Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports The Cowboys have plenty of key contributors set to hit the open market in March. Since 2013, 31 of 32 NFL franchises have signed at least one outside free agent to a deal worth at least $30M in total value. The one team that hasn’t, ranked by Forbes as 2024’s most valuable sports franchise in the world, is our very own Dallas Cowboys. It’s almost hard to believe how little the Cowboys have spent on outside free agents in the past 10-plus years. You’d have to go all the way back to 2014, when they signed defensive tackle Henry Melton, to find the last time Dallas signed a player from another team to a deal totaling over $20M. While the Cowboys have been by far the most inactive franchise in free agency in the last decade, one thing they have done well is retain their own players set to hit the open market. The 2022 and 2023 offseasons are perfect examples of this. In 2022, Dallas brought back Jayron Kearse, Dorance Armstrong, and Leighton Vander Esch, who played significant roles on the team the prior season. In 2023, they followed the same model, retaining Donovan Wilson, Dante Fowler Jr., Jonathan Hankins, and Vander Esch for the second straight year. Dallas had built themselves a reputation that while they may not spend nearly anything on outside free agents, if they wanted to keep a player they would do what it takes to retain their own talent and not let contributing players walk away. Unfortunately, the Cowboys completely abandoned that strategy last offseason. After the 2023 season, Dallas had seven significant contributors set to hit free agency. Many figured the Cowboys would follow their recent strategy of retaining their own key contributors and bring back at least three or four members of the group set to hit the open market. Instead, the Cowboys went in a completely different direction, letting all seven players sign with other teams. Dorance Armstrong, Tyler Biadasz, Dante Fowler Jr., Stephon Gilmore, Jonathan Hankins, Tyron Smith, and Tony Pollard all left the Cowboys in free agency, with none signing a deal totaling over $11M in AAV. The move to let all of this group walk turned out to bite the Cowboys in a big way during the 2024 season, as injuries completely exposed their lack of roster depth, leading to a highly disappointing year. If Jerry Jones and Dallas’ front office could go back to March of 2024, they’d likely make a different decision and bring back at least two or three players from the above group that they let depart. While they can’t return and change the past, they can learn from their mistakes and take a different path this spring. Like last offseason, Dallas has some key contributors set to hit the open market this March. Six starters from the 2024 team, Brandin Cooks, Rico Dowdle, Eric Kendricks, DeMarcus Lawrence, Jourdan Lewis, and Osa Odighizuwa, are all upcoming free agents and available to sign with another team on March 10th. While the Cowboys may be unable to retain all six, they have more than enough cap space and flexibility to bring back a good portion of the group. Three of those players, Rico Dowdle, Jourdan Lewis, and Osa Odighizuwa, are coming off career-years and should be top priorities for the Cowboys to retain. If Dallas lets those three walk in free agency, unless they buck a more than 10-year trend and spend on outside talent, it’s hard to see a way in which the Cowboys will form a better team in 2025 than what we saw on the field this season. In years past, the Cowboys needed to spend big on outside free agents to get their team over the hump. This offseason, that is not the case. The one thing Dallas does need to do in free agency is add players from other organizations to beef up their roster depth. The Cowboys could benefit from signing three or four league-average players to deals worth $4-5M in AAV to sure up some weak spots and give themselves some much-needed depth at some of their more top-heavy position groups. The Cowboys can have a successful offseason if they prioritize retaining their own talent and use free agency as a way to regain some of the depth they lost last spring. If Dallas were to re-sign Dowdle, Kendricks, Lewis, and Odighizuwa, paired with retaining three of their non-starter free agents in Chauncey Golston, Brock Hoffman, and KaVontae Turpin, that would be an extremely successful start to the offseason. Pair retaining that group with adding three or fourth depth players in free agency and selecting some offensive firepower early in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Cowboys could look like a playoff team again next fall. The ball is entirely in the Cowboys’ court regarding how this offseason will turn out. Will they see the error in their ways from last spring and learn from their mistakes? If they don’t, it’s hard to see a way in which we see a better on-field product from this team next season.

