Locked On Cowboys – VALUE PLAY: How Much Should Dallas Cowboys Care About POSITIONAL VALUE During 2026 NFL Draft?

Hosts: Marcus Mosher & Landon McCool
Date: February 11, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the concept of "positional value" in NFL team-building—focusing on how much the Dallas Cowboys should weigh positional value when making decisions in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. Hosts Marcus Mosher and Landon McCool discuss the meaning and implications of positional value, its evolution in the league, and how the Cowboys should use this framework as they prepare to fill major defensive needs. They offer nuanced discussion, real draft scenarios, and actionable insights tailored to Dallas’s current cap situation and long-term goals.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining Positional Value in the NFL Draft

• [02:21] Landon McCool:
  • Positional value starts with the money players can command on the open market and how that filters into team-building under the cap.
  • By drafting "expensive" positions (positions that command the biggest contracts in free agency) early, teams can better control costs and maximize the value of rookie deals.
  • "It's more than just a tiebreaker… it's a huge part of long term team building." – Landon [03:21]

2. The “Money Five” Positions

• [04:10] Marcus Mosher:

  • The “money five” are the most valuable and highly paid positions:
    • Quarterback
    • Edge rusher / Pass rusher
    • Offensive tackle
    • Wide receiver
    • Cornerback
  • After the “money five,” there's a tier drop to positions like guard, center, run-stuffing DT, off-ball linebacker, running back, and safety.
  • Salary trends and franchise tag designations reinforce these value tiers.

• [05:36] Landon McCool:

  • The “money five” and their relative value change over time depending on trends, contracts, and scarcity.
  • The distinction between types within positions (e.g., left vs. right tackle) is evolving, and the NFL’s rigid designations sometimes lag behind reality.

3. Problems with NFL Position Designations

• [06:43] Marcus Mosher:

  • Franchise tag and fifth-year option rules don't always align with modern positional realities.
    • Example: A guard can be paid like a tackle due to broad "offensive line" discrepancies.
    • Pass-rushing OLBs (like Micah Parsons) get categorized as linebackers, distorting their market value.
  • “If you franchise a Linebacker, it would cost you $28 million. …Is there a linebacker outside of…Fred Warner that's worth $28 million for a single season?” – Marcus [08:08]

• [08:36] Landon McCool:

  • This problem is partly due to both NFL owners and agents manipulating designations to their advantage.
  • The league needs more granular position buckets to avoid unintended contract consequences and reduce manipulation by teams/agents.

4. Weighing Value vs. Talent and Need

• [13:28] Landon McCool:

  • Teams must be careful not to become too rigid with positional value—for example, sometimes the best player available isn't at a "money five" spot.
  • "You have to take it all in and consider the money… [but] sometimes you have to realize that [positional value] can't be more than a tiebreaker." – Landon [13:37]
  • In close calls, prioritize high-value spots (edge, corner) at premium picks, but don't overthink if a clearly better player is at a “lower” position.
  • Assessment is often about evaluating the difference in projected value, not just raw talent.

• [16:04] Marcus Mosher:

  • Uses example of Bijan Robinson (RB) vs. Christian Gonzalez (CB) from the 2023 draft:
    • Even if both are top-10 talents, the market and trade value for a CB far exceed that of an RB.
    • “What would Atlanta have to trade with Bijan Robinson right now to get Christian Gonzalez? There’s no way New England would flip those two guys straight up.” – Marcus [16:24]

• [17:16] Landon McCool:

  • Emphasizes weighing player certainty and “floor” in these conversations:
    • If you’re confident a non-premium position player will be a sure thing, you might set aside strict positional value.

5. Interplay with Rookie Wage Scale

• [19:10] Marcus Mosher:

  • Rookie contracts now prevent most incoming players from being overpaid at draft time, but for “cheap” positions (LB, RB), early picks can now overpay for average starters.
  • “If he ends up being the ninth best linebacker in the league, are you actually losing value there?” – Marcus [19:50]

• [20:01] Landon McCool:

  • Sometimes higher cost or risk is acceptable if the player brings something special, but ideally, you find value elsewhere on the roster for balance.

