Cowboys Offseason Feels Like More Hope Than Progress

[Acceptablename]

Pick 12 a next years 2nd and OSA sounds like a substantial offer to me.

Good point

 

[Acceptablename]

I agree, but you know what they say... Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. We needed to WIN in these instances and we didn't.

So overpaying is your solution?

 

[cmoney23]

So overpaying is your solution?

I think it's only considered "overpaying" if it doesn't work out.

But, yeah, I'd rather spend and win than keep my money and lose.

 

[Forneymike]

The more this offseason settles in, the more underwhelmed I am by what the Cowboys have actually done.

I wanted to wait until free agency slowed down before reacting, because every March there’s always the “let it play out” crowd. Well, it’s playing out, and I’m not seeing a team that got meaningfully better. I’m seeing a team that made a few moves, talked itself into a few gambles, and is once again asking fans to believe in a plan that feels incomplete.

First off, I’m not sold on the Christian Parker hire. I understand why people want to talk themselves into it. He comes from the Eagles’ staff, he worked under Vic Fangio, and he’s viewed as a fast-rising coach. But that’s also kind of the issue. He’s only been coaching in the NFL since 2019, and Dallas handed the defense to a 34-year-old first-time coordinator after looking at a bunch of candidates. That might work out, but right now it feels like the Cowboys looked at the board and still picked the wrong guy. There’s a difference between hiring an ascending coach and hiring the right coach, and I’m not convinced those are the same thing here.

Then there’s the personnel side of this. I really thought Dallas had a shot to come away with a true difference-maker at edge. Maxx Crosby felt like the kind of move this team needed — not another “nice player,” but a real tone-setter. Instead, that whole situation blew up after Baltimore’s deal for Crosby collapsed over medical concerns, and he’s back with the Raiders. So once again, Cowboys fans are left watching the idea of a big swing instead of actually getting one.

And that brings me to Rashan Gary. I know some people are excited because he’s talented and Dallas only gave up a 2027 fourth-rounder to get him. Fine. I get the logic. But I’m just not buying him as the answer. I’m a Michigan fan, and I’ve watched Rashan Gary going all the way back to high school. He has always looked like the kind of player who should dominate every week, and somehow it never quite happens consistently enough. He flashes. He teases. He gives you stretches where you think it’s about to fully click. Then you realize you’re still waiting for him to become the guy his traits suggest he should be. Dallas not only traded for him, but then reworked his contract after the move. That is a lot of faith in a player who still feels more “toolsy upside bet” than true franchise-changing pass rusher.

The Jalen Thompson move? I’m open-minded, but not excited. Maybe he fits what Parker wants to do schematically, and maybe that matters. But from the outside, this feels more like Dallas convincing itself the fit is the story than actually landing a player who scares anybody. Thompson just signed a three-year deal, and yes, he’s experienced and productive enough as a tackler, but if you watched Arizona, the Cardinals’ secondary wasn’t exactly some gold standard. And in my experience, when I thought about that defense, Thompson wasn’t the safety I worried about. He might be solid. He might even be useful. But “solid” is not what this roster needed in multiple spots.

I do like some of what they’ve done. Keeping Javonte Williams was smart after the year he just had. Bringing back a productive runner on a three-year deal made sense. And George Pickens is a good piece. Whatever else you think about him, he gives this offense talent and juice on the outside, and tagging him at least keeps that piece in place for 2026 while they figure out a longer-term deal.

But this is also where the frustration kicks back in: none of that changes the basic truth about this team. The offensive line still feels shaky, and reworking Terence Steele’s contract doesn’t magically make me feel better about Terence Steele. It creates cap room, sure, but it doesn’t solve the actual concern. Dallas also added Matt Hennessy for depth, which is fine, but “fine” and “depth” are not the same as fixing the line. If this front office goes into next season without seriously upgrading the offensive line, then we already know how the movie ends: the offense will stall in big moments, the run game will get inconsistent when it matters most, and everybody will spend December pretending the flaws just need one more week to get ironed out.

And now they’ve even shipped out Osa Odighizuwa for a third-round pick, which makes the defensive front feel even more uncertain. So while Dallas has been busy making moves, I’m not sure they’ve actually improved the part that matters most: can this team win at the line of scrimmage against real contenders? Right now, I don’t think the answer is yes.

My honest expectation for next season? Unless they absolutely nail the draft — especially on the offensive line and probably at multiple front-seven spots now — this feels like another team headed for that depressing middle ground. Too talented to bottom out, too incomplete to seriously trust. Something in the 8-9 to 10-7 range feels very plausible, with a lot of Sunday conversations about “if a couple things break right.” And Cowboys fans know exactly what that usually means: a season full of hype, frustration, and another reminder that patchwork roster building is not the same thing as building a contender.

That’s the part that’s wearing me out. It’s not just that I dislike a few moves. It’s that this front office keeps operating like it’s one or two tweaks away, when the roster still has obvious holes and too many of the “answers” feel like bets rather than solutions.

TL;DR: I waited to judge the Cowboys’ offseason until free agency settled down, and now that it has, I’m disappointed. I’m not sold on the Christian Parker hire, I think Dallas missed on getting a true difference-maker at edge after the Maxx Crosby dream died, and Rashan Gary feels more like a gamble than a solution. Jalen Thompson doesn’t move the needle much for me, either. I like keeping Williams and think Pickens is a solid piece, but the offensive line is still a problem and keeping Steele doesn’t fix it. Right now, this looks like another incomplete roster headed toward a mediocre, frustrating season unless the draft saves it.

Here is the problem with this board....People come on here and complain about everything the Cowboys do but they offer no real names that they would have broken the bank for.....Put some names out there and let us critique your GM ability....I'm not overpaying for guys who have injury issues....Give me names and let me judge you

 

[Flamma]

First off, I’m not sold on the Christian Parker hire. I understand why people want to talk themselves into it. He comes from the Eagles’ staff, he worked under Vic Fangio, and he’s viewed as a fast-rising coach. But that’s also kind of the issue. He’s only been coaching in the NFL since 2019, and Dallas handed the defense to a 34-year-old first-time coordinator after looking at a bunch of candidates. That might work out, but right now it feels like the Cowboys looked at the board and still picked the wrong guy. There’s a difference between hiring an ascending coach and hiring the right coach, and I’m not convinced those are the same thing here.

I don't know why anyone would be sold on him. Just hopeful and trying a new approach. Where did the experienced DCs get us? Bottom line is, we need talent first and foremost.

Then there’s the personnel side of this. I really thought Dallas had a shot to come away with a true difference-maker at edge. Maxx Crosby felt like the kind of move this team needed — not another “nice player,” but a real tone-setter. Instead, that whole situation blew up after Baltimore’s deal for Crosby collapsed over medical concerns, and he’s back with the Raiders. So once again, Cowboys fans are left watching the idea of a big swing instead of actually getting one.

Cowboys don't like to bid against other teams. That's why they stay away from the high priced FAs. I think they throw out a number, if someone bids higher, they're out. I realize Maxx was a trade, but it turned into a bidding war. Again, we need a lot of talent, not just Maxx. What did he do for Vegas? We'd also lose both our first round picks. There is another way to possibly get him, but I doubt the Cowboys are considering it.

There are 7 defenders the last time I checked that are worth our 12th pick. If they're gone, Dallas either has to trade back, or pick offense. If that happens, they could dangle the 12 pick and maybe a 4th rounder to Vegas for Crosby. The Raiders could use a good offensive lineman. I think one will be there at 12.

 

[DuncanIso]

The more this offseason settles in, the more underwhelmed I am by what the Cowboys have actually done.

I wanted to wait until free agency slowed down before reacting, because every March there’s always the “let it play out” crowd. Well, it’s playing out, and I’m not seeing a team that got meaningfully better. I’m seeing a team that made a few moves, talked itself into a few gambles, and is once again asking fans to believe in a plan that feels incomplete.

First off, I’m not sold on the Christian Parker hire. I understand why people want to talk themselves into it. He comes from the Eagles’ staff, he worked under Vic Fangio, and he’s viewed as a fast-rising coach. But that’s also kind of the issue. He’s only been coaching in the NFL since 2019, and Dallas handed the defense to a 34-year-old first-time coordinator after looking at a bunch of candidates. That might work out, but right now it feels like the Cowboys looked at the board and still picked the wrong guy. There’s a difference between hiring an ascending coach and hiring the right coach, and I’m not convinced those are the same thing here.

Then there’s the personnel side of this. I really thought Dallas had a shot to come away with a true difference-maker at edge. Maxx Crosby felt like the kind of move this team needed — not another “nice player,” but a real tone-setter. Instead, that whole situation blew up after Baltimore’s deal for Crosby collapsed over medical concerns, and he’s back with the Raiders. So once again, Cowboys fans are left watching the idea of a big swing instead of actually getting one.

