The Cowboys have taken an interesting approach to the 2024 season. They decided to remain completely noncommittal with their team, focusing on the here and now and keeping options open for the future.
They let most of their noteworthy players leave uncontested in free agency and did next to nothing to lure outside free agents to fill the holes. The Cowboys top star players, Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons, are all set to hit the free agent market in the near future, yet all three remain unsigned.
This strategy extended beyond just the roster and even encompassed the coaching staff. Despite the coaching staff operating on their last year under contract, Dallas decided to neither re-sign nor replace them.
The situation in 2024, defined by the front office as “all-in,” promises nothing beyond the current season.
Next year could offer wholesale changes across the roster and in the coaching ranks, or it could be a return for the group that brought Dallas three consecutive 12-win seasons. It’s an uncomfortable situation for fans and players to be in, but for the Cowboys front office it’s a situation that brings significant flexibility.
The uncertain future could also be a motivating force for all of those unsigned. It’s not just the Cowboys they must perform for, but the entire NFL. All unsigned parties stand to make significant money if things go well this season and that may or may not be with Dallas.
While the Cowboys have gained flexibility by handling things so noncommittally, this holding pattern of theirs could prove extremely costly and even result in a long-term rebuild. It’s truly a double-edged sword for Dallas.
What if players and/or coaches don’t want to come back to Dallas after the season? What if everyone’s market value rockets after this season, adding extra costs to the already strained budget? What if the Cowboys are forced to start over at a key position or two and are then forced into a multiyear rebuild because of it?
It’s hard to believe the Cowboys are still undecided with Prescott, Lamb and McCarthy, in particular. All three have been together long enough to give Dallas a pretty good indication as to what they offer.
If the Cowboys don’t think McCarthy has what it takes to be a Super Bowl contender anymore why didn’t they cut bait in January and replace the coaching staff with someone they thought could? Plenty of good options were available.
If the Cowboys didn’t think Prescott had what it takes to lead a team through the postseason they could have shopped him earlier in the offseason. He has a no trade clause in his contract but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t approve a trade to someone willing to meet his new contract demands.
The Cowboys true intentions may be a mystery to fans and media, but chances are the front office knows exactly what they’re striving for and, for better or for worse, is executing that plan.
If this is purely a motivation tactic and they just plan to bring everyone back to the table at a later date, it’s going to prove costly. Contract values have a way of going up every year, so things are almost guaranteed to get worse from a financial perspective.
The Cowboys may not be able to re-sign everyone they want to at the end of all of this and the one’s that can be re-signed will likely be more costly since the team waited. There are some benefits but the strategy cuts both ways, just like a double-edged sword.
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