Since he was playing on the franchise tag and the team was on pace to miss the playoffs again with him starting every game. If that was the result, he would no longer have been the cowboys starter and definitely would not have received a 4 year deal. The fact that Dalton showed he wasn't able to take over made Dak look better and that is why he was signed. The plan for us fans who wanted him gone was having him play a full season and no playoffs for 2nd straight season. Now we are stuck with him and his average play vs winning teams for the next 4 years
I disagree
If Dak starts 16 games...we win this division....but that would not say much...I think 7 games won this division?
The numbers he was on pace to put up would have been off the charts
He would have gotten his money based off of those 2 things.
Additionally, they would have blamed it on a new coaching staff, no offseason workouts and covid. How do I know this? That is exactly what they are doing with the defense. And trust me when I tell you...the talent on this offense is FAR superior than the talent on this defense.
No matter what Dak does next year...how the OL bounces back...how Zeke bounces back...it will not matter. Why? This defense is beyond bad. And no amount of coaching will fix it. When you have no middle on defense...and you are going to trot #54...and to a lesser degree #55 back out there...your season is OVER before it starts. I have followed this team since the 70s...and the fact that they think a coach is going to help #54....that tells me all I need to know (and already knew) about this offense.
The ceiling for #54 is "hope he improves to average". And you cannot have Super Bowl aspirations with the ceiling for the middle of your defense is "hope we can get average production" out of it.
Now...should Jerry expect coaches to earn their money? Sure. But the coach has to have something to work with! A coach can scheme something up and HIDE a guy if you surround him with other solid/top notch players. But we have ONE....ONE....player on defense that would get playing time on the 90s Cowboys. And that's Demarcus Lawrence.
The Bucs had ONE pro bowl player...and that was JPP. And they shut the Chiefs down with 1 Pro Bowler. But....But....they had plenty of solid pieces to go along with excellent coaching (Todd Bowles). Do you think Todd Bowles could take our version of JPP (Demarcus Lawrence) and scheme up a way to keep the Chiefs out of the end zone? It would never happen in a million years! Which proves to me that our defense is littered with BELOW average players!