And that brings me to Rashan Gary. I know some people are excited because he’s talented and Dallas only gave up a 2027 fourth-rounder to get him. Fine. I get the logic. But I’m just not buying him as the answer. I’m a Michigan fan, and I’ve watched Rashan Gary going all the way back to high school. He has always looked like the kind of player who should dominate every week, and somehow it never quite happens consistently enough. He flashes. He teases. He gives you stretches where you think it’s about to fully click. Then you realize you’re still waiting for him to become the guy his traits suggest he should be. Dallas not only traded for him, but then reworked his contract after the move. That is a lot of faith in a player who still feels more “toolsy upside bet” than true franchise-changing pass rusher.

The Jalen Thompson move? I’m open-minded, but not excited. Maybe he fits what Parker wants to do schematically, and maybe that matters. But from the outside, this feels more like Dallas convincing itself the fit is the story than actually landing a player who scares anybody. Thompson just signed a three-year deal, and yes, he’s experienced and productive enough as a tackler, but if you watched Arizona, the Cardinals’ secondary wasn’t exactly some gold standard. And in my experience, when I thought about that defense, Thompson wasn’t the safety I worried about. He might be solid. He might even be useful. But “solid” is not what this roster needed in multiple spots.

I do like some of what they’ve done. Keeping Javonte Williams was smart after the year he just had. Bringing back a productive runner on a three-year deal made sense. And George Pickens is a good piece. Whatever else you think about him, he gives this offense talent and juice on the outside, and tagging him at least keeps that piece in place for 2026 while they figure out a longer-term deal.

But this is also where the frustration kicks back in: none of that changes the basic truth about this team. The offensive line still feels shaky, and reworking Terence Steele’s contract doesn’t magically make me feel better about Terence Steele. It creates cap room, sure, but it doesn’t solve the actual concern. Dallas also added Matt Hennessy for depth, which is fine, but “fine” and “depth” are not the same as fixing the line. If this front office goes into next season without seriously upgrading the offensive line, then we already know how the movie ends: the offense will stall in big moments, the run game will get inconsistent when it matters most, and everybody will spend December pretending the flaws just need one more week to get ironed out.

And now they’ve even shipped out Osa Odighizuwa for a third-round pick, which makes the defensive front feel even more uncertain. So while Dallas has been busy making moves, I’m not sure they’ve actually improved the part that matters most: can this team win at the line of scrimmage against real contenders? Right now, I don’t think the answer is yes.

My honest expectation for next season? Unless they absolutely nail the draft — especially on the offensive line and probably at multiple front-seven spots now — this feels like another team headed for that depressing middle ground. Too talented to bottom out, too incomplete to seriously trust. Something in the 8-9 to 10-7 range feels very plausible, with a lot of Sunday conversations about “if a couple things break right.” And Cowboys fans know exactly what that usually means: a season full of hype, frustration, and another reminder that patchwork roster building is not the same thing as building a contender.

That’s the part that’s wearing me out. It’s not just that I dislike a few moves. It’s that this front office keeps operating like it’s one or two tweaks away, when the roster still has obvious holes and too many of the “answers” feel like bets rather than solutions.

TL;DR: I waited to judge the Cowboys’ offseason until free agency settled down, and now that it has, I’m disappointed. I’m not sold on the Christian Parker hire, I think Dallas missed on getting a true difference-maker at edge after the Maxx Crosby dream died, and Rashan Gary feels more like a gamble than a solution. Jalen Thompson doesn’t move the needle much for me, either. I like keeping Williams and think Pickens is a solid piece, but the offensive line is still a problem and keeping Steele doesn’t fix it. Right now, this looks like another incomplete roster headed toward a mediocre, frustrating season unless the draft saves it.

Agree on Parker.

I need to see wins.

And the 3-4 talk has been a red flag.

Young guys will do this sort of thing when they take over a job. They want to change everything,

 

[ghst187]

I guess they thought the LB’s in the draft or someone they may try to trade for were better options than what was left after their initial trade targets.

Yeah I hated that pick and the Mazi pick and the Schoonmaker pick and the Liafau pick and Taco. I’m there with you but I am withholding judgement this year until I see the finished product.

They seem to be actually using free agency this year and in recent years have been making good use of trading picks for players.

They seem to have a plan unlike last year where they just threw Sanborn and Murray etc at the problem.

We’ll see how it works out.

Yeah at least seeing some effort this year.
If the DC works out that will be the biggest improvement. Still kinda angry that Jerry hired flu in the first place and then didn’t fire him mid way after it was evident the defense looked like they never practiced.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Until proven otherwise...they are once again doing just enough to give people...hope. It's Jerry's top seller.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Agree on Parker.

I need to see wins.

And the 3-4 talk has been a red flag.

