Friday Cowboys Weekend Mailbag is Back!

Let's see what everyone wants to discuss as we wait for Monday Night.

Due to the Monday night game this week, I thought we should delay our Friday preview piece and push that to Monday morning so that we can get back into the habit of visiting with you and answering your questions below. It is clear that most of us are not as worried about the game as we are about the bigger questions of this team as it moves into its new era – Open for Business 2025.

With that in mind, I asked yesterday for questions, and you came through. Unfortunately, I have only a few hours this morning to fire out some answers. A few of them look like the seeds for their own bigger pieces, but for now, I am going to limit myself to about 10 minutes per topic, so some of the answers will be a little shorter than someone of my verbosity might prefer. That said, thanks to everyone who offered a question, and I will try to get to another batch soon, so don’t give up if I didn’t grab yours.

Also, I have unlocked this for everyone, but I would love to convince some free subscribers to upgrade and join the full-access family here as we move forward. I promise I will make it worth your while.

Here we go:

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In no particular order…

Cole Ballweg

I have checked out on this season and look forward to 2025. As I survey the roster I don’t see a dumpster fire, but rather a massive problem on the interior defensive line. Next year will bring a last place schedule, which is Dak’s specialty. I think it is plausible to imagine the OL kids develop, pick up a RB or Rico levels up, they get a WR2 in free agency, and Dak progresses back to his mean with a more reliable line and running game. On defense you have real talent if everyone is healthy and plays to their paper, with the exception of DL. What options are out there in FA or draft that could replace Mazi and some dudes who were once good but now are just kinda fat?

The only real free agent that I thought would be worth splashing big money at was just locked down. Detroit did a deal with DT Alim McNeill last month to the tune of four-year contract extension worth $97 million with $55 million guaranteed. McNeill is exactly what Dallas needs, but the obvious points there would be the following. If you have a DT like that, you don’t let him out of the building when he is 24 years old. And, the going rate is about $24-25m per season. So, yeah, free agency is an expensive venture and DT’s get paid now.

There are now 13 DT’s who make $20 million or more per season. 13! The four DT’s Dallas currently employ combine to make $8 million this season. So, if you are going to try to fix this spot, you better do it in the draft and throw numbers at the problem because sometimes you will think you got a stud, but you got Mazi Smith, instead. That happens. Football talent acquisition is a numbers game so keep bringing in guys.

Of those, I haven’t studied many yet, but here is my watchlist. I have 17 on here if you want to get to work yourself. Some of these guys will drop out of the 2025 draft, I am sure. And yes, the best of the best is a Michigan Wolverine and I will not tolerate folks telling me I cannot take a Michigan player anymore. Lol.

Hugh Ward

Will Jerry try to make a big splash with his high first round pick in 2025?

Of course! Yes, without a hesitation of a doubt, Jerry will want to make a big splash in 2025. But, that can take on a number of forms and some of them will come with my full agreement. There is certainly every reason to believe Travis Hunter or Ashton Jeanty would be a splash and also exactly what they need, so I am willing to keep an open mind here.

Brad McGuire

Do you think they’ll start Lance the rest of the way? It seems like that would be best for the player (he needs reps). Is that what’s also best for the team?

Brad, I will tell you. Every indicator since the trade was made that I have picked up on from the organization is that “he isn’t ready.” There has never been a confident nod from the guys who would know that suggests they are eager to get him out there to see what he can do in a game.

Now, I am not saying that should change anything. You are right. Lance should play over Cooper Rush for a number of reasons. There is almost no real reason to have Rush play right now unless you are trying to save the season and the odds of that get worse every day.

Lance gives you the unknown, the potential to make him more attractive to other teams (thus affecting your compensatory pick), and of course, allows you to improve your draft position. Rush is a proven commodity (who has proven he is extremely limited). I would think by Thanksgiving, we are seeing Lance. Then, as long as he is at least somewhat competent, they should try to stay with him down the stretch of what could be a very long December.

Chris and Gibbs had similar questions:

Chris C

Bob, how would you rank the potential candidates to coach the cowboys next year, based on likelihood of getting the job? Top 5, top 10, top 50…whatever you think is appropriate.

Gibbs Henderson

If we've learned anything over the last 30 years, it's that past is usually prologue with Jerry. Consistent with the definition of insanity, he does the same tings over and over and expects different results. Along these lines, if you were handicapping who the next HC would be, doesn't the favorite have to be Kellen Moore? He'd be the new Garrett. Hell, Jerry might even hire his DC for him.

