DALLAS — After a disappointing offseason, unremarkable training camp, and uneven preseason, the regular season for the Dallas Cowboys is next on the docket.
The team’s questionable approach to free agency, their inactivity in replacing departing talent, and passiveness in contract negotiations over the past six months is about to become secondary to what happens on the field, though it could form a fitting epilogue for what those decisions foretold.
But with the offseason program behind them, this year’s version of the Cowboys again have the Joneses heading up the front office along with head coach Mike McCarthy in charge of changing the fortunes of a franchise that hasn’t seen an NFC championship game in 28 years.
Can this 2024 squad be different from the previous ones that have been successful in the regular season, only to flame out in the playoffs? The journey to answer that question begins on Sunday at Cleveland.
Where the franchise stands
The team has been good under McCarthy, when he’s had a healthy quarterback, with Dak Prescott even putting together an MVP runner-up performance last season. Three straight 12-win seasons and two NFC East titles aren’t to be tossed aside, but certainly both know what’s at stake this season.
Currently, both McCarthy and Prescott are on one-year deals with no guarantee that they’ll be back in Dallas next year. For Prescott, that’s not a big deal since he can hit free agency as one of the most sought-after players in NFL history. McCarthy’s fate is much cloudier, and his coaching career could be on the line. Failing to make a deep postseason run could mean the end of his days as a head coach in the league.
Jerry and Stephen Jones haven’t made this an easy, fun or comfortable offseason for the Cowboys, but they’re banking on this approach being the one that gets the most out of the team and finally sees them break through in the postseason.
The main issue up top is they’ll have to get there first, and that’s no easy task in a division that hasn’t had a repeat winner since the Philadelphia Eagles won four straight from 2001-2004. That’s 20 years of failing to have a back-to-back champion so history isn’t on Dallas’ side.
The Texas Coast: Year two
Breaking that streak will take another brilliant year from Prescott, who led the NFL in touchdown passes, after a career-high of 37 passing scores in 2021. The duo of Prescott and McCarthy has been a great match since the coach’s arrival in 2020 and the QB dominates the NFC East.
The easiest way to make the playoffs is by winning the division and Prescott has had no trouble beating Dallas’ rivals.
Also back is wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who grew into one of the game's premiere playmakers last season. After a long hold out and staying away from the team all offseason, Lamb got his contract extension late in camp and should be ready for Week 1. The question is, can he get up to football speed while learning the adjustments made in the second year of the Texas Coast offense quick enough?
Veteran WR Brandin Cooks leads the secondary options in the passing game that includes an improved Jalen Tolbert, second-year man Jalen Brooks, and an emerging tight end in Jake Ferguson. Prescott should have no problems finding open targets.
The running back situation looks worse than it did last year on paper, however, with the team bringing back a close-to-washed-up runner in former franchise bellwether Ezekiel Elliott, to pair with a career part-time RB in Rico Dowdle.
Dallas also brought in another plodding older RB in Dalvin Cook, who is currently on the practice squad. Along with the veterans, sophomore Deuce Vaughn provides a change-of-pace option, but that’s a questionable group that the team is choosing to put their faith in with the running game.
Who the RBs are might not matter if the offensive line is improved enough to give them ample running room. The Cowboys selected two offensive linemen early in the draft and both will be starting as rookies. First-rounder Tyler Guyton at left tackle to replacement All-Pro Tyron Smith and third-rounder Cooper Beebe at center help to usher in a rebuilt offensive line that also includes All-Pro left guard Tyler Smith, All-Pro right guard Zack Martin, and right tackle Terence Steele, who has looked much better a year removed from his ACL injury.
There will be bumps in the road, particularly as both rookie linemen are playing at important positions that they did not play in college, but if the unit uses the infusion of youth to out-perform last year’s inconsistent group, the offense could be better. A steadier offensive line could also help a running game without a marquee RB.
