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. The Philadelphia Eagles have exploited this practice to the highest degree, with over 10 times the median value, which is absolutely insane.
This bookkeeping trick has allowed the Cowboys to acquire and retain more high-priced assets than in previous years. Handling the Pickens franchise tag hit? No problem. Taking on the hefty salaries of Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, and Rashan Gary? Bring it on. Tweaking contracts to hang on to solid players who would otherwise be cap casualties, like Terence Steele and Malik Hooker? They have done that as well. The Cowboys decided to hold on to as many pieces as they could to keep the roster stronger, rather than picking and choosing so they can maintain a respectable budget.
Make no mistake about it, this is a huge change. Borrowing cap resources from the future to help the team now is a big deal. The front office has done this before, but never to this extent. And it comes with no promises, but at least we can genuinely say they are really trying.
This is what is actually different. When you look at this offseason, a lot of what we are seeing is right on brand for the Cowboys’ front office. Many of the things they have done are very similar to those of previous years. It is just that they have enough added resources to appease the natives and keep Cowboys Nation from rioting. From a roster-building standpoint, the team has done quite a lot to improve the product on the field, and now it is in the hands of the new coaches and players to make things work.
