The Cowboys have used all elements of roster building in orchestrating a very strong offseason

The Cowboys front office has been rather busy this offseason.

The Dallas Cowboys have had a fantastic offseason. If you’re a fan who craves immediate satisfaction and is always in “win now” mode, this is the year for you. The team has shown a greater willingness to invest future resources to help improve the team right now, whether it’s borrowing salary cap space or next year’s draft capital.

Additionally, if you’re the fan that appreciates their disciplined approach (raises hand), this offseason has something for you, too. They have still been frugal in free agency and did an amazing job approaching the draft without reaching for need.

Honestly, this offseason has provided the best of both worlds for Cowboys fans, and the reason for that is how masterfully they have been at all aspects of roster building.

Re-signing their own

They started with a bang when they retained a huge piece on defense by re-signing Osa Odighizuwa to a four-year, $80 million deal. They didn’t stop there as they brought back All-Pro special teamers KaVontae Turpin and Brian Anger. For a team that let so many players get away in free agency last year, this was refreshing.

Spending a little more on outside free agents

In true Cowboys fashion, the team stuck to their ways in looking for low-cost free agent adds. Players like Robert Jones ($3.8 million), Solomon Thomas ($3 million), Javonte Williams ($3 million), Payton Turner ($2.5 million), and Jack Sanborn ($1 million) weren’t going to break the bank, nor where they going to move the needle much in terms of making a huge impact. They filled voids, and that’s pretty much it.

But the team upped the ante a bit by also signing Dante Fowler ($6 million). He will take on a key role in this defense. None of these moves are groundbreaking, but it’s an increase in both quantity and quality and shows that the team is trying harder without changing who they are when it comes to recognizing the pitfalls that come with free agency.

Draft integrity

The thing the Cowboys do best is find talent in the draft. The team entered the draft with many needs, but it didn’t cause them to panic and influence their draft strategy. Instead, they just collected great talent. Players like Tyler Booker, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and Shavon Revel Jr. aren’t guys who will step in and fill the team’s most pressing needs, but they are talented players who should ultimately be huge additions to this roster. The patience to go that route, even though it left them vulnerable at other spots (like, say, wide receiver), was counteracted by other moves they eventually made. Which brings us to…

Making trades

The Cowboys have gone above and beyond in this area this season. Don’t get us wrong, they’ve made deals before. Players like Robert Quinn, Stephon Gilmore, and Brandin Cooks are quality players the team has acquired for very cheap draft capital. And even the less sexy ones like Michael Bennett or Johnathan Hankins are helpful.

But this offseason, they have utilized this method to its fullest. They added a starting linebacker in former first-round pick Kenneth Murray and threw a dart on another former first-rounder, cornerback Kaiir Elam. They also took a chance on backup quarterback Joe Milton. All of these moves are low-risk moves.

Of course, the biggest trade they made is acquiring the talented wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yes, his draft price was more expensive, but he will immediately bolster the team’s wide receiver group.

The Cowboys used every element of roster building, and they’ve used it well. They had a great feel of all their options and timed everything extremely well. It allowed them to invest in the players they wanted to invest in and not get boxed in a corner and overpay for a particular need. And the best part about it is that they covered so much ground. So many areas of the roster were addressed that they have set themselves up well, not only for the upcoming season, but for years to come.