Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys: Recent Youth Movement is Good Thing

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:51 p.m. ET

Fansided, Randy Gurzi/FanSided via NFL Spin Zone

In allowing cornerbacks Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr walk in free agency, the Dallas Cowboys continued their youth movement, which is a great thing

The past couple of offseasons there has been a change in how things are done by the Dallas Cowboys. Gone are the days of them overpaying for free agents like guard Leonard Davis, receiver Terrell Owens and most recently cornerback Brandon Carr. Instead this team is focused on building through the draft and it's working. For fans though, nothing has tested their patience with this philosophy quite like the 2017 NFL offseason. Be patient though Cowboys fans, this recent movement is working.

What Dallas is doing now makes sense. They're finally drafting well and using their cap dollars on extending those players they feel earned the right to get paid. In recent offseasons tackle Tyron Smith, center Travis Frederick, receiver Dez Bryant and defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford have been extended. These guys all were drafted by Dallas and either lived up to their hype (Smith and Bryant) or surpassed expectations (Crawford and Frederick). The team also recently suggested that an extension for guard Zack Martin is their next big priority as they aim to keep the strength of their team intact.

In order to do so, they had to allow some players to go. Cornerbacks Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr were the most recent. Before them, Terrell McClain, Barry Church, and J.J. Wilcox all left. While each departure creates a hole, it's easy to see what Dallas was thinking.

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McClain will be 29 this season, Church just turned 29 and Brandon Carr will turn 31 years old. All three wanted too much money for players that advanced in their careers. Instead they will primarily be replaced with younger players like defensive tackle Maliek Collins (turns 22 in April) and cornerback Anthony Brown (23). Both excelled for their draft position and both are incredibly cheaper than the alternatives.

Speaking of draft position, that 's the reason for the other departures. Claiborne cost Dallas a first- and second- round pick as they moved up to the sixth overall selection in 2012 to grab him out of LSU. He then spent the next five seasons battling injuries which kept him from ever living up to that lofty draft status. Dallas decided it was no longer worth paying for potential, and Mo is now with the New York Jets.

Wilcox wasn't picked as highly, but he was a third-round choice in 2013 that Dallas thought could really blossom. He never seemed to fully gain the coaches trust and they decided it would be best to move on. To replace him and Church, the team most likely will look to the draft for another safety as they continue to go with youth. That approach is working, as seen by Dallas' recent 13-3 season led mostly by rookie quarterback Dak Prescott and rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott.

A team can't be built solely on the draft though, some free agents must be acquired. Again, Dallas is doing the right thing here. While teams like Jacksonville and Philadelphia are being praised for their free agent moves, it may not really help them. The last time Philly went for broke in free agency, they picked up what was called "the Dream Team." Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, quaterback Vince Young and defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins were all prized free agents who ultimately did nothing except cost their coach his job. As for Jacksonville, they keep "winning" free agency only to lose 13 games per year.

Dallas' front office sees the folly in these moves. Instead of going for big name players, they find guys who can fill a role, and do it on the cheap. In 2015, they signed veteran running back Darren McFadden to a contract worth roughly $2.5 million per season. He ran for 1,000 yards that year and has come back for another run in 2017 as a backup. This offseason they picked up former Eagles corner Nolan Carroll, who will provide a veteran presence in the defensive backfield. What he won't provide is heartache in the cap department since he is making just $10 million over three seasons. For some perspective, Carr's contract cost them an average of $10 million per season.

The smart free agent moves and youth movement by the Cowboys is working. This team is now led by the young guys who are getting help from moderately priced veterans as opposed to the past when high-priced veterans were just in the way of those younger guys progressing.