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By Jon Machota 2h ago
Mike McCarthy is an offensive coach.
The Cowboys’ new head coach was an offensive quality-control coach when he entered the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993. He elevated himself to quarterback coach and then eventually became an offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints in 2000. He continued to call offensive plays when he got his first head coaching job with the Green Bay Packers in 2006.
McCarthy will be heavily involved with Dallas’ offense, but that’s certainly not the biggest area that needs to be fixed.
While McCarthy’s Green Bay teams are remembered most for what Aaron Rodgers and Co. accomplished on offense, their defense had some great years as well. To replicate the success he had at his previous stop, McCarthy will have to improve that side of the ball in Dallas.
One area at a potential crossroads is the defensive backfield.
Under Jason Garrett, the Cowboys regularly finished near the bottom of the NFL in interceptions. However, they were usually among the league leaders in allowing the fewest pass plays of 40-or-more yards. Dallas has ranked in the top 11 in that area six times in the last seven seasons. Last year, the Cowboys were second to only the Buffalo Bills, allowing only five plays of 40-or-more yards.
The Cowboys, like every team, value interceptions. They just weren’t willing to risk getting them at the cost of potentially allowing a big play. Defensive backs would try to keep receivers in front of them rather than gambling on a potential turnover, only to give up a huge play through the air.
The goal for Dallas going forward should be to emulate McCarthy’s Packers teams from 2007 to 2012. Although those teams were routinely middle of the pack in allowing plays of 40-or-more yards, they were always in the top 10 in interceptions, including 2009 and 2011, when they led the league in picks.
Of course, those Packers teams had nine-time Pro Bowl defensive back Charles Woodson. Two months after Green Bay signed McCarthy, the Packers gave Woodson a seven-year, $52 million contract, a risk at the time considering his injury history.
The Cowboys don’t have a player near Woodson’s caliber in their secondary. They aren’t expected to add one in free agency or the draft, either. From 2006 to 2011, Woodson averaged 6.2 interceptions per season.
Over the last eight years, the Cowboys haven’t had a defensive back record more than three interceptions in a single season. Over the last two years, no Dallas defensive back has come up with more than two.
How do they fix the position? Well, if they can’t land the next Woodson, maybe they can find the next Nick Collins, Tramon Williams or Sam Shields.
Under former Dallas defensive backs coach Kris Richard, there was an emphasis on finding tall corners with long arms (at least 32 inches). We’ll see if that continues to be a priority with the new staff. But there needs to be a premium put on players who can cause turnovers.
Step One in addressing the secondary likely starts with free-agent corner Byron Jones. Although he doesn’t have a knack for intercepting passes, he’s a solid cover corner who can do his job at an elite level. If the price is right, he should be re-signed.
With or without Jones, look for the Cowboys to address defensive back early in the draft. During McCarthy’s last five years in Green Bay, the Packers drafted seven defensive backs in the first two rounds. They were obviously working to get back to what they had during the Woodson era. This season, Green Bay returned to being among the league leaders in interceptions, tying for third-most with 17.
The Cowboys have been willing to spend premium draft picks on cornerbacks. They have been reluctant to do the same at safety. Could that change under McCarthy?
He will have more say in personnel than he did in Green Bay. Perhaps how he addresses safety, whether it’s through the draft or free agency, will be a change from the past. Starting free safety Xavier Woods is expected to still have a significant role. Veteran starting strong safety Jeff Heath, on the other hand, is an unrestricted free agent. Heath has been a solid defender for the Cowboys and brings value on special teams. It makes sense to bring him back. But don’t be surprised if Dallas looks to give him competition by drafting a player.
Starting cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis return in the final year of their rookie contracts. Both should play a lot in 2020. Could they benefit from a different style on the back end? Lewis intercepted two passes last season and four in three years. Awuzie has intercepted one pass in each of the last three seasons.
Getting more pressure up front only helps the defensive backfield. Upgrades need to be made on the defensive line as well. But if we’re talking about the area that needs to improve most next season, it’s defensive back.
25 years have passed since the Cowboys finished among the NFL’s top five teams in interceptions. McCarthy and Co. need to find a way to get Dallas back among the league’s elite in that category.
