Dallas isn’t this creative and doesn’t think like this. We know. It doesn’t mean that we have to be limited in our thoughts; especially not in November. In late August, the Dallas Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott agreed to a new four-year extension, but it does not mean the two sides are tethered to each other for that long. Prescott is now going to be out for the remainder of 2022, marking the third time in five seasons he’s missed a significant chunk of action due to injury. Coming from a world where the last franchise quarterback’s back gave out from carrying the franchise for a decade, Dallas fans are well prepared (overly sensitive?) to face a reality where the team may bail on their current situation despite the monetary aspect of things. Even before the severe, surgery-requiring hamstring injury was suffered, Prescott did not look anywhere near as mobile as even the 2023 version of himself. It is not anti-Prescott to say that if Dallas’ front office scouts the landscape of incoming rookies and identifies a QB they feel is franchise leader-ish, and that player is available to them, that they cannot bring him into the fold. The Green Bay Packers will forever be seen as the example to doing things in this way. Despite having Brett Favre, they drafted Aaron Rodgers. Despite having Rodgers they drafted Jordan Love. Both decisions took time to unfold but they’ve allowed that org to have a top QB for the last three decades. So if Dallas sees a QB in Round 1, they should be comfortable in drafting him and waiting until Prescott’s deal gets to a point it can be financially acceptable to move on from him in a trade. Fans shouldn’t worry about a no-trade clause; it’s honestly just a right of refusal that keeps Prescott from landing in NFL Siberia against his will. In this exercise, we’ll game that out with the 2025 draft. Here’s a Week 12, four-round mock conducted on Pro Football Focus. Prescott’s contract specifics Dallas signed Prescott to a four-year, $240 million extension beyond what was already on the books for 2024. The extension has four void years at the end, allowing Dallas to restructure each season and push cap hit off into the future. As currently constructed, Prescott will count $89 million against the 2025 cap. If the Cowboys want to escape the deal sooner than later, they will not touch this very much, if at all. The other option is to move up to $36 million of cap hit into the future. If Dallas wants to go the Green Bay route, not touching that cap space and eating the big hit as they reboot the roster makes sense. Prescott’s presence on the team gives Dallas a certain level of credibility to keep them in the public eye. Even with the prospect of a lost season, Dallas will be able to sell a competitive season based on the stars that are locked in for 2025. Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland is enough to market successfully. And if there’s a budding quarterback controversy to stoke the flames? Even better. Eating Prescott’s big cap hit in 2025 allows the Cowboys to see some cap savings in 2026 and a ton in 2027, if they decide to roll with a draft pick in Year 2 or Year 3. Dallas would save $6 million in space if they traded Prescott in 2026, and if he started the next two seasons they’d see $28 million in savings in 2027. Allowing Prescott to rebuild his value in 2025, trading him for multiple first-round picks and having a new franchise signal caller already in tow seems like a viable path forward for the next head coach. Cowboys pick at No. 9 The current draft order projection for Week 12 is that the Cowboys’ 3-6 record places them 9th in the first-round draft order. Cowboys Team Needs Sep 28, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones on the field before the game against the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium. Dallas beat New Orleans 38-17. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports Dallas has needs all over the place, and as always will have to balance their free agent moves… ahaha just kidding. They’ll need to balance their availability projections. If they need to fill two positions pretty equally, and one is top heavy and the other is deep, it’s probably a better decision to grab the prospect from the top-heavy position. Dallas is in need of a running back, wideout, defensive end, and defensive tackle. They could also potentially need safety help, depending on if they give the youngsters a chance to show their worth, along with linebacker depth. And as explained above, QB shouldn’t be ruled out if one who they think is special is staring them in the face. Top 8 picks ahead of Dallas BOULDER, COLORADO – APRIL 27: Travis Hunter #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes warms-up prior to their spring game at Folsom Field on April 27, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) Jacksonville Jaguars: WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado Tennessee Titans: WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona Cleveland Browns: CB Will Johnson, Michigan Las Vegas Raiders: QB Cam Ward, Miami New York Giants: RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State New England Patriots: DE Abdul Carter, Penn State New York Jets: QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama Carolina Panthers: Safety Malaki Starks, Georgia Trade Down: Cincinnati Bengals Oct 29, 2017; Cincinnati, OH, USA; A view of a Bengals helmet on the sidelines in the game of the Indianapolis Colts against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports The Bengals called and offered a really good deal for Dallas to move down three spots, adding a third-round pick in exchange for one of the Cowboys’ fifth-round compensatory picks. Cowboys receive 1.12, 3.76 for 1.9, 5.171 Trade Down: Denver Broncos Oct 28, 2018; Kansas City, MO, USA;

