After a season of disappointment and under achievement, one word that creeps into every die-hard fan is change. Back in September, the Dallas Cowboys were one of the Las Vegas favorites to get to the Super Bowl. Naturally, after a 9-7 season, we all want some sort of change.
By now, we know that said change will not come in the form of a new head coach. Or, if we’re being honest with ourselves, probably not even in the form of different coordinators.
So, then what?
We’ve seen a coaching carousel lately in Dallas with a lot of moves going on. Just about every position coach is leaving or interviewing with other teams, Kellen Moore is set to be the new QBs coach and so on.
But heading into the offseason, it’s inevitable to think about how many changes we could see in the Cowboys’ offense.
Recently, fellow Staff Writer Brian Martin wrote about how the Cowboys should build a Prescott-friendly offense for Dak Prescott. Despite a struggling season, Dak Prescott shouldn’t be evaluated or replaced after just two seasons. Even if overreactions around Cowboys Nation tell you otherwise.
Even still, it’s more than fair to criticize an offense that was far from meeting expectations last season. All this leads to a lot of questions about where the future of this offense is headed.
Is Dez Bryant still worth the money he’s being paid?
Should he be officially replaced by another WR1, something he hasn’t been for a long time?
The Cowboys have a ton of needs, and even though we’re used to the idea of defense always being our top priority in the offseason, this time it might be different.
This team really needs to get Dak a best friend, a receiver who can create separation. A good route runner.
Who knows, maybe Dez isn’t here next season. But even if he is, he probably won’t be “the guy” when it comes to catching Dak Prescott’s passes.
What about Cole Beasley?
Whether we like it or not, he’s another guy whose play wasn’t as good as 2016. With him going into his final year under contract, is it possible the Cowboys explore other options?
Despite not getting a lot of playing time, Ryan Switzer showed very promising flashes when he was asked to fill Beasley’s spot in the season finale at Philadelphia. I can’t help wondering if Switzer will be able to earn a more involved role on offense as the slot wide receiver next year.
Perhaps in the long run, he’s the better option for the Cowboys instead of the guy who’ll be 29 when the 2018 season arrives.
Now, Jason Witten is my all-time favorite Dallas Cowboy. But if we’re being real with ourselves, even if he’s still as reliable as ever, he isn’t a very dangerous player anymore. The coaching staff should find a way to do something similar to what the Chargers have done with Antonio Gates and add a younger, more dangerous tight end to play alongside Witten.
Before the 2017 season began, the Cowboys were expected to be one of the best offenses in the NFL. They failed to meet expectations. We know the coaching staff isn’t changing at the “big three” positions, but maybe we see it in the form of players.
I would explore a trade with Dez Beasley and Williams go get martavius Bryant re sign butler promote swizter sign another good route runner for depth because we still got Noah brown use witten for another year n draft a tight end this year learning from one of the best tight ends get him his reps Dallas could make a splash if they free up some roster room n cap even promote Byron back to corner n find a safety in the draft in the 3-4 round we could revamp the O completely to where we still have room even maybe looking at Allen Robison on a one year prove it deal because the injury
I’m totally open to seeing a move with one of our WRs, don’t know about Martavis Bryant though. Man, I’d love Allen Robinson if he’s healthy.
Martavis would give us the vertical threat we needed in dez but is faster n still a red zone threat if we could get Robison that would be a plus sign both But if not one of them n keep butler n then sign someone who is proven to be able to stay healthy run good routes n be able to adjust on the fly
This is what I mean…..I feel as Cowboy fans are making excuses for Dak…I’ve seen plenty of games this season where I sat and was like “wth is this guy doing”
Exactly brother!! Exactly! Sad thing is that I told everyone who would listen what 2017 would be like. You can bank onnit like the sun setting in the West! It’s the Dallas Cowboys. Dak cannot pass downfield accurately enough to be a legitimate threat. And unfortunately our number 1 WRs strengths are the now qb1s weaknesses…
Dak will have 1/2 the career in Dallas that romo did.
And then we’ll be with new qb1… my problem is that I’m just a fan and say this in 2016… how come the front office didn’t?