Mike McCarthy is an offensive coach.
The Cowboys’ new head coach was an offensive quality-control coach when he entered the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993. He elevated himself to quarterback coach and then eventually became an offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints in 2000. He continued to call offensive plays when he got his first head coaching job with the Green Bay Packers in 2006.
McCarthy will be heavily involved with Dallas’ offense, but that’s certainly not the biggest area that needs to be fixed.
While McCarthy’s Green Bay teams are remembered most for what Aaron Rodgers and Co. accomplished on offense, their defense had some great years as well. To replicate the success he had at his previous stop, McCarthy will have to improve that side of the ball in Dallas.
One area at a potential crossroads is the defensive backfield.
Under Jason Garrett, the Cowboys regularly finished near the bottom of the NFL in interceptions. However, they were usually among the league leaders in allowing the fewest pass plays of 40-or-more yards. Dallas has ranked in the top 11 in that area six times in the last seven seasons. Last year, the Cowboys were second to only the Buffalo Bills, allowing only five plays of 40-or-more yards.
The Cowboys, like every team, value interceptions. They just weren’t willing to risk getting them at the cost of potentially allowing a big play. Defensive backs would try to keep receivers in front of them rather than gambling on a potential turnover, only to give up a huge play through the air.
The goal for Dallas going forward should be to emulate McCarthy’s Packers teams from 2007 to 2012. Although those teams were routinely middle of the pack in allowing plays of 40-or-more yards, they were always in the top 10 in interceptions, including 2009 and 2011, when they led the league in picks.
Of course, those Packers teams had nine-time Pro Bowl defensive back Charles Woodson. Two months after Green Bay signed McCarthy, the Packers gave Woodson a seven-year, $52 million contract, a risk at the time considering his injury history.
The Cowboys don’t have a player near Woodson’s caliber in their secondary. They aren’t expected to add one in free agency or the draft, either. From 2006 to 2011, Woodson averaged 6.2 interceptions per season.
Over the last eight years, the Cowboys haven’t had a defensive back record more than three interceptions in a single season. Over the last two years, no Dallas defensive back has come up with more than two.
How do they fix the position? Well, if they can’t land the next Woodson, maybe they can find the next Nick Collins, Tramon Williams or Sam Shields.
Under former Dallas defensive backs coach Kris Richard, there was an emphasis on finding tall corners with long arms (at least 32 inches). We’ll see if that continues to be a priority with the new staff. But there needs to be a premium put on players who can cause turnovers.
Step One in addressing the secondary likely starts with free-agent corner Byron Jones. Although he doesn’t have a knack for intercepting passes, he’s a solid cover corner who can do his job at an elite level. If the price is right, he should be re-signed.
With or without Jones, look for the Cowboys to address defensive back early in the draft. During McCarthy’s last five years in Green Bay, the Packers drafted seven defensive backs in the first two rounds. They were obviously working to get back to what they had during the Woodson era. This season, Green Bay returned to being among the league leaders in interceptions, tying for third-most with 17.
The Cowboys have been willing to spend premium draft picks on cornerbacks. They have been reluctant to do the same at safety. Could that change under McCarthy?
He will have more say in personnel than he did in Green Bay. Perhaps how he addresses safety, whether it’s through the draft or free agency, will be a change from the past. Starting free safety Xavier Woods is expected to still have a significant role. Veteran starting strong safety Jeff Heath, on the other hand, is an unrestricted free agent. Heath has been a solid defender for the Cowboys and brings value on special teams. It makes sense to bring him back. But don’t be surprised if Dallas looks to give him competition by drafting a player.
Starting cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis return in the final year of their rookie contracts. Both should play a lot in 2020. Could they benefit from a different style on the back end? Lewis intercepted two passes last season and four in three years. Awuzie has intercepted one pass in each of the last three seasons.
Getting more pressure up front only helps the defensive backfield. Upgrades need to be made on the defensive line as well. But if we’re talking about the area that needs to improve most next season, it’s defensive back.
25 years have passed since the Cowboys finished among the NFL’s top five teams in interceptions. McCarthy and Co. need to find a way to get Dallas back among the league’s elite in that category.