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images The latest news around the Dallas Cowboys. What Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said about Mike McCarthy’s Dallas departure – Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News The Dallas Cowboys franchise quarterback speaks on his head coach walking out the door. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott understands the business of the NFL and expressed that when asked to comment on the departure of coach Mike McCarthy. “Just [a] great dude and blessed to be able to play underneath him,” Prescott told The Dallas Morning News on Tuesday. “It’s a business.” Prescott played for five seasons under McCarthy and the relationship moved in a positive direction from day one. McCarthy didn’t change the offense when he arrived in 2020 so the quarterback could remain comfortable. McCarthy even said he learned the verbiage, which was the opposite of what he used when he coached in other places. But in 2023, McCarthy took over the playcalling duties as Kellen Moore left to become the offensive coordinator with the Los Angeles Chargers. Over the last two seasons, McCarthy and Prescott’s relationship grew. There were times when McCarthy defended the criticism directed toward his quarterback. McCarthy and Prescott shared Thursday night meetings going over the game plan and just talking about life. Cowboys’ Micah Parsons reacts to ‘devastating’ news of Mike McCarthy’s departure – Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram The Cowboys All-Pro pass rusher had much to say on his podcast today. On Tuesday, defensive end Micah Parsons reacted to the news of McCarthy being out and what could be ahead for a franchise that now has a lot of questions to answer this offseason. “It’s obviously very sad because of the relationships we had with Coach McCarthy and what he’s done for our program,” Parsons said on his podcast, The Edge with Micah Parsons on Bleacher Report. “Three straight 12-5 seasons, playoff appearances and obviously the unfortunate year due to injuries and things like that [in 2024].” “It is devastating. He’s always been good to us as a unit, coaches, players. Losing a great coach like Mike hurts.” Parsons was vocal about wanting McCarthy and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer back in the fold during the final weeks of the season. Despite a meeting with owner Jerry Jones on Friday at the Cotton Bowl that lasted well after the game had finished, his public desire of keeping the two Mike’s will not be fulfilled. “It’s going to be a very interesting offseason due to free agents, the coaching,” he said. “It’s going to be a complete reset. It’s going to be an interesting and challenging offseason. But listen, I trust our owner, I trust our GM and I trust Will McClay that we’re going to make the right decisions.” Parsons will be one of the many layers of the offseason that will make it an interesting one, as he is due for a contract extension that is expected to make him one of the highest-paid defensive players in league history. Even though last offseason didn’t see him around the building until his presence was mandatory in June for team minicamp, he has said that he plans to be around more in 2025. Kellen Moore addresses Cowboys’ head coaching vacancy – Charean Williams, Pro Football Talk When asked about Dallas’ vacancy at head coach, Kellen Moore kept things close to the vest. Moore spent five years coaching with the Cowboys, four of those as the offensive coordinator, and he coached under both Jason Garrett and Mike McCarthy. The Cowboys and McCarthy parted ways Monday, and Moore’s name immediately was linked to the job. Moore, a backup quarterback for the Cowboys for three years, was asked about that Tuesday. “I spent a lot of time there, eight years there, so [I] have plenty of relationships in that place,” Moore said, via a transcript from the team. “I love it here. I’ve had so much fun here. It’s been a really fun process, and we’re in a really special situation right now, getting the chance to play this Sunday, having a chance to make a run at this thing, and that’s really all you worry about. Everything else is what it is, and we’ll see where it takes you.” Moore is in his first season with the Eagles after one season with the Chargers following his departure from the Cowboys. What’s Next? Addressing Cowboys’ questions at offensive tackle – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com Where does Tyler Guyton fit into the plans along the Cowboys’ offensive line? Present: Ah, Martin, a longtime ironman for the Cowboys who has, of late, seen his body begin to fail him as the years pile on. The perennial All-Pro and future first ballot Hall of Famer suffered a season-ending ankle injury after weeks of battling through an injury to his opposite ankle, along with back issues that plagued him this past season. And, as it turns out, the ankle issue isn’t a new one, as in he admitted to having fought through it for multiple seasons now. He’s mulled retirement before and, now more than ever, there’s a possibility he hangs up his cleats for good, and that would mark two future Hall of Famers lost in as many seasons for the Cowboys — Tyron Smith having left in last year’s free agency to join the Jets. This definitely isn’t your father’s offensive line in Dallas anymore. Future: Needless to say, the future is essentially right now for this offensive line. Should Martin call it a career, the longest-tenured player will be Terence Steele at right tackle, and he’s just 27 years old. The latter is to point out exactly how young the unit will be going forward, but we’ll get into the situation on the interior O-line in the next edition of this series. Tyler Guyton’s rookie year was marred with injury after a strong first debut against Myles Garrett and the Browns, and some early struggles that he’d eventually get ironed out, at least mostly. He’ll need to treat his