I think half is giving him to much credit. Romo was that dude on a shitty team. He carried us to winning records despite the lack of defense, an oline and a good rb. Dak lost zeke and T Smith and shit the bed. And his accuracy is imo the sole reason for all our receivers decline. I to told everyone that we would regret letting Romo walk. But everyone was dick riding Dak. When he wasn’t ready. He needed to play behind Romo until Romo actually retired and learned everything he possibly could from imo one of the greatest football minds ever. But instead we won a few games and turned our backs on the guy that could have left us plenty of times. But stayed loyal to a mediocre franchise.
You said Dak was half of Romo when he was Rookie of the Year – sure.
Dak is far more talented. Romo was a turnover machine for years until he finally got more judicious with the ball. He has great career stats but much worse games when they counted most, down the stretch and in playoffs. Good riddance to him. He was Danny White – no better.
I agree, but he was still a second year QB last season. Can’t expect perfection yet. He definitely had less time to throw compared to his rookie season. Next year will be a good test.
Idk why my fellow Cowboy fans can’t that Dak is not as good as we thought
He is good he don’t have receivers making plays to get the ball.. he can’t do it running it every time n neither can zeke… he needs weapons dez isn’t what he use to be give butler the time dez had n I bet we would have a 1000 yard receiver.. dak can only do so much by him self with no weapons look at wentz last year (rookie year) then this year (sophomore year) no weapons compared to weapons..
Excuses…that is why most Cowboys fans continue to accept mediocrity…… stop and think … Romo made player around him better…..is Dak doing that? Start there….. and think.
Preaching to the choir dude. In 2016 when Dak was taking the job I knew he wouldn’t last very long. We not a very complete passer.
Yea BUT Romo didn’t do it in year 2 making everyone around him better and don’t 4get every time he messed up or choked in December/Playoff game everybody was on his ass just like everybody is on Dak’s! IMO I believe we all need to chill out and give Dak some time to mature and I believe that Dez isn’t a #1 and T-Will is a good but not great receiver for a #2 and we need to let Switzer take over the slot and draft a route running TE to learn from Witten if Gathers isn’t gonna cut it! IMO again we need to draft a stud DT at 19 this year to improve our D and make it strong enough to keep Dak from having to be a hero every game
I’m sorry but you’re so wrong. Dak is the sole problem. All our receivers numbers are down. Explain that. Even beasley our top guy last year. Dak is the problem. I’d personally like to see him and rush fight for the starting spot this off-season.
I really think there’s a QB curve. If Dak a bad year in 2018, then you start evaluating the position. It’s still too early too give up on him after a bad season and one in which the entire team struggled. Maybe in the long run, he isn’t as good as we think. But still too early to say he shouldn’t be our QB. Just as it is too early to call him elite.
Never called him elite just stating that he had a slump year like you said by dez had a few slump seasons.. witten is old Williams isn’t producing neither is Beasley start fresh give him new weapons new personnel I bet anything he is right back to his rookie season production
Oh, don’t get me wrong. Never meant to say you called him elite. Was really just giving my two cents on the topic. I think Dak will be fine, we just need to give him some time.
If Cole Beasley was utilized more in the offense he would put up some strong numbers. He is not getting the ball enough to get him in the flow of the game. In fact, I believe he is a better slot receiver than Switzer would be. He has heart and is not scared of those crossing routes. I believe Switzer would make a better #2 wide receiver. He is fast enough to create space between him and a defender.
Whenever they made him the starter I KNEW HE WOULD BOMB OUT! Why didn’t Jorge front office? He’s not a legitimate passer!!
Exactly.
I don’t know how change we’ll see with the same coaches calling the shots. There won’t be a lot of wholesale changes in the playbook. Hopefully the players can just play better.
That’s completely fair. Thanks for reading!
And as long as the owner continues telling everyone he has a “HC” they’ll continue to fail…..
I’ve been asking this for YEARS… maybe this year JJ will miraculously read my post and then he left ignoring will go on…
“Jerry….did you pay attention”?
Everyone would agree that dak is a better qb than nick Foles, correct? Would you?
