Cowboys Trade Proposal for Devin White: A '$20 Million 'Need' for Dallas?
FRISCO - Every year we hear how this is "their year" when it comes to the Dallas Cowboys finally getting over the hump in the playoffs and ascending the NFL mountain to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
We also constantly hear the Cowboys connected to every "celebrity'' name that is rumored to be available via trade or free agency.
How to separate the fact from the fiction? We're here to help, with Devin White as the newest "guinea pig.''
While they have yet to get back to the Super Bowl in almost three decades, once again there are high expectations for Dallas. Of course, it isn't an unreasonable goal as they are seen by some as the best team in the NFC with one of the best rosters in the league.
And yes, they want to make an elite roster that much better.
So along comes a star linebacker who has demanded a trade, with Devin White "fed up" with his situation amid bogged-down contract negotiations with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Of course, Tampa Bay has said it doesn't want to trade the young linebacker. If White does ultimately become available, though, our colleagues at Athlon Sports believe the Cowboys should swing a trade for him
Why?
"The team has a need for him,'' Athlon writes. "While they re-signed middle linebacker Leighton Vander Esch earlier this offseason, the Cowboys lack a proven playmaker at weak-side linebacker, where their only player with starting experience is Damone Clark, who started five games in his lone NFL season.
"And with more than $13 million in cap space, they should be able to afford White, at least in the short term. ... Jerry Jones seems to be operating with a sense of urgency this offseason."
Let's pick this apart with our boots-on-the-ground knowledge of what the Cowboys actually "need'' and "think.''
1 - "The team has a need for him.'' We'll disagree. A linebackers room led by Micah Parsons and Vander Esch and also populated by promising kids Clark and Jabril Cox does not scream "need.''
2 - "With more than $13 million in cap space ...'' This ignores the fact that Dallas has earmarked $10 million for its rookie pool. There are ways to get more space. But that space is presently a mirage.
3 - "They should be able to afford White, at least in the short term.'' Whoa. "Short-term''? The whole point of the White story is about him wanting for a rich contract extension reportedly in the range of $20 million APY. There is no "short-term.''
4 - "Jerry Jones seems to be operating with a sense of urgency this offseason." This one is true; the Cowboys have added both Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks via trade, which shows the willingness to make deals happen.
But what's left out here from the Tampa side: They have no intention of dumping the guy who is arguably their best player.
And what boots on the ground in Frisco knows that many don't: The Cowboys front office has created a vision of a "salary-cap pie.'' They have designed a philosophy in which there are only so many $20 million players/top-paid players at their position who fit into that pie. And with CeeDee Lamb, Trevon Diggs, Micah Parsons and Tyler Smith destined to join Dak Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence, Zack Martin and Tony Pollard on that list?
It makes the idea of adding White to the Cowboys defense more "fun'' than "factual.''
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
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