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Taking a look around the division. In Roob’s Stats: A record for Dallas Goedert, history from Eagles’ defense – Reuben Frank, NBC Sports Philadelphia The Eagles advance to the Divisional Round with a convincing win over Green Bay. Lots of interception stats, an all-time Eagles receiving record, an NFL record Jalen Hurts is closing in on and the worst Packer ever. This is a loaded postseason edition of Roob’s Eagles Stats, so let’s get right to it! 1. The interception section 1A. Quinyon Mitchell became the youngest Eagle in 44 years with a postseason interception and Darius Slay became the oldest Eagle in 45 years with a postseason interception. Mitchell, who is 23 years, 178 days, is the youngest Eagle with an INT in the playoffs since Roynell Young had one off Danny White in the 1980 NFC Championship Game win at the Vet at 23 years, 41 days old. Mitchell is also the first Eagles rookie with a postseason INT since Young in 1980. Slay, 34, became the oldest Eagle with a postseason interception since Bob Howard picked off Mike Phipps in the Eagles’ wild-card win over the Bears at the Vet in 1979. Slay is also the oldest NFL player with a postseason INT in seven years, since 36-year-old Mike Adams of the Panthers had one off Drew Brees in the Superdome in 2017. The last time a team had interceptions in the same game from two players 11 years apart in age was in the 1999 NFC Championship Game, which the Bucs lost 11-6 to the Rams at TWA Dome in St. Louis. In that game, 34-year-old Hardy Nickerson and 23-year-old Brian Kelly of the Bucs both picked off Kurt Warner. 4. A record-setting day for Dallas Goedert With four catches, Dallas Goedert increased his career postseason total to a franchise-record 39, one more than Chad Lewis. Goedert’s 39 catches are 2nd-most among active tight ends, just behind Travis Kelce, who has 165. Goedert’s 39 catches are 13th-most all-time by a tight end in the postseason, one more than former teammate Zach Ertz. Goedert needs six more catches to enter the all-time top-10. Goedert’s four postseason touchdowns are two shy of the Eagles record of six, held by Hall of Famer Harold Carmichael. Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Shares Secret to Success – Jeremy Brener, Sports Illustrated Washington snuck out of Tampa with win and is on to Detroit. The Washington Commanders are having their best year in over three decades, and it comes during the first year of the new regime with quarterback Jayden Daniels, coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters. A lot has changed within the organization, and Daniels shared the secret to the team’s success in his postgame press conference after beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round. “I mean, that’s just the brotherhood that DQ (Head Coach Dan Quinn) set – the brotherhood and togetherness we have within the locker room. Obviously, the people that have been in the locker room, you can see how close we are off the field. We’re always hanging around each other. Everybody gets along with each other, so in those moments, when times get tough, we fall back on those moments,” Daniels said. Daniels is just a rookie, but his sentiments have been echoed by linebacker Bobby Wagner, arguably the most established veteran on the roster. “I think it’s the camaraderie, I think it’s the brotherhood,” Wagner said. “I feel like we’ve been tested throughout the year like you said. We had moments where we were up, we had moment where we were down and I think all those tests have allowed us to build that confidence especially for a group that’s first playing together, especially for young players that we have that are playing really big minutes so all these wins are good for our experience and makes it fun for us.” Patriots hire Mike Vrabel: Giants let key front-office executive leave, join HC in New England, per report – Jordan Dajani, CBS Sports There was front office movement in New York, but not what many anticipated. During his introductory press conference as the New England Patriots head coach on Monday, Mike Vrabel was asked about potentially adding New York Giants executive advisor Ryan Cowden to the front office. Vrabel responded by saying nothing had been finalized regarding the front office, but just hours later, it was reported that Cowden is set to reunite with Vrabel. According to NFL Media, the Giants are allowing Cowden out of his current deal to join the Patriots front office under executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf. Ian Rapoport reports this was not an easy decision for the Giants, but that they didn’t want to stop Cowden from pursuing an opportunity he wanted. Cowden spent the past two seasons with the Giants as the executive advisor to general manager Joe Schoen, but previously worked with Vrabel when the two were members of the Tennessee Titans. During his time in Nashville, Cowden served as the vice president of player personnel, and was named the interim general manager when Jon Robinson was fired in 2022. The 46-year-old Cowden has 25 years of NFL experience, working in scouting for the Carolina Panthers for 16 years before securing a promotion with the Titans in 2016. During his time in Carolina, the Panthers won two NFC championships, five NFC South titles and made the playoffs a total of six times. The Titans made the playoffs in four out of the seven seasons Cowden was in the front office, including an AFC Championship appearance in 2019.

Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images Jason Witten could have been an heir apparent plan in Jerry Jones’ eyes. Tuesday marked the first full day in which the Dallas Cowboys were officially looking for a new head coach and little progress was made in terms of officially-reported things. It would stand to reason that the Cowboys are busy working the phones and formulating a plan for who their leader (aka the one who reports to their ownership) will be in the near future. At this point in time the closest thing there has been to a report of someone being legitimately connected was Deion Sanders. While it has not reached even the level that Deion’s name did relative to reports, another name that has been thrown out by various insiders so far in this experience has been one that Cowboys fans know well – Jason Witten. Interestingly, the last time we saw Witten affiliated with the Cowboys was right before the Mike McCarthy era began. He was not retained when Mike took over and left to play a season for the Las Vegas Raiders before getting into coaching. He has been at the high school level and has had success by way of winning a state championship recently, but with all due respect that is obviously not the NFL. Still though the idea of Witten continues to be floated out in an apparently-serious way and we have offered some thoughts on that in a general sense. Tuesday evening brought with it quite the report from NFL Network’s Jane Slater on the matter. After speaking on the Deion front and saying she has been trying to find out information on other names like Texas’ Steve Sarkisian, Pete Carroll and Jon Gruden… she noted that it is possible that the Cowboys wanted Witten to be some sort of heir apparent to Mike McCarthy. A lot to unpack here. Been on the phone non stop here is what I’ve gathered from Deion to Witt to Kellen. Jerry is currently on a solo mission. No official interviews or calls even placed to some. Here is what I have gathered for you. #CowboysHCSearch pic.twitter.com/9OzVVwy7Cz — Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) January 15, 2025 “It’s been my understanding that Jerry has talked to Jason in recent weeks and I do believe that he was part of a plan that Jerry initially had when he was going to bring back Mike McCarthy. I think the plan there was to make him an heir apparent of sorts. Mike McCarthy sort of surprised him by deciding that he wanted to end these conversations, pursue something else, we can call it negotiations, contract conversations… whatever you want to call them. Now we’ll see if Jason Witten will still be in play here. I just don’t know if that would be in a head coach role, but I do believe that he thinks very strongly of Jason Witten and his future as a coach. I just don’t know in what capacity that would look like.” This is… something. As noted Witten does not have any coaching experience in either the collegiate ranks or the NFL. In that vein it makes sense to bring him in as someone who could learn at the foot of a different head coach, but it is also fair to understand Mike McCarthy not wanting to do that if that is ultimately what happened. It will be somewhat telling if Witten does ultimately wind up on the Cowboys staff, whether as the head coach or as the “heir apparent” to someone else. That would seemingly signal that the plan is in fact for Witten to ultimately take over. We will see.

Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images The Dallas Cowboys officially have a head coaching opening, and their search is expected to get a little weird given the delayed timing of it all. That’s already manifested with the report of Jerry Jones talking with Deion Sanders, though it’s unclear how serious those conversations are. That said, if the Cowboys are looking to find candidates in unusual spots, there are plenty of under-the-radar coaches out there who could be diamonds in the rough. Here are 10 such names that the Cowboys should, at the very least, bring in for an interview. Broncos DC Vance Joseph The only coach on this list with prior head coaching experience, Vance Joseph has been around for some time. A former college quarterback at Colorado, Joseph transitioned to the defense when he began his coaching career and hasn’t looked back since. He served as the Bengals defensive backs coach for two years, working under ‘current’ Cowboys run game coordinator Paul Guenther, before running the defense for the Dolphins. That role led to him being hired as the Broncos head coach, though he was fired two years later. Rumors suggested that Joseph wasn’t allowed full control over his offensive staff in Denver, and the offense is ultimately what got him fired. Joseph returned to Denver as the defensive coordinator for Sean Payton and has turned the Broncos into one of the best defenses in the league. His side of the ball was a big part of the team’s playoff push despite an inconsistent offense led by rookie quarterback Bo Nix. Joseph is viewed by many as a sharp coach with a great defensive scheme who players universally respect. He’s interviewed for head coaching gigs a few times since being fired, and fits the profile of someone who would have more success the second time around after having learned a few things. Ravens STC Chris Horton Special teams coordinators aren’t often hired to be head coaches. In fact, there is only one sitting head coach who came from that background. But considering that coach, John Harbaugh, is fourth among active coaches in career wins and has a Super Bowl ring, maybe more teams should consider special teams coordinators. And where better to look than Harbaugh’s own Ravens team? Chris Horton is young, at just 40 years old, and he turned a short-lived playing career into what’s been a lengthy tenure with one of the NFL’s most consistent franchises. Horton was the Ravens’ assistant special teams coach five years before being promoted to coordinator, and he’s maintained a high level of play for that side of the ball in Baltimore. He’s also gotten a behind the scenes look at the way Harbaugh has replaced his offensive coordinator five times, his defensive coordinator four times, and transitioned from the Joe Flacco era to the Lamar Jackson era all while continuing to make the playoffs. Horton’s candidacy would heavily depend on his ability to build a staff around him, but he’s learned from the master of doing just that. If Horton can lure a good staff and also recreate the magic of the Ravens culture, it might be a winning formula in Dallas. Ravens AHC/PGC/DB coach Chris Hewitt Sticking with the Ravens for a moment, they’ve long been the model of defensive success despite cycling through coordinators fairly often. Simply put, the system for success on that side of the ball has become institutionalized in Baltimore, a rare ingredient in the modern NFL. One man who’s been around for much of that change is Chris Hewitt, currently their assistant head coach/pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach. Hewitt got his feet wet as a coach on Greg Schiano’s Rutgers teams in the early 2000’s, where he coached both running backs and defensive backs. Hewitt also assisted in the strength & conditioning and special teams groups. After internships with both the Browns and Eagles, Hewitt landed in Baltimore back in 2012, the year the Ravens won the Super Bowl. After eight seasons coaching defensive backs, he added the title of pass game coordinator. He added assistant head coach heading into this season as well. Hewitt has seen a long list of defensive backs have great success under his watch, and the Ravens have consistently been one of the best pass defenses during that time as well. In addition to having witnessed the way Harbaugh manages this team, like Horton, Hewitt is sure to at least have some valuable insights into how he might try to replicate that somewhere else. Cardinals DC Nick Rallis The youngest coordinator in the NFL at just 31 years old, Nick Rallis just finished his second season running the defense in Arizona. He’s a longtime confidant of Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, as the two worked together on Mike Zimmer’s Vikings staff before teaming up in Philadelphia and, now, Arizona. Like Gannon, Rallis is steeped in defensive schemes he’s learned from both Zimmer and Vic Fangio, two of the most respected defensive minds in the NFL. Rallis and Gannon work closely together on the Cardinals defense, but Rallis is the one calling the plays currently. The Cardinals defense hasn’t been anything special these past two years, but the team has been rebuilding each of those years. By most metrics, the defense improved in their second year under Rallis despite being comprised mostly of young players. Rallis is still very young and very new to coaching, but those who know him well have described him as a rising star. He is noted as a quiet but extremely confident persona who has a knack for communicating expectations to his players and holding them accountable. In a couple years, Rallis may very well be the next big name on the coaching carousel. The Cowboys could be early to the party, for once, by taking a look at him. Browns RB coach Duce Staley If the Cowboys aim, above all else, to find a coach who can be a figurehead for the team and set

