Having a good off-season: Fortune favors the bold

[Bobhaze]

What the Cowboys do in the next 3-4 months will likely determine the fate of the team for the entire 2026 season. Yes, players and coaches also have to perform well. But in today’s NFL, winning the off-season with boldness sets the table for winning when the season actually matters.

As we’ve seen the last two years, having a safe, mediocre off-season is a pretty good indicator how a team will do when it counts - mediocre or worse. And “playing it safe” or “running it back” with the same cast of characters that haven’t actually done much for you usually doesn’t result in a major playoff run.

The participants of SB 60 made it very clear - Fortune favors the bold. Sometimes taking some chances and bold moves in the off-season are the very thing that ignites a special season. Low risk often = low reward.

Here’s what the champion Seahawks did last off-season - they took risks and made bold moves:

• Moved on from their long time head coach Pete Carrol, who had taken them to two SBs.
• Hired a young defensive minded HC in 38 year old Mike McDonald.
• Made a clear commitment to building a top notch defense.
• Traded their starting QB Geno Smith and signed often travelled Sam Darnold.
• Traded their best and most expensive WR DK Metcalf.
• Released multiple starters on both sides of the ball.
• Maybe most importantly, their bigger, more expensive FA moves were on defense, focusing on improving their DL.

This is an incomplete list. But the lesson is clear. The hawks and their talented GM John Schneider had a bold new vision to get better. They took chances and let go of their past.

Obviously, being bold does not guarantee success. But doing the same moves every off-season, like being cheap in free agency, putting all your chips on the draft, keeping players too long and many other “safe” strategies are what got us where we have been far too long: mediocre.

Time to be bold. We won’t become a SB contender being safe.

 

[big dog cowboy]

 

[fivetwos]

What the Cowboys do in the next 3-4 months will likely determine the fate of the team for the entire 2026 season. Yes, players and coaches also have to perform well. But in today’s NFL, winning the off-season with boldness sets the table for winning when the season actually matters.

As we’ve seen the last two years, having a safe, mediocre off-season is a pretty good indicator how a team will do when it counts - mediocre or worse. And “playing it safe” or “running it back” with the same cast of characters that haven’t actually done much for you usually doesn’t result in a major playoff run.

The participants of SB 60 made it very clear - Fortune favors the bold. Sometimes taking some chances and bold moves in the off-season are the very thing that ignites a special season. Low risk often = low reward.

Here’s what the champion Seahawks did last off-season - they took risks and made bold moves:

• Moved on from their long time head coach Pete Carrol, who had taken them to two SBs.
• Hired a young defensive minded HC in 38 year old Mike McDonald.
• Made a clear commitment to building a top notch defense.
• Traded their starting QB Geno Smith and signed often travelled Sam Darnold.
• Traded their best and most expensive WR DK Metcalf.
• Released multiple starters on both sides of the ball.
• Maybe most importantly, their bigger, more expensive FA moves were on defense, focusing on improving their DL.

This is an incomplete list. But the lesson is clear. The hawks and their talented GM John Schneider had a bold new vision to get better. They took chances and let go of their past.

Obviously, being bold does not guarantee success. But doing the same moves every off-season, like being cheap in free agency, putting all your chips on the draft, keeping players too long and many other “safe” strategies are what got us where we have been far too long: mediocre.

Time to be bold. We won’t become a SB contender being safe.

My biggest doubt is getting the kid on board. He has zero burning desire to win, only keep the cap in order so he doesn’t inherit a mess.

Soon enough, they will be taking serious dead money hits while not having a QB. Either do it now or the “drought” will last at least another decade.

Also if they don’t complete that defense the trade for Quinnen Williams was pure stupidity.

 

[Bobhaze]

My biggest doubt is getting the kid on board. He has zero burning desire to win, only keep the cap in order so he doesn’t inherit a mess.

Soon enough, they will be taking serious dead money hits while not having a QB. Either do it now or the “drought” will last at least another decade.

Also if they don’t complete that defense the trade for Quinnen Williams was pure stupidity.

