his way to the Cowboys' Ring of Honor, and quite possibly the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Constantly labeled, and rightfully so, as one of the best offensive guards in the league, Martin still has a bright future ahead of him and is still young, at 31 years of age.
After the first significant injury-plagued season of his career in 2020, he should be back to All-Pro dominance in 2021.
OT Tyron Smith
Also missing time with significant injuries in 2020, Smith is poised for a return to form in 2020. He says he's as healthy as he's ever been and finally feels better after off-season surgery to repair his neck and back issues.
As an anchor of the Cowboys offensive line that's there to protect Prescott, Smith is also still very young at 31, with a lot of service time left in Dallas.
RB Tony Pollard
I expect some backlash on this one, but yes, Pollard over Ezekiel Elliott. Why? Pollard was one of the few bright spots for the Cowboys in an otherwise abysmal 2020, and some say he's more effective than Elliott at this point in their respective careers.
Pollard should have an increased role in the offense in 2021, making him more valuable. Elliott appears on his way out the door after 2022 anyway when his guaranteed money runs out.
LB Micah Parsons
Protecting an incoming rookie who hasn't even played a down in the league? Yes. Parsons was the 12th overall pick in this year's draft, plays a position where the Cowboys need a serious upgrade, and should have an instant impact as a playmaker.
He also brings a much-needed "junkyard dog" mentality to a previously soft defense.
CB Trevon Diggs
Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy calls Diggs the best young cornerback he has coached in terms of getting after the ball.
Another young talent with a high ceiling that should continue to offer a high level of play to the Cowboys organization for many years to come.
DE Demarcus Lawrence
His salary doesn't quite match up with a guy coming off two seasons without double-digit sacks. But good things are coming for Lawrence and the Cowboys for 2021. With a full season of playing with another talent on the other side of the defensive line, the sack numbers should increase for Lawrence in 2021.
And make no mistake, he did not have a bad season in 2020. He played very well regardless of how his numbers looked. He's your defensive star at the moment and your most talented defensive player.
DE Randy Gregory
This is a tough one, but with everything the Cowboys have invested in Gregory, and with such a high ceiling, they have to protect him. He finally has a full offseason for the first time in years which should allow him to build on an impressive 2020 campaign.
Gregory is only 29 years old, and with his head right could be a huge talent to play alongside Lawrence on the other end for years to come. With both healthy, Lawrence and Gregory should see impressive sack numbers in 2021.
CB Kelvin Joseph
This is another odd one where they need to protect an incoming draft pick who has never played a down in the NFL. But he's the targeted starter opposite Diggs, at a position the Cowboys can't afford to miss on.
He's athletic and aggressive, two traits that play well in Dan Quinn's defensive scheme. Obviously, he's young, and along with Diggs can solidify that secondary that's been poor for so long.
K Greg Zuerlein
The Cowboys have struggled to find a stable and consistent kicker for a long time. Zuerlein offers both of those along with experience. Zuerlein connected on 34 of 41 field-goal attempts and 33 of 36 extra-point attempts in 2020.
It's hard to start over with a rookie or inexperienced kicker. They must protect "The Leg."
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