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NFL free agency and the draft have passed us by and teams are moving on to rookie minicamps starting this week.
The Dallas Cowboys welcomed most of their draft picks to The Star this week and we are all excited to see the rookies in uniform and out on the practice field.
Dallas had eight draft picks this year, yet we still feel like they have holes left in the roster to fill.
That will happen after the exodus of over a dozen players after their contracts were allowed to expire following the conclusion of the 2023 NFL season.
The Cowboys were relatively non-players in free agency, signing three outside free agents so far this offseason, by far the fewest in the league.
Instead, they rely on the draft to fill most of those holes followed by some cheap veteran signings to fill the remaining gaps.
According to Cowboys' VP Stephen Jones, talent acquisition is a 24/7 affair, and with free agency and the draft come and gone, the only two avenues are to scrape the bottom of the free agency bucket or agree to a trade.
I believe the latter would be the optimal choice for the Cowboys unless one of the free agents is CB Stephon Gilmore or DL Calais Campbell but that's a story for another day.
Today kicks off a series where I explore depth charts around the league with too much talent at certain position groups to create a surplus the Cowboys might be interested in.
New York Jets Running Back Room
The first victim, ahem, candidate for poaching is the New York Jets running back room.
Last offseason, the Jets celebrated the signing of future Hall of Fame QB Aaron Rodgers after his departure from the Green Bay Packers.
Unfortunately, Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon just a few short plays into his Jets tenure and was lost for the season after throwing just one pass, an incompletion.
GM Joe Douglas has done a phenomenal job surrounding Rodgers with talent for what is likely his last stop in the NFL.
One of the strongest position groups for the Jets this season is their running back room, which has a surplus that the Cowboys should consider trading for.
Breece Hall
Jets RB Breece Hall was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Iowa State University.
Hall played seven games as a rookie, bringing speed and explosiveness to a Jets offense that was sorely lacking, but after 5.8 yards per carry through seven games, he tore his ACL and was lost for the season.
The Jets eased Hall back in 2023 and he ran for 994 yards at 4.5 yards per carry, finishing the season strong to give promise for 2024.
Dallas could use his explosiveness on their offense, and he could probably be had for a 4th round pick, maybe less.
However, I don't see the Jets wanting to part ways with Hall, and with the Cowboys 4th-round pick debacle just a few weeks ago at the draft, I don't think they'd want to part ways with another 4th-round pick so soon.
Braelon Allen
The Jets just drafted Braelon Allen with the 134th pick in the 4th round from the University of Nebraska.
Allen is a different type of runner because of his abnormal size for a running back. He stands 6'1″ tall and weighs in a 235lbs.
His body type is more of a linebacker and he punishes like one at the point of contact.
The Cowboys sure could use a back of his size and power to help them with their putrid short-yardage performance in 2023.
But, I don't think the Jets would want to trade away their most recent 4th-round pick before they've even gotten the chance to kick the tires on him.
Allen is off-limits unless the Cowboys' offer is too good to refuse. Hint: it won't be.
Israel Abanikanda
If the Cowboys were to trade for any of the Jets' running backs, I believe Israel Abanikanda would be the likeliest candidate to acquire.
Abanikanda was drafted by the Jets 143rd overall in the 5th round of the 2023 NFL Draft from the University of Pittsburgh.
I recall Cowboys Twitter salivating over the prospect of drafting him last year but the Cowboys famously waited until the 6th round to select Deuce Vaughn.
Vaughn hardly saw the field while Abanikanda suffered behind a porous Jets offensive line for the six games he was active.
He has NFL speed, clocked in at 4.45 in the 40-yard dash in the 2023 NFL Combine, and was a productive runner in college.
Abanikanda was a 5th-round pick with only 22 carries in his rookie season. There is nothing there for the Jets to value him with more than the 5th round pick they spent on him just last year.
Dallas should be able to wrestle him away from New York for a 6th or possibly just a 7th-round pick.
Isaiah Davis
Isaiah Davis was a late-round target of Cowboys Twitter. The South Dakota State product is a tough and physical runner who loves to initiate contact.
Dallas lacked physicality in the running game last season and Davis would have been a welcome addition to the offense if the Cowboys hadn't completely ignored the position in the draft.
However, Davis is just a rookie and the Jets will surely hang on to him to see what he has to offer in rookie minicamp and eventually OTAs (Offseason Training Activities).
He will not be available for trade just yet, and who knows, maybe he won't make the team and the Cowboys can try to scoop him up on waivers.
More must-reads:
- Saints, star CB 'moving forward' following trade chatter
- Patriots' Drake Maye starts OTAs in surprising position
- The 'Six touchdown passes in an NFL game' quiz
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