Building a great defense would be my focus. I agree with you the QWilliams move only makes sense with other big upgrades to an historically bad defense.

And yes, “Born on 3rd base” Jones does not have the stones to make bold moves. His old man used to.

 

[acr731]

Ok, so let's say Jerry decides stay off his yacht and be bold in free agency. Do you trust him to make the right choices and moves?

I don't.

 

[acr731]

My biggest doubt is getting the kid on board. He has zero burning desire to win, only keep the cap in order so he doesn’t inherit a mess.

Soon enough, they will be taking serious dead money hits while not having a QB. Either do it now or the “drought” will last at least another decade.

Also if they don’t complete that defense the trade for Quinnen Williams was pure stupidity.

Who ss the 'kid' you are referring to, Stephen? Daddy is worth 17 billion as of today - any 'mess' he might inherit can be easily walked away from.

I seriously doubt there is a single person in the Jones family who will be bothered by whatever mess Jerry passes on after he kicks it.

 

[jazzcat22]

I will believe them when I see them actually do what they say. Every year we get some stupid what they think are cute sayings. Like buzzwords in advertising.

Sign J. Williams and Pickens is a must. Keep the high powered offense in tact.

Sign some FA as actual starters and difference makers. Not stop gap 1 year prove it players.
Signing Clowney is a start.

Get at least 2 impact players in the draft with the 2 1st round picks, or a trade down, get 1 impact player, 1 very good player, 1 or 2 decent players that contribute, and eventually will start and become impact players.

Focus should all be on defense in the draft, as FA, unless they need to look for an OL to replace Steele.

 

[jazzcat22]

Who ss the 'kid' you are referring to, Stephen? Daddy is worth 17 billion as of today - any 'mess' he might inherit can be easily walked away from.

I seriously doubt there is a single person in the Jones family who will be bothered by whatever mess Jerry passes on after he kicks it.

Are you saying they all will just keep hanging around the rim, like a bunch of flies?

 

[Bobhaze]

Ok, so let's say Jerry decides stay off his yacht and be bold in free agency. Do you trust him to make the right choices and moves?

I don't.

It’s a fair question. But I would add we already know what we get when JJ and SJ just play penny poker.

I would rather see these guys take some chances and fail than to not take any chances and have another season of “hanging around the rim”.

 

[acr731]

It’s a fair question. But I would add we already know what we get when JJ and SJ just play penny poker.

I would rather see these guys take some chances and fail than to not take any chances and have another season of “hanging around the rim”.

They're not even hanging around the rim any longer....

 

[Bobhaze]

I will believe them when I see them actually do what they say. Every year we get some stupid what they think are cute sayings. Like buzzwords in advertising.

Sign J. Williams and Pickens is a must. Keep the high powered offense in tact.

Sign some FA as actual starters and difference makers. Not stop gap 1 year prove it players.
Signing Clowney is a start.

Get at least 2 impact players in the draft with the 2 1st round picks, or a trade down, get 1 impact player, 1 very good player, 1 or 2 decent players that contribute, and eventually will start and become impact players.

Focus should all be on defense in the draft, as FA, unless they need to look for an OL to replace Steele.

Jazz I mostly agree with you.

But where I disagree with most Cowboys fans is with Pickens. I would either sign Pickens and trade Lamb or keep Pickens and trade Lamb.

I know it’s a controversial opinion. But look at what Sea did last off-season. They had DK Metcalf and Jackson Smith-Njigba. They traded Metcalf and used the capital to help build their great D.

IMO we aren’t going to compete for a championship with two of the highest paid WRs in the league. We all know JJ loves him some WRs. It hasn’t resulted in anything the last 30 years.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Here’s what the champion Seahawks did last off-season - they took risks and made bold moves:

• Moved on from their long time head coach Pete Carrol, who had taken them to two SBs.
• Hired a young defensive minded HC in 38 year old Mike McDonald.
• Made a clear commitment to building a top notch defense.
• Traded their starting QB Geno Smith and signed often travelled Sam Darnold.
• Traded their best and most expensive WR DK Metcalf.
• Released multiple starters on both sides of the ball.
• Maybe most importantly, their bigger, more expensive FA moves were on defense, focusing on improving their DL.

