Cowboys fandom is in an uncharacteristically positive place at the moment.
The often down-trodden, pessimistic fan base that will find any excuse to complain about their alleged favorite football team seems, well, happy heading into the 2019 season. Sure there are the constant “should they pay Dak!?!?” debates, but overall fans are expecting the Dallas Cowboys to be good this season. (Good, just like Dak is by the way).
Of course, much of that has to do with their positive run at the end of 2018, which carried momentum into free agency. The front office refused to give up this mythical momentum, however, remaining patient through the big-spending days to find themselves fantastic acquisitions on their own terms.
But which of these moves was the smartest? Well, Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon took a stab at naming the “smartest” move for each NFL team this offseason. His selection for the Cowboys? The signing of veteran wide receiver Randall Cobb. At least on the micro level.
“The smartest thing the Dallas Cowboys did this offseason was resist temptation…And if there’s one move that epitomizes that approach, it’s the Randall Cobb signing.”
Brad makes the point here that with so many major deals coming down the pike, the Cowboys could not really afford to go crazy and chase after the big money free agents. Rather, they needed to sit back while the real money got thrown around, remaining patient until they could bargain shop during the second week of free agency.
And that is exactly what they did.
Dallas was able to snag solid rotational pieces for their defensive line, veteran offensive players who will compete with highly-touted young players in camp, and a pass rusher in Robert Quinn who has produced at an elite level in the league before.
This is objectively a good offseason, and one which could help the Cowboys fulfill Stephen Jones’ goal of “taking the next step.” Of course, the Cowboys could be loudly applauded for their offseason and feel they have made all the right moves without reaching their desired season outcome in 2019.
Given a first place schedule, a direct competitor in the division, and a conference which has featured vast parity in recent years, there’s no telling how 2019 will go for anyone. It’s certainly nice to feel the Dallas Cowboys have put themselves in a position to maximize their chances, though.
