Dallas Cowboys News & Rumors

The Cowboys will look to avoid a 1-3 start tonight when they take on the Giants. Dallas is not planning to make major moves with respect to players or personnel, but the door is of course open to an in-season trade in the coming weeks.

The 2024 offseason was dominated by negotiations on the Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb fronts. Both players eventually worked out a deal, but their combined AAV of $94MM will lead to a number of difficult financial decisions moving forward. The team’s top remaining priority is a monster extension for Micah Parsons, something which will not be finalized until after the 2024 season. Any additions made before the trade deadline will keep Parsons’ looming raise in mind.

“Could we take advantage of an opportunity if we felt like the situation was there? Absolutely we can,” COO Stephen Jones said during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota). “Obviously the cap is a lot more than just about this year. Where our pressure starts to hit is going forward, as we try to have three players the caliber of Dak and CeeDee and Micah.”

The Prescott and Lamb accords will begin next season, while Parsons remains attached to his rookie deal through 2026 given the Cowboys’ decision to pick up his fifth-year option. The two-time All-Pro is set to earn $21.32MM that year, although a long-term accord will cost much more annually. Taking on players with term beyond the current season would complicate the Cowboys’ Parsons extension efforts (along with other matters like a second contract for Tyler Smith or new commitments in pending free agents Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence). As a result, Dallas will be targeting rentals in any upcoming trade acquisitions.

With nearly $24MM in cap space, the Cowboys certainly have the flexibility to make a notable addition by taking on an expiring contract. Plenty will depend on the team’s success over the next few games in determining whether or not a move is contemplated as Dallas looks to post another double-digit win campaign (or at least do enough to qualify for the postseason). Jones reiterated his confidence in the Cowboys’ in-house options to rebound from the losses of the past two weeks, though.

“We believe in our process,” he added. “We believe in this football team. We believe in this coaching staff. We believe we’re going to right the ship.

The Cowboys dropped to 1-2 on Sunday after a second straight home defeat. Sunday’s game against the Ravens included a late comeback attempt but it was defined in large part by another poor showing against the run.

Baltimore amassed 274 rushing yards during the win, one which followed a blowout loss to the Saints including major production on the ground. Struggles in that department – along with an ineffective rushing attack – have led to renewed questions about changes in the lineup or on the sidelines. When speaking after the the game, though, owner Jerry Jones confirmed no such moves are imminent.

“I don’t have any concern about our players buying into the coaching staff, or the staff buying into the players,” Jones said (via WFAA’s Ed Werder). “That’s not it.”

Dallas leads the league in passing yards per game, but the team ranks 29th with an average of less than 74 yards per game on the ground. Defensively, the team sits at or near the bottom in a number of categories; that includes the NFL’s worst run defense (186 yards per contest allowed).

Plenty of work therefore needs to be done by defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and Co. during his first year back as the Cowboys’ defensive play-caller. Head coach Mike McCarthy is of course in a lame-duck season at the moment, and continued struggles could lead to increased calls for a change on the sidelines. Jones’ remarks illustrate his confidence in the veteran staffers, however.

With respect to personnel, a similar mindset is in place. No major in-season move is currently being contemplated, something which could of course change closer to the trade deadline. With nearly $24MM in cap space, the Cowboys have more financial flexibility than most teams at the moment. Jones is confident Dallas’ in-house players will be able to rebound from a disappointing start and render a midseason addition unnecessary.

“Well, I love out quarterback, highest paid guy in the NFL,” Jones added (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). “Love our receiver,” a reference to CeeDee Lamb. “Like our offensive line. And, frankly, I like some of the things we’re doing on the defensive line… I say ‘all-in’ on personnel… I don’t see personnel changes out here. I see everybody doing better. Getting better.”

The Cowboys’ offseason consisted of few outside additions while negotiations with Lamb and Prescott took place. The former landed the second-highest AAV for receivers ($34MM) while the latter agreed to a record-breaking $60MM-per-year pact hours before Dallas’ first regular season game. An accord similarly moving Micah Parsons to the top of the edge rush market is expected for next offseason. In the meantime, the incumbent staff members and players will be counted on to deliver another postseason appearance after a slow start to the campaign.

The running back position was a major talking point for the Cowboys this offseason, one in which Tony Pollard departed as a free agent. The team’s moves since then have not quelled debate about whether more is required, but further additions are not a priority at the moment.

“A few of the media have gotten out here and written some stories early about how we needed a running back in the draft or how we need a running back, and they’re trying to cover their you-know-what as we go through the season,” owner Jerry Jones said during a Friday appearance on 105.3 The Fan (via Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).

Dallas reunited with Ezekiel Elliott on a one-year deal, although the team did so with a committee approach in mind. Elliott logged at least 231 carries during each of his first seven seasons as a Cowboy before ceding time to Pollard and being released after the 2022 season. That paved the way for a one-and-done campaign in New England during which the 29-year-old set a new career low in yards per carry (3.5). Elliott has matched that figure through two games while logging a 45% snap share.

The Cowboys retained Rico Dowdle in the offseason after he served in a depth capacity with the team for several years. The former UDFA took on an increased role in 2023 with a 22% snap share; that mark has doubled in the early portion of the current campaign. Dowdle received 106 total touches last year, but he is well on track to surpass that figure with 20 through two weeks in 2024.

Not long before the start of the campaign, the Cowboys added Dalvin Cook to their practice squad. The four-time Pro Bowler had a forgettable 2023 season split between the Jets and Ravens, but Dallas represents an opportunity to rebound. Cook, 29, has yet to be promoted to the active roster. Doing so would be a feasible move from the team’s perspective before seeking out any additions.

Dallas has averaged just 85 rushing yards per game this year, which ranks 26th in the league. Frequently linked to Jonathon Brooks in particular leading up to the draft, the team did not add any rookies in the backfield. Reliance on Elliott, Dowdle, 2023 sixth-rounder Deuce Vaughn and (at some point) Cook will remain the case until a move is deemed necessary. With Kareem Hunt having returned to the Chiefs this week, though, the free agent pool has thinned.