The Dallas Cowboys are hoping that they can finally start fixing their disastrous offensive line situation through the 2013 NFL draft, but meanwhile have things to do with the unwanted pieces left on the team, some of them quite expensive, like Doug Free, who has been moved around last season, maybe pushing him closer to a release.

Free did a good job early on as a left tackle, but the arrival of Tyron Smith moved Free to the right side of the offensive line, where he did start 16 times last season, but did a less than impressive job at the position. Now, with a $7 million salary due to be headed his way in 2013, the Cowboys are seriously considering releasing him, or at least negotiating a salary cut to begin with.

I think it’s notable that we haven’t said where we are and he hasn’t said where he is relative to his status as we go into this draft. That’s by design and certainly we wanted to see how and what we do in the draft. We were talking about it as late as this morning. If you draft a tackle, how does that impact a player like Doug, whether or not you move him around? I’m sure he’s looking at it there as well.

It’s pretty obvious to everyone that if the Cowboys do draft a tackle, Free is in a bit of trouble. He might be asked to take a paycut, but more likely to be released due to his massive salary and Cowboys’ limitation when it comes to the salary cap.

Another option for them is looking at tackles who still haven’t been picked up in free agency, like Eric Winston or Tyson Clabo, with Winston already being on their radar not too long ago without too many developments happening in that aspect.

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