Gambles are unavoidable in today’s NFL. Free agency and the salary cap prevent teams from using proven entities at every corner of their roster. Teams have to mix in veterans with rookies, ascending with descending, and long-shots with sure things.
The Cowboys know this all too well. They routinely make tough decisions throughout their roster. They make calculated gambles here and there because they know the climate they exist in. Last season, a handful of gambles came back to bite Dallas.
The Cowboys started 2022 by parting ways with WR Amari Cooper. CeeDee Lamb’s progression as an NFL WR signaled he was ready to challenge for the WR1 role. Trading Cooper seemed like a good way to pave the way (and save money in the process).
The only problem was Michael Gallup was recovering from a recent knee injury and Cedrick Wilson, their top reserve WR, left in free agency. This led to the Cowboys starting the 2022 season without three of their previous top-four WRs on the active roster. Most of the season became a mad scramble to find viable downfield threats to play alongside Lamb.
Another gamble Dallas lost early was their play on the defensive interior. The Cowboys gambled young players like Neville Gallimore and Quinton Bohanna would be ready to step up into key roles. They did not and Dallas was frequently gashed up the middle.
The Cowboys would eventually trade for Johnathan Hankins to shore up their middle, but the gamble cost them. Later, it even prompted them to draft a 1-tech DT (Mazi Smith) with their first pick in the 2023 draft.
2023 features new gambles that may come back to bite the Cowboys. The first one is a matter of depth and durability.