A new (improved?) defense
On defense, it’s a new game with Mike Zimmer replacing Dan Quinn as coordinator. After three years of successfully taking the ball away and putting pressure on the quarterback, now comes a sounder defense scheme with Zimmer at the helm. If the preseason was any indication, the turnovers will still come, but the entire defense could have fewer lapses.
Where Zimmer can help with his system, the talent needs to step up as well. The Dallas defensive line lost a bunch of depth at edge rusher in the offseason, but the crushing blow came early in camp when their best pass rushing substitute was lost for the year. Third-year edge rusher Sam Williams was poised to have a bigger impact until the injury. It’s a tough break for a team that lacks significant pass rushers aside from Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. Beyond that, the Cowboys will need to manufacture pressure.
Despite where the pass rush is on the outside, the interior of the DL is a bigger issue. One starting DT Osa Odighizuwa is a solid player who keeps getting better and is in a contract year. The other starter is second-year man Mazi Smith, who is still trying to find his way in the NFL. Smith struggled in his rookie season, but the first-round pick in 2023 is back to his ideal playing weight and scheme. The level of his play could be a determining factor in how good the defensive line can be.
Behind them are a mix of young and old. Second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland should line up at both spots on the defensive line, but the team also brought in veterans Jordan Phillips and Linval Joseph to add size and experience.
Zimmer will have to get creative with how he mixes the front four and hope his scheme of sim pressures helps the unit create pressure. An improved linebacker group can pitch in as well.
After a year where the Cowboys had trouble finding bodies to play LB, the team now has some solid depth at the position. Adding veteran LB Eric Kendricks, who knows Zimmer’s system from their time together at Minnesota, was the only key free agent acquisition to the defense, and he leads a young group.
Kendricks’ addition allows Damone Clark to move to his more natural position as the weak side LB. In addition to rookie Marist Liufau seeing snaps, second-year LB DeMarvion Overshown gets the chance to play after missing his rookie year due to injury. It’s a deeper, stronger, faster group from last year, which should show up on the field.
In the secondary, Dallas took a hit with the broken foot injury to All-Pro DaRon Bland that came late in camp. He’ll be out 6-8 weeks so it’ll be some time before the secondary has its All-Star tandem at CB. Trevon Diggs will be coming back from his torn ACL, and he’ll need to be back in top form quickly with Bland out.
Veteran Jourdan Lewis likely stays in the slot, while rookie Caelen Carson – who has impressed this summer – takes on a bigger role. The fifth-round pick remains unfazed by the expected increase in playing time.
At safety, the Cowboys are set with their deepest group in years. Starters Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker are backed up by Markquese Bell and Juanyeh Thomas, two young players who continue to make plays when on the field.
Special teams could be special
Once an Achilles’ heel in the pre-McCarthy era Cowboys, special teams has a rock solid group that includes 2023 All-Pros in kicker Brandon Aubrey, and punter Bryan Anger, and 2022 All-Pro return man in KaVontae Turpin.
On paper, this is another team loaded with talent to give McCarthy an opportunity to prove himself. They have elite players at the money positions – QB, WR, edge rusher, CB – and having one of the top quarterbacks in the league always helps. Prescott, Lamb and Parsons should be able to lead the way to another double-digit win total.
However, the way the front office handled the offseason with a lack of urgency, despite their now infamous “all in” declaration, and having so many key people on one-year deals gives off a lame duck year kind of vibe. The schedule is also challenging, with Dallas playing a first-place slate, and it feels like things have been set up for a fall.
The best guess is that this won’t be the season to end the NFC title repeat or Super Bowl drought. Those milestones will have to wait, and big changes could be coming in 2025 for the Cowboys.
A frustrating offseason begets a frustrating season for the Dallas Cowboys and the fans that are growing more and more impatient. Don’t be surprised to see them finish below .500 while watching the playoffs from their couch.
Do you think the Cowboys will buck the trend and repeat in the NFC East despite the vibes? Share your thoughts with Ben on X (formerly Twitter) @BenGrimaldi.