Rico Dowdle value now clear after Cowboys abandon RBBC approach reidhanson For as maddening as it’s been stealing carries from Rico Dowdle in 2024, the side-by-side comparison of Ezekiel Elliott and Dowdle has given the Cowboys a nice picture of what each player adds to the running game. Running backs are a difficult position to evaluate in the NFL. Average yards per carry, cumulative totals and yards after contact have been common ways to grade RB efficiency in the past but they can be dated and often misleading in nature. Expected points added (EPA) has properly valuated the impact of each run better than yards/carry could ever dream of, but much like the others it has a hard time differentiating between RB impact and offensive line ability. As advanced stats pick up steam in mainstream sports analysis, fans have searched tirelessly to find something that shows the value of a running back beyond what is directly given to him by his offensive line. Many have recently latched onto success rate as great barometer of RB skill, but even that speaks to the team’s execution of the play and says nothing about the quality of the runner himself. That’s where Elliott and the Cowboys early use of RB-by-committee comes into play. Under Mike McCarthy, the Cowboys have been resistant to plug specific runners into specific roles. He will hand off drives and call running plays regardless of whether it’s Elliott or Dowdle in the backfield. To the unintended benefit of this analysis, he matches play calls and circumstances as evenly as can be hoped for. From this we compare yards/carry, yards after contact, elusive rating (PFF signature stat measuring value added by RB) and success rate between the two backs. Predictably, all factors point to Dowdle as the superior RB. Running behind the same Cowboys offensive line, Dowdle is averaging 4.5 yards/carry, compared to Elliott who just averages 3.2. Dowdle produces an EPA average of 0.04 while Elliott produces -0.27. Dowdle scores a 50.7 elusive rating compared to Elliott who averages a team low 17.2. Dowdle averages 2.41 yards after contact while Elliott averages 2.25. Dowdle is tackled for loss at a lower rate, he gains first downs at a higher rate, and his explosive run rate is roughly five times that of Elliott. In matters of success rate (SR) Dowdle sits at 48.2 percent while Elliott is light years behind at 31.5 percent. Again, this is all behind the same offensive line with average number of defenders in the box greater for Dowdle than Elliott. It’s important to point out SR differs from site to site with Pro Football Reference following a generic 40/60/100 format while Sumer Sports bases theirs on actual EPA on the given play (Sumer Sports for the win). But in either method of calculating SR, Dowdle has proven to be one of the best RBs in the NFL, all behind this Cowboys offensive line. A successful running game typically comes from a well-executed running scheme. Offensive lines have proven over the years they are often more instrumental in ground game success than the man running the ball. Such a sentiment has caused many to declare “running backs don’t matter” since many backups produce at or near the same level of output as the man they replace. In Dallas that is clearly not the situation. Running backs matter in a very big way because virtually every metric points to Dowdle as the superior runner. The Cowboys running game goes from bottom tier when Elliott has been carrying the ball to top tier when Dowdle is carrying the ball. For as frustrating as the committee approach has been in 2024 it’s given the team a good look at what Dowdle really adds to the formula. It hasn’t just made a case for Dowdle to be the top dog in 2024 but it’s a making a good argument to re-sign the 26-year-old RB for next year and beyond. This past week Dowdle has been declared the RB1 for the Cowboys going forward. That’s a wide move because based on the comparison between Dallas’ top two rushers, RBs really do matter sometimes. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Cowboys predicted as potential landing spot for $25 million coaching hire in 2025 K.D. Drummond The Dallas Cowboys have had an interesting coaching dynamic ever since Jerry Jones bought them from Bum Bright over three decades ago. Jones brought his University of Arkansas buddy, Miami Hurricanes head coach Jimmy Johnson with him in 1989 and together they laid the foundation for a dynasty. After the relationship declined, another Arkansas friend, Barry Switzer took over and won the third of four Lombardi’s in four seasons. Following that success, though, it’s been an interesting swing between inexperienced or well-regarded champions. For every Chan Gailey there’s been a Bill Parcells, for every Dave Campo there’s been a Mike McCarthy. None of them have been able to recapture the magic formula from the early 1990s. Of course the common denominator is that each coach has had to work with Jones as their GM, but seeing how that’s not going to change, what will he look for in his next coach after McCarthy’s tenure ends in January (or sooner)? That could be a head coach with more success than every one of the others combined. Bill Belichick is starting to refloat his interest in returning to the sidelines in 2025, and Dallas is predicted to be one of the spots where he could land. Belichick, 72, has spent this year working in the media, most notably for ESPN’s College Gameday and CW Network’s Inside the NFL. When last in the NFL with the New England Patriots, his salary was believed to be the highest among NFL head coaches, $25 million. He earned it, winning seven titles with the Patriots over a two-decade run. Comparatively, McCarthy is believed to be making around $5 million to coach the Cowboys.

