The window of opportunity is short

[Landryhat73]

Just look at the 49ers as a perfect example, they had a good 4 year run, but I believe their window is finally closed. If they re-sign Purdy, I believe that would be a big mistake. That window only stays open if you have an elite qb

I truly believe Dallas window was 2021-2023. We had a respectful running game, Dak was playing his best, and our D was one of the best in the league. You're crazy if you think Daks best football is ahead of him. We're going through a rebuild these next few years, just sucks that we cant rebuild the most important position.

Absolutely correct, we failed in that window. my hope and prayer is that window will open back up in 2026. I don't agree with the Jones that next year under the cap needs to be tight but the free agent market is terrible. I understand you are always over paying in free agency but accept for a couple players the talent is average at best. Maybe the best option is hopefully develop players, draft well, have high cap hits for Lamb, Prescott and maybe Parsons and open up more money in 2026 when theoretically maybe/prayers the window will open back up.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Just look at the 49ers as a perfect example, they had a good 4 year run, but I believe their window is finally closed. If they re-sign Purdy, I believe that would be a big mistake. That window only stays open if you have an elite qb

I truly believe Dallas window was 2021-2023. We had a respectful running game, Dak was playing his best, and our D was one of the best in the league. You're crazy if you think Daks best football is ahead of him. We're going through a rebuild these next few years, just sucks that we cant rebuild the most important position.

somehow it is, as we just paid him to be the highest in the league

 

[Flamma]

exactly. window of opportunity is 2, 3 years if you don't have a elite QB like Mahomes or Brady. so you have to take advantage. which means you also have to dip into FA to sign some key players you missed in draft, and pay the piper in later years when its all said and done. look at Rams...they did it. went truly all in and have a trophy. Niners are doing it and making moves (and a little bit of luck finding Purdy). Eagles are doing it, having 6 of the top 5 position contracts on the team. in 3, 4 years they have to pay...but they have already made it to the superbowl and won once and came close a second time.

the challenge for us is that Jerry's primary and top priority is not winning championships. its maximizing value and profits and thus winning championships becomes secondary.

That's exactly how you do it. Our owners don't believe in that method. They don't want to pay the piper at all. Like this year. They just watched the Eagles walk right past them.

 

[InPhiltraitor]

You thought we had a window with Dak? lol

Sure you did. Might have looked like this, but you had one.

 

[jazzcat22]

Just look at the 49ers as a perfect example, they had a good 4 year run, but I believe their window is finally closed. If they re-sign Purdy, I believe that would be a big mistake. That window only stays open if you have an elite qb

I truly believe Dallas window was 2021-2023. We had a respectful running game, Dak was playing his best, and our D was one of the best in the league. You're crazy if you think Daks best football is ahead of him. We're going through a rebuild these next few years, just sucks that we cant rebuild the most important position.

Dallas window has been broken for years.

 

[Creeper]

I think this is true for most teams, but to me the most important thing is to be able to recognize what you have in a team every year. This is where the Cowboys fail. First, they cannot be objective about their players. Too many of them are hyped and are not as good as the front office thinks they are. They lose vision of value. Some players are good, just not worth the contracts Jerry gives them in the long wrong.

The other thing is, the owner has to be willing to go all in, and mean it. The Cowboys lost to the packers past year because they could not run the football or stop the run. They did nothing in the offseason to fix that. If anything, they made it worse. When you get to 12-5 the goal in the off-season should be to do what is necessary to get to 14-3 and to win a couple of playoff games. Upgrade the roster where needed and get better.

But it is tricky. You can do that easily if you won't sign free agents, if you overpay your own free agents, or you overvalue players on your team. The Cowboys are guilty of all these things.

The "window" is the time when a team builds a strength into the roster. It can be a QB, like Mahomes, or a dominant offensive line. Once you have something like that, you build around that. The Cowboys have failed to develop a strength and have failed to maintain the strengths they have had.

 

[BoyzBlaster]

Niners were decimated with injuries this year. Their window is still open I think.

 

[nightrain]

Just look at the 49ers as a perfect example, they had a good 4 year run, but I believe their window is finally closed. If they re-sign Purdy, I believe that would be a big mistake. That window only stays open if you have an elite qb

I truly believe Dallas window was 2021-2023. We had a respectful running game, Dak was playing his best, and our D was one of the best in the league. You're crazy if you think Daks best football is ahead of him. We're going through a rebuild these next few years, just sucks that we cant rebuild the most important position.

