Archer: Win or lose Sunday, Cowboys heading into an offseason of major change

[boozeman]

Win or lose Sunday, Cowboys heading into an offseason of major change

6:00 AM ET

• 
  
  Todd ArcherESPN Staff Writer

FRISCO, Texas -- A Dallas Cowboys season that started with promise has been reduced to this: Beat the Washington Redskins (3-12) on Sunday and hope the New York Giants (4-11) beat the Philadelphia Eagles.

With Dallas at 7-8 with a game to play, this situation is not what anybody associated with the Cowboys had in mind before the 2019 NFL season began.

"Don't fold. Everyone is gonna want to divide us. Don't fold," Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence said. "We're going out to play this last game, and we're gonna win this m-----f-----."

There was a sense of despair in the locker room after the 17-9 loss to the Eagles on Sunday. Gone was the feeling of controlling their playoff fate. Gone was the thought of a fairy-tale Super Bowl run.

Instead, a sobering reality is setting in: Change is coming.

Jason Garrett's job status has been an ongoing discussion since Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones opted not to offer the coach a contract extension after he directed Dallas out of a 3-5 hole and to the playoffs in 2018. Perhaps it would be symbolic if the Cowboys finish with an 8-8 record in Garrett's final season, given that they opened his coaching tenure with three straight .500 finishes.

But the pending changes go beyond Garrett. Eighteen of the 25 assistant coaches, including passing game coordinator Kris Richard and defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, have expiring contracts. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, offensive line coach Marc Colombo, quarterbacks coach Jon Kitna and receivers coach Sanjay Lal are among those signed at least through 2020, but there is no guarantee that they will return under a new head coach.

On the player side, the number is more alarming because up to 26 players could be unrestricted free agents (UFAs). Although roster turnover is a constant year to year, that is a staggering number.

Cowboys' Unrestricted Free Agents (24)
OFFENSE
QB Dak Prescott | WR Tavon Austin
WR Randall Cobb| WR Amari Cooper
TE Jason Witten | C Joe Looney
G Xavier Su'a-Filo
DEFENSE
DL Michael Bennett | DT Maliek Collins
DT Christian Covington | DE Kerry Hyder
DE Robert Quinn | LB Malcolm Smith
LB Sean Lee | LB Justin March
LB Joe Thomas | CB Anthony Brown
S Kavon Frazier | CB C.J. Goodwin
S Jeff Heath | CB Byron Jones
S Darian Thompson
SPECIALISTS
K Kai Forbath | LS L.P. Ladouceur
Note: Tackle Cameron Fleming and fullback Jamize Olawale could become unrestricted free agents if the Cowboys don't pick up their 2020 options.

Some of those players, such as quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Amari Cooper, will not be going anywhere.

If there is not an extension of the NFL collective bargaining agreement, the Cowboys can use the franchise and transition tags on both players in 2020. If there is a new CBA before March, the Cowboys can use only one designation, and that would likely be the franchise tag on Prescott, which would cost $27 million to $37 million.
The goal, however, is to sign both Prescott and Cooper to multiyear deals. Of course, that was the Cowboys' goal last offseason as well.

But what about Byron Jones, the Cowboys' top cornerback? Although he has gone 39 games without an interception, he is a valuable asset because of his cover skills. Team sack leader Robert Quinn, who has 10.5 sacks and will turn 30 years old in May, will likely command more than the Cowboys can afford.

Linebacker Sean Lee has shown that he can still make plays if he is managed properly during the week of practice and in games. He could be a valuable contributor to a defense looking for veteran leadership. Defensive end Michael Bennett has committed too many penalties since his acquisition in a trade, but he can play multiple spots up front. There is a question as to whether Bennett, 34, wants to play another season.

Defensive tackle Maliek Collins is 24, but the thought has been that he will make more money elsewhere, even if he has not had the season some predicted. Folks have wanted to replace safety Jeff Heath the past few years, but the Cowboys' defense has not been the same when he is off the field.
On offense, will tight end Jason Witten return, or does he want to return? He has been productive and played fewer snaps after his year off while in the ESPN analyst chair, but he will turn 38 in May, and Blake Jarwin, who will be a restricted free agent, has progressed.


