The Dallas Cowboys could make a splash with a trade for Jadeveon Clowney, Johnny Manziel or Mike Evans in the 2014 NFL draft this season, as a deal with the St. Louis Rams to move up to the number 2 overall pick is within the realm of possibility for Jerry Jones and company.
The Cowboys are coming into the draft with a number of needs and while a trade up could be a risky move, this year it might be worth it with the talent that is at the top. Sure, the draft is very deep this season, but the top part of the class is fantastic and a name like Jadeveon Clowney could be an option if the Cowboys move up to number two with a trade with the Rams. According to ESPN.com, the Rams are looking to trade the number two pick and the Cowboys could be in the mix to make a deal, but nothing is set in stone, as Jones wants to keep all options on the table.
The Cowboys have greater needs than at QB with Tony Romo and Brandon Weeden, but Jones would love nothing more than to bring Manziel in and keep him in Texas with a star on the side of his helmet. Manziel could be groomed as the QB of the future and he would be a mega-star in Dallas and that is something Jones loves. The Cowboys have some flexibility to make a move, as they got three compensatory picks to give them 11 overall and while those can't be traded, it gives the team other picks to use on top of the ones they already had and that is why a deal may not hurt a ton. The team has selections in every round apart from the sixth and they have five picks over the first five rounds along with three seventh rounders and three picks in the seventh that they were awarded.
If the Houston Texans go with a QB or someone like Sammy Watkins, expect the Rams to get a high amount of calls so teams can try to snag Clowney. The Cowboys just lost DeMarcus Ware and while they signed Henry Melton, adding a player like Clowney could be huge for the franchise. The team moved up a couple years ago to take Mo Claiborne and that was a chance to go up four picks, but this season it would be massive if they went from number sixteen all the way into the top five.
Mike Evans has been mentioned as a potential target to add behind Dez Bryant, while Jerry Jones would love to have someone like Manziel or Clowney in a Cowboys uniform. Last season the team ranked near the bottom in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game and that could lead to the team taking a cornerback in the draft, while they also were 27th in rushing yards allowed per game. The team added Melton in the offseason, but they need more up the middle and some have suggested that Timmy Jernigan could be another option. Tony Romo is the QB for the next five years, but the Cowboys could be starting to formulate a plan for the future.