First, let’s see what Vegas thinks. I get these in my email all the time from various sportsbooks and this one is from Sportsbetting.ag:

I have to admit that Deion Sanders moving ahead of Kliff Kingsbury and Kellen Moore is a bit of a shock. I also want to say that many of these names seem incredibly unlikely for a number of reasons. I do think the Triplets down at the bottom are high comedy too, but why Tony Romo has a better price is a mystery. Kirby Smart and Dan Quinn are not leaving their present gigs, by the way.

I said on the radio yesterday that I expect the Jones family to be really attracted to Kingsbury and Moore because they fit the description of what they like: compliant, offensive minds who will not demand full control and will be polite with the flying circus.

Who would I want from this list? I am tempted to say Vrabel for my belief that he would have no time for the nonsense, but I also need to make sure I have a brilliant offensive mind paired with him. Can I get Vrabel and Kingsbury as my OC? Or maybe Lincoln Riley as my OC? I need someone on both sides of the ball to get it done. This list is a bit rough to me because the guys who I would want will not want to be here.

I need to write more about this soon because I think building the culture is the most important element of this, but it will be talked about the least. And I recognize that this is a tough thing to detect from the outside.

Listen to Dan Campbell from Monday. This is the guy – or someone who lives like him – who needs to coach this team:

By the way, I happen to have this same odds list from November of 2019—five years ago this month. Here is what the Top 10 list looked like back then:

Mike McCarthy is not even listed, but Mike Leach was. Urban Meyer was the leader and there is Lincoln Riley again. Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh are both more appealing than anyone else on my list. And, there is Dan Campbell. Yikes.

I guess the point of revisiting that list is to show that these lists are probably just fun and not really helping us figure out who will be next.

Alex

For as much crap as we give McCarthy, he’s no fool and he certainly knows offense. Are there any schematic adjustments that, despite our issues with the o-line and injury and lack of personnel investment last offseason, could better optimize what we still Have? It sure seems like it. So what gives ?

Also do you think Zimmer gets consideration as head coach as he seems to be doing more with what he has, and could hire a young offensive mind to fix that side?

Alex, for me, the offense has been vanilla for a clear and obvious reason – they are trying to manage around an offensive line that is young and mediocre. Nobody wants to hear this, but if you cannot run the ball and you cannot pass protect, the limitations are severe. People want a magic scheme to paper over all of the issues, but the combination of multiple rookies starting up front, a QB who will not use his feet to win, and a lack of weapons to solve these issues has come home to roost.

Now, that isn’t to say no OC in the world couldn’t improve on what we are seeing, but the “try something else” crowd ceases to acknowledge that the biggest issue with building an offense is avoiding the mistakes that get you blown out. These are all built around turnovers. Turnovers demoralize your sideline, expose and exhaust your defense, and put hopelessness on the main stage. So, back to Mike McCarthy—he does not want his QB beaten up because he knows that will be the end. Therefore, the scheme is limited to the safe options. But those safe options are easily predictable by defenses if you cannot run the ball at all.

You can say this is Bob defending McCarthy, but it is just the reality of the situation. The scheme needs improvement, but the commentary about Mike right now is just unfair. People claiming he is just not smart and just not working hard are lashing out and taking unfair shots at a guy who is in a bad spot. He is a tough guy and will handle it. He knows what comes with the job and the paycheck. But the organization seemed to sabotage him this year with a lot of silly decisions, and I am not sure Ben Johnson would have this team fighting for the division crown if we could run this season with him running the offense. McCarthy probably wishes they had fired him after the Green Bay loss if this was all the help he was going to get combined with all of the blame for being the biggest reason for failure.

As for Zimmer, I just don’t expect that he will get a shot as a head coach. I also wonder if he would be invited back as a DC, but that at least seems plausible. Instead, I would try to start anew with a new staff and begin again on both sides of the ball with the talent you have in place.

Liam

Although they’re already the most valuable sports franchise on the planet, do you think there would be any benefits for the Cowboys to extend their reach internationally (outside of Mexico)? I’m a fan from across the pond, have followed the Cowboys only since 2016 but feel like there’s a conscious decision from the front office to not play any international games

Hello, Liam!

