Blogging The Boys
The Dallas Cowboys are doing Dallas Cowboys things this offseason, but lo and behold, many people are convinced that this year is different. The front office is finally acting like a well-behaved organization and keeping a lower profile this offseason compared to previous years. At least that is how some feel, but is that really the case?
Yesterday, we went down the list one by one and explained how the things this team is notorious for doing in past seasons, they are still doing this offseason. Check out this article for more details. Or, if you want the CliffNotes version, here you go…
Contract standoffs – They franchised-tagged George Pickens and never attempted any extension negotiations with him. The opportunity for drama was huge, but it didn’t exist because Pickens decided to just play under his contract. Good on him, but when it comes to the front office, what did they do to deescalate the drama? Nothing. No change.
Limited free agent spending – They bought one higher-priced player in Jalen Thompson, but that’s all. They then proceeded to sign a slew of low-cost depth guys to fill voids. When you look at the books, they are still way down in the shallow end of the free agency spending pool. No change.
New coaches – Another year, another new defensive coordinator. But this time he’s an unproven guy instead of a former head coach retread. But remember, last year they hired an unproven first-timer on the offensive side in Klayton Adams. That seemed pretty smart, and only further piques our interest in Christian Parker, but comparing the two offseasons? Again, no change.
Players returning from injuries – People were hoping that Trevon Diggs, DeMarvion Overshown, and Sam Williams would return to form and be ready to perform at a strong level. They weren’t. Now, those same hopes fall on Shavon Revel Jr., DaRon Bland, and Overshown again. This may or may not work out differently, but again, we find them in a very similar situation.
Now that we have run through a lot of the things that felt different but really are not, it is time to finally address what has truly changed and paint a more pleasant picture of optimism heading into the new season. The Joneses have done something different this offseason, but it is not something many people are talking about. The great philosopher J. Wellington Wimpy once said, “I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” The Cowboys have embraced this pay-for-it-later approach and decided to mortgage their future for extra funds right now.
Entering the offseason, the Cowboys were outside the top 20 in allocated money in void years, but in one swift offseason, they climbed to the fourth-highest in the league. The front office restructured several contracts, clearing out cap space and pushing this massive financial liability into future years. They now stand at four times the NFL median, but this is what they feel they have to do to keep up....
