Asleep at the Wheel: Dallas Cowboys didn’t go ‘All Out’
Asleep at the Wheel: Dallas Cowboys didn’t go ‘All Out’
While other NFL teams quickly got into action, the Dallas Cowboys faced issues starting their engines, a setback that has deeply affected their fan base.
Jerry Jones pressed the snooze button on Monday when the NFL legal tampering period began. At this time, teams have the chance to engage in negotiations with players who are about to become unrestricted free agents. Finalizing or signing contracts during the legal tampering period is impossible, but agreements can be made and often become public knowledge. The start of the legal tampering period on Monday at noon unleashed a frenzy of activity in free agency. NFL insiders were active on Twitter on Monday, rapidly posting tweets throughout the afternoon and evening as multiple teams announced numerous moves.
Unlike other teams, the Dallas Cowboys have faced online criticism for not announcing any new additions and appearing inactive. On March 6, the Cowboys extended the contract of defensive tackle Carlton Davis, but they have only officially announced the signing of one free agent, Trent Sieg.
Last year, the Cowboys welcomed 28-year-old Sieg to their team, where he took over for Jake McQuaide. His role in the special teams unit contributed to punter Bryan Anger’s achieving the highest net yards-per-punt average in the league. Additionally, it played a crucial part in kicker Brandon Aubrey's record-breaking performance during his debut NFL season.
In contrast to their NFC East rivals, who made notable acquisitions on the opening day of free agency, the Cowboys opted to stay on the sidelines and made no transactions. Their scorecard showed a discouraging minus-4, as Tony Pollard, Tyler Biadasz, Dorance Armstrong, and Dante Fowler Jr. all left without any new arrivals.
In addition to securing Dak Prescott with a new contract, the Cowboys are now urgently searching for a running back, left tackle, center, and improved size in their defense, which was exposed in the surprising playoff defeat against the Green Bay Packers.
While the rest of the NFC East teams were ready and motivated, the Cowboys seemed negligent or apathetic. Without wasting time, the Philadelphia Eagles bolstered their team by acquiring running back Saquon Barkley from the Giants and Pro Bowl pass rusher Bryce Huff from the Jets. The New York Giants fans had little time to feel sad because they made a trade to acquire Brian Burns, an exceptional edge-rusher. The Washington Commanders, under the leadership of new head coach Dan Quinn, successfully recruited several players from the Cowboys, such as Biadasz, Armstrong, and Fowler Jr., in addition to securing the signing of five more players, including starting running back Austin Ekeler.
According to reports, the Cowboys attempted to re-sign Pollard, but his asking price was too high. The Cincinnati Bengals signed running back Zack Moss, who previously played for the Indianapolis Colts, to a two-year, $8 million contract.
Per a report, Moss' contract was described as stretching beyond their comfort zone.
Meanwhile, Dallas’s lack of activity in the free agency market has caused social media to criticize owner Jerry Jones, especially after his comments about “going all in” heading into 2024.
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky said Tuesday morning, “The Cowboys standing pat is a shocker. The Eagles definitely jumped them as far as winning the NFC East this season.”
To give credit where it's due, it took Jones until the second week of last year’s league season to make strategic trades for receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Stephon Gilmore after the initial frenzy of big-name signings had passed.
But in January, Jerry promised to be “all in” this year. So far, it’s hard not to feel like he’s already thrown in the towel.
The Cowboys are at a disadvantage in free agency as they have one of the lowest cap spaces in the league. However, in previous instances, we have witnessed teams finding innovative ways to work around salary cap limitations. Because of Jones' remarks, there was an unreasonable anticipation among Cowboys fans for Dallas to take a more aggressive approach in bolstering a roster that was thoroughly embarrassed in the NFC wild-card round.
The Cowboys have a little over $2.2 million in cap space, but they are just $809,110 below the effective cap space, as reported by Over The Cap. According to OTC, effective cap refers to the cap space a team will have left after adding at least 51 players and its projected rookie class to the roster.
Moreover, in the case of the Cowboys, the term "all-in" could signify relying on the possibility of a skilled team that previously won the NFC East in 2023 having the ability to repeat their triumph in 2024. Despite losing Pollard, Biadasz, and possibly Smith and Gilmore, the Cowboys still have several valuable players and don't have too many apparent gaps to fill. While it is necessary for them to add more depth to the roster soon, the fact remains.
With only one year left on his current contract, Dak Prescott is looking for a contract extension that could make him the highest-paid quarterback in the league. With his fifth-year option nearing its end, CeeDee Lamb is set to reach free agency in 2024. Micah Parsons has two more years on his rookie contract, which includes the fifth-year option. This offseason, he is eligible for extension negotiations.
Those are three critical components of Dallas’ future. When giving out pricey extensions, these players at the three positions receive the largest contracts. Assuming that each player is granted AAVs surpassing previous records, Prescott could cost $56 million per year, Lamb's value could be $31 million, and Parsons could demand $36 million, amounting to a combined total of $123 million for the trio. The Cowboys have hindered resources to allocate towards free agency.
Despite the Cowboys' unexpected choice not to select Henry, Barkley, or other highly-rated running backs, it is conceivable that they are considering the running back position as an opportunity to cut costs. The Cowboys ranked fifth in spending on running backs last year, largely due to the $10.091 million franchise tag on Pollard. None of the four teams ahead of Dallas made it to the postseason. It would be logical to fill that gap by acquiring a mix of inexpensive, experienced players and promising rookies.
With seven draft picks still in hand for 2024, the Cowboys can rely on these picks to address crucial team needs that cannot be fulfilled through free agency.
Dallas will still enter the 2024 season with lofty expectations, just like every year, including trying to win a Super Bowl. Expecting them to go “all-in” on free agency seems far-fetched.
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