Mailbag: Should Cowboys lock up Smith now?

Looking at the list of wide receivers who are or have been on the market either as free agents or trade candidates, the first thing that comes to mind is this is a list of perennial Pro Bowlers, MVP candidates and No. 1 receivers. With the exceptions of Jamar Chase, Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb and A.J. Brown, this is a list of the top receivers in the NFL. What is this saying? Is it simply about salary cap? 

Now that Myles Garrett has signed a new contract extension worth $40 million per year, how will that affect Micah Parsons' contract negotiations? Parsons has said he doesn't have to be the highest paid non-quarterback, but I can't imagine he would take anything less than $36 million per year.

The O-line in the 1990s was made up of players drafted late or maybe not drafted at all. So why does it seem like everyone believes that the offensive line needs to be a bunch of first-round picks? Has the game changed that much? 

What did Stephen Jones mean when he said the Cowboys will be "selectively aggressive" in free agency? Isn't that what they've already been doing for many years? They try to re-sign their own and then a few others at reasonable prices to fill holes. What else is new this year? Or does selectively aggressive mean business as usual?

Other than Osa Odighizuwa, it seems the Cowboys have struggled over the last few years to find impact defensive linemen, especially those who can stop the run. Which made me wonder, are defensive linemen a particularly difficult group for scouts to assess when predicting their ability to successfully make the transition from the college level to the NFL?

What are your thoughts on the Scouting Combine? I would think that film work and scouting last fall during the season would play a much bigger role in evaluating players, but the combine has become such a spectacle. Is it really as important as the NFL markets it to be?

Do you think our new coaching staff should focus on installing schemes that maximize our current talent (better chance of near-term success)? Or do you think that they should re-build and install schemes that are true to their experience and long-term vision of what works best in today's NFL (better chance of long-term success)?

NFL.com released grades on last year's draft and they added that this was the second year in a row that the Cowboys had a poor draft. Do you think the team has gotten away from its "best player available" approach the past couple drafts with such glaring needs at defensive tackle and offensive line?

How big of a loss is Zack Martin's retirement? And where would you rank him among the great offensive linemen in team history?

Of all the players you have covered and interviewed, whose persona off the field was completely different or unexpected than what you saw on the field during games or even practices?

With all the uncertainty at the cornerback position, why isn't it a foregone conclusion that one of the first three draft picks should be used on a corner? I've been seeing and listening to a bunch of mock drafts, and cornerback seems to be an afterthought.