Everyone’s been yelling at me since the Cowboys recent run in Playoff Failure Theater.
“Ok, wise guy,” they snipe, “You want to fix the Cowboys? How would you do it?”
So far they haven’t liked my ideas. Mainly because the first thing I do involves the quarterback.
But, since we’re all watching the playoffs on our couches anyway, lets have some fun.
Let’s say someone waves a magic wand and makes me GM of the Dallas Cowboys with full autonomy. What would I do?
Reorganizing The Front Office
First order of business is taking away the pass keys for The Star and AT&T Stadium from the entire Jones family.
They can run off to wherever all the rich people hang out in Dallas. On game day they get a suite – with one-way glass – to watch the game.
But no more interviews. No more discussing players injuries or game strategies. No more draft room appearances.
Just sign the checks and be around when the Lombardi trophies are handed out in February.
Assuming I could talk Will McClay into staying, his job is to evaluate talent. Ours, theirs, and those still in college.
I want position breakdowns ranking every player in the league and in college in order of our preference.
I’d hire the Rain Man of the Salary Cap – as soon as I could find him or her. I want someone who can help us get maximum value out of every dollar spent on salary.
They’d also need to find every possible way to use the cap to maximum advantage without getting into salary cap hell.
No more overpaying players with ridiculous contracts that have cap-killing bombs in the final year. Looking at you Dak Prescott and Terence Steele.
The head coach – be it Mike McCarthy or someone else after 2024 – and the coordinators get input of course.
But at the end of the day, they coach the players we put in the locker room and they get the maximum out of them.
If they can’t, they’re gone. If the players can’t step up, they’re gone too.
Great play between September through December is welcome.
Outstanding play in January and February is expected.
Yes, 12-5 regular seasons and a division title is very good. But its not good enough to save jobs.
Conference championships and Super Bowls are the expectation – note the plural use of both terms.
Rebuilding The Roster
Looking ahead at the 2024 season, the Cowboys have a difficult schedule ahead. A fourth 12-5 season seems unlikely.
McCarthy is already in the final year of his contract. His feet are firmly being held to the fire.
He isn’t the only person who should in that position.
Regardless of contract status, all 53 players – and all the assistant coaches – need to approach the 2024 season as a make it or break it year.
It’s one reason why I would not extend any contracts for the long-term this year. Even if that means Prescott plays under a nearly $60 million contract in 2024.
If the team steps up and at least makes it to the conference title game, then the contract extensions can flow.
If they fail to get past the Divisional round again, or even miss the playoffs outright? There’s going to be a lot of new faces.
And to be honest, maybe there should be even before the 2024 season kicks off.
Trade Feelers Need To Be Made
Right now, I don’t have the other 31 NFL GM’s on speed dial.
But, if I’m in the GM’s seat at The Star, I’m calling around to see who wants what on my roster. More importantly, how much they’re willing to pay for them.
I start with the biggest plum on the roster – at least in the eyes of the other GMs.
A starting quarterback.
I’m definitely avoiding the three NFC East teams and I’m starting with AFC teams first. I don’t want someone motivated to beat me at least twice a year.
And I don’t want them getting their revenge on my in the playoffs before the Super Bowl.
Too many players have been traded for underperforming and then treat the first meeting with their former team as their personal Super Bowl.
So I’m starting with the AFC East. Buffalo and Miami look to be set at quarterback. But the Jets and Patriots might be in the market.
The AFC North looks set at the position too as does the AFC South.
Out west, the Chiefs and Chargers likely aren’t looking at the position. But the Broncos and Raiders look like they need help.
To be honest, the only NFC team that might bite would be Minnesota. But they got bit badly in the Herschel Walker trade so they might not trade with us ever again.
So that gives us five possible trading partners – The Jets, Patriots, Raiders, Broncos, and Vikings.
New England drafts third in 2024, the Jets 10th, the Vikings 11th, the Broncos 12th, and the Raiders 13th.
So, we call, we see if they have interest, and see what they have to offer.
We compare our draft board to where any offered picks fall. If moving Prescott makes the team better in 2025 and beyond, we pull the trigger.
And if they want someone other than Prescott? Yeah, I’m listening to any and all offers.
After 38 years of not getting past the Divisional round, no job is safe.
Taking Big Steps
Am I willing to trade a down year in 2024 to build a team that can compete every year – as we’re seeing happening out in San Francisco for example?
Absolutely. A year or two to reset not only the roster, but the culture as well, in Dallas is a small price to pay for sustained success.
Just look at what Dan Campbell and the Lions have done in three years. Or DeMeco Ryans down in Houston.
Even the Eagles basically reset and rebuilt almost immediately after winning a Super Bowl.
They made it back in five years.
And do I even have to mention what the Kansas City Chiefs have done?
Six straight conference title games. Two Super Bowl wins in three appearances.
In the 11 years since Andy Reid arrived the Chiefs have had 10 seasons with 10 wins or more, They went 9-7 in the other year.
Kansas City has gone 128-51 in those 11 regular seasons.
The Chiefs have made the playoffs in 10 of those 11 years. They are 14-7 in the postseason going into Sunday’s game at Baltimore.
That’s the record – and the expectation — I want to build in Dallas.
Coming Up
Over the next nine days I’m putting each position group under a microscope.
I’ll take a look at each player and decide if they have a future in Dallas, if they need to be moved, and who we target to bring in.
Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments each day. Who knows, maybe someone in Frisco might get an idea or two?
Then next year we’ll be spending the week leading up to the Conference championship games talking about who the Cowboys are playing this week.
Instead of talking about another lost season and what to do to get a different result next year.