Cowboys midseason report card justifies NFL trade deadline activity

It's the halfway point of the season and the Dallas Cowboys have a well-timed bye in Week 10.

Not only does this week off allow them some time to regroup following back-to-back devastating losses, but it affords them time to work their two new defenders into their lineup. Dallas added defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and linebacker Logan Wilson at the NFL trade deadline in an effort to shore up their defense.

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As they look forward to the second half of the season, we take some time to look back with a midseason report card. Let's look at each position group as well as the overall performance of their offense, defense, and special teams.

Offensive grades

Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Denver Broncos. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Dallas has been bailed out this season by an offense that’s played at an elite level. They’re third in the league in yards and fourth in points, but not every position group has lived up to expectations.

Quarterback: A-

Dak Prescott is the primary reason the Cowboys have been able to win three games this season. He was playing at an elite level through the first seven weeks, asserting himself as a legitimate MVP candidate.

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The last two weeks, however, have left a lot to be desired. It's hard to be too critical of Prescott, since so much has been placed on his shoulders due to their putrid defense, but he has to be better than what we saw against Denver and Arizona.

Running Backs: B

Dallas deserves a lot of praise for signing Javonte Williams. The under-the-radar free agent pickup has 716 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 5.2 yards per attempt. He's even been an absolute stud in pass coverage, leveling blitzing linebackers with ease.

If this grade was solely for Williams, it would be an A+. Unfortunately, he has no help around him. While Miles Sanders was off to a good start, he's on the IR and Jaydon Blue has been a non-factor. There were hopes Malik Davis could provide a spark, but he's been released after gaining just six yards on three attempts.

Wide Receivers: A

CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens have been on fire this season, giving the Cowboys two of the top pass-catchers in the NFL. Ryan Flournoy has also emerged as of late, but Dallas hasn't gotten as much out of KaVontae Turpin as expected.

Tight Ends: B

Jake Ferguson is having a bounce back season, but his average per reception (6.9 yards) leaves a lot to be desired. He also went AWOL in Week 8 and had a terrible fumble in Week 9.

Luke Schoonmaker remains a question mark behind him, recording eight catches for 63 yards. Brevyn Spann-Ford hasn't been given many chances in the passing game, but the second-year pro is unbelievable in run blocking.

Offensive Line: B-

The offensive line deserves a lot of praise for playing through a multitude of injuries, but they've fallen off in the past two weeks. They've given Dak Prescott very little time to throw and it seems they struggle to hold up in key situations.

Overall Grade: B+

Defensive Grades

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus looks on during the game between the Cowboys and Ravens. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Dallas has given up 30.8 points per game this season and is 31st in yardage surrendered. Let’s check out each unit at the bye.

Defensive Line: C

The addition of Kenny Clark made an impact on their run defense early, but that changed in a hurry. Once their run defense fell off, things got really bad.

Dallas has struggled to get pressure on the quarterback as well, but that's been quickly changing thanks to Donovan Ezeiruaku. His promise pushes this grade up slightly.

Linebackers: D-

Dallas needs to get Logan Wilson up to speed in a hurry because their linebackers have been bad. If he can provide some stability, they could become respectable, especially with DeMarvion Overshown on the way back.

Secondary: F

No unit on this entire roster has been worse than the Dallas secondary. The cornerbacks seem allergic to the ball and are typically several yards away from every receiver they face.

The one letdown from the trade deadline was the fact that the Cowboys didn't get any help at cornerback or safety. Instead, they're banking on players such as Donovan Wilson to return to health, but they weren't any better when he was out there.

Overall Grade: D-

Special Teams Grades

Dallas Cowboys place kicker Brandon Aubrey kicks the game-winning field goal against the New York Giants. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Kicking units: A+

Brandon Aubrey has missed one field goal this season, and it was a 68-yard attempt. He's so good that we were all shocked he didn't connect on that one, although he had plenty of distance.

Bryan Anger is also superb, entering the midway point with an average of 47 yards per punt. He's one of the best in the game and keeps on delivering.

Returners: B

The return game hasn't been bad in Dallas, but KaVontae Turpin set the bar so high that it feels like kickoff returns have become an afterthought this season.

As for punt returns, that's hard to judge. The defense rarely forces punts, and the Cowboys have had nine punt returns this year. Nine returns in nine games. You do the math on that one.

Overall Grade: A-

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