'We’re All In!' Jerry Jones Reveals Cowboys Offseason Plan, Mindset for 2024
The pressure continues to mount in Frisco as the Dallas Cowboys begin to pick up the pieces from another lost season.
Three consecutive 12-5 seasons have ended in playoff catastrophe, and the fanbase has been met with confirmation of their stagnating fears: Dallas is running it back on the headset, bringing back head coach Mike McCarthy and much of the staff – assuming they don’t get promoted elsewhere.
However, this offseason will ask the Cowboys to make critical decisions about the cap space and when they’ll have to pay the piper. From quarterback Dak Prescott’s pending (approximately) $60 million cap hit to the looming extensions for receiver CeeDee Lamb and edge rusher Micah Parsons, Dallas will have the opportunity to keep its stars around or pivot elsewhere.
Running back Tony Pollard is a pending free agent, as is stalwart left tackle Tyron Smith. There’s an opportunity to pivot to younger, cheaper players and chase a more sustainable future. Owner Jerry Jones revealed his approach to the offseason, and what fans can expect as the coming months set the tone for the 2024 season.
“We will be going all in,” Jones said. “I would say that you will see us this coming year not build it for the future.”
Whether he’s feeding into the hype machine (see our Mike Fisher’s take) or being truthful about the Cowboys’ intentions, there is a path to staying competitive. Being clever will take on additional importance, but Dallas should be a player in free agency.
Going all in seems to increase the likelihood that Smith returns to protect Prescott’s blindside. It also encourages the veteran reinforcement acquisitions Dallas made last season like receiver Brandin Cooks and corner Stefon Gilmore.
Jones’ words may also bleed into the 2024 NFL Draft. Defensive tackle Mazi Smith and tight end Luke Schoonmaker – the Cowboys’ first two picks of last year’s class – were viewed as developmental prospects. Both positions generally take longer to develop and didn’t play critical roles in the team’s 2023 plans.
“Going all in” probably comes with the consequences of falling. (And maybe with Jerry being 81.)
McCarthy’s seat is already hot, and the fanbase nearly revolted when he was brought back after the Wild Card Round embarrassment. A slow start or an eventual early-round exit very much feels like the last straw for a coaching staff that hasn’t yet gotten over the hump.
Jones laid out what he plans to do. How the front office puts meaning to those words will shape their chances in 2024.
