The Dallas Cowboys had a slow NFL free agent period, causing them to slip a little in recent NFL Power Rankings. As a matter of fact, the only thing that Dallas did of note was franchise tag DeMarcus Lawrence, tender David Irving, and sign a handful of offensive linemen and wide receivers. However, the period of time between the NFL free agency period and the NFL Draft means little in the halls of the Cowboys offices, as Stephen Jones has nurtured a culture of getting players through the draft instead of over-paying free agents. With that said, here is a look at where the Dallas Cowboys rank in the current NFL power rankings and who they hope to pass following the 2018 NFL Draft.

The NFL Power Rankings Top 12

1. Philadelphia Eagles - While some sites (such as Bleacher Report) have moved the Eagles down as far as fifth, there is no reason to downgrade the reigning Super Bowl champions. They have done nothing to hurt their team and remain at the top of the list.

2. New England Patriots - When it comes to the NFL Power Rankings, the New England Patriots have topped it more than any other team over the past two decades. They are elite, and even though they lost some key players in free agency, they will still be one of the top teams in the NFL this year.

3. Minnesota Vikings - The Vikings were in the NFC Championship game last year thanks to a great defense. That team now has Kirk Cousins as the quarterback and should be contending again in 2018.

4. St. Louis Rams - Where did this team come from? After years as one of the worst in the NFL, Sean McVey took over as head coach and now they look elite once again. They will be even better after adding Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib.

5. New Orleans Saints - Every year, it looks like the New Orleans Saints will be contenders and every year they disappoint.

However, by adding Patrick Robinson to help the defense and signing Drew Brees for two more years, they are ready to play again.

6. Jacksonville Jaguars - Much like the Rams, the Jags have lost more than they won over the past decade. They still have to win despite Blake Bortles but they are finally there.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers - As long as LeVeon Bell is happy, they have the best triplets in the NFL still and can beat anyone.

8. Atlanta Falcons - The Falcons won 10 games in 2017 and that was seen as disappointing. Expect them to contend again this year but their defense still has holes.

9. Green Bay Packers - Much like Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers can will any team to win games. He will have the Packers back in the hunt this year, especially with Jimmy Graham joining the team.

10. San Francisco 49ers - Jimmy Garapollo proves last year to be the savior that the 49ers have been looking for. He now has Richard Sherman joining the defense and this is a 49ers team that looks ready to jump to the big time in 2018.

11. Dallas Cowboys - Too many people are discounting the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL Power Rankings after their 2017 struggles.

The truth is that they won nine games without their best offensive player in Ezekiel Elliott for much of the season. Don't overlook Dallas in 2018.

The lower two-thirds of the NFL Power Rankings

There are the usual suspects below the Dallas Cowboys in the post-free agency power rankings for the NFL. Those teams include the

32. Miami Dolphins

31. Indianapolis Colts

30. Cleveland Browns

29. Arizona Cardinals

28. Chicago Bears

27. New York Giants

26. New York Jets

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

24. Baltimore Ravens

23. Buffalo Bills

22. Cincinnati Bengals

21. Oakland Raiders

20. Washington Redskins

19. Denver Broncos

18. Detroit Lions

17. Tennessee Titans

16. Los Angeles Chargers

15. Kansas City Chiefs

14. Seattle Seahawks

13. Carolina Panthers

12. Houston Texans
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