Young guys will do this sort of thing when they take over a job. They want to change everything,

Yep....the win column is like:

 

[Reid1boys]

-Legitimate hope for a trophy, no.
-The team doesn't quite suck yet but consecutive 7 win seasons is trending in the wrong direction.
-I won't judge Jerry or Stephen as men because we've all got our own faults but as NFL team builders they have sucked at their job for 3 decades now.
-The uniforms definitely don't suck and are an American icon like the Yankee pinstripes.
-A parking lot is a parking lot and a fan is a fan, they both serve their purpose no more no Or if you win

Do You like Rowdy?

Why would I like a guy who is always smiling?he is always trying to get us to forget how pathetic the product on the field is. I hate him almost as much as I hate Jerry’s illegitimate child.

 

[GMO415]

Cowboys off season goes from hope to hype as training camp starts. Same media propaganda, that results in the same outcomes.

30 years looking from the outside instead of being in the SB hunt.

 

[Calvin2Tony2Emmitt2Julius]

Ok

 

[Deionindahood]

Just one move of replacing Flus with CP makes the Cowboys defense better.

In all fairness, we thought the same everytime we changed DCs. Parker coached under arguably the best DC in the league. He was extremely fortunate to have Dejean, Blankenship, and Mitchell. He has nowhere near that same talent here.

 

[LouBrown]

Heres how I see it...

Offense is basically the same.

Def Coord = Improvement
Safety = Improvement
CB = Improvement
LB = Same
Edge = Same
DT = Worse

We have 2 first round picks still to add, assuming that will address some combination of LB/Edge/DT, or possibly all 3 if we trade down.

I don't really think they've improved at CB, but this is about right.

 

[LouBrown]

Oh we can go back and find those posts when Eberflus was hired lol. It was pretty split but there were plenty of fans that went to bat for Eberflus.


I would agree....I liked Zimmer a lot more than Eberflus, but at the same time Eberflus has still produced top 10ish defenses in this league. CP I'm optimistic on, but he is a 1st year DC that we have no idea how he will react once the games start.

Yea I don't think Eberflus was a bad hire at the time. It didn't work obviously, but it's not like he didn't have a resume.

Once they traded Micah, there was so little talent I don't think the DC mattered all that much.

 

[jterrell]

Dallas got better.
Markedly better off-season and slightly overall roster right now than prior two seasons.

The issue is the bar was the absolute floor.
Dallas had the worst off-season in the NFL the last 2 years combined and had the worst defensive roster in football.
The Cowboys best defensive players are all recent additions. QW, KC, and Jalen Thompson. The budget Rans CB might be our best.

So yes it is underwhelming but only if you had actual expectations.
You probably should have had next to none.

The roster will obviously look better with two top 20 picks on it.
Then we find out if those guys can actually play.
But on paper few teams will improve more than Dallas in the draft given the draft capital.

 

[jterrell]

I don't really think they've improved at CB, but this is about right.

They definitely improved at CB because they were 32nd by a wide margin.
Cobie is probably CB1 right now.
Bland is a solid starting option if he is healthy and you probably can't year up a knee in the hot tub.

3rd CB/Nickel is still trash but they'll cut 2-3 guys who got starts last year at CB.--and those guys likely won't make regular season rosters.
And you may see Locke and Thompson play some big nickel.

Now LB is still 32nd out of 32. Fun times.

 

[LouBrown]

They definitely improved at CB because they were 32nd by a wide margin.
Cobie is probably CB1 right now.
Bland is a solid starting option if he is healthy and you probably can't year up a knee in the hot tub.

3rd CB/Nickel is still trash but they'll cut 2-3 guys who got starts last year at CB.--and those guys likely won't make regular season rosters.
And you may see Locke and Thompson play some big nickel.

Now LB is still 32nd out of 32. Fun times.

Not really. Durant can't play man coverage and Bland can't play on the outside. The CB room might be better if they're putting Bland in the slot, but otherwise it's not any different.

The safety play could make a difference, but who knows. They still can't rush the passer with 4.

 

[cmoney23]

I don't know why anyone would be sold on him. Just hopeful and trying a new approach. Where did the experienced DCs get us? Bottom line is, we need talent first and foremost.

While I don't disagree, but I think we are confusing "experienced" with "outdated".

I thought and still think Raheem Morris was the PERFECT fit for this defense. Young, talented, and just not a great fit as a HC. Of course he ended up in San Fran... Everyone I want seems to go to San Fran or Philly! SMH

 

[Q_the_man]

Just one move of replacing Flus with CP makes the Cowboys defense better.

Why, he has no experience, how is he better. Im sure you can find 15 better players who played under Eberflus that will say he's a great coach. We know nothing about CP, he never ran a defense, he ran the DBs and Im sure he's not a better DB coach than Al Harris.

This is a Jerry pick,.I will support him but he's an unknown.