INDIANAPOLIS —
New Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy spent his first head coaching gig with the Green Bay Packers from 2006-18. In leading the Packers to their fourth franchise Super Bowl win in Super Bowl XLV at the end of the 2010 season, McCarthy learned championship teams are comprised of the best rosters. Similarly, teams that fail to win it all simply aren't missing a player or two.
"I think when you talk about needs, you can't have enough good football players, and I always point to my past experience in 2010," said McCarthy, "It took 77 players to win a Super Bowl."
The Packers were ravaged with injuries in 2010 to where they had 13 players finish on injured reserve, including starting safety Morgan Burnett and starting linebacker Nick Barnett. Even quarterback Aaron Rodgers was knocked out of a Week 14 game at the Detroit Lions and missed the next week at the New England Patriots. Green Bay dropped both games, but finished 10-6 and secured the final wild card spot.
"I'm not a believer in [the thought that] you're one player away or two players away from winning a championship," said McCarthy. "So, you have to — you want as many veterans as you possibly can. I'm really looking forward to coaching a more experienced football team."
McCarthy says his first goal is to get back as many of the Cowboys' free agents as possible, including cornerback Byron Jones and receiver Amari Cooper. However, in the age of free agency and the salary cap, there is a lot more free will and payroll restriction than in the early 1990s when the Cowboys won three Super Bowls in the span of four years.
These limitations make the Cowboys' 2020 draft class all the more significant.
Said McCarthy: "That rookie class is so important in really bringing that veteran group and that rookie class together as really where the good teams take a good step, particularly in November. So, paying attention to those types of things and making sure that how we install and lay out this offseason program to where we're able to get the veterans up to snuff, but more importantly, in that rookie orientation, when that new group comes in, we can get that meshed as fast as we can."
The veteran offseason program begins April 6 for the Cowboys. If they can't reach a new deal with quarterback Dak Prescott and have to use the franchise tag, there is a strong likelihood he will sit out the offseason program until he receives a contract extension.
Do you think the Cowboys should work harder to improve the overall depth of the team or should they bring in star players? Share your thoughts with Mark on Twitter @therealmarklane.
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