Dallas Cowboys shouldn’t splurge on a wide receiver in Round 1

Now is not the time for the Dallas Cowboys to get cute in the draft again. They need a meat and potatoes pick and shouldn’t splurge on a wide receiver.

If the Dallas Cowboys don’t take a defensive player in the first round, then they’re doing it wrong.

Dallas has the No. 17 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. After winning the NFC East in 2018, the Cowboys regressed and found themselves out of the playoff a year ago. Despite playing in arguably the weakest division in football, the Cowboys feel light years back of the best team in the division, which just so happens to be the arch-nemesis Philadelphia Eagles.

Though the Cowboys somehow “survived” NFL free agency, they can’t mess around next weekend. Even if this is supposedly the deepest wide receiver draft in NFL history, Dallas would be foolish to splurge on a wide receiver in round one. They can draft a wide receiver, but it absolutely better not be with their first pick; they have too many other needs that must be addressed first.

Dallas’ three primary draft needs are on the defensive side of the ball. In order, they are cornerback, defensive line and an edge rusher. Though wide receiver is a draft need, it’s only a secondary one and the fourth-most important for the Cowboys this offseason. Simply put, the Cowboys have to get this defense going first, as it will only help cover up their offensive issues.

Cornerback is an obvious need because former first-round pick Byron Jones was briefly the highest-paid defensive back in all of football after he inked a massive contract with the Miami Dolphins in his free agency. Even though he never intercepted the football, his skill in pass coverage will be sorely missed.

Defensive line and pressure coming off the edge are critical because defensive end Robert Quinn signed a big deal with the Chicago Bears in his free agency. While Quinn will eat for days playing next to Khalil Mack in Chicago like he did opposite Chris Long during their St. Louis Rams days, Dallas is dealing with the fact that DeMarcus Lawrence may not be worth all the money he got.

Ultimately, Dallas can take a wide receiver in the second round at No. 51 overall if the Cowboys feel so inclined. There are future Pro Bowl wide receivers to be had in the middle rounds of this deep draft for the position group. Satisfying your fourth most important need with your second pick can be justified, but splurging on it with your first is what dumb teams do.

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If the Cowboys take a wide receiver in the first round, it would be like coming home from the store with a brand-new flat-screen TV when you already have three in the house. You used all the grocery money on it because it was a great deal, instead of buying the meat and potatoes like you were instructed to do. A new flat-screen is great to look at, but you can’t feed your family with it.