Team president Jerry Jones was both disappointed and frustrated as he watched his team miss the playoffs again in poor fashion. Awaiting him was a difficult decision about what to do with head coach Mike McCarthy. The decision is now known and will leave McCarthy at the helm of the show for at least next season. But the difficult decision is not over yet for Jones, who will now have to make decisions on a number of players. His choice will directly impact McCarthy's success and future in Dallas beyond next season.
Let's take a look at five difficult roster decisions that Jerry Jones and the Cowboys must make this offseason that have nothing to do with Dak Prescott.
tony pollard
This all started when Jones decided it was time to move on from Ezekiel Elliott. The decision comes as Tony Pollard is poised to take on a starting role. Unfortunately, every-down back and backup Rico Doodle also had his ups and downs, and Pollard struggled. Additionally, the team's run blocking continued for much of the season. Average at best.
Dallas finished the season 14th in rushing attempts with an average of 27 per game, but ranked 18th in yards per carry with 4.1. The biggest problem the team faced was explosive running, with Pollard ranking 21st in plays of 10 yards or more, and as a result, Dallas had to rely on Dak Prescott and the passing game to make the offense productive. I no longer get it.
Pollard is set to become a free agent after betting on the team to play under the franchise tag last season. However, this gamble may not have paid off for him, as it was clear that he was best suited to play a relief role as opposed to any down back. As a runner, he had limited ability to play inside runs and gap power, which sometimes reduced his effective performance on outside runs. The Cowboys have to make a very smart decision on whether to re-sign Pollard. Jones could look to the free agent market or the draft to find his next player.
The problem with this year's running back draft class is that it doesn't have a lot of top-level talent. There are several names teams can look for early in the draft. Either Michigan's Blake Collum or Florida State's Trey Benson fit more of the mold the Cowboys are looking for.
When it comes to free agents, there are some big names on the market that could include Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Austin Ekeler, Gus Edwards, and even Ezekiel Elliott himself. However, signing free agents comes at a price, and all of the best running backs have long injury histories, which puts a heavy burden on them. What works in Jones' favor is the fact that the running game back market is currently significantly less valuable.
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Dorrance Armstrong
Cowboys fans and coaches have been waiting a long time to see the Kansas Jayhawks' accomplishments pay off. He spent much of his first three years in Dallas just a standout name in Oxnard and didn't play in the regular season.
Armstrong made headlines in 2021 by starting five games with Dallas and recording five sacks. But it wasn't until 2022 that everyone finally understood what he was capable of when given a real chance. Not only was he a great special teams player, he finished the year second on the team in sacks (8.5) behind Micah Parsons. He also was second on the team in tackles for loss (10) and second on the team in total pressures. It was a defining season for Armstrong.
This season, Armstrong's role has diminished as he has played fewer snaps compared to last season. Still, he recorded 7.5 sacks and his total tackles increased from last year. But the question facing Armstrong is what role he will play as a designated pass rusher and the number of pass rushers available on the team. Sam Williams looks set to take on a bigger role, Viliami Fehoko Jr. is waiting for his chance, and of course there's the option of keeping an eye on Dante Fowler Jr., who is set to hit the free agent market.
If the Cowboys decide to consider a prospect on day two or early in the draft, there are plenty of options. Players like Western Michigan's Marshawn Kneeland and Oregon's Brandon Doras could be cheap options to fill that hole.
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Jonathan Hankins
Jonathan Hankins was an integral part of the Cowboys' defense, keeping them from scoring. The team is in desperate need of a run-stopper like Hankins, and public sentiment about Maji Smith's performance only increases the urgency to keep him. His cap hit last season was just over $1 million, and considering he's almost 32 years old and looking to sign his final contract, it might seem like he's about to hit the same mark. unknown. He finished the season with three sacks, the second-most of his career, but injuries are a concern given his age.
Jerry's main input on this move comes from the coaches and how they feel about Madge Smith's development thus far, as well as other contingencies if Smith continues to be the starting nose tackle. What do you think?
Tyrone Smith
This is the big one. Smith signed a one-year, largely demonstrative contract last year. The contract was made based on playing time, so Smith would receive compensation based on the number of games played, helping Dallas more than Smith. The inevitable happened, and the player who was once the crown jewel of the Cowboys' offensive line was once again sidelined last season. This meant more line shuffling, increasing inconsistency and communication problems.
Smith is a Pro Bowl level player when healthy and has proven to be one of the best left tackles in the business. However, he is now 33 years old and has had more injuries in recent years. He has yet to play a full season since 2015 and has started just 30 games over the past four seasons.
But that's not the only issue Jerry faces regarding his decision on Smith. Now that his contract is up, there is thought that Smith may opt for his retirement. He could decide to play and open himself up to other franchises bidding to maximize his final contract, but that hasn't been the way Smith has played in the past.
Either Smith will have to sign a team-friendly contract or Jerry will have to consider drafting a replacement and continue rebuilding the offensive line. The only other option is to put Tyler Smith at left tackle, but this team declined to do that last season and opted for other players on the roster to fill that hole.
Non-free agent bonus decision
brandin cooks
This may seem like an odd choice to make here, but it's due to two major factors: age and cap cost. Currently, Cooks is looking to cost the Cowboys $10 million against the cap next year, but as things stand, the Cowboys are expected to be $11 million over the cap in 2024. Releasing the aging Cooks after June 1st would save about $8. Frees up $1 million in cap space and helps reduce the deficit.
Indeed, Cooks scored eight touchdowns last season and played a key role in certain games. However, as a support weapon next to CeeDee Lamb, it was sometimes underwhelming. The best example of this was in the wild-card game, where Lamb failed to step up during his struggles in the first half and finished the game with just 47 yards receiving.
Some would deny that Cooks is a fully capable support weapon for the Ducks, but this is more of a case of leaning towards other options on the roster like Jalen Tolbert and Jalen Brooks. But there are options at wide receiver in the draft class, a position with a lot of variety. This could be an important decision that could have a huge impact on the offense or on cap room that requires additional space.
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