Well let’s operate under the assumption that everyone reading this agrees that he is… for sh!ts and giggles…
WEll NICK FREAKING FOLES JUST BEAT THE REIGNING NFC CHAMPIONS IN A DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF GAME..!!!
Beat a team that killed the cowboys this year… AND only had to get his team in position to score 15 points to do so!
The eagles win because of a suffocating and stingy defense…
You see mr Jones…. if the other team cannot score your qb only needs to get the team in position ONE FREAKING TIME TO KICK A FIELD GOAL!
Understand?
Offense puts butts in the seats… DEFENSE wins championships! Especially in this decades NFC conference!
Signing DEZ to 70+ mil= bad deal (when you no longer have a qb who can pass down field accurately and consistently)
Drafting zeke 4 ovr = bad drafting (especially when Jalen Ramsey was sitting there for the taking)
Drafting a project lb in the second round= another bad draft choice (when we could have had an impact player on D completing his second full season)
I don’t know about any of y’all… but the good season, bad season, 8-8 season … wash rinse and repeat sh!t is wearing me down…
Especially when even in their “good” seasons they’re 1 and done in the playoffs…
This franchise just can’t get out of their own way… would say snake bit… but snake bit means it’s not of your own doing…. the circus clown and pony show… ER…. Dallas Cowboys front office is to blame for the 22 years of stank football
Anyone here old enough to remember when romo was rising to the ranks of qb1? The excitement? The crazy plays he made?
Did any of you see that from Dak last year? Or was it mostly zeke?
I saw a qb the likes of Trent silver at best!
They pushed romo out too soon!
Trent DILFER*
I 100 percent agree.
They didn’ Push Romo out, Romo’s back pushed him out. We needed a 16 game starting QB Romo couldn’t do that anymore. When Jerry and JG are gone America’s Team will return.
I’m just so tired of all the bumbling. The stubbing of the organizations toes. Gregory, Byron jones in round 1, the qb debacle of 2015, the unimaginative HC they keep rolling out there,….
THE STUBBORN ASSED WAY OF BUILDING OFFENSIVELY (zeke) when the last 8 of 10 super bowl winners won with great defense…
I’m sorry you draft a RB at #4 overall IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A LEGITIMATE DEFENSE!!!
Look at Jacksonville… they did it the right way… now imagine if they get a qb… or even alex Smith…
You guys don’t see the bigger picture… dak isn’t the one dropping the balls he isn’t the one that is calling the plays he isn’t the one who has the keys to the offense to be able to do what he wants on the field .. dak needs to improve yea but you can’t blame this on him… Jason Garrett dez Williams Beasley witten you gotta hold them accountable too they wasn’t separating them selves from the defenders they wasn’t holding on to the ball or catching it.. if dak has another “slump year” then we can discuss it but til Dallas either gets a new coaching staff aka hc and oc or they have a new offense of look then they are just gonna be average we need weapons who can create space run good routes catch the ball n hold on to it.. we need to revamp the offense with new weapons new coaching staff build chemistry n go from there the ones hating on dak will see that he only had a slump year zeke was battling off field problems was gone 6 games then you had dez couldn’t catch the ball couldn’t hold on catch desperate himself from defenders Beasley just wasn’t himself witten is old Williams isn’t a number a WR..
I honestly don’t think you truly understand how the game of football works based on your comments. What datschu said is 100% correct. Defense wins championships. And Dak is not the guy. His accuracy was horrendous at best. His arm strength is lacking and he just flat out can’t hit our receivers to save his life. Yes our guys dropped some passes but im chalking that up to frustrations with a shitty qb. They’re tired of him and i think he’s losing this teams confidence in his ability to run the team. He’s no Romo not even on his best day.
