Well folks, Dallas Cowboys Owner and General Manager, Jerry Jones, is back doing the thing he does best: creating media headlines.
On Friday, Jones hopped on the radio and joined 105.3 The Fan to discuss the team and its future. Here, the infamous leader of the front office admitted that the Cowboys are in a “soft rebuild.”
Cowboys owner and GM Jerry Jones on @1053thefan today with @kandc1053 when asked if the team is in a "soft rebuild" admitted they are in fact in a soft rebuild saying:
"Yeah I think you've nailed it, you're right on it." #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/tM2lz7R5ON
— Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) October 4, 2024
For obvious reasons, the fanbase is not thrilled with Jones’ comments.
Some are saying if it is a rebuild, why dole out so much money in recent contracts to Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, while others just don’t like the message the owner is sending.
No matter how you look at it, this is a clear indication that the front office knows this roster is more of a soft rebuild than a championship contender.
What does this mean for the near future in Dallas?
That’s what we’re here to examine.
Don’t Expect In-Season Trades By The Cowboys
If you’re hoping the Cowboys pull another Amari Cooper move out of their hat, you may want to change your expectations.
We have heard in recent days that the front office is not interested in making a move for All-Pro Wide Receiver Davante Adams, citing the need to keep their draft capital in the future and play their current guys.
Cowboys have NO interest in trading for Davante Adams, per @clarencehilljr pic.twitter.com/4nhqXzM8m6
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) October 2, 2024
With that being the case for Adams, it will be the case for any other trade target you can imagine.
It’s a frustrating reality, that’s for certain, but there is simply no chance the front office is going to be aggressive on the trade front in the midst of a soft rebuild.
It’s also probably the smart thing to do; as much as we’d all love a huge trade that brings in some premier talent, one guy is not going to take this roster from under construction to complete.
Dallas should be stockpiling their draft capital if there is a soft rebuild going on, and you can’t do that and trade for big players at the same time.
Veteran Players Leaving Town
If you think that Jerry Jones and the front office refusing to make in-season trades is sad, just wait until you see the list of guys who could be playing their final season in Dallas thanks to their age and contract.
Most notably, this list includes Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence, the two longest tenured Cowboys, as well as Osa Odighizuwa and Brandin Cooks.
All of these guys are free agents in 2025, and it is hard to see a world where all, or perhaps even just one of them, gets paid by Dallas.
You will hear about how there isn’t enough money to go around (when there is), and how they like their guys (they won’t be nearly as good). That rhetoric has not worked yet for the Cowboys, but the front office is not going to move off it.
Martin, 33, is seemingly considering retirement after this season, which could save Dallas from another Tyron Smith scenario.
Cowboys guard Zack Martin: Retirement in "realm of possibilities" after 2024 seasonhttps://t.co/GvIhbpMMUC pic.twitter.com/sEvGfqCU8Z
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) June 5, 2024
If you do exclude him, however, we’re still talking about some of the most important pieces on the roster walking in free agency for nothing but compensatory draft picks.
This is one of the hard parts of a soft rebuild: you can’t pay big bucks to all your veterans.
Temporary Decline In Wins During A Soft Rebuild
Cowboys fans, at least for a little bit, may need to lower their regular season expectations.
In the Mike McCarthy era, Dallas has dominated the regular season.
As their 2-2 record already suggests, that kind of success may be fading for the time being, which is a staple of soft rebuilds.
The #Cowboys are 29-12 in their last 41 games under Mike McCarthy (since 2021).
70.7% win percentage.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) October 30, 2023
There is not as much talent on the roster this year as there was in seasons prior, and this can be seen at running back, wide receiver, and on the offensive line.
It’s hard to replicate 12-win seasons when you just don’t have that kind of talent anymore.
The key to a soft rebuild is keeping the core that got you to those high win totals, but replacing some talent with higher draft picks and fresh faces.
I think of the Marshawn Kneeland draft pick as an example of this with Lawrence; the 2024-second round pick is likely his successor in 2025. On the offensive side, we’ve already seen them replace guys like Smith and Tyler Biadasz with rookies.
This is a strategy that can and has worked, but it hurts when you’re so accustomed to winning.
I’m a bit surprised Jerry Jones‘ ego is not standing in the way of the soft rebuild, but by the sound of his comments, the owner is “all-in.”