The NFL Draft is officially one week away. Any roster move the Dallas Cowboys make from here on out will be extremely telling of how they plan to attack the draft.
Take the Joe Milton trade as an example. Previously expected to draft a quarterback to develop behind Dak Prescott, the Cowboys can now address another position with one of their day three picks.
If there's one position group the front office has emphasized in earnest this offseason, it's the offensive line. While Dallas hasn't signed any marquee linemen, they've added multiple depth pieces along the way, including Robert Jones and Saahdiq Charles, who recently unretired.
Well, you can add another name to the list: veteran Hakeem Adeniji, who worked out for the team Wednesday.
Cowboys reportedly sign OL Hakeem Adeniji before NFL Draft
Like the Milton trade, signing Adeniji is very telling of what the Cowboys want to do with the No. 12 overall pick.
While Adeniji is a former sixth-round pick with 15 career starts in four seasons, he is now the third veteran offensive lineman Dallas has signed this offseason. That doesn't necessarily rule out the team targeting an OL in round one, but it brings the wide receiver into focus even more.
The expectation is that the Cowboys will target a WR at No. 12. In the month leading up to the draft, Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan and Texas' Matthew Golden have been mocked to Dallas almost exclusively.
Mel Kiper (ESPN), Dane Brugler (The Athletic) and Daniel Jeremiah (NFL Network) have either projected McMillan or Golden to America's Team in their most recent mock drafts. Brugler's projection is extremely telling. He's gotten three of Dallas' last five first-round picks right and he had Golden going No. 12 in the seven-round mock he released this week.
That isn't to say offensive line, specifically he interior, isn't a need. However, between Brock Hoffman, Asim Richards, T.J. Bass, Charles, Robert Jones and Adeniji, the Cowboys have a plethora of options to experiment with at right guard for the retired Zack Martin. While not great options, they are serviceable.
You cannot say the same about wide receiver. Jalen Tolbert is the most accomplished of the non-CeeDee Lamb wideouts and that isn't saying much. Between Jonathan Mingo, Jalen Brooks, Ryan Flournoy and Parris Campbell, the room is desperate for a proven WR2.
The top four prospects - McMillan, Golden, Emeka Egbuka and Luther Burden - are all expected to be gone by Dallas' second pick at No. 44. The drop-off at the position is steep, which makes it all the more important to come out of round one with one of the top four.
