Is this season a blessing in disguise?

[TexasBacon]

I'm probably just reiterating what many have said in other threads, but the reality is that even with a fully healthy offense this defense was still not strong enough to win a championship. The Cowboys have been cheap in FA, dumb with Dak's contract at certain points, overestimated the talent of "their guys", and probably to very likely made a bad hire in Mike Nolan. All of that is biting them in the *** now, at once, instead of trickling into another 8-8, 9-7 and one and done in the playoffs season.

This reminds me of 2015. A terrible season where everything went wrong but then resulted in a restocked team thanks to high draft picks, and were one Aaron Rodgers pass away from the NFC Championship in 2016. I would assume teams will have offseason programs and OTAs this next offseason now that they've learned how to safely be at the facilities, the rookies and younger guys they have are going to get significant experience that they would never have gotten otherwise, we'll see what they have with DiNucci, and maybe the injury prompts Dak to accept a slightly more team friendly deal for more years (though I'm also aware his price may actually have gone up thanks to the injury and the offense now showing how valuable he is). Hopefully it also weeds out the problems like Jaylon Smith and the lack of safeties. I think Jerry is finally starting to realize he doesn't have forever and his legacy will always be that he couldn't get out of his own way after firing Jimmy. I know he's an arrogant guy but I think even he is beginning to realize that. Maybe this is just me being the eternal optimist that is almost mandatory to keep your sanity as a Cowboys fan, but we'll see.

I don't think they should be in rebuild mode. As Jeff Cavanaugh said, they just need to retool and reload for 2021. That's why I'd keep Amari at least one more year and not move any of the all-pro O-linemen.

 

[RonnieT24]

The extent to which this season turns out to be a blessing depends heavily on two things. First, how well the guys who have had surgery come back. If the docs fixed both Tyron and La'el to the point that they're both good as new come training camp, the o-line jumps right back into the top 5 in the league. If Dak comes back fully healthy we get our top 5 QB back too and return to being the best offense in football. The second factor is how well we spend those high draft picks that we will have coming. Get an impact defender with say pick #3 or trade down and get 2 first rounders and if you hit on them AND you get the rest of your guys healthy and Diggs develops, and you quit screwing around and sign Earl or Eric Reid at safety I think you get at least an upper third in the league defense.. maybe better. Especially if Hill continues to show improvement and Gallimore develops as well. Hamilton, Hill, Gallimore and Woods could be a pretty decent DT rotation.. If your top pick is a pocket cruncher that wouldn't bother me either. I think once we are out of the NFC East race I would shut down Jaylon, Lee, LVE and anybody else with chronic health concerns on the defense. Give those guys an extra month of NOT crashing into people and see how much better they come in next year. Though to be honest this may be the last roundup for Lee.

 

[fivetwos]

I'm probably just reiterating what many have said in other threads, but the reality is that even with a fully healthy offense this defense was still not strong enough to win a championship. The Cowboys have been cheap in FA, dumb with Dak's contract at certain points, overestimated the talent of "their guys", and probably to very likely made a bad hire in Mike Nolan. All of that is biting them in the *** now, at once, instead of trickling into another 8-8, 9-7 and one and done in the playoffs season.

This reminds me of 2015. A terrible season where everything went wrong but then resulted in a restocked team thanks to high draft picks, and were one Aaron Rodgers pass away from the NFC Championship in 2016. I would assume teams will have offseason programs and OTAs this next offseason now that they've learned how to safely be at the facilities, the rookies and younger guys they have are going to get significant experience that they would never have gotten otherwise, we'll see what they have with DiNucci, and maybe the injury prompts Dak to accept a slightly more team friendly deal for more years (though I'm also aware his price may actually have gone up thanks to the injury and the offense now showing how valuable he is). Hopefully it also weeds out the problems like Jaylon Smith and the lack of safeties. I think Jerry is finally starting to realize he doesn't have forever and his legacy will always be that he couldn't get out of his own way after firing Jimmy. I know he's an arrogant guy but I think even he is beginning to realize that. Maybe this is just me being the eternal optimist that is almost mandatory to keep your sanity as a Cowboys fan, but we'll see.

I don't think they should be in rebuild mode. As Jeff Cavanaugh said, they just need to retool and reload for 2021. That's why I'd keep Amari at least one more year and not move any of the all-pro O-linemen.