Unless the Purdy camp is willing to take a sensible deal, he won't be on the 49ers beyond 2025.

 

[Runwildboys]

Dallas isn't rebuilding. They are building a sub .500 team. Dallas will once again lose more talent then it gains.

Yeah, lately it feels like the Cowboys is a farm team, here to develop talent and send them up to the big leagues.

 

[The Ominous]

The only windows we've had is the sun glaring through Jerruh world.

 

[fivetwos]

I would add: and be smart about which players AND POSITIONS you choose to allocate your cap space to (i.e. have an organizational strategy that doesn't change with the players: Andy Reid said "always give me a QB, 2 good tackles, 2 pass rushers, and a good corner. I'll figure everything else out"

But yeah, agree 100%, there are teams that stay good for long periods of time because they don't extend old guys on the decline, or throw huge money at positions of less importance, or blow Top 15 picks on RBs, and they just manage their player's windows, so the teams window is always open.

That’s all true, but without proper action…as well as being good at doing it….it’s not going to be the case.

Drafting becomes more difficult, you lose your depth when you pay your better guys, play a tougher schedule, etc.

Would Jerry ever trade a guy like Hill like KC did? No way. Thats one small example.

They should have been rushing and pushing hard to win before this time period arrived, and after paying Parsons they are going to have a very top heavy roster unless the drafts are damn near perfect, and they certainly haven’t been despite how that narrative was somehow created.

 

[fivetwos]

I think this is true for most teams, but to me the most important thing is to be able to recognize what you have in a team every year. This is where the Cowboys fail. First, they cannot be objective about their players. Too many of them are hyped and are not as good as the front office thinks they are. They lose vision of value. Some players are good, just not worth the contracts Jerry gives them in the long wrong.

The other thing is, the owner has to be willing to go all in, and mean it. The Cowboys lost to the packers past year because they could not run the football or stop the run. They did nothing in the offseason to fix that. If anything, they made it worse. When you get to 12-5 the goal in the off-season should be to do what is necessary to get to 14-3 and to win a couple of playoff games. Upgrade the roster where needed and get better.

But it is tricky. You can do that easily if you won't sign free agents, if you overpay your own free agents, or you overvalue players on your team. The Cowboys are guilty of all these things.

The "window" is the time when a team builds a strength into the roster. It can be a QB, like Mahomes, or a dominant offensive line. Once you have something like that, you build around that. The Cowboys have failed to develop a strength and have failed to maintain the strengths they have had.

They had some pretty good depth with the 2018 and 2020 drafts. Yeah they added Parsons since but have lost more talent than they have added with some poor drafts since.

The rule of thumb should basically be if you bust a premium draft pick you need to sign a free agent to compensate, or it’ll show up on the field. Here we are.

 

[Doomsday]

They could have a 4 year window right now if they do the right thing this offseason, use Dak's and CD's void years and load up but it doesn't sound like they are going to do that.

For all the lip service Jerry pays to being a gambler he has become one of the most risk adverse owners in the NFL. Sad!

 

[Big_D]

It’s officially closed. The father and son team slammed it shut!

 

[chicago JK]

Yes, it is closed. Things can change quickly in the NFL though. It does typically require a top 10 QB playing at that level and a bunch of young, cheap talent. We will see if Dak ever gets back to it. The cheap, young talent also is a big issue. The 2024 draft will help. We will see if that turns out to be an average draft, good draft or very good draft. If it is a good/very good draft, they probably will need two more drafts in the next two years go be good/very good. The 2023 draft appears to be very poor, especially with the LB injury.

Being able to be aggressive when needed (Rams, Eagles) is really important. Both teams were really aggressive and got a super bowl. The Rams took a slight step back after but with good drafting they have been able to rebound. So being aggressive and also having a realistic view of your talent and letting guys leave when it is appropriate is just as important. It allows you not to pay premium money for guys who are no longer premium talents.

Dallas fails to be aggressive to take advantage of an opportunity, can't be realistic on their current talent and is slow to react all the time. It just really sticks out the front office weaknesses compared to others...despite a good regular seasons previously. I think it is going to be a good drought coming up. If they hit the next two drafts really good, you can bounce back in a year or two. If you don't

 

[G2]

This team isn't getting better for a few years of building. Then, we'll be good enough to make a playoff appearance, but not good enough to win postseason games. Most likely peak in the middle of the next QBs career and spiral downward.