The Cowboys resist international games and they are not alone. I know the league works with teams to find out which organizations are interested in being a part of it and which teams would rather not. The teams who make a ton of money in their own stadium for each game – of which the Cowboys are No. 1 – would rather not lose a home game to play a game overseas. The league then pushes the teams that are more interested over there more often. You cannot completely beg out, but if we were to use Wikipedia’s list of most international games, we see that Jacksonville and Miami are the most frequent:

Meanwhile, teams like Dallas (1), Pittsburgh (1), and Green Bay (2) have barely ever gone on these games and seem to prefer to only go if it is a road game. So, yes, I think it is a conscious decision to only go when they are made to go – and since the commissioner’s office answers to Jerry and not the other way around, I assume it will not increase a whole lot.

Cory Stilwell

Bob, with Micah being a somewhat undersized DE and not necessarily the best edge setter do you think the Cowboys might be better served switching to a 3-4 defense?

Yes, if the entire design of the Cowboys defense was to make Micah Parsons the most unstoppable force in the universe, I do think I would model things off the traditional Pittsburgh 3-4 and go from there. I also then might feel great about Overshown as the other edge in a 3-4 and then need a couple 5-techniques and a big nose. I am curious how this holds up in 2025, but I also am open to hearing what a new staff wants to do.

Basically, Cory, if you are suggesting that the new defensive voice should tell me how he is going to make Micah Parsons a sustainable and destructive force like TJ Watt, then I will say that building a defense based on maximizing my best player is a very wise idea. I am all ears.

I would say that I don’t find Parsons and his edge setting as a major issue. He is good enough, but this should be more about making him the best version of himself and I would lean towards a 3-4 on that.

Eduardo Garcia Jr.

Considering the fact that Shanahan, McVay type offenses have made a habit of running through our defenses, what is the likelihood our next coach is from that tree? How would Dak do in such an offense? What is a plausible, best case scenario for this team going forward?

For me, the Shanahan/McVay type-offense is brilliant because it attempts to build on the premises of complex simplicity. It looks complex, but it is simple. Each concept builds into the next and it can be run in many ways that are redundant with different personnel looks doing a similar thing.

What I love about it is that it is extremely QB-friendly. Almost every QB who has ever been a part of this scheme appears to be the best version of himself. Good QBs can look great. Great QBs can win titles. And they constantly put their QBs in a wonderful and confident position.

What do I not love? Well, the entire league now sees it so often that going to that now would feel like the Cowboys are—once again—a decade behind the cutting edge of innovation in the NFL. Has the league dealt with it all for so long that it is no longer fresh enough to harvest the advantages? I think we might be getting there soon, and for that reason, I have concerns.

But know this: wherever it is installed, it is all based on a complete and diverse run game to put defenses on their heels. Without that, the entire offense is worthless. This is why you see those teams really investing in offensive line play on draft weekend.

SwainPDX

Bob - Playoffs are out, but is there anything McCarthy could do to keep his job? We’ve all seen teams pull off surprise collapses and unexpected surges in the second half of the NFL season…so what if McCarthy managed to go 5-3 (with some upset wins and maybe some close calls against the Eagles and Bengals - no more blowouts)…any chance Jerry does the easy thing and just keeps him around?

Everything is possible in this league. But, I have felt like Mike was fired 10 months ago and they just haven’t told him. I see no scenario where he is back for 2025. I do not understand why they have not done it yet, but if you told me Jerry and Stephen are having a meeting right now and setting up a private jet meeting with someone this weekend, I would not be surprised at all. This whole year has felt destined to take us to this point and there is no turning back.

The Cowboys will surely have a new coach in 2025. If they also had a new GM, that would be pretty cool, too.

Carson M

I’m about to have a kid - should I even introduce him to the lifelong disappointment of being a cowboys fan?

Absolutely! Trust me, as a kid who was born into Green Bay Packers fandom when they were living in the wilderness in the early 1970s, there is no better time to get in than at the ground level. Being born while a dynasty is going puts your expectation level way too high. If you start rooting when just making the playoffs feels like a huge accomplishment, you will have a much better perspective on things and be able to enjoy the journey more.

I think Cowboys fans who are growing up now—provided they actually care about fan loyalty like we did—have a chance to enjoy the struggles and not be as cynical as the previous generation. Of course, their parents can poison that water very quickly, I am sure.

But for me, the loyalty of loving a team is what this is all about. I would continue to suggest there is no better way to love sports. The thick and the thin. The promise that someday, we will win the league again.

Ahhhh, the dreams.

Ok, here is some reading material from this week, in case you missed it: