Cowherd: Mike McCarthy isn't the problem in Dallas

[America's Cowboy]

You're not wrong, but there are a lot of unknowns about the franchise tag years, and I remember a lot of conflicting reports about Daks ask, and what the Cowboys were actually willing to do. My assumption is the Cowboys were truly undecided prior to Dak playing out of his mind that 2020 season prior to injury, but who knows for sure. Even if $28m was the number Dak was looking for that was still top QB money at the time and length/structure is probably a bigger factor.

Jerry caved to Dak's new agent for $40 mil/year for only 4 years barely 2 Springs ago (2021). Had he caved and paid Dak $28 mil/year for only 4 years two years prior (when he tagged Dak in back-to-back years), Cowboys would have been in excellent cap standing right now. $28 mil/year (in 2019) is way cheaper than $40 mil/year two years later. Jerry messed up.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Mahomes is 45 million a year, Cousins is 35 million a year. Dak is 40 million, what does 5 million extra buy you over Cousins?

Maybe Malik Hooker or Jourdon Lewis?

Nah you're looking at it to simplistic. The worst part of Daks contract isnt really the annual value, but the length/structure. Mahomes signed a 10 year deal so KC can manipulate the cap as needed, and I wish Dak had done something similar rather than do a 4 year deal like he did.

For 2023 the cap hits associated with each player

Mahomes - $46MM in 2023, $44MM in 2024
Prescott - $49MM in 2023, $52MM in 2024
Cousins - $36MM (final season of his deal is 2023)

So for next season Dak is actually the biggest cap hit of the bunch, meanwhile Kirk is only making $5mm less on the annual average gives Minnesota $13MM extra bucks to play with for this offseason over Daks price plus its the last year of his deal so they should have no issues signing other players and backloading deals.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Jerry caved to Dak's new agent for $40 mil/year for only 4 years barely 2 Springs ago (2021). Had he caved and paid Dak $28 mil/year for only 4 years two years prior (when he tagged Dak in back-to-back years), Cowboys would have been in excellent standing right now. $28 mil/year (in 2019) is way cheaper than $40 mil/year two years later. Jerry messed up.

Maybe....but that also means the Cowboys have a free agent at QB this year with a tough decision to make. If they want to keep him we are looking at an even bigger contract than the current. If the Cowboys are ready to move on from Dak it becomes an easy separation though had they signed him sooner.

No matter when they did it I hate the 4 year deals on a QB like Dak. Give those deals to an Aaron Rogers who is about to be 40. Give that to a middle of the road player who is willing to take less money. I think for a guy in his mid/late 20s the mistake Jerry made was the 4 years piece. Either you want the guy and can lock him up to a Mahomes type of deal where you have so much more flexibility in the cap year to year, or you move on. It feels like the Cowboys were never really sold on Dak, or Dak played hardball in the negotiation piece to make sure he had an opportunity for one more giant payday....probably a little of both. Regardless that's what I think the biggest issue is....the years not the cash.

 

[MoistMayonnaise]

This might be the first time I agree with Cowturd.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Maybe....but that also means the Cowboys have a free agent at QB this year with a tough decision to make. If they want to keep him we are looking at an even bigger contract than the current. If the Cowboys are ready to move on from Dak it becomes an easy separation though had they signed him sooner.

No matter when they did it I hate the 4 year deals on a QB like Dak. Give those deals to an Aaron Rogers who is about to be 40. Give that to a middle of the road player who is willing to take less money. I think for a guy in his mid/late 20s the mistake Jerry made was the 4 years piece. Either you want the guy and can lock him up to a Mahomes type of deal where you have so much more flexibility in the cap year to year, or you move on. It feels like the Cowboys were never really sold on Dak, or Dak played hardball in the negotiation piece to make sure he had an opportunity for one more giant payday....probably a little of both. Regardless that's what I think the biggest issue is....the years not the cash.

Agreed.

I wish Dak would come out like Zeke just did and be willing to take a paycut (say around $10 - $12 million/year) in order to help the team keep key players while be able to bring in a key player or two. Allow Dak to keep his "no trade" clause while extending it with his current contract as it is going to have to be restructured once more.

 

[FTWayne]

Fat Mike is doing all he can with the ankor tie to his leg. AKA Dak

 

[DallasCowboys2080]

they keep switching players and coaches but same old same old. they havent switched the GM huh?

 

[Mannix]

Nope, but he WILL eventually be the scapegoat.

I don't mean to correct you, but it's escapegoat.
----- Emmitt

 

[Kingofholland]

Nah you're looking at it to simplistic. The worst part of Daks contract isnt really the annual value, but the length/structure. Mahomes signed a 10 year deal so KC can manipulate the cap as needed, and I wish Dak had done something similar rather than do a 4 year deal like he did.

For 2023 the cap hits associated with each player

Mahomes - $46MM in 2023, $44MM in 2024
Prescott - $49MM in 2023, $52MM in 2024
Cousins - $36MM (final season of his deal is 2023)

So for next season Dak is actually the biggest cap hit of the bunch, meanwhile Kirk is only making $5mm less on the annual average gives Minnesota $13MM extra bucks to play with for this offseason over Daks price plus its the last year of his deal so they should have no issues signing other players and backloading deals.

I don't debate around the structure that Mahomes 10 year deal provides more flexibility considering they really only have 2 more years of significant dead cap money and 4 more years of reasonable cap figures before it accelerates. However, the Cowboys have 2 dummy years to dump money into for 25 and 26. No doubt they will still be paying for him and probably see 30 to 40 million additional dumped into those years. This year would be a good year to draft a QB to have a contingency plan for Dak after 2024.

The reality is Dak will likely be here atleast another 2 years.

 

[cowboys5xsbs]

 

[America's Cowboy]

I don't mean to correct you, but it's escapegoat.
----- Emmitt

 

[FTWayne]

Redo his contract and take out the no trade clause, then trade the turd.

 

[unionjack8]

Nope, but he WILL eventually be the scapegoat.

Yep, as sure as night follows day....

 

[Chuck 54]

I’m sorry, but if Big Mike had any balls, he would have taken over play-calling and made this offense his own. I think he did a great job keeping the team together through insane injuries on offense and defense this year, but I won’t feel bad for him if he gets fired. If you don’t want to be fired, then take over the damn offense and use your experience to coach.

 

[CowboysExchange]

Whoever got rid of Cooper, tagged Schultz, and let Zeke get 50% of the carries is the Culprit!!! Lol

 

[Havic]

Staff purge this year, MM is gone next if this team does not produce significantly in the playoffs.

 

[Brooksey]

I like McCarthy but the problem with McCarthy is he told Dak to stay aggressive to get him out of his funk and it resulted in way too many turnovers.
Dak need a leash, he's a game manager that needs an offense built for him, 50-60% run, a lot of boot legs and play actions and MINIMIZE turnovers.

Some days he'll carve up the defense with his pass but he's not going to do it deep in the playoffs and that's where Big Mac messed up.

Let's build an offense based on reality not hope.

 

[DandyDon1722]

Our chance with Dak and Zeke (if we ever had one) was 2016. Teams hadn’t figured Dak out yet and Zeke was hungry.

2018, 2021 and this season never felt like we good enough on offense.

I think you meant 2017.

2016 was the Romo, Demarco, Dez, Witten year and the Dez catch in the Divisional playoff. I agree with you though. I thought 2016 was our best chance. We dominated time of possession and dictated to teams offensively. Then in 2017, you're right, there was no tape on Dak and we had defenses off balance.

Not anymore - we've been figured out. Teams are going to make us go the length of the field and wait for a mistake.

 

[clff15701]

Why do we care about Payton? He left the saints in a dumpster fire. He had complete control of that roster period. It would be beyond stupid to give up a first for him. Draft someone to replace Dak and we are good. Most Cowboy fans don’t even want McCarthy gone.

 

[uvaballa]

KM doesn't seem to play to his teams strengths. He just calls plays even when the players are better at other things.