After the Dallas Cowboys gave quarterback Tony Romo a lofty extension, they must surround him with people that will allow him to succeed and part of that starts with the offensive line. The Cowboys have been linked to several free agent linemen this offseason, but the cash-strapped team has yet to be able to sign anyone. They are trying to work out lower deals with players and that is not working in their favor. Despite their finances, the team is still very interested in free agent Eric Winston.
The Cowboys have been linked to Winston for some time now but have yet to offer him a formal contract. The veteran has gained a lot of interest from teams, but the free agent market has not been kind to aging players and he not gotten a contract deal. Winston is reportedly looking to sign a deal within the $3-4 million range. That will be too much for the Cowboys. While the team does have Doug Free and is considering keeping him, Winston is still their main target.
"I think there's some interest and prospects there between what we have and what we could get. Obviously on the interior part of our line the same thing holds true. I think we had some injuries there. Another year under Bill and more work, and not to mention what might happen in the draft. We'll just have to see how that goes," team vice president Stephen Jones said.
If the Cowboys are unable to negotiate a low deal with Winston, they could look towards the NFL draft to solve a few of their interior problems. The Cowboys will draft No.18 overall and will have their pick of most quality linemen available. Dallas has six draft picks right now and could hold off getting a tackle in a later round, however drafting at 18 could leave someone like Chance Warmack to land right in their hands.
Warmack is a former Alabama guard is considered NFL ready. He could be an immediate starter for the Cowboys. At 317 pounds, he has the size and build of an NFL lineman. Many scouts believe Warmack is destined for at least 12-15 solid years in the league and would offer great protection to Romo.
If the Cowboys still want Winston, they need to pull the trigger fast. Once teams set their draft plans, he will be off the market sooner rather than later. At for Dallas, there are plenty of quality interior players if they lose out on the Winston deal.