6. Dallas Cowboys Cap & Draft Situation

• [21:08] Landon McCool:
  • Dallas has huge contracts at top positions (QB, WR), so finding “rookie contract” value becomes even more important.
  • "Where the Cowboys are right now…you kind of have to be a little bit extra on the ball with that money because you just don't have as much of it to spin around." – Landon [21:23]

Mock Scenarios: How Should the Cowboys Draft?

Cowboys Defensive Needs & Example Draft Scenarios

• Current needs: linebacker, edge rusher, corner, safety.
• Many “best available” projections show top linebackers or safeties, not always at premium positions.

Example 1: Sonny Styles (LB/S) vs. Van Sumeren DeLaine (CB, LSU)

• [24:13] Marcus Mosher/Landon McCool:
  • On the consensus board, Styles is higher, but corner is a higher-value position.
  • Landon: “I think I would probably put Styles right, just right above DeLaine… I have some concerns [about DeLaine's ceiling], but even still, I probably still pick Sunny Styles. I just…Sunny Styles is a bad example because I love Sunny Styles.” – [24:42]

Example 2: Caleb Downs (Safety) vs. David Bailey / Ruben Bain (Edge Rushers)

• [25:40] Marcus Mosher/Landon McCool:
  • Would they draft a top safety over a top pass rusher?
  • Landon: "I think I would take Downs over Bailey, but not over Bain. I have Bain very high on my board." [26:07]
  • Context matters—Downs’ ability to play multiple roles (including nickel) lessens the positional value penalty.

On Player Value Retention & Depreciation

• [26:45] Marcus Mosher:
  • "There are some positions like…running back…every mile that you put on them, they get worse…But you draft a defensive tackle or an edge rusher…six years later, you can still cash them in for great picks."
  • Running backs and linebackers “depreciate” fastest—hurting long-term value even if they're great prospects.
  • Edge and defensive tackle prospects may be slow to develop, but their value endures longer.

Practical Draft Philosophy & Takeaways

[28:33] Marcus Mosher:

• For non-money five positions, only draft in round one if player grades as clear excess value (top 5 talent available late, etc.).
• For money five positions, can justify taking players right on board value or even a minor "reach."
• "That's just my philosophy…But I think that's generally a good way to make sure that you're still drafting the right players at the right positions." – Marcus [28:41]

[29:10] Landon McCool:

• Context is everything:
  • If you've got low-cost, high-value veterans, you can risk overpaying or overdrafting elsewhere.
  • Always account for broad cap structure and not just draft slot or position.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "It's more than just a tiebreaker… it's a huge part of long term team building."
  – Landon McCool [03:21]

• “If you franchise a Linebacker, it would cost you $28 million. …Is there a linebacker outside of…Fred Warner that's worth $28 million for a single season?”
  – Marcus Mosher [08:08]

• "You have to take it all in and consider the money…sometimes you have to realize that [positional value] can't be more than a tiebreaker."
  – Landon McCool [13:37]

• “What would Atlanta have to trade with Bijan Robinson right now to get Christian Gonzalez? There’s no way New England would flip those two guys straight up.”
  – Marcus Mosher [16:24]

• “Where the Cowboys are right now…you kind of have to be a little bit extra on the ball with that money because you just don't have as much of it to spin around.”
  – Landon McCool [21:23]

Key Timestamps

• [02:21] – Landon defines positional value and its practical impact.
• [04:10] – Money five positions and their rationale.
• [06:43] – Problems with franchise tags and NFL positional buckets.
• [13:28] – How the Cowboys should weigh need vs. positional value in their draft process.
• [16:04] – Real-world examples illustrating positional value mistakes and debates.
• [19:10] – The reality of rookie pay scales and value at different spots.
• [21:08] – Why cap structure makes positional value more urgent for the Cowboys now.
• [24:13] – Draft scenario: Sunny Styles vs. Van Sumeren DeLaine.
• [25:40] – Draft scenario: Caleb Downs vs. edge rushers.
• [26:45] – Depreciation of value at different positions and the impact on draft philosophy.
• [28:33] – Summarizing preferred approach to positional value in Round 1.

Tone & Style

The episode is conversational, practical, and analytical. Both hosts blend their football expertise with relatable analogies, real-world draft examples, and a focus on both general NFL theory and specific Dallas Cowboys application. Their discussion frequently returns to the importance of context and nuance, emphasizing that great team-building isn't about rigid rules, but about informed, disciplined flexibility.