Dak Prescott’s thumb injury isn’t the Dallas Cowboys’ fault. It isn’t anybody’s fault, really. Dak’s right hand collided with Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge rusher Shaq Barrett’s hand, leading to a thumb fracture that will sideline Prescott for 6-8 weeks.
It’s the type of freak injury that can occur during an NFL game, and the Cowboys couldn’t have seen it coming.
What Dallas’ front office could have seen coming was that their roster — stripped of many of its parts and lacking any substantial depth — could crumble as the 2022 season materialized. They probably just didn’t think it would happen as early as Week 1.
The Dallas Cowboys actively made themselves worse over the offseason
It’s almost hard to remember now, but the Cowboys were viewed as the NFC East favorites before the 2022 offseason began. According to DraftKings’ odds, Dallas in February had roughly a 56% implied chance to win the division.
The Philadelphia Eagles’ excellent offseason, which included the additions of A.J. Brown, Haason Reddick, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, James Bradberry, and rookie Jordan Davis, catapulted Philadelphia into the catbird seat as the spring and summer progressed. But the Cowboys’ failure to augment their talent — and their decisions to consciously rid their roster of starting-caliber players — has come back to haunt them.
First, Dallas traded wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Browns in exchange for a fifth-round choice and a pick swap in the sixth round. Cooper had three years and $60 million remaining on his contract, and the Cowboys failed to predict the impending WR contract boom. While Cooper had a top-five positional salary at the time of the trade, his $20 million average annual value now ranks 13th among wideouts.
The Cowboys didn’t get enough in return for Cooper, and though they re-signed fellow pass catcher Michael Gallup, they knew he wouldn’t be ready early in the season after tearing his ACL in January. Dallas’ only reinforcements were James Washington, who failed to top 400 yards receiving in three of his four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and third-round pick Jalen Tolbert, who was a healthy scratch against the Buccaneers.
Washington suffered a Jones fracture in his foot on the first day of training camp, and he’s expected to miss at least the first month of the season. The Cowboys failed to make any WR additions even after Washington went down. On Sunday night, career special teamer Noah Brown played the second-most receiver snaps after CeeDee Lamb, while rookie undrafted free agent Dennis Houston came in third.
Elsewhere on offense, the Cowboys released right tackle La’el Collins instead of paying him a $10 million salary. Terence Steele may have been ready to take over as a starter, but the decision to cut Collins left Dallas perilously thin at offensive tackle.
That weakness was exposed when Tyron Smith sustained a knee fracture that will keep him out until December. First-round pick Tyler Smith is taking over left tackle for now, but he’s expected to eventually slide to left guard while 40-year-old free agent signee Jason Peters mans the blindside. Dallas also let Connor Williams — who allowed just one pressure on 60 snaps for the Miami Dolphins on Sunday — walk in free agency.
On defense, the Cowboys lost edge rusher Randy Gregory after inserting language into his contract that would have voided his guarantees based on a mere fine. Dallas had stood by Gregory through multiple marijuana-related suspensions, but the fine-based forfeiture clause was something Gregory’s agent had never seen “in 30 years” in the business.
The Cowboys tried to sign Von Miller, but their laughable five-year, $70 million offer — the same proposal they sent to Gregory — paled in comparison to Miller’s eventual six-year, $120 million deal with the Buffalo Bills. And they almost lost franchise icon DeMarcus Lawrence after asking him to drop his salary from $19 million to $10 million (the two sides eventually agreed to a new three-year, $40 million pact).
The backup quarterback situation
It’s not fair to blame the Cowboys for Prescott’s injury, but they could have done more to fortify their backup quarterback spot. Technically, Dallas didn’t even have a No. 2 QB on their roster after final cutdowns. Cooper Rush and Will Grier were both on the club’s practice squad, and the Cowboys used a PS promotion to get Rush on the active roster before Sunday night’s game.
Think about that for a second. The Cowboys weren’t worried that Rush would get claimed via waivers — or simply sign with another team — as they transferred him to their practice squad. That’s how little they’ve invested behind Dak. Maybe Dallas simply believes in the Tom Moore approach with backup quarterbacks.
Now, with Prescott sidelined for 6-8 weeks, do the Cowboys try to upgrade over Rush? The 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo, the Saints’ Andy Dalton (who backed up Dak in 2020), and the Eagles’ Gardner Minshew could all be trade options, but it seems unlikely that those teams want to move on from their backups after Week 1. Additionally, those clubs might be reluctant to trade within the conference or, in Philadelphia’s case, within the division.
Maybe the Cowboys could target someone like Steelers third-stringer Mason Rudolph or take a chance on free agent Cam Newton. But Dallas’ roster would look a lot better had they signed Tyrod Taylor, Teddy Bridgewater, Nick Foles, or Jacoby Brissett over the offseason instead of relying on Rush, Grier, and prayers.
The Cowboys may need to reset in 2023
The Cowboys haven’t been aggressive enough in targeting outside options at backup QB, and that lack of assertiveness has permeated their entire roster-building strategy. After going to lengths to clear all that salary over the offseason, Dallas now has more than $11 million in cap space, fifth-most in the league. They can carry that money over to next season, but that unused cash could have helped improve the 2022 roster.
Dallas ranks fourth-worst in active cash spending, and more than 80% of their roster is homegrown. That figure ranks first in the league, per Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap. While drafting and developing is always a good strategy, the Cowboys have taken that policy to the extreme. They’ve repeatedly failed to bring external free agents, handicapping themselves in the same way the Packers and Bengals used to.
2022 was supposed to be an “eat your vegetables” season where the Cowboys could get their cap in order, but 2023 might be more of the same. Dallas is already projected to be over the cap next year, and while they create some savings by releasing Ezekiel Elliott and potentially Tyron Smith, they’re not going to be flush with extra funds.
The Cowboys will probably have a new coaching staff in 2023. Whether that’s Sean Payton or another deserving candidate, Dallas’ front office needs to start reaping the rewards of the excellent parts of their roster. They have a budding star wide receiver (Lamb) and a certified freak edge rusher (Micah Parsons) on rookie contracts. The Cowboys can’t afford to let those assets go to waste.