Let me say right off the bat, what I’m about to suggest will never happen. Why? Because Jerry Jones no longer takes big risks in attempts to build a championship roster. In fact, sadly Jerry and Stephen clearly make sales and marketing the centerpiece of what drives this organization more than sound roster moves that give us better chances of winning playoff games.
Most fans around here probably would not support my roster plan either. And I understand that. But I believe this is the way to make this team better in the long run.
So what is the roster building strategy I would support? Here it is:
- Make 2024 an aggressive rebuild. Simply put, if we are being honest, there is no core of this team that has done anything important in the playoffs. Yes, the last 3 years have given us 3 playoff appearances, BUT…that has resulted in 1 wild card win. That’s not worth building around IMO.
- Seek trades for Cedee Lamb, Micah Parsons, Dak, Zack Martin and D-Law. Having all these top paid guys (Lamb and Parsons will be soon) collectively have given us 3 wild card wins - one back when Romo was QB. Here’s my thinking on this:
- Trade Cedee Lamb- why? Yes Lamb deserves a big payday. But I would not pay him top market dollar because keeping him here at top market value does not make this team better. It keeps it the same. He has disappeared at times in big games and pouts way too easily. I would see if we could get a first round pick for him.
- Trade Micah Parsons- I would think long and hard about paying this guy top of the defensive market. Not because of talent. He’s the most talented guy on this team. But he’s also the biggest head case on this team. Hate to say it, he disappears in big games, pouts and talks waaaay too much. Trade him while his value is high. He might garner a first and a second round pick.
- Trade Dak Prescott- I know the Jones boys don’t have the stones to do this but I would be vigorously seeking trade partners right now for Dak. They should have shopped him to Pitts because I think Dak would have agreed to that trade. That “no trade clause” just means they need to find a team he would like. It may be too late now.
- See what trading Zack Martin, Trevon Diggs and D-Law could garner- doubtful there would be much value for Martin and Law at their age but I would explore it. Diggs maybe.
- Use the haul in draft picks for a rebuild of the core of this team.
- Draft a QB in the first round for a change.
- Draft a LT, G/C, WR and edge rusher the next two years that you can build around.
As stated earlier, the current core of this team has not given us much of anything in playoff wins. Isn’t that what we are supposed to be about? Winning playoff games? Like I said at the beginning, this will never happen. The Jones boys are mostly about sales and marketing. This is why they sign their “marquee” players whether or not having them means we have a legit shot at a Lombardi.
IMO it is long past the time to move on from this core of players who have underachieved. A new era of Cowboys football should be in the making. Don‘t hold your breath. There are jerseys and commercials to sell first.
You're basically going with a blow it up and rebuild approach. I don't disagree. I think the team we have, with some modifications, might get us one, maybe two, more playoff wins in the next 5 years. That's not the goal. I'm good with your plan, except that I would add one more important element to it:
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Use the ample draft picks we gathered via your plan to attract a super-disciplined coach, a Jimmy Johnson type, and give him full autonomy to do what he wants. That's the part that probably won't happen. Ironically, it's what worked for Jerry early on. The team Jimmy inherited could probably have gotten 4 or 5 wins if they had kept Herschel Walker. That trade killed (what was left of) the '89 season, but built for the future. I'm not saying they can pull off another Walker-style trade, but they could get the most possible for the players you mention. However, without installing a smart coach with full authority, and no Jerry meddling, they would just muck things up again with the new players.
