Is Dez Bryant the Missing Piece to Tony Romo's First MVP Season in 2010?

The 2009 season was arguably the best of Tony Romo's career.

Not only did he help the Dallas Cowboys win their second NFC East title in three seasons, but Romo also set a number of career marks as well.

He broke his previous single-season record by throwing for 4,483 yards—including a franchise-record eight 300-yard games—to go along with his 26 touchdowns and career-low nine interceptions.

By ranking second and allowing just 15.6 points per game, the defense made life easier for Romo and the rest of the Cowboys' offense.

Along with a well-balanced running trio, Dallas received an unexpected Pro Bowl season from Miles Austin—who led all wide receivers with 81 catches for 1,320 yards and 11 touchdowns.

There's every reason to believe the Cowboys' high-powered offense will make them playoff contenders for the 2010 season.

Still, every team seems to have a few areas in need of improvement during the offseason—which is why many expected Dallas to focus on the offensive line or safety with their first round pick.

At least, that was the case until Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant fell into the late first round.

When Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones saw team after team pass on Bryant, he apparently was seeing flashbacks of the 1998 NFL Draft, when he passed on Randy Moss because of his troubled past (no need to explain what happened next).

While Greg Ellis—whom Dallas spent the eighth pick on that year—was an excellent defensive end for 11 seasons, many owners were left kicking themselves for not selecting a future Hall of Fame wideout in Moss.

Despite his troubled past, Jones knew trading up to add Bryant's talent to the Cowboys' already high-powered offense would be worth giving up the draft picks. His speed, size, and strength as a wideout should have an immediate impact in the passing game, along with making life easier for Romo.

Bryant played in just three games last season, his junior campaign, before his suspension, but he finished his sophomore season at Oklahoma State with 87 catches for 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns.

With this in mind, there's every reason to believe he has the potential to develop into one of the most dangerous wideouts in the NFL—assuming he stays out of trouble.

Bryant will most likely compete with Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton for playing time during his rookie season. With these wideouts, along with the presence of Austin and Jason Witten, opposing defenses will have their work cut out for them when it comes to stopping the Cowboys' passing game.

The addition of Bryant provides Dallas with arguably one of the top passing units entering the 2010 season. Romo's name has been mentioned in MVP talks during previous seasons, but this may be the closest he'll come if the Cowboys' offense lives up to its high potential next season.

2010 NFL Draft: A Look At The Newest Members of the Philadelphia Eagles

After selecting three players in the first three rounds of the 2010 NFL Draft, a handful of trades have now left the Philadelphia Eagles with 10 picks over the final four rounds Saturday.

The Eagles have a history of focusing on defense early on–and that was clearly the case during the first two days of the draft. Here are the three newest members of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Michigan OLB Brandon Graham–13th overall

After many expected the Eagles to select Texas safety Earl Thomas, they decided to focus on pass-rushing by trading up at the last minute to acquire Michigan OLB Brandon Graham. The former Wolverine looks to have an immediate impact in Sean McDermott’s defense that tied for third in the league last seasons with 44 sacks.

Graham is arguably one of the top defenders in this year’s draft class–which is why the Eagles found it necessary to trade up for him. During his senior year, he led the nation with 26 tackles for a loss and was ranked 14th with 10.5 sacks.

South Florida S Nate Allen–37th overall

This part of the draft may have been the most critical for the Eagles not because of team needs, but because of what they sacrificed to get the pick.

Philadelphia received the 37th pick as part of the deal with the Washington Redskins in the Donovan McNabb trade. With the pick, they selected South Florida safety Nate Allen–who will look to fill in the hole left by the great Brian Dawkins on defense.

The weakness in the safety position was highly exposes last year on the Eagles’ defense–especially during the final two games against the Dallas Cowboys. He may have finished with 85 total tackles and four interceptions during his senior year, but Philadelphia realizes Allen has big shoes to fill on defense.

There may be a few areas in need of improvement, but Allen is certainly an upgrade over who the Eagles had at safety last season.

Washington DE Daniel Te’o-Nesheim–86th overall

Considering the first-round selection of Graham, this move by the Eagles to select another defensive end this early on came as a bit of a surprise.

Many analysts were hesitant towards Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, claiming he lacked the athleticism to become a successful NFL player. However, his stock has risen since impressive workouts at the NFL Combine–where he impressed scouts with his speed and agility. He even managed to bench 225 pounds 35 times.

It may take some time to develop, but the Eagles have a history of success developing defensive players selected in the draft. After setting the school record for most career sacks with 30.5, maybe Te’o-Nesheim will be worth the high-risk for Philadelphia after all.