Dallas Cowboys getting trade calls, expect great defensive player to be available

The Dallas Cowboys didn’t like what it took to get the 10th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, which begins April 29 and runs through May 1.

A disappointing 6-10 season in Mike McCarthy’s first year as head coach was a bitter pill to swallow.

But now that the Cowboys are here, they plan to make the most of it.

“Getting to the top of the draft is very painstaking,” vice president Stephen Jones said. “But once you get to pick early, it’s certainly great to pick up there high in terms of what your opportunities are in terms of some real high-end football players.”

The last time the Cowboys picked in the top 10 was 2016 when they nabbed running back Ezekiel Elliott fourth overall.

The 2021 options are plentiful for the Cowboys, who find themselves in the unique position of being able to take a high-end player at 10 or move back in the draft to pick up extra selections.

Jones said the Cowboys are already getting calls from teams interested in trading for the 10th pick.

“It’s really just starting to pick up in terms of [calls],” Jones said. “I’m sure up at the top it’s hot. We’ve already seen one trade made. But probably where we sit, we’re starting to get a few calls, and I think it will only pick up as we get closer to next Thursday. It will only pick up. So, you start to get yourself in a mode where you’re prepared that a particular team could call if their player, whether it’s a quarterback or an offensive lineman or a defensive player.”

The Jacksonville Jaquars, New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers are expected to draft quarterbacks with the first three picks.

Four could be gone before the Cowboys pick at 10. It’s also not beyond reason for a fifth quarterback to go that high as well for a team willing to trade up.

The Atlanta Falcons (fourth), Detroit Lions (seventh), Denver Broncos (ninth) and New England Patriots (15th) are potentially in the market for a quarterback.

Add in a run on other offensive players and it should push a great defensive player down to the Cowboys.

Barring the unforeseen of a generational offensive talent falling to them, defense is where the Cowboys plan to focus.

And with good reason.

The Cowboys set a team record for points allowed in 2020 and gave up the second-most yards and rushing yards in franchise history.

“We think we’re going to get great opportunities because of the depth, not only because of the run on quarterbacks, but offense in general,” Jones said. “We made no bones about it barring some very opportunistic — we certainly want to improve our defensive football team. So, certainly the top end of that draft helps us in terms of what we might see there defensively.”

Jones said the Cowboys have needs across the board on defense but readily acknowledges there is a huge hole at cornerback following the departure of Chido Awuze to the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency.

Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II is the top cornerback in the draft. Other options at cornerback include South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn, Northwestern’s Greg Newsome and Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley.