Offseason hype inevitably gets to all NFL fans, no matter which team they root for. The long wait for the new season gets people thinking about the possibilities and the fun scenarios which could take place to make our football-less lives better.
The Dallas Cowboys are not an exception to this at all. In fact, being under the constant spotlight, this is a football team which is constantly linked with free agents, trade possibilities and more even though they're usually a very quiet team during the offseason.
Nevertheless, offseason hype takes a hold of us all, even though we try to steer clear from it. Let's dive into three different story lines which could be influenced by this “hype.” And please, don't take this as a pessimistic article, but as an “Ok, let's calm down and avoid later disappointments” article.
Earl Thomas is Probably Staying in Seattle
Ever since last year's game between the Seahawks and the Cowboys, we've been talking about the possibility of watching one of the best safeties in the league, Earl Thomas, wearing the Star on Sundays. After he told Jason Garrett “come get me,” no one in Cowboys Nation has forgotten about this scenario.
Former Seahawk's DC Kris Richard coming to Dallas as the new defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator did little to calm that talk down.
With Seattle seemingly heading into somewhat of a “rebuilding year” and the Cowboys in need for a safety, a trade for Earl Thomas would make a ton of sense. However, let's not pretend Thomas is “any player.”
The Seahawks will probably think twice before letting him play elsewhere. After all, he's one hell of a player.
How Surprising Would it be to See Dez Bryant Wearing the Star in 2018?
Not much.
Not many fans are happy with Bryant's situation right now. They really shouldn't be. He's paid as an elite wide receiver and in the last three years, he hasn't produced like one. Heading into 2018, Bryant's cap number will be $16.5M.
Releasing him would save the Cowboys $8.5M and naturally, some want to see him play elsewhere to lighten up the salary cap. Recently, I wrote about one of this offseason's biggest dilemmas: should Dallas keep Bryant? Or shouldn't they?
At the end of the day, he's probably staying. The objective for this front office should be getting #88 to take a pay cut. While letting him walk would free up a chunk of cap space, it would also make WR even a bigger need for an offense that definitely needs a spark.
The Cowboys Aren't a Terrible Team
2017 was nothing but painful. At times, it felt like a roller-coaster of emotions. One great win one week, a huge disappointment the next. The inability of getting over key injuries and the under performance of what was expected to be a top-tier offense were hard to watch.
To make it worse, the Eagles took the Lombardi Trophy home despite losing quite a few of their best guys.
But… guess what? Despite all of the inevitable pessimism that comes after a disappointing season, the Dallas Cowboys are not a bad football team. They definitely need to get better in a lot of areas, but that doesn't mean they won't be able to contend in 2018.
They still have a lot of positions already figured out and a lot of young talent to work with in order to get things going.
Hopefully, they get back next season ready to turn things around and start winning once again.
