Changing of the guard: Cowboys may have new cornerstone players to build around
The Cowboys have some very young future cornerstones of the team.
Out with the old, in with the new? Passing of the baton? Changing of the guard? However you want to phrase it, it looks as the Dallas Cowboys organization is ushering in a new era.
In watching Tyron Smith leave via free agency to join the New York Jets, we said goodbye to the longest-tenured player with the Dallas Cowboys and a cornerstone one as well. As hard as it is to see, after the completion of the 2024 season we could also be saying goodbye to both Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence, who are in the final year of their contract.
So, in a two-year span the Dallas Cowboys could be losing three of their longest-tenured players who have been cornerstone pieces the team has been built around for at least the past decade. That would be a tough pill to swallow considering the experience the organization will be losing, both on and off the field. How would they replace them? Who would step up?
Jerry Jones and Company will need to keep the present in mind, but with an eye on the future. Possibly losing three cornerstone players who have been the foundation of this organization in such a short amount of time isn’t ideal, however, it does look as if they’ve at the very least planned for this inevitability.
The Cowboys are currently going through somewhat of a youth movement, and in doing so, may already have several players on the roster they can build around, much like they did with Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, and DeMarcus Lawrence. But, which ones are capable of being cornerstone players?
Offensively, there may be just two players who have proven enough to be considered cornerstone building blocks for the Cowboys, CeeDee Lamb and Tyler Smith. Both are young and considered among the best in the league at their given positions. After Lamb is locked up long-term, these two should fortify Dallas’ offense for years to come.
With an eye on the future, Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe have the potential to be cornerstone players, but as of now it’s a little too early to consider them as such. And with the uncertainty surrounding Dak Prescott’s future with the organization, we can probably go ahead and rule him out for now. That could change if he’s given a contract extension.
On the defensive side of the ball things may or may not be as clear. Micah Parsons, without a doubt, has the talent to be a foundational player the defense is built around, but like CeeDee Lamb he will need to be locked up long-term first.
What about Trevon Diggs? A lot depends on how he rebounds from his season-ending ACL injury last year. If he’s able to get back to 100% he could be a foundational player the defense is built around for years to come.
Is DaRon Bland a cornerstone type of player? His inside/out position flex at CB has been invaluable his first two years with the Cowboys, but is he worth building the defense around? Maybe, maybe not. His fate could be tied to that of Diggs’ ability to return to the player he once was.