They need a stud player on each level of the defense and fill in thereafter.

So far they have zero.

However miracles do happen here and there.

Offense will be fine enough to win with with all back.

Defense is very very far away.

 

[Creeper]

Great post. I could not agree more. The offense is good enough if the tackles can stay healthy. They will get Smith back next season, rested and recovered. Same with Collins and Jarwin. In the meantime they have found another TE in Schultz and perhaps the future at Center. They might need some minor retooling like maybe another RB, maybe play with the guard position and see if they can improve on Connor Williams, but nothing major is needed. Brandon Knight is a good backup tackle and McGovern looks like he might be a decent backup guard, or even a starter. Other than signing Dak, I would not change the offense too much.

The defense needs a lot more, and as you said, a bad year maybe be just what the patient needs to get better. picking in the top 5 over every round makes the draft so much easier.

 

[Sydla]

I don't think this season will result in what people think it will. We had a season like this in 2015.

And what did the Jones boys conclude after that season? That we needed to draft a stud TB with the 4th pick. Yet anyone who was really honest with themselves looked at the 2015 season and saw an old TB in McFadden run for 1000 yards on this team and the team struggle because the QB play stunk. But yet, they still thought the 2015 season was because they didn't have an elite TB.

So I don't know why people assume they will learn from this crap season. I expect they'll keep Nolan, which is a massive mistake. I somewhat expect them to think they can get by with mediocre safeties again. I think they will assume their LBs are fine just have to get healthy. One area they might do a 180 on is DT, but that might because they won't have anything left there. Crawford is gone. Poe is gone. McCoy is likely not resigning here. You have Woods, Gallimore and Hill and he's coming off an ACL injury.

 

[Sydla]

Great post. I could not agree more. The offense is good enough if the tackles can stay healthy. They will get Smith back next season, rested and recovered. Same with Collins and Jarwin. In the meantime they have found another TE in Schultz and perhaps the future at Center. They might need some minor retooling like maybe another RB, maybe play with the guard position and see if they can improve on Connor Williams, but nothing major is needed. Brandon Knight is a good backup tackle and McGovern looks like he might be a decent backup guard, or even a starter. Other than signing Dak, I would not change the offense too much.

The defense needs a lot more, and as you said, a bad year maybe be just what the patient needs to get better. picking in the top 5 over every round makes the draft so much easier.

I am not one to want to throw Smith aside but the reality is we hear this all the time. He's going to come into the next season healthy. And then he either gets hurt and misses games or he is nicked up and playing through some stuff.

IMO, they don't need to throw him aside but they need to be better prepared for the inevitable. If that means investing a 2nd or 3rd round pick in an OT if the board falls a certain way, they should do it.

 

[kskboys]

If Jerry will keep his fingers out of the pie and just let this team suck w/o trading off high draft picks, yes, it will be a blessing.

 

[Majic]

I don't think this season will result in what people think it will. We had a season like this in 2015.

And what did the Jones boys conclude after that season? That we needed to draft a stud TB with the 4th pick. Yet anyone who was really honest with themselves looked at the 2015 season and saw an old TB in McFadden run for 1000 yards on this team and the team struggle because the QB play stunk. But yet, they still thought the 2015 season was because they didn't have an elite TB.

So I don't know why people assume they will learn from this crap season. I expect they'll keep Nolan, which is a massive mistake. I somewhat expect them to think they can get by with mediocre safeties again. I think they will assume their LBs are fine just have to get healthy. One area they might do a 180 on is DT, but that might because they won't have anything left there. Crawford is gone. Poe is gone. McCoy is likely not resigning here. You have Woods, Gallimore and Hill and he's coming off an ACL injury.

If they can sign Aldon Smith to a team friendly deal that would be a great start and tidy up the Edge position as long as Anae and Gregory show something. DT will need 2 to 3 quality free agency signings and/or a high draft pick. Secondary needs a complete re-build

 

[RonnieT24]

I am not one to want to throw Smith aside but the reality is we hear this all the time. He's going to come into the next season healthy. And then he either gets hurt and misses games or he is nicked up and playing through some stuff.

IMO, they don't need to throw him aside but they need to be better prepared for the inevitable. If that means investing a 2nd or 3rd round pick in an OT if the board falls a certain way, they should do it.

