The Dallas Cowboys did not do much to improve the team last offseason. Owner Jerry Jones liked where the team was at, even after their early exit from the playoffs yet again. The team came out flat to begin the year. They couldn’t stop anyone defensively, and the offense didn’t wake up until the fourth quarter in many games. Things went from bad to worse when the injuries started piling up. Micah Parsons missed half the year and quarterback Dak Prescott was lost midway through the season. CeeDee Lamb and Trevon Diggs were shut down before the season ended as well. This team has Super Bowl aspirations. Here are three questions for the Cowboys this offseason.
1. Should Mike McCarthy Come Back?
I’m going to make some assumptions here. As of the writing of this article, head coach Mike McCarthy has not been extended by the Dallas Cowboys. However, the fact the team denied the Chicago Bears’ request to interview him and the quotes from the team about McCarthy leads me to believe he will remain the head coach. On the one hand, this seems crazy. McCarthy hasn’t been able to make a deep run in the playoffs for years. However, the team has done a lot of winning with McCarthy.
The Dallas Cowboys have gone 12-5 in the past three seasons. This year, it was hardly McCarthy’s fault that he had to start Cooper Rush for half of the games. The team has been high-scoring, and Lamb has flourished as an elite receiver in this offense. There are fair criticisms. The team doesn’t always come out looking ready. Defensively, they seem to hunt the big play rather than play sound. Still, McCarthy has put this team in a position to win before, and Jones is counting on him to do it again (and allow him to run the team without any complaints).
2. Is Ashton Jeanty To The Dallas Cowboys A Lock?
It seems like the perfect fit. The Dallas Cowboys did not have a strong running game this year. Rico Dowdle was good but not great. The Cowboys have been dangerous on offense when they have an elite running back. Jones loves to make the splashy move in the draft. He wants to make headlines. Bringing in the running back who just had the best season in college football since Barry Sanders would be a splashy move. It would fill a huge need for the team this offseason.
We’ve also cooled as an NFL fan base on the criticism for first-round running backs. Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs have been huge parts of their teams’ offenses. The Dallas Cowboys are also in win-now mode. Prescott isn’t getting any younger. Lamb and Parsons are entering their prime years. Who cares what will happen with Jeanty’s second contract? The goal is to win now and an elite running back gives them the chance to do that. If he doesn’t go running back, I’d expect a wide receiver.
3. Will Jerry Jones Make Major Roster Upgrades?
Jones didn’t upgrade the Dallas Cowboys roster in a major way last year, and look what happened. On the one hand, I’d like to think he won’t make the same mistake again. However, he doesn’t have many resources to work with. They have limited cap space. Sure, they could restructure some contracts here and there, but they probably are not in the market for any big-name free agents. The team could look to make a massive trade, but we don’t see too many of those in the NFL.
There are a few things Jones and the front office could do. The first is to nail the NFL Draft. We’ve seen this buoy teams before. One great draft class can alter the trajectory of a team. The second would be to find value on the fringes. There are plenty of veterans who still have something left, and the Dallas Cowboys need short-term players. He should employ any means necessary to make massive upgrades to the roster. If Jones does nothing again, he will likely face even more criticism than he is already taking.
Final Thoughts
The Dallas Cowboys are always a hot topic of conversation. Fans hope that injuries were the biggest hindrance this season. If Prescott, Lamb, and the rest of the offensive line can come back healthy, that will go a long way in winning some games. Still, this team has a lot of ground to make up on teams like the Eagles and Lions. Can they get back into playoff contention as they try to break their NFC Championship Game drought?
