It's no secret that the 2020 season was a disaster in Dallas.
For all the hope and hype that surrounded the team during the preseason, it all came crashing down early in the year due to injuries.
Massive injuries. Injuries to the team's best and most important players on the offensive side of the ball.
So while the Cowboys have done a decent job of turning over their safety room during free agency, and will have a top ten pick to find a playmaker for next season, head coach Mike McCarthy realizes that health is the biggest factor to a bounce-back year.
McCarthy told the media recently that health across the offensive line of the upmost importance when trying to win games.
“I learned this in 2000 as the offensive coordinator for the Saints: When your starting offensive line lines up and plays 16 games in a row, you're a good football team” – Mike McCarthy.
He's right, of course, but the Cowboys had no injury luck upfront in 2020.
After remaining intact for the majority of the 2010's, the Cowboys front five fell apart in a bad way last season. Tyron Smith started just two games before undergoing surgery, La'el Collins missed the entire season, and Zack Martin was on and off the injury report before missing each of the team's final five games.
Those three star offensive linemen were at the top of the list of why McCarthy chose to come back to the league and coach the Cowboys in 2020, and he made it clear how excited he is to have them back looking ready to go.
“I'm looking forward to lining up and playing with those guys…That was one of the big attractions of the job, frankly, a year and a half ago. And you can't have enough”
The Cowboys have also made sure to have a backup plan in case disaster strikes again. By bringing in Ty Nsekhe they've added a veteran swing tackle who can push Brandon Knight and Terence Steele during camp.
With the three foundational pieces across the offensive line back and healthy, and quarterback Dak Prescott returning to his rightful place as QB1, the 2021 season is already looking more promising than last year's 6-10 campaign.
Now…let's see if these guys can stay healthy.