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images Everything with the Cowboys is a circus right now and the ring leader is the reason why. Recently, Jerry Jones showed off his acting chops by making an appearance in the Paramount hit TV show Landman. For those unfamiliar, Landman tells the story of the oil rig business that features a lot of mishaps, greed, and a little cartel thrown in for spice. It only seemed fitting for the show to have one of the most widely known real-life oilmen making a cameo in their latest episode. While Jones’ appearance wasn’t surprising, his performance was. Most of us know that before buying the Dallas Cowboys, Jones made his money in the oil business. In his scene, he goes on for three minutes about how he got started in the oil business and what it has meant to be able to spend his life working with his kids. Cowboys fans have had a front-row seat to Jones’ theatrics for years. He’s known for trying to be the main character in everything that’s going on. Sometimes his performances are over the top and create controversy because nobody is buying into his nonsense. However, during his scene in Landman, Jones delivers a very genuine and heartfelt message. Jerry Jones, being a decent actor, was not on my bingo card. #Landman pic.twitter.com/p2N5kYABan — Zande✊ (@KongoZande) January 5, 2025 To the outside observer, Jones’ performance probably surprised some people. This lifelong salesman nailed the scene as he gave an authentic performance that was very believable. While some will give props to Jerry for an admirable acting job, those of us who have been exposed to him aren’t seeing anything unusual. He can’t go too long without getting emotional and while he had a director and multiple takes to help him from stumbling on his words, we are no strangers to this type of performance. Jones did a great job in this scene because he was speaking from the heart. He wasn’t playing a character, but rather just being himself. He was sharing real-life experiences and the words came easy for him. For his day job, Jones is the most polarizing owner in the NFL. The Cowboys organization is always under scrutiny. Year in and year out, he and his son Stephen are vilified for not spending enough money to make the team stronger. They will never win any popularity contests in the state of Texas. On Friday night, they were showing celebrities on the Jumbotron during the Cotton Bowl and the crowd let Jerry have it. Even in his own house, he gets no respect. They just did a celebrity spotlight at AT&T Stadium. Every celebrity got cheers except… Jerry Jones Loud boos in Jerry’s World. — Lia Assimakopoulos (@Lassimak) January 11, 2025 Jones makes his bed and has never had trouble sleeping in it. While some of the things he’s criticized for don’t hold water, he’s done plenty to bring negative attention to himself. He fired Tom Landry. He couldn’t get along with Jimmy Johnson so they parted ways. He’s turned America’s Team into a Big Top Circus and makes money hand over fist while crowds of people continuously line up to watch. Good or bad, the Cowboys are the center of attention and always bring in the ratings. And all of this is because of Jerry Jones. He has set a precedent so strong that sports media outlets will run with every niblet that comes out of his mouth to make a non-story a story. Tours at The Star a distraction – boom, that’s a story. No curtains at AT&T – boom, that’s a story. Firing the coach? Keeping the coach? Wait, don’t tell us because that’s a story too! And if Jerry utters the words “All-in” that blurb’s enough to keep the lights on for an entire season. In-season, off-season, and all-season, Jerry Jones is a year-round performer. As we brace for what can only be expected as another uproarious offseason, we only have two options. Find a comfortable seat or watch something else. For a lot of us, the thirst for all things Cowboys is like crack. We can’t get off if. All we can do is grab some snacks and hope for a good show. Jones is always going to be the star of his own show. He bought the Cowboys for $140 million and now they’re worth $11 billion and he’s been right in the thick of things from the beginning. You can’t grow that type of investment and be convinced your meddling is a detriment. And no, it’s not just about the money. Jones is trying to win Super Bowls. While it’s been 30 years, Jones has won three Super Bowls. He did it before, and you have to believe he thinks he can do it again. It would be nice if the Cowboys could just be a normal team and not be in the news all the time, but that’s not the world we live in. We live in Jerry’s World. The best we can do is put on a brave face, look for the positives, and hope for the best. There will be good times and there will be times of adversity, but regardless of what times we’re in, the Cowboys will always be front and center because of Jerry Jones.

