“I was shocked” - Colin Cowherd stunned by Dallas Cowboys’ draft choices and offseason recruitment policy

The Dallas Cowboys have had a tough offseason. From losing Amari Cooper and Cedric Wilson out wide to losing Randy Gregory on the defensive line, 2022 has been marked as a net loss for America's Team.

Many expected the team to go big in the offseason. Utilizing the free agency, trades and the Draft to help mask their losses. Colin Cowherd is among them. Speaking on the Herd with Colin Cowherd, the host was dumbfounded to see the Cowboys take their losses on the chin. Here's how he put it:

“I thought the Cowboys were gonna move up and take a wide receiver. I am shocked that with all their losses in the postseason, they waited and took a guard. So Dallas’ o-line had the most penalties in the NFL last year, and they drafted the most penalized offensive lineman out of Tulsa."

He continued to question the team's offseason decision-making:

"I just didn't get it when you consider how much production they lost. I thought they’d move up and go grab production. Go get a receiver because Michael Gallop coming off an ACL tear. They really needed the last Cedric Wilson or they need an absolute dependable go-to receiver. They didn't get either. And I was shocked by it. They needed to move up.”

He expected them to be aggressive and they essentially sat and watched as the ship took on water. With free agency and the NFL Draft behind them, the two most obvious ways to improve their roster have now passed. Trades remain a viable option, but at this point, it would be the first aggressive move made by the Cowboys this offseason.

Dallas Cowboys in recent years

Dak Prescott and teammates take on the New York Giants

If they don't hit the ground running this season, analysts will doutless point to the offseason as the reason why the team struggled. But what have Dallas achieved in recent years when they had these pieces?

Since 2019, they have had one season over .50. In 2019 many saw head coach Jason Garrett as a lame-duck head. Garrett was fired at the conclusion of the 2019 season.

In January 2020, Dallas hired former Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy to take them forward. Unfortunately, Dak Prescott missed much of the season with a horrific injury and the offense struggled as a result.

Last season, with Prescott back on the roster and raring to go, Dallas went 12-5. They won the NFC East and reached the wildcard round of the playoffs.

The Cowboys were defeated in the wildcard 23-17 by the San Francisco 49ers. In the eyes of some critics, Dallas are going through something of a rebuild, seeing how far they can get this season while preparing a roster for the future.

It will certainly be interesting to see how they perform. If they are to silence their critics, they will need to push further into the playoffs.