Bad C.J. Stroud Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, NRG Stadium in Houston There’s little doubt about Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud being one of the best young signal callers in the league, but he’s had an uneven second season. When he’s been ‘on’ he’s near the top of the league in passing yards and completion percentage per game. However, it has been a struggle for Stroud lately, which has coincided with losing two of his top wide receivers. In his last five games, all without WR Nico Collins and two without WR Stefon Diggs, Stroud has thrown for just five touchdowns, is averaging just over 197 yards passing per game and his completion percentage is under 55%. Take out the win over a bad New England Patriots team and Stroud has thrown for just two scores in his last five outings. That’s some bad football Stroud is playing, and he took responsibility for last week’s poor performance. The good news for the Texans is they are likely to get Collins back at WR. However, it will be his first game coming off a hamstring injury, so the Cowboys might not have to deal with Collins at 100%, or playing against him at his usual number of snaps. Even with Collins returning, Stroud’s weapons won’t be the same as they were when he was thriving. Diggs is out for the remainder of the season and the young QB is still trying to get comfortable with his new receiving options. Defending Stroud now feels much easier than it did when the schedule came out. Bad offensive line… Oct 20, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Houston Texans offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil (78) during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Both Texas teams seem to have something in common, poor offensive line play. While the Cowboys are the middle of the road in allowing sacks, the Texans are third worst at giving them up. Stroud has been sacked 34 times this season, after being taken down just 38 times his rookie year. It’s an offensive line that is giving up pressure and Stroud is trying to make plays instead of throwing the ball away. In the last four games, the Texans have allowed 18 sacks, and Stroud hasn’t been sacked less than two times in any of their matchups. The Cowboys are coming off their second-best pass rushing output against one of the better offensive lines in the league. Mike Zimmer’s unit came away with five sacks in Week 10, which was aided by the return of elite edge rusher Micah Parsons, who was responsible for two. … due to injuries Sep 29, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans guard Kenyon Green (76) during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Injuries aren’t helping the Texans on the offensive line; they don’t have the horses up front. Starting left guard Kenyon Green is on IR with a shoulder injury and left tackle Laremy Tunsil has been battling a knee injury, leaving him questionable for the Week 11 matchup. If Tunsil can’t go, backup Blake Fisher, who has been limited in practice this week with a concussion, might get the nod. If neither play, the Cowboys’ defense gets a third-string tackle. That’s a thin group at OL, and even with Tunsil likely to play, the Cowboys will have opportunities to get to the QB. Dallas’ defense has to love the matchup as they’re getting healthier at pass rusher. Second half woes Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports Here’s another place where the two teams mirror each other, second half play. It’s well documented how poorly the Cowboys have played in the third quarter, but the Texans aren’t much better. Houston’s offense averages just 9.1 points a game after halftime, but they’ve been even worse in the third quarter where they average a paltry 3.2 points. Take away the 13-point third quarter explosion against the Patriots, and that number drops to an anemic 1.9 ppg in the opening 15 minutes of the second half. Recently it’s been an even bigger struggle to score at all in the final 30 minutes of a game. In their last four outings, the Texans haven’t scored a second-half touchdown, and they were shut out in last week’s loss. In total, the Texans have just six second-half touchdowns on the year, with five coming in two games. In their other eight games, they’ve managed to score one measly touchdown in the last two quarters. This game might be won by whoever can come out and play their best after halftime. It hasn’t been the strong suit for the Cowboys this year, but the Texans have been equally bad. In a rare instance, the Cowboys must love their chances to win the second half. Do that, and they may upset the Texans in Week 11. Related Links

