Following a 9-7 season, the effectiveness of the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff has once again come into question. Changes at head coach, offensive coordinator, or defensive coordinator have felt imminent on the heels of a 13-3 NFC East-winning campaign just a year ago.
Through the highs and lows this coaching staff again endured, and after clearing the air of reports surrounding the likes of WR Coach Derek Dooley’s future in Dallas, Jerry Jones has all but reassured Cowboys Nation that Jason Garrett, Scott Linehan, and Rod Marinelli will still lead the Cowboys in 2018.
The Cowboys have also made it known that the coaching changes they do make will occur below Garrett and his two play callers, in an overdue admission of stubbornness.
The first of these more minor changes became official yesterday, as Jason Garrett announced in his season-concluding press conference that TE Coach Steve Loney is retiring.
Loney filled the shoes of long-time TE Coach Mike Pope in 2017, his first at this position for the Cowboys. He served as the Assistant OL Coach and as Senior Offensive Assistant in 2016.
There is, of course, a larger theme here.
With the lasting image of the 2017 Dallas Cowboys being a hard-to-justify 6-0 win in Philadelphia, Rod Marinelli’s defense has earned rightful praise for their performance this season. The same cannot be said about Scott Linehan’s “predictable” offense.
It comes as no surprise that this is where the Cowboys’ ongoing search for new perspectives begins.
What we do know so early into this offseason process is that the Cowboys have at least backed Linehan’s approach for QB Dak Prescott’s third year.
Retaining Scott Linehan is a move to keep Prescott’s successful support system around him.
After so many important voices to their rookie QB departed ahead of his 2017 slump, the Cowboys can justify keeping their play caller. Not only will Linehan remain in place at offensive coordinator, but WR coach Derek Dooley is considering jobs elsewhere in the NFL and NCAA.
This is a pretty strong indication of the confidence this organization has in Scott Linehan.
Where Will Jerry Jones’ Promised Changes Come From?
As Linehan continues in the same role, with him again comes QB Kellen Moore — who may be in consideration to change roles and join the offensive coaching staff. Should this be the most team-efficient way to keep Moore in support of Prescott, it is a smart move by the Cowboys.
Current Cowboys QB Coach Wade Wilson is one of the Cowboys assistants on an expiring contract. He is reportedly considering his retirement after starting his coaching career with the Cowboys in 2000.
He has served in his second stint as the team’s quarterbacks coach since 2007.
This leaves RB coach Gary Brown as the only other coach on offense with an expiring contract that would entice change. This is not to say that any positions on this Cowboys staff below the “big three” are irreplaceable.
Yes, it was ultimately the constant uncertainty surrounding RB Ezekiel Elliott’s status prior to serving his six-game suspension that will define this team’s frustrating season. Short of Brown going rogue and calling plays for his RBs himself though, there is little reason to think that he won’t return.
Another area where the Cowboys’ future looks bright is in their young secondary, where rookies Jourdan Lewis and Chidobe Awuzie played major roles as starting CBs. This is still a Rod Marinelli defense in need of starting caliber players, but finding cheap talent to shine in his scheme this year was a great start.
The Cowboys will have another great opportunity to further their defensive depth at the NFL Draft.
Joe Baker has coached in this Cowboys’ secondary since 2012, switching to safety coach in 2014 before being named the secondary coach in 2016. When Baker was promoted, Michigan secondary coach Greg Jackson was brought in to coach the team’s safeties.
The contributions that both Baker and Jackson have made on this defense will be weighed by the Cowboys to decide who will lead this secondary into 2018.
Also having a say in all of this is the widely respected Matt Eberflus, who has served as the Cowboys’ LB Coach since 2011. Developing talent at LB ever since then for the Cowboys, Eberflus also became the team’s defensive passing game coordinator in 2016.
He is another coach that denied an extension with the team last season, as his stock continues to rise around teams that may consider him for a Defensive Coordinator position.
Again, the Cowboys appear to be locked into Rod Marinelli in this position, something that hasn’t stopped them from retaining Eberflus thus far — a task that will remain a priority in Dallas.
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To summarize, the Cowboys’ “fresh ideas” will come from a new TE coach along with potential replacements at WR, QB, RB, LB, CB, and S coaching positions. Whether or not this is enough to justify the level of consequence expected on a team that missed the playoffs following a season they reached it in for the second time in three years is entirely subjective.
There is plenty of time upcoming for every team in the NFL to evaluate their rosters and coaching staffs, as the Cowboys are already doing. Assessing the coaching talent that may be available is the most immediate way for the Cowboys to improve their outlook for 2018.
That is, if you’re ready to buy into the Dallas Cowboys truly returning to where they want to go — lacking an NFC Championship Game appearance since 1996 — in year number nine of HC Jason Garrett.
Such is another offseason with America’s Team — so far.
