Finally solving their defensive issues, at least for a year, the surprise failure of the Dallas Cowboys in 2021 turned out to be their inconsistent offense. After starting the season strong through their first six games, injuries began to mount to every position group on that side of the ball and although they maintained their status as one of the league’s best teams, their offense failed them when it mattered.
It appears, based on early tea leaves, that the offensive staff is capable of returning. Stephen Jones, even without Jerry Jones’ full blessing, has said that Mike McCarthy is returning as the head coach. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore was once a hot commodity to be a head coach somewhere, but even with him interviewing for a handful of vacant positions the scuttlebutt is he will once again be in Dallas to run that side of the ball. So what can and will change? That conversation likely revolves around the offensive line.
Will coach Joe Philbin be back? Perhaps, but what will he have to work with? On the left side Tyron Smith missed multiple stretches of the season and Connor Williams was benched, reinserted, and now hits free agency. On the right side Zack Martin is a stalwart and is a First-Team All-Pro yet again, but there’s a chance La’el Collins doesn’t return after his five-game suspension voids his contract guarantees and Terence Steele received plenty of love from the staff for his time in the lineup.
Then there’s the middle of the field, where second-year center Tyler Biadasz got 17 starts. His performance was up and down, and while Dallas could conceivably feel comfortable going into 2022 with him as the starter, it’s not a position that they should shy about addressing this offseason. If that doesn’t come in the form of free agency, there’s a glaring alpha dog in this year’s draft in Iowa’s Tyler Linderbaum.
The problem is there isn’t a realistic shot of him making his way to No. 24, so in our first mock draft exercise of the year, Dallas will trade up to acquire him.