Cowboys QB fined for defensive effort vs Eagles; LB-on-LB foul also flagged Todd Brock The Cowboys got blown out by the Eagles in Week 10, but two Dallas players are losing a second time, six days after the fact. Backup quarterback Trey Lance and rookie linebacker Marist Liufau were fined by the league for plays made during the team’s 34-6 defeat, it was announced Saturday. Lance’s fine came, oddly, from a defensive play the passer made after a possession change. As Philadelphia safety Reed Blankenship returned Jake Ferguson’s fumble early in the fourth quarter, Lance met him near the Cowboys sideline and forced him out of bounds. The NFL has determined that Lance improperly used his helmet to initiate the contact and fined him $22,511 for unnecessary roughness. https://twitter.com/TomPelissero/status/1857893864490639754/ The play did not draw a flag from officials at the time but was notable to many for nearly taking out an already-injured Dak Prescott as he stood on the sideline, perhaps a little too close for the comfort of most observers. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Liufau drew a $5,749 fine, also for unnecessary roughness, on a play that was unusual in its own right. The rookie was spotted grabbing the facemask of a fellow linebacker, Philadelphia’s Ben Van Sumeren, who was on the field with the Eagles offense as a backfield blocker. That altercation took place away from the late second-down play and resulted in a penalty flag from officials, the Cowboys’ fifth of Sunday’s contest. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

‘Train wreck’: ESPN College Gameday crew rips Cowboys during Monday Night Football promo Todd Brock Saturday mornings are great. For football fans, it’s a time to sleep in a bit, turn on the TV, and then see where ESPN College GameDay is this week in what has become a ritual for millions: preview the day’s collegiate matchups, break down some Xs and Os with Nick Saban, listen to a possibly-shirtless Pat McAfee get riled up, throw in a tearjerker story from somewhere, watch some kid (probably) shank a field goal try, read some clever signs, and wait for Lee Corso to maybe put on a silly mascot head before settling in for a day’s worth of the sport we love. Even if the pro team you follow is in the middle of an unequivocal stinker of a season, Saturday morning is a safe space where you can soak in all the competitive spirit and rich pageantry of the gridiron without being reminded of how badly your Sunday squad sucks. Unless you’re a Cowboys fan. With the GameDay crew broadcasting live from Athens, Ga. in advance of the Bulldogs-Volunteers clash later in the day, ESPN also took a moment to tease their upcoming programming- namely, the Week 11 installment of Monday Night Football that will pit the 3-6 Cowboys against the Houston Texans in a primetime battle for bragging rights within the Lone Star State. And hoo boy, Kirk Herbstreit had things to say. Coming back from a commercial break, Rece Davis read his scripted voiceover of the obligatory promo… and then absolutely teed up his deskmate and Thursday-night NFL color man. https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1857796264987128122/ “Boy, things are going great in Dallas,” Davis snipped. “Just keep putting Dallas in those high-profile windows,” Herbstreit taunted, to the snickers of the other hosts. “They just keep losing games. That is a train wreck. A train wreck.” “And they keep talking,” prodded McAfee. “Great body language, if you watch them play,” Herbstreit added. “Other than that,” Davis wrapped up, “what’s your opinion on the Cowboys?” “Awful,” concluded Herbstreit. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Enjoy your Saturday, Cowboys fans. Heck, this week we even get a bonus Sunday to just be casual observers. But sadly, the train is going to just keep coming. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Reloading Weapon among 3 reasons for Cowboys to hate Week 11 matchup vs Texans Ben Grimaldi The Dallas Cowboys will be playing their in-state rivals in Week 11, and there are things to hate about the Houston Texans. Winning the Governor’s Cup on Monday Night Football might be the only thing Jerry Jones can brag about this year, but that can only be accomplished if his team ends their four-game losing streak. It has already been a rough season for the Cowboys, and things could turn even worse in Week 11. They’ll be the only game to watch, and football fans everywhere will be waiting to see Jones’ franchise try to avoid another embarrassing defeat. What’s worse, the game is at AT&T Stadium and the Cowboys are hoping to avoid an 0-5 start at home. The sun can’t hurt the Cowboys this week, but the Texans, who come into the contest with a 6-4 record and in first place in the AFC South, can. Here are three reasons to hate the Week 11 opponent for the Cowboys. Good C.J. Stroud Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Once upon a time, the Cowboys had a young quarterback who balled out as a rookie and was one of the best young signal callers in the league. Now, that distinction belongs to Texans QB C.J. Stroud. He might not be playing at as high a level as he did last year, but Stroud is still a top QB. The 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year is seventh in the NFL in passing yards and has thrown for 12 touchdowns. Those aren’t impressive numbers on their own, but when Stroud had all three of his best wide receivers, he was playing well. In the first six weeks, Stroud was averaging over 262 passing yards a contest, threw for 10 of his 12 scores, and had two 300-yard passing games. The young QBs completion percentage was at 68% during that