Follow Us
Subscribe
The 2023 offseason has been an active one for America's Team early on. Already the Dallas Cowboys have signed Tony Pollard to the franchise tag, swung two big trades to bring in Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks, and retained several of their own top assets from last season who were due for new deals.
Most of these acquisitions are fairly obvious upgrades at some of Dallas' trouble spots. Gilmore provides veteran consistency to a secondary that suffered a revolving door of CB2's last year. Cooks gives Dak Prescott an over-the-top threat that he hasn't had in years past and should help spread the defense out. That will give Prescott much bigger windows to throw through. One new face the Cowboys brought in recently flies under the radar though. The Cowboys' sneakiest 2023 free agency move was signing veteran offensive lineman Chuma Edoga.
Cowboys' Sneakiest 2023 Free Agency Move: Chuma Edoga
Edoga is one of very few outside free agents the Cowboys have brought in thus far in the offseason. He should play an important roll as a depth piece on Dallas' offensive line. On paper, the Cowboys' starting offensive line looks fantastic. The Cowboys starting five of Tyron Smith, Tyler Smith, Tyler Biadasz, Zack Martin, and Terence Steele are more than sufficient, but how much can the Cowboys expect that exact group to be on the field?
Smith hasn't played more than half a season in years, and Terence Steele will start 2023 fresh off of a torn ACL in his left knee. Injuries are inevitable in the NFL, especially on the offensive line. The Cowboys had to scramble for depth last season when injuries popped up on the line. The addition of Edoga this offseason helps ensure that won't happen again in 2023.
After he was drafted in the third round by the New York Jets in 2019, it didn't take long for Edoga to establish himself as a starter in the league. He made 12 starts in his first two years with the Jets. Then Edoga hit the IR in consecutive seasons, most recently with the Falcons in 2022.
Now a Cowboy, the former starter is set to take on less responsibility in a reserve role in 2023. One of Edoga's strength is his versatility. The fifth-year veteran out of USC has experience at both tackle and guard at the NFL level. That experience will come in handy as the Cowboys try to navigate whatever setbacks come their way on the offensive line throughout the course of a season.
The Edoga signing helps the Cowboys in more ways than one. Primarily, it gives them more depth on the offensive line, which is essential. It also frees up the front office to take the best player available in the draft without having to acquire a player that can do the job the Cowboys brought Edoga in to do. Without Edoga, the Cowboys would almost certainly be looking for a high-floor, league-ready offensive lineman in the first two days of the upcoming draft.
An offensive lineman is still probably in the cards early for Dallas, but now they can take the prospect they feel best about long term, not the player they think can help them the most right away out of necessity. With offensive line depth less of a concern than it was before Dallas signed Edoga, the Cowboys are also free to use their top picks on areas of greater concern, like the interior defensive line or wide receiver. Edoga helps Dallas out on his own, but the freedom he gives the front office to improve the team in other areas on draft day makes him even more valuable.