Cowboys tumble in ESPN’s post-draft power rankings

With a long-running nickname like “America’s Staff,” expectations are sometimes going to be excessive annually for the Dallas Cowboys. And this 12 months shall be no totally different for the upcoming 2024 season.

In contrast to previous years, nonetheless, the Cowboys appeared to take a little bit of a step again this offseason as quite a few longtime notable contributors went out the door.

Throughout the previous few months, Dallas has parted methods with operating again Tony Pollard, left deal with Tyron Smith, defensive finish Dorance Armstrong, heart Tyler Biadasz and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who left to grow to be the brand new head coach of the Washington Commanders.

In distinction, their two greatest free-agent additions have been Eric Kendricks, a 32-year-old linebacker, and 28-year-old operating again Ezekiel Elliott, who’s returning to Dallas after spending a season with the New England Patriots.

The Cowboys did not actually give their followers a lot to be enthusiastic about throughout this 12 months’s NFL Draft, both. Whereas their alternatives may develop into invaluable items of the crew inside the subsequent few seasons, it is arduous to count on a significant quick influence from two offensive linemen, a defensive lineman and a linebacker.

With all of this recognized, it should not come as a shock to search out out that the Cowboys dropped down a number of spots in ESPN’s latest NFL power rankings, which had been up to date after final month’s draft.

Previous to the 2024 NFL Draft, ESPN ranked Dallas because the ninth-best crew within the NFL. However within the newest rankings, the Cowboys have dropped all the way down to the No. 11 spot.

When breaking down the rankings by convention, Dallas is presently seen because the fifth-best crew within the NFC by ESPN behind the Inexperienced Bay Packers (tenth), Philadelphia Eagles (fifth), Detroit Lions (fourth), and San Francisco 49ers (second).

However contemplating the dearth of enhancements Dallas has made to its roster throughout the previous few months, the crew ought to most likely be proud of that standing.