Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, a three-time Super Bowl champion and voice of that 1990s Cowboys dynasty, has claimed that the teams the failure goes beyond Jerry Jones, turning his focus toward the team’s draft strategy.
Irvin has never been shy about speaking the truth when it comes to “America’s Team.”
And now, on another episode of Fox Sports’ Speak, he’s voicing concern over how the Cowboys approach the 2024 NFL Draft. While Dallas has been praised for unearthing stars like Micah Parsons (12th overall) and CeeDee Lamb (17th overall) outside the top 10, Irvin believes this isn’t the year to play it safe or trade down.
“I do not have a problem with the Cowboys draft strategy in past years, right. I have a problem with that strategy this year,” Irvin said, responding to a question from co-host Joy Taylor.
Cowboys execs double down, but Irvin wants a bold move
The Cowboys haven’t used a top-10 draft pick since selecting Ezekiel Elliott at No. 4 in 2016. Since then, they’ve consistently traded down or allowed the board to fall to them. That same mindset appears to be in play this year, with Cowboys COO Stephen Jones recently sharing on 105.3 The Fan that the team doesn’t expect to move up.
“I don’t necessarily see us moving up, based on the way the board is coming together. But could see a situation where we move down,” Jones said. “We’ve had some good things happen to us just outside of the top 10 with DeMarcus Ware, Micah Parsons, and Zack Martin-Hall of Fame-type players. That falls to you, and you just pick them. That very well could be the case in this draft.”
But Irvin isn’t convinced that patience is the right call this time.
While the Cowboys have certainly benefited from great picks outside the top 10, Irvin sees this draft as a defining moment-one where the front office needs to break from tradition and make an aggressive play for elite talent.
“To get back into playing in big-time football games, like playoff games, you need to inject this team with a big-time talent. And usually that explosive big-time talent is going to be in the top 10,” Irvin noted.
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