The Dallas Cowboys are once again champions of the NFC East. Looking forward, which young talents should the Cowboys build around in 2019 and beyond? You may be surprised which top players miss the cut.
The Cowboys find themselves in an interesting position, as owner and general manager Jerry Jones — along with the rest of his front office — is forced to balance the Cowboys' 2018 Super Bowl run with the team's long-term plans for the future.
While the Cowboys currently have their sights set on Super Bowl LIII, their roster is full of young talented players for the team to build around for future seasons, and for future potential playoff runs. However, with a plethora of talent comes a plethora of difficult personnel decisions, as each productive player expects to eventually reach his lucrative payday.
Here are the five keystone players the Dallas Cowboys should build their franchise around in 2019:
5. LB Leighton Vander Esch
The emergence of rookie WILL linebacker Leighton Vander Esch made oft-injured LB Sean Lee expendable, and is one of the top three reasons the Cowboys will win the NFC East in 2018. Vander Esch ranked fourth among all NFL linebackers this season per Pro Football Focus, thanks to the versatile rookie's ability to excel against both the run and the pass.
With Lee nearing the end of his career, the Cowboys now have their linebacker of the future, and they have him on an affordable rookie contract. Vander Esch's four-year deal totals $11.8 million, which is nearly identical to Lee's cap hit for the 2018 season alone. Building the team's defensive unit around Vander Esch gives the Cowboys the extra cap space needed to sign key players as they reach the end of their rookie deals.
4. RB Ezekiel Elliott
One of those players is running back Ezekiel Elliott, who will likely command the most expensive contract among NFL running backs once he finishes his rookie contract. After drafting Zeke with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Cowboys chose to shape their offense around the multi-purpose back's skill set, making him an essential part of the team going forward.
The Cowboys couldn't have picked a better running back to build their offense around, as Elliott can do it all. Zeke has led the NFL in rushing yards per game in each of his three years in the league, while maintaining a healthy 4.7 yard-per-carry average. In addition to averaging over 100 yards per game on the ground over the course of his career, Elliott has also become a valuable member of Dallas' passing attack, as he led the Cowboys with 77 receptions in 2018.
3. CB Byron Jones
Unlike Vander Esch and Elliott, cornerback Byron Jones wasn't a star as a rookie, despite his first-round draft status. The versatile athlete was used in a variety of positions during his first year in the league, before becoming Dallas' starting free safety in 2016. However, it wasn't until the team moved Jones back to cornerback that the Cowboys realized they struck gold with the 27th overall pick of the 2015 NFL draft.
Back at his natural position on the outside, Jones immediately became one of the NFL's top corners, which is reflected in his No. 6 overall ranking among cornerbacks by Pro Football Focus. The Cowboys were wise to show faith in the defender when they picked up Jones' fifth-year option before moving the defender from free safety back to cornerback.
2. EDGE Demarcus Lawrence
Every NFL team wishes they had an elite pass rusher on their roster, and the Cowboys have one of the best in the business in EDGE Demarcus Lawrence. Similar to Jones, it took Lawrence a few years to hit full stride, but once he did, the defensive end developed into one of the premier pass rushers in the league.
After amassing just nine sacks over his first three seasons, Lawrence came into his own in 2017, when the Cowboys moved the pass-rusher back to his natural position at left defensive end. Lawrence's 14.5 sacks last season ranked second in the NFL, and earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl — along with a $17 million payday in 2018. Lawrence followed up his breakout season with 10.5 sacks this year, with all signs pointing toward a long-term contract for the defender once the season is complete.
1. G Zack Martin
Not only is guard Zack Martin the best offensive lineman on the Dallas Cowboys' roster, he may be the top lineman in the game today. Martin was another first-round success for the Cowboys, who drafted the Notre Dame product with the 16th overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Martin was an immediate success at the professional level, earning Pro-Bowl and All-Pro honors during his rookie year. Martin continued his dominance over each of the following three seasons, which included three additional trips to the Pro Bowl and another All-Pro award. Martin, who never missed a game in his first four seasons in the league, demonstrated the ability to play effectively through multiple knee injuries in 2018. After signing the lynchpin of their offensive line to a six-year extension, the Cowboys have their top keystone player locked up until 2024.
Are you surprised by anyone who didn't make the list? Next, we'll break down why a few top players on the Dallas Cowboys' roster missed the cut.
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