Grant Delpit knows that despite having an immensely talented roster, the Dallas Cowboys fell short of expectations in 2019 in an 8-8 season. Jason Garrett has been relieved of his duties as head coach and has since been replaced by former Green Bay Packers leader Mike McCarthy. Ahead of the 2020 campaign, the expectation is that things will improve.
On the offensive side of the ball, things are all about Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott and Amari Cooper. Adding a wide receiver early in the draft to replace Randall Cobb would be a smart move, though. A cornerback to replace Byron Jones is another possibility. Something that should also garner some attention is LSU's Grant Delpit joining the secondary.
Delpit can do it all and although his 2019 wasn't nearly as successful as his 2018 was, he still played well. His aggressive style and physical nature make him a threat at any spot on the field. In run support, he gets to the line of scrimmage quickly and blows up plays. In coverage, he has no problem getting in receivers' faces and making them feel his presence. He brings a hard-nosed attitude to a locker room.
Dallas ranked 10th in the league against the pass last season, but new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan has his work cut out for him. Xavier Woods and newly-signed HaHa Clinton-Dix make for a solid duo in the back end of the secondary, but both are slated to be free agents a year from now. That could open the door for someone like Delpit to step in and solidify one of the safety positions for the team.
Delpit is projected by many to be drafted in the middle of the first round, which is exactly where the Cowboys are picking. At the end of the day, this comes down to which of the aforementioned positions is a bigger need. Is investing more in the future a bright idea? Probably not. But luckily for Dallas, Delpit can also help now.
It'll take some creativity on Nolan's behalf, but it's possible to get all three safeties on the field at once. Perhaps he can slide Delpit in for nickel packages. He's too good a player — and playmaker — to not put on the field as often as possible. It would be a good problem to have.
The Cowboys have already met with Delpit and addressed arguably the biggest weakness in his game: tackling. He's aware of what he needs to work on. On top of that, the need is going to be there in the near future. Is the fit right? We'll find out in a few weeks.
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