I agree they need to be better prepared for Tyron's inevitable end.. but the neck thing is something he has been dealing with for 4 years. If they actually fixed it with the surgery we get 5 more years of peak Tyron and I am more than okay with that. But I am NOT spending a top 5 pick on a guy I hope never plays. I would say no higher than a 3rd.. Those first two picks need to be day one starters on defense.

 

[Sydla]

Lost in this discussion is that the cap is likely going to be lower for 2021 and we aren't going to be operating with a ton of cap space to shake up the D in FA unless we make some interesting cuts/trades of guys like Cooper, etc.

2021 could be a lost year too even with Dak back on offense. Revamping the D is going to be more than a one offseason solution and it might be longer if they keep Nolan around.

 

[dcstar]

Yes!

Go Cowboys!

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

I doubt Tyron Smith is going to come back and be what he used to be. Backs and necks never get better just the way of things.

 

[cern]

I doubt Tyron Smith is going to come back and be what he used to be. Backs and necks never get better just the way of things.

2016 romo came back fixed and better than ever. One hit later his career's over.

 

[RonnieT24]

I doubt Tyron Smith is going to come back and be what he used to be. Backs and necks never get better just the way of things.

Depends on what the issue is and how well the surgery goes. Tyron's was more neck than back. If they are able to successfully repair the structure so that the nerve is no longer being squeezed by the bone then he should be fine. Back spasms happen to all us guys over the course of our lives. It's not like he has a bulging disc that renders him damn near crippled two or three times a year.

 

[RonnieT24]

2016 romo came back fixed and better than ever. One hit later his career's over.

Romo had a lower back disc issue. That's the one that can take you out for good. Tyron has not had that to my knowledge. Or do you guys know different. I thought his issues have always been neck, stingers and such.. and I can really only recall one instance of back spasms which frankly will happen to just about any adult male.

 

[InTheZone]

We're finally in position to address our issues instead of pretending all is well and continuing these problems into consecutive seasons.

 

[TexasBacon]

Lost in this discussion is that the cap is likely going to be lower for 2021 and we aren't going to be operating with a ton of cap space to shake up the D in FA unless we make some interesting cuts/trades of guys like Cooper, etc.

2021 could be a lost year too even with Dak back on offense. Revamping the D is going to be more than a one offseason solution and it might be longer if they keep Nolan around.

I don't think the team is designed for the D to have to be elite. The offense is elite. This team could win the SB with a middle of the pack defense that just keeps them in games and gets off the field for a few series' a game. And doesn't, ya know, put up one of the worst seasons by a defense in NFL history. They just can't be completely awful. If they can sign at least one pro bowl caliber D-tackle, maybe McCoy also comes back decent next year, and then sign one good safety, keep Chido, and then draft a stud LB and edge rushers and draft volume to plug the other defensive holes. If the defense could hold teams to 17-21 points a game the offense should be averaging 28-35 points a game even against good defenses. But I do agree with the salary cap concerns, hopefully Dak will be reasonable but I think they need to keep Dak regardless. I trust their ability to draft more than their FA evaluation so I'd rather them keep a sure thing in Dak than draft Lawrence or Fields and use Dak's money on FA defense. Then you are also running the risk of Lawrence or Fields being Carson Wentz or Mariota or Jameis Winston and losing Dak's leadership.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Yes, I think it is a blessing. This team was doing nothing with this defense and a devastated OL s plus the QB out. Better to bottom out rather than band-aiding together a "competitive" season that fools the Joneses into thinking we just need a little luck to be a top team.

This team wasted its great OL/cheap QB window on a fraud coach, and to get back to where it was with the handicap of very expensive QB, it needs a bunch of cheap, good players. The draft is the only way to get those players, and higher picks in each round will only help that.

 

[Aven8]

I think so, and it will allow Mike and his staff to get players that they can mold. Not JG guys. The 2015 fell apart just like this but that was just one player being injured.

For that we got Zeke and Dak and in 2016 a 13-3 HFA season. SF just did this model and got Bosa etc and got to the SB last year for it.

 

[Flamma]

I don't think a rebuild is needed. The problems this team faces goes beyond just talent. They need that fixed first, then start a defensive overhaul. We might even see them pick it up before this season is over.

My one worry beyond that is OL. Unfortunately I think Dallas is going to have to address left tackle. Love the guy, but I think Tyrone might have 1 year left in him.