No. 3 receiver Randall Cobb has been a valuable asset. Backup linemen Xavier Su'a-Filo, Joe Looney and Cameron Fleming have played valuable roles as spot starters the past two years. All three of them could be free agents if the Cowboys don't exercise the 2020 option on Fleming's contract. Fullback Jamize Olawale also has an option that would need to be exercised.

All three specialists -- LP Ladouceur, Chris Jones and Kai Forbath -- have expiring deals. Ladouceur passed Witten for the team record for consecutive games played in team history (236) against the Eagles and is likely to return on a one-year deal. Jones' punting has been inconsistent, ranking last in gross and net averages, but he has been playing with an abdomen injury. Forbath has not missed a kick in his two games and could return for an offseason competition at the position.
Jones used the contract year of coaches and players as a motivational tactic, believing that he would get their best because they needed it.

That hasn't happened, and the Cowboys are about to enter an offseason of major change.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

39 games without a pick. Jesus that's sad.

 

[Simpleton]

Byron Jones has never had a real INT in his career. I believe he has 2, one on a hail mary at the end of a half or some shit in a scrum of like 8 guys that he happened to come down with, and the other was a ball that was tipped way up in the air in the middle of the field that he happened to be in the right position for.

This guy has quite literally never made a real play on the ball in 5 years, i.e. in a 1-on-1 downfield contested situation or when driving from an Off position to undercut a route.

Awuzie has terrible ball skills as well, he is almost never able to locate it in the air or even get his head turned. Pure INT stats in college are a crude way of determining if a guy has ball skills or not but generally speaking it at least gives you a good idea one way or the other.

From here on out I'd make the ability to track the ball in the air and make a play on it my number one priority when evaluating CB's, and as such I'd even be ok with a guy like Paulson Adebo in the first depending on how the board looks.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Awuzie has terrible ball skills as well, he is almost never able to locate it in the air or even get his head turned.

I'm so ready to move on from Jones but Awuzie is on my shit list too. It's his tackling and run support is utter shit. I swear he used to be better than this. It drives me nuts when a guy just stands there and does nothing waiting for a tackle. Like attack the ball carrier. Instead he just sits back and waits for the guy to juke or run him over.

Then again stuff like that can be corrected. I think it's a result of the way we practice. I don't think we work on tackling at all.

 

[yimyammer]

I'm so ready to move on from Jones but Awuzie is on my shit list too. It's his tackling and run support is utter shit. I swear he used to be better than this. It drives me nuts when a guy just stands there and does nothing waiting for a tackle. Like attack the ball carrier. Instead he just sits back and waits for the guy to juke or run him over.

Then again stuff like that can be corrected. I think it's a result of the way we practice. I don't think we work on tackling at all.

the culture of the entire organization just seems to turn every player into mush

contrast this to the culture created by coaches like Parcells, Jimmy, etc who use constant pressure to see who can withstand the stress and in the process, the cream rises to the top and the players that cant handle it slowly disappear from the team with the end result being a bunch of like minded, tough, hard working players that perform well as a team.

there's no pressure with Cowboys thus one of many reasons why the pipes burst so often on game days

 

[deadrise]

I'm so ready to move on from Jones but Awuzie is on my shit list too. It's his tackling and run support is utter shit. I swear he used to be better than this. It drives me nuts when a guy just stands there and does nothing waiting for a tackle. Like attack the ball carrier. Instead he just sits back and waits for the guy to juke or run him over.

Then again stuff like that can be corrected. I think it's a result of the way we practice. I don't think we work on tackling at all.

I think, not sure, that the CBA limits how much contact is allowed in practice on a weekly basis. I also think that's why you see so much shitty tackling in a lot of the games. Still, when I watch New England they seem to have found a way to avoid catching the disease. Receivers catch the ball in front of their DBs and LBs, but those guys are almost always in a position to stop a play right there. No big highlight hits -- just technically sound, solid tackling. Let's see ... could that be coaching?

 

[Donpingon]

Count me as someone who's not an Awuzie fan

 

[boozeman]

Count me as someone who's not an Awuzie fan

He is not a world beater, but honestly, if his struggles make us take yet another damn CB in the first, I am going to lose it.