Staubach himself said that the year he went 1-4 to start out the year and missed the playoffs for the only time in a decade. You have a bad year and everyone doubts you, Dak took the league by storm a yr ago and then everyone game planned him, there wasn’t much complaining until Zeke went out then Dak was under the scope and T. Smith went out Lee went out and we have Collins playing new pos. and a diff player at LG for a few games till that got figured out but was mediocre at best so with all the that happening Dak wasn’t supposed to flinch and the stats read without Tyron S. alone Dak’s Qb rating was 30 points lower! Yea 30 points because he was getting pummeled from behind which gets in your head and then you lose a second and then timing is off and then even when he gets the ball there we drop it in some of the most crucial moments (Dez fumble vs Seattle) that changed the entire momentum of that game and all of that because he wasn’t confident on dropping back and stepping up and making a throw! I believe the sophomore year was a crucial year of learning for Dak to not have his security blanket in T Smith and Zeke and have to grow as a Qb! Next year will tell the story on Dak Prescott
More Jones “STUPIDITY”….keep ‘Garrett and Linehan” after total stupidity the last two years ( first down at the three yard line…Elliot in the backfield…great o-line and you throw the ball three times)!!! Jones will never give up his complete control , Garrett will keep ruining QB’s and we will be stuck with mediocracy as long as Jones is the owner!!!!! Sickening!!!!!! With the talent on that team they should still be playing!!! “SHORE UP THE O-LINE”!!!! ” RE-SIGN DEMARCUS LAWRENCE- MARTEN”!!!! ” TRADE DEZ-SWITZER,KEEP BUTLER AND NOAH BROWN- SLAP SOME SENSE INTO RANDY GREGORY-BRING HIM BACK”!!!! “IF GATHERS CAN GET HEALTHY HE’S THE ANSWER AT TIGHT END”!!!! MAKE WITTEN PLAYER-COACH”!!!!!
In 2016 Dak would throw to an area of the field and a WR would be there. If they ran an out instead skinny post the ball was up for grabs. This year was a timing throw which isn’t what Dak is about. Romo and Aikman yes that’s their game. 60% I gave to the WR’s of the blaim. Sign Butler make him the #2 WR. Williams would be better coming off the bench. Rework Bryant’s contract 12.5 million is 6 million too much. Find a LG and RT and become a more zone blocking offense. No FB use the ACE formation (2 TE’s). The six weeks Zeke was out because he acted like a dumb ass. Was The longest six weeks of my life. When Zeke is in there it’s a totally deference. The play calling off this year. I would like to see more pass on first down to predictable. Dez throwing a temper tantrum on the sideline Dez knows he’s on the down side of his career. I know we need to upgrade our WR’s and TE. It wouldn’t be my first pick we have other needs. Forget Moore as QB coach hire Romo. Bad choice by Jerry and it was Jerry. If they want to make a Super Bowl run. There not as close as Jerry thinks. The need OL upgrades DL upgrades secondary help and LB help.
To all of you Garrett haters, I wanting to remind you of something. No coach of better quality than Garrett would take the Cowboy’s head coaching job! No one! Garrett is the best answer as long as Jerry Jones is the owner and GM. As for the critizism of Garrett and Linehan, I didn’t remember reading all this bitching in 2016 when they had a full offense (a quality running back). I’ve been a Cowboy fan for over 50 years. Cowboy fans need to be patient and understanding of the situation.
I understand the Dak hate completely. I just think it was more of play calling and coaching. You cant blame him for getting killed in the atlanta game, and really that was the case for the season. Coaching shouldve focused on his mechanics this offseason. The playbook was not creative enough, i actually predicted most of the offensive plays In key situations. Its almost like we used the exact same plays from last year and only used %25 of the playbook. As a diehard cowboys fan with a lack of coaching changes i am very disinterested in next season. And im so sick of hearing about our 5 rings.
It’s time for the Cowboys coaching staff to decommissioned the Romo Friendly offense, that Dak has been running for the past 2 seasons, into the warehouse. And start the construction of the Dak Attack friendly offense. Dak had modest success with the Romo friendly offense, throwing for 45 TD, with 13 Int. was very good. Now let’s see how Dak production goes in an offense predicated to his strength.
As long as Jason Garrett and Scott Linehan control the offensive scheme of the Cowboys, I don’t think they will ever win a Super Bowl. They are just awful at making adjustments to what the opposing defenses show them. If plan A doesn’t work in a game they have no plan B.
Dak needs to learn how to throw receivers open the way Romo Brady Manning Brees all have done. Dak waits til they’re open and that is too late