So they had a plan........lol
Free-agent moves were about choosing leadership just as much as talent.

 

[kskboys]

Who was the last team w/ a highly paid WR? Eagles?

In 2024, the biggest cap hit of a WR was AJ Brown. His cap hit was 11.8 mil. Devonta's cap hit was 8.12 mil

Nope.

KC and SEA both dumped their best WR rather than overpay them.

In 2021, Kupp was still on his rook deal. Not sure the Rams even had a highly paid WR. Robert Woods, maybe?

Highly paid WRs keep you from winning the super bowl.

 

[kskboys]

Jazz I mostly agree with you.

But where I disagree with most Cowboys fans is with Pickens. I would either sign Pickens and trade Lamb or keep Pickens and trade Lamb.

I know it’s a controversial opinion. But look at what Sea did last off-season. They had DK Metcalf and Jackson Smith-Njigba. They traded Metcalf and used the capital to help build their great D.

IMO we aren’t going to compete for a championship with two of the highest paid WRs in the league. We all know JJ loves him some WRs. It hasn’t resulted in anything the last 30 years.

Kinda funny. I want to keep both WRs, too, who doesn't. However, it would most likely be at the cost of playoff victories. 30 mil cap hits at WR don't win super bowls.

The only way to keep Pickens is a long term deal where we keep the cap hits small for the next 2-3 years, and then pay him huge after that. We'll need to tear this team down anyway at that point.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Ok, so let's say Jerry decides stay off his yacht and be bold in free agency. Do you trust him to make the right choices and moves?

I don't.

So what do you suggest we do? You don't trust them but what other choice do you have? What are your options?

 

[kskboys]

So what do you suggest we do? You don't trust them but what other choice do you have? What are your options?

That is exactly what I think when I read something about not trusting Jerry to make the right moves.

Of course we can't, but the other option is to curl up into a little ball and give up.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

I know it’s a controversial opinion. But look at Sea did last off-season. They had DK Metcalf and Jackson Smith-Njigba. They traded Metcalf and used the capital to help build their great D.

IMO we aren’t going to compete for a championship with two of the highest paid WRs in the league

Here is the mistake IMO.......we sometimes forget the composition of most Super Bowl winners is different from year to year. The Eagles won it last, nearly loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, including TWO highly paid WRs. In other words, we can not say the Seahawks have now provided the only template for winning a Super Bowl. The sampling is too small........

 

[Bobhaze]

Here is the mistake IMO.......we sometimes forget the composition of most Super Bowl winners is different from year to year. The Eagles won it last, nearly loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, including TWO highly paid WRs. In other words, we can not say the Seahawks have now provided the only template for winning a Super Bowl. The sampling is too small........

Good point Hawk.

Kinda funny. I want to keep both WRs, too, who doesn't. However, it would most likely be at the cost of playoff victories. 30 mil cap hits at WR don't win super bowls.

The only way to keep Pickens is a long term deal where we keep the cap hits small for the next 2-3 years, and then pay him huge after that. We'll need to tear this team down anyway at that point.

100% true.

 

[fivetwos]

Who ss the 'kid' you are referring to, Stephen? Daddy is worth 17 billion as of today - any 'mess' he might inherit can be easily walked away from.

I seriously doubt there is a single person in the Jones family who will be bothered by whatever mess Jerry passes on after he kicks it.

I meant the salary cap, not the value of the franchise.

He is ‘responsible’ with it to a serious flaw. My personal opinion is he doesn’t want it to be in awful shape when he takes over, even though the very least he owes the old man is to try to win now.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

• Hired a young defensive minded HC in 38 year old Mike McDonald.
• Made a clear commitment to building a top notch defense.

This should be highlighted ..........McDonald was very candid that this was their focus at all costs. Trust you scheme, find the right talent, the right leadership and hold every player accountable.