 

[NoDak]

I'm a firm believer that there is nothing wrong with our corners. Guys like Jones and Awuzie had skills coming out of college. Look no further than Awuzie for the perfect example. His rookie year, he looked like he was going to be a good one. Then the "coaching" he was receiving slowly started taking over. He's progressively getting worse. And it's happened to more than just these two guys. Hell, Claiborne was a very talented guy coming out of college. Until our coaches got ahold of him. Brandon Carr was a playmaking, shutdown type corner. Until he came to Dallas. And the list goes on.

Get rid of these shit coaches we've been trotting out there over the years. Start teaching corners to actually look for and play the ball. I think we'd be surprised how a guy like Awuzie would look under good coaching

 

[shoop]

From here on out I'd make the ability to track the ball in the air and make a play on it my number one priority when evaluating CB's,

But they have long arms and stuff....

Awuzie and Lewis will be fine if coaches properly. I have thought Lewis was our best corner for a while and he is terribly mismanaged.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

But they have long arms and stuff....

Awuzie and Lewis will be fine if coaches properly. I have thought Lewis was our best corner for a while and he is terribly mismanaged.

I still really like Lewis. That guy is always flying around like a missle when he gets on the field. I wish we had more corners like him on the field.

 

[UncleMilti]

Lee, Bennett, Jones, Collins, Witten, Heath and Austin can all go fuck themselves and don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

 

[L.T. Fan]

I'm so ready to move on from Jones but Awuzie is on my shit list too. It's his tackling and run support is utter shit. I swear he used to be better than this. It drives me nuts when a guy just stands there and does nothing waiting for a tackle. Like attack the ball carrier. Instead he just sits back and waits for the guy to juke or run him over.

Then again stuff like that can be corrected. I think it's a result of the way we practice. I don't think we work on tackling at all.

I am not sure what methods are taught for tackling now with defensive backs. I see a lot of arm tackling up high on the target and it’s mostly ineffective unless the defender gets help quickly. I also see a lot of shoulder shots that essentially is the defender throwing his body at the target but this is also a style that as often as not the target now jumps or hesitates and the contact isn’t successfully made for enough to actually bring down the target.

Rarely do I see the shoulder first and head up and wrap them up method used. Especially if the tackle needs to be made below the waist. It seems as though the defenders not are trying to make a hit rather than make a tackle.

 

[ravidubey]

The problem is the interior DL, not the corners.

Our defense will never be stout and gain consistent play in the back seven without better play up front.

You can then add a talented safety if you like, but another reach like Hill is not at all what I’m talking about.

Rod Marinelli has fucked us hard in this department for years with his “rushmen” BS.

Acquiring that one talented stout player, particularly at 1T, could have made a huge difference the past several years.

 

[Foobio]

Byron Jones has never had a real INT in his career. I believe he has 2, one on a hail mary at the end of a half or some shit in a scrum of like 8 guys that he happened to come down with, and the other was a ball that was tipped way up in the air in the middle of the field that he happened to be in the right position for.

This guy has quite literally never made a real play on the ball in 5 years, i.e. in a 1-on-1 downfield contested situation or when driving from an Off position to undercut a route.

Awuzie has terrible ball skills as well, he is almost never able to locate it in the air or even get his head turned. Pure INT stats in college are a crude way of determining if a guy has ball skills or not but generally speaking it at least gives you a good idea one way or the other.

From here on out I'd make the ability to track the ball in the air and make a play on it my number one priority when evaluating CB's, and as such I'd even be ok with a guy like Paulson Adebo in the first depending on how the board looks.

Byron Jones is the 21st century equivalent of Rod Hill. Incredible athlete with no ball skills. Give me a slow ass Everson Walls type who gets beat for a TD every now and then (as they all do) but has an incredible nose for the ball and changes the game with his INT ability.

 

[Clay_Allison]

Byron Jones is the 21st century equivalent of Rod Hill. Incredible athlete with no ball skills. Give me a slow ass Everson Walls type who gets beat for a TD every now and then (as they all do) but has an incredible nose for the ball and changes the game with his INT ability.

Lookit, you can't just dial 1-800-THURMAN'S THIEVES

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Lookit, you can't just dial 1-800-THURMAN'S THIEVES

Have you tried dialing it yet ?

 

[Clay_Allison]

My phone doesn't have a dial anymore.

 

[Foobio]

Since I brought up his name, only seems fair to appreciate the man and his accomplishments



and why he ain’t in the HOF I’ll never understand...hopefully that changes