Earlier this offseason, Dallas proprietor Jerry Jones indicated the Cowboys would splurge, claiming they might go “all-in.” Now he is altering his tune.
On the annual league assembly in Orlando on Sunday, Jones expanded on the crew’s offseason philosophy and acknowledged they need to do extra with much less in 2024.
“I feel that we’ve been in a state of affairs the place we will get it performed with lesser,” he stated, by way of Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Price Star-Telegram. “Extra does not essentially beat Inexperienced Bay. There are different issues. Possibly having it higher strategically in several spots, however greater than essentially beat them, both. So we’re gonna be requested to do some issues completely different as a result of we obtained some completely different gamers.”
Making a splash in free company does not all the time lead to a Tremendous Bowl. For instance, in 2023, the Denver Broncos spent essentially the most in free company ($259.48M), per Spotrac, and missed the playoffs for an eighth consecutive yr.
Nonetheless, the Cowboys have been too frugal through the first wave of free company. They let six starters stroll, together with former Professional Bowlers operating again Tony Pollard (Titans) and offensive sort out Tyron Smith (Jets), and have not re-signed cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Dallas signed former Professional Bowl linebacker Eric Kendricks to a one-year, $3M deal — its solely addition to this point.
Austin Mock of The Athletic named the Cowboys as one of many 5 largest losers in free company. In his projection mannequin — which measures how gamers have an effect on a crew’s level unfold in a sport — Dallas misplaced 12.8 factors, the fourth-most within the NFL.
Spotrac estimates the Cowboys solely have $4.99M in cap room, however they might’ve saved $35.72M in the event that they prolonged Professional Bowler extensive receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott, each getting into the ultimate yr of their contracts.
Together with Prescott, head coach Mike McCarthy has one yr left on his deal. Maybe Jones needs to see if they’ll carry a crew to find out their futures. Nonetheless, that is a substantial threat and will result in a regression after the crew received 12 or extra regular-season video games and two NFC East titles over the previous three seasons.
