Cowboys to Bust Budget for Defensive Overhaul

Cowboys Ready to Unleash Spending Spree on Defense, Analysts Divided

The Dallas Cowboys are signaling a significant shift in their offseason strategy, with owner Jerry Jones declaring a top priority to ‘win some third downs more than we did last year’ and pledging to ‘bust the budget’ on the defensive side of the ball. This aggressive stance comes after a disappointing playoff exit and a season where the defense was widely criticized as ‘atrocious.’

Indianapolis Buzz and Defensive Needs

As the NFL offseason kicks into high gear, the atmosphere in Indianapolis during the Combine was electric, with teams making their presence felt. Peter Schrager, reporting from the scene, described a palpable energy from the Cowboys, symbolized by a ‘giant double-decker cruiser with the Dallas Cowboys star emblazoned on it’ on Washington Street. This display, Schrager noted, was a clear message to the league: ‘Here’s our flag. We are planting it and we’re going to be letting it known to everybody that we are here.’

Schrager believes Jones’s commitment to spending is genuine, especially given the team’s clear needs. ‘This is a defense that was atrocious last year,’ Schrager stated. He pointed to the recent hiring of Christian Parker, a 34-year-old defensive coordinator from the Vic Fangio tree, as a sign of a new direction. Parker, who previously mentored rising defensive backs in Philadelphia, is expected to bring a fresh approach.

Potential Free Agent Targets and Draft Capital

The Cowboys possess significant draft capital, holding the 12th and 20th picks in a draft perceived as deep on the defensive side. Schrager highlighted potential free agent targets that Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones, and Will McClay might have their eyes on, including names like Jaylen Phillips, Devin Lloyd, Alante Taylor, Boye Mafe, and Tariq Woolen. This combination of financial flexibility and draft positioning could allow the Cowboys to make a substantial impact early in the offseason.

A New Window for Dallas?

Dan Orlovsky, while acknowledging the team’s offensive strengths with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and a newly signed running back, emphasized the need to improve defensively. ‘I want to do everything we possibly can to stop somebody and to basically win some third downs more than we did last year,’ Orlovsky said, identifying this as the area where the budget would be ‘busted.’

Schrager, in a smaller camp of analysts, believes a new championship window is opening for the Cowboys. He sees the NFC as ‘wide open,’ despite Seattle’s recent success. With potential shake-ups in other NFC contenders like Philadelphia and Detroit due to new offensive coordinators, and questions surrounding quarterback situations in Minnesota, Schrager feels Dallas is well-positioned if they can bolster their defense.

‘I think you got a chance to contend right away. I truly do,’ Schrager asserted, believing that adding ‘two or three impactful players’ on the edges of the defense and at linebacker could transform the team.

Skepticism and Historical Precedent

However, not all analysts are convinced. Stephen A. Smith, a noted critic of the Cowboys’ postseason performance, remains skeptical. He questioned the team’s historical tendency to not spend money quickly in free agency and expressed doubt that they can execute the necessary maneuvers, including restructuring contracts for Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Tyler Smith, while also making significant defensive acquisitions.

‘Would that change your mind, Stephen A? Would that change your mind in the way the Cowboys are approaching this offseason?’ was posed. Smith responded, ‘If they go out and they spend money to buffer that defense up, all right, and they get the right the right acquisitions, I I’ll feel a little bit differently about them.’ Despite this, he added, ‘There’s too many maneuvers that have to take place in order for us to feel confident about the Dallas Cowboys. And I’m not confident that they’re going to be able to pull that off, y’all. I’m just not.’

Smith also recalled past seasons where the Cowboys boasted strong regular-season records but faltered in the playoffs, citing a pattern of the team ‘getting in their own way.’ He pointed to last season’s defensive struggles, ranking ‘dead last in scoring, dead last in passing yards, dead last on third downs,’ and a mere 12 takeaways (30th in the league), as glaring issues that need more than just a few additions to fix.

The ‘Ridiculous Football Point’ and Trust Factor

The discussion also touched on Orlovsky’s assertion that the Cowboys are ‘not that far away,’ needing ‘just two or three players.’ Smith humorously dubbed this the ‘ridiculous football point,’ emphasizing that ‘two or three players is a big deal’ and that many teams would improve significantly with such additions, but few have the ‘capital the ammunition to acquire’ them. The Cowboys, with a projected cap space of over $301 million, do have the financial means.

Orlovsky defended the organization’s draft success, noting that ‘5% of their money allocated right now is in free agent signings,’ indicating a reliance on the draft. However, Smith countered that the focus shouldn’t be on draft success when the team repeatedly fails to capitalize on their potential in the postseason. He highlighted the Cowboys’ consistent regular-season success under Mike McCarthy and Wade Phillips, which never translated into deep playoff runs, and even pointed out Jason Garrett’s streak of losing the final regular-season game three consecutive years.

‘We’ve looked at the Dallas Cowboys on occasions in the past and said, ‘Yo, this is a Super Bowl caliber roster and they went home in the wild card game. This is what they do,’ Smith concluded, expressing his long-standing frustration with the team’s inability to perform when it matters most.

Jerry Jones’s Championship Drive

Despite the skepticism, Jerry Jones’s quote, ‘Make no mistake about it. I don’t have a higher priority than to go and win a Super Bowl,’ underscores the urgency within the organization. The question remains whether the Cowboys can translate their stated intentions and financial resources into tangible improvements on the field, particularly on defense, to finally overcome their playoff hurdles and contend for a championship.

Source: Dan Orlovsky says the Cowboys will be contenders with THIS CHANGE… | First Take (YouTube)