time as well. Injuries to two of his top WRs have caused his numbers to dip, but Stroud is still capable to torching the Dallas defense. Stroud struggled last week, and he’ll be looking to bounce back, which is something the Cowboys must hate to see coming. Nico Collins returning Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports The Texans’ offense hasn’t been as efficient since their best WR went down with an injury, but that looks like it’s about to change. Top target Nico Collins is ready to come back off a hamstring injury that saw him miss the last five games, and his return is bad news for the Cowboys. Through the first five games this season, Collins was at the top of every statistical category in the NFL. The fourth-year WR is averaging a whopping 113.4 yards per game (the only WR in the league to be over 100 ypg), has 567 yards receiving, and three touchdowns in just five games. Collins is also averaging 17.7 yards a catch, good for second in the league among receivers who have at least 25 receptions. That’s the production that’s been missing from the Texans’ offense, but Collins is set return to torture a Cowboys’ defense that has struggled all year. Mike Zimmer’s unit will hate facing one of the best WRs in the league in Week 11. Secondary loaded with talent Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports The Texans have one of the best passing defenses in the NFL, giving up a meager 174.7 ypg through the air. While that ranks fourth in the league, they are also second in interceptions with 13, and their defense boasts one of the best young secondaries in the game. Houston’s secondary has four key pieces who all have three years or less of experience, and they are dominating. Safeties Calen Bullock and Jalen Pitre have combined for five interceptions, while cornerbacks Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter have totaled four more. Those four players have combined for 32 passes defensed. While Bullock has been impressive and Lassiter is excelling as a rookie, Pitre and Stingley are among the best players in the league at their positions. Pitre is an aggressive safety who’s as effective near the line of scrimmage as he is in coverage. There aren’t many players in the league at his position who play both at a high level. Stingley is living up to the hype at CB, and was selected as a Top 10 CB this year by ESPN. The third-year corner is sticky in coverage and has yet to allow a touchdown through three years. The Cowboys’ offense led by QB Cooper Rush will be facing off against one of the best secondaries in the league, they can’t like this matchup. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Former Cowboys 2nd-round OL draft pick abruptly retires after starting all 2024, joins unique group K.D. Drummond Do Cowboys fans remember Connor Williams? The former University of Texas product was part of the hometown 2018 draft class that appeared to be sending the franchise in the right direction.  AT&T Stadium was the location the festivities that year, one of the first where the NFL allowed cities other than New York City to host. Dallas walked away with what they thought was a foundational class, with three players taken in the first three rounds who all had an immediate impact on a team that would go on to make the playoffs and win a game. Nope. On Friday, Williams became the third of those three players to end their careers this season. The strange thing is, Williams has retired in the middle of a season where he’s started every game for his club, the Seattle Seahawks. Williams left the Cowboys after the 2021 season in free agency, landing with the Miami Dolphins who successfully moved him to center. His knee injury made him a risky proposition in  free agency this season, but the Seahawks were reaping the rewards of the small gamble on a one-year, $4 million deal. That is until he abruptly called it a career nine games into the season. The Cowboys lost their first-round pick that year, LB Leighton Vander Esch, to a neck injury in October of last season; one of several he suffered in his short career. Vander Esch officially called it quits in March. A few days earlier, the team had released Vander Esch and 2018 third-round WR Michael Gallup. After sustaining a torn ACL in 2021, the team waited and waited for Gallup to recover, but he never again attained the ability he had shown in his first few years in the league. After signing as a free agent with the Las Vegas Raiders, Gallup also abruptly retired, but on the eve of reporting for training camp. Now, all three of the club’s premiere picks are gone. No player who was part of the 2018 draft class remains with Dallas, with DE Dorance Armstrong leaving in free agency to join former DC Dan Quinn and the Washington Commanders. Another fourth-round pick, TE Dalton Schultz, left in free agency last year to join the Houston Texans and will return to AT&T Stadium on Monday Night in the Week 11 clash. WR Cedrick Wilson, who was with Williams in Miami for two seasons, is currently on the New Orleans Saints roster and played against the Cowboys in the Week 2 matchup. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.