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports The Dallas Cowboys came literally hours short of starting the 2024 season with a seemingly unprecedented ultimatum towards their future. Find the elusive success in the postseason that’s escaped them since 1996, or both head coach Mike McCarthy’s and quarterback Dak Prescott’s contracts would expire, leaving the option to start all over at the two most important positions on the team right in front of Jerry Jones and the front office. Instead, Prescott was given the richest contract in NFL history just prior to beating the Cleveland Browns in week one. This would be be one of just three wins in eight starts for Prescott, who was lost for the season after being injured against the Atlanta Falcons. The Cowboys finished 7-10 and a distant third to two division rivals still playing into the Divisional playoffs with the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders. On Monday though, still just eight days removed from their last game of the year, the Cowboys completed the journey of turning Prescott from an offseason bargaining chip to fortifying his place in the franchise’s new direction forward even more. Dallas chose to move on from head coach Mike McCarthy at the end of his contract, and with his departure most of his assistants who were also on expiring deals, including defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, are expected to be on the way out as well. The Cowboys are looking for an entirely fresh start from a coaching perspective, but the easiest non-negotiable thing that will be mandatory for the next head coach is working with Prescott still in place as the franchise quarterback. The same expectation was put on McCarthy to work with Prescott, which he did for five seasons, the first three of which he kept offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in place. McCarthy took over play-calling in 2023, and his two seasons as the voice in the QBs helmet offered the types of highs and lows the Cowboys chose to move on from in search of more consistency, and a sense of urgency to maximize Prescott’s talent on this new contract. In typical Dallas Cowboys fashion, the organization was slightly late to join the head coaching search game by letting McCarthy’s status drag on a bit. The Cowboys now join the Bears, Saints, Jets, Jaguars, and Raiders as franchises looking for their next head coaches. Only the Patriots job has come off the board so far, with a reunion everyone in the football world saw coming between former Patriot Mike Vrabel and New England. The other five teams still open all have completed or scheduled at least four interviews while the Cowboys are just getting started casting their net. Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has already talked with the Bears and Jaguars and is scheduled to interview with the Raiders. Considered the top candidate by many, at least for a team like the Cowboys with a QB already in place, Johnson was also in consideration by the Patriots before hiring Vrabel. The Cowboys very initial search so far has brought up the names of two former players, both polarizing figures helping draw the constant attention the Cowboys seek towards them. They are Colorado head coach Deion Sanders and, a bit more obscurely, Jason Witten. At a point in time for the franchise where it has become more popular for former players like Troy Aikman to put the team down as opposed to lifting them up, saying things in-season like the Cowboys offense runs “terrible routes” and now on Monday that their head coaching vacancy “isn’t coveted”, there is validity to bringing in two successful former players to at very least interview for the position. Part of the Cowboys decision to move on from McCarthy may have been about overrating the culture and locker room aspects of his coaching ability, things that take a backseat on game days to calling plays which McCarthy did ineffectively in his final season. This is not at all to say that these qualities in a prospective head coach don’t matter, especially for the Cowboys as currently constructed with Jones in place as GM and owner. If the ultimate goal is still to win football games though, the Cowboys could do better than McCarthy, and are now wading into the waters of finding out how much better they can actually do without much of a life preserver. They are swimming at their own risk in the coaching free agency pool, unable to put their feet on the ground and talk to candidates like Johnson, Aaron Glenn, Kellen Moore, or Kliff Kingsbury until their respective seasons end. In the interim period before the Cowboys can consider some of these other coaching candidates, the idea of hiring a coach like Jason Witten should be embraced – or at very least received with a sense of openness – by the fanbase. It is the type of risk the organization has been averse to for decades, and one way or another could help them get closer on the ladder towards the “escape hatch” we mentioned with both McCarthy and Prescott from the start of this past fruitless season. Assuming Witten would not call plays, the Cowboys would have their fourth play caller for Prescott in ten seasons. As opposed to the flimsy way in which McCarthy talked about his culture-building only at times it suited him, going from a coach embracing championship expectations upon his hiring in 2020 to talking about his desire to continue “putting a program in place” at the podium following a seven-win season that fell way short of the playoffs, the Cowboys would get this in a more natural way with Witten. One of the most respected former Cowboys of multiple generations, Witten is also one of the most notable faces of the unfortunate way the Cowboys have wasted Hall of Fame level talent without playoff success for years. Should he be given the chance to speak on wanting to change this perception in Dallas, it would