In the last few days we've considered the possibility of a stealth rebuild in Dallas. And we've acknowledged that Jerry Jones' statements cannot be taken at face value.
Today, he could say no contract extensions, no trades, and no big free agent signings are pending.
Tomorrow, he could do all three.
As a Cowboys fan, all you can do is hang on for dear life. That, and wonder where the crazy train is going to veer off to next.
It isn't fair to the fans.
Nor is it fair to the players. Especially Dak Prescott as far as this season is concerned.
It isn't all that great for the upcoming free agents in the year or so – with CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons likely wondering what their long-term future is in Dallas right now.
But there are two men in particular who are really getting the short end of the stick the way things have played out this month.
Head Coach Mike McCarthy and brand new Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer.
Dead Coaches Walking
McCarthy is coaching this year as the final year of his contract.
The message is clear. Go deeper into the playoffs this year or else.
Jones did something similar to this with Jason Garrett and got a better regular season record out of his then head coach.
But he didn't get a Super Bowl win – or even an NFC title game appearance – out of it. And, to be fair, Garrett had a better roster to work with in that situation.
McCarthy's roster is getting gutted before his eyes and he's being told to do “more with less.”
In effect, McCarthy is literally being shoved in front of the firing squad while being told everything is just fine.
The man is a Super Bowl winning head coach. He deserves better.
If this is a make-it-or-break-it season for him in Dallas he should at least be given a decent roster to work with.
He isn't getting that at all.
He's got a quarterback that may be out the door with him after the 2024 season in Prescott. His running back room is a ghost town.
He has two solid receivers, one solid tight end, and a lot of question marks down the depth chart at both positions.
And his offensive line? Whew, lad.
As the offensive roster sits today it isn't promising.
And there appears to be very little help coming via free agency or the draft that could make a big enough impact in 2024 either.
Did He Sign Up For This?
In Zimmer's case, the defensive side of the ball appears to be a touch more stable, although not totally free of issues.
Can he turn Mazi Smith into a run-stopping clog up the middle? Is Eric Kendricks going to be able to help the run defense at linebacker?
Is Micah Parsons going to be more of an outside linebacker that can pressure the quarterback?
Can Trevon Diggs fully come back at cornerback? Can DeRon Bland repeat his 2023 season?
Like McCarthy though, Zimmer appears to have just this one season to get it sorted out.
That's a tough ask, no matter how good a coach Zimmer is.
He signed a one-year deal to come to Dallas. He almost has to pull off a miracle to keep his job in 2025.
That's really not fair to him either.
Both coaches deserve much better support in what could be their last year in Dallas. It doesn't look like they'll be getting it anytime soon.
Just Do It Already
If the Cowboys' front office is really looking at a full rebuild, why wait? Just do it now and get it over with.
Arrange a trade for Prescott to get as many picks and assets as possible before camp opens.
I'm told 31 other GMs would be on the phone in a heartbeat for Prescott's services. Let's find out if that's true.
Let Cooper Rush and Trey Lance battle it out to start.
Even if it results in a bad record, a high draft pick would result. There's a few good prospects in the 2025 Draft at quarterback to build around.
I might even do the same with CeeDee Lamb.
Get what you can for him and use the picks to rebuild the team. And use the available money to keep Parsons.
To me, this is the smart way ahead and I firmly believe it would work.
I can't say it was a 100% lock because the Cowboys don't have a GM that can build a championship team – as the last three decades have clearly proven.
But maybe the return of Jimmy Johnson to the team's inner circle might be just enough to overcome that handicap.
If Johnson can get Jones to recall what happened in the early days of his ownership, when he trusted his coach to rebuild the roster, the 2025 season and beyond will be much better than what we've suffered through since 1996.
