Archer: ESPN Insiders high on Cowboys offseason, Jason Garrett

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ESPN Insiders high on Cowboys offseason, Jason Garrett

Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer

IRVING, Texas – It’s hard not to like what the Dallas Cowboys have done this offseason.

Losing DeMarco Murray is a big blow. While I understand the move not to pay Murray from a fiscal sense, I also believe he brought more to the team than just yards. There was a belief that he would pick up the tough yards.

Until Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden, Lance Dunbar, Ryan Williams or any other addition actually do it, then it’s all guesswork.

The Cowboys' first big offseason move was locking up Jason Garrett with a five-year contract extension. AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez
The Cowboys were able to sign Greg Hardy in free agency. While they don’t know how many games he will actually play, when he does get on the field the defense will be better. They were also able to retain Rolando McClain, who was one of the best middle linebackers available in free agency. Had he had the type of season with another team and joined the Cowboys as a free agent then maybe this move would get more recognition.

The Cowboys also kept Doug Free, which keeps the offensive line intact, and locked up Cole Beasley, whose importance grows each year as slot play becomes more important league wide.

In the draft, the Cowboys were able to pick up three first-round talents in Byron Jones, Randy Gregory and La'el Collins with only one first-round pick. That’s a good haul.

The folks at ESPN Insiders noticed and gave the Cowboys a B-plus for their offseason work. Only three teams had better grades: the New York Jets (A), Green Bay Packers (A-minus) and Washington Redskins (A-minus) had better grades than the Cowboys.

One of the factors in the grade was the retention of Jason Garrett. He was the first move of the offseason, signing a five-year, $30 million deal.

The Cowboys have allowed Garrett to grow since making him the interim coach in 2010. He made mistakes along the way, but the conviction and the path has remained the same for the Cowboys under Garrett’s stewardship.

The moves the Cowboys have made this offseason, like the additions of Hardy and Gregory and the decision to place the franchise tag on Dez Bryant, put more on Garrett’s plate in terms of handling the temperament of the team.

But owner and general manager Jerry Jones has made some of the moves he has made because of the faith in Garrett.

“He genuinely cares, but he genuinely knows that his players know that it’s business,” Jones said. “There are no favorites, so all of that starts at the top. Then obviously when you’re in the trenches together, that creates a bond. There’s only one place else to get that kind of bond and it’s tragedy. It’s usually a conflict of war, but you get a bond together in the competition in building a team, something as physical as football, that they depend on each other and that’s leadership. They basically are all committed with each other. That’s leadership and I think they get it, and that happens, but you’ve got to have leadership to coach.”
 
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