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Cowboys survey results: Most overrated player? Super Bowl in next 5 years?
By Jon Machota May 27, 2020
Last week we posted a 35-question survey for Cowboys fans, ranging from multiple-choice questions about the current team to write-in responses about why nearly 25 years have passed since the franchise last played in the Super Bowl. Over the next two days, we are revealing the results.
When voting ended on Tuesday, a total of 2,280 responses were counted. (Note: Not all 2,280 participants voted on all 35 questions.)
To get things started, we’re taking a look at the 17 questions regarding the current team. The 18 responses to the historical and big-picture franchise questions will be posted Thursday morning.
1.) There was a lot of optimism here, with the majority of responders believing that they’ll see the Cowboys back on the NFL’s biggest stage in the next five years. This shows there is either a lot of confidence in the current roster and coaching staff, or just an abundance of wishful thinking. Three playoff appearances in the last six years should provide some optimism, but it’s not like there has been any success beyond the first round. Having a new head coach in Mike McCarthy, who has already guided a team to a Super Bowl win, probably helps. It’s interesting to think what the results would have been had Jerry Jones extended Jason Garrett’s contract in January.
2.) This seemed to be the consensus when the NFL schedule was released earlier this month. Nine or 10 wins has been a popular projection over the last few years. That’s usually good enough to stay in the NFC East title hunt. Most expect the division to again come down to the Cowboys and Eagles. Although the division winner had 13 wins in 2016 and 2017, 10 or fewer has gotten the job done seven of the last 10 years.
3.) You know there’s a lot of hype about the offseason when the fanbase is handing out almost all As and Bs. We’ll get into the biggest offseason losses in a little bit, but it’s clear that hiring a new coaching staff and having what appears to be an outstanding draft has overshadowed the departure of several key veteran players.
4.) Quarterback is arguably the most important position in all of sports, so this shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Even with the addition of Andy Dalton, the Cowboys are probably in trouble if they have to go an extended period of time without Dak Prescott. Dallas’ top five most valuable are all on offense.
5.) The starting left guard position is one of the biggest question marks heading into the 2020 season. Connor Williams seems like the best bet because he has the most starting experience, but don’t count out Connor McGovern. Last year’s third-round pick was expected to compete for that spot last year until he suffered a season-ending pectoral injury. Those two are expected to battle for that job while Joe Looney and rookie Tyler Biadasz do the same at center.
Who is the most overrated player on the roster?
Jaylon Smith: 364 (votes)
Ezekiel Elliott: 327
Dak Prescott: 268
Amari Cooper: 108
Tyron Smith: 82
DeMarcus Lawrence: 77
6.) Among 1,543 write-in responses, 1,496 voted for a player on the actual roster. A total of 37 different players received at least one vote. This was one of the responses I was most interested to see because there were no options given. A year after having a breakout season for the Cowboys in 2018, Jaylon Smith didn’t play as well but went to his first Pro Bowl last season. It’s clear that fans are hoping for more from the starting middle linebacker, who signed a five-year, $63.75 million contract extension before the start of last season. Prescott is the only one of the top six who has not yet received a significant long-term deal. But the biggest deal of them all is likely in the near future for him.
7.) Fans would probably have been pleased with just about anyone as long as there was a new head coach heading into this season. Mike McCarthy’s past success in Green Bay has led to hope that he can get the Cowboys past the divisional round for the first time since 1995. Of course, the outside perception will quickly change if the team doesn’t meet expectations.
8.) The special-teams unit needs the biggest upgrade, and fans clearly believe John Fassel is the answer. Jerry Jones put most of the blame for the poor special-teams play last year on the coaching staff. Most of the key special-teams contributors are back, a good indication that the front office didn’t feel it was for a lack of talent. If Fassel has the same success he did in Los Angeles, the Cowboys should quickly return to respectability.
9.) There will be no rebuilding period for Mike McCarthy and his staff. The expectation is that the Cowboys will not only win double-digit games but that they’ll also have some playoff success. It’s a high bar for a new group of coaches, but Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones have made it clear that the expectations are to get this current group over the hump in January. The fans apparently feel the same way.
10.) This one was a little surprising. Maybe it’s because of so much negativity that’s routinely posted on social media. The projection going in was that “paying him, even if it means making him the highest-paid player in the league” would be around 30-33 percent. But 40 percent shows most fans understand that that’s a real possibility. It also means they understand how difficult it would be to find another player as good or better at the position. Of course, this was never going to be unanimous. Prescott’s contract is arguably the biggest story in the NFL at the moment.
11.) To say Prescott will still be the Cowboys’ quarterback in five years means not only does he get a long-term deal, but he has continued to play well and stay healthy. The majority of Cowboys fans project that will happen.
12.) It’s tough to argue with the top answer. Travis Frederick has been one of the league’s top centers since he was drafted in 2013. It’s difficult to just replace that type of production, knowledge and leadership. The Cowboys didn’t add a cornerback better than Bryon Jones or a pass rusher better than Robert Quinn this offseason, but their next-best options in those areas will probably have better results than whatever they end up doing to replace Frederick. Looney or Biadasz might be just fine, but they won’t be close to Frederick.
13.) CeeDee Lamb was expected to get the most votes here. No one projected the Cowboys to end up with arguably the NFL Draft’s top wide receiver. There is a ton of hype surrounding this addition and the immediate impact he could have on the offense. But it was also interesting to see the other players that fans were excited about: the two most notable free-agent additions (Gerald McCoy and Andy Dalton) along with a second-round pick (Trevon Diggs) many are expecting to compete for Byron Jones’ old starting spot.
14.) The Cowboys made Amari Cooper one of the NFL’s highest-paid wide receivers for a reason. He led Dallas in targets last year (119), his first full season with the team. However, his total was only six more than Michael Gallup. Cooper’s targets will likely go down slightly with the addition of Lamb, but the four-time Pro Bowler should still end up leading the way as long as he stays healthy.
15.) There hasn’t been nearly enough production in this area for a while in Dallas. A Cowboys defensive back hasn’t totaled more than three interceptions in a season since Terence Newman had four in 2011. So, yes, the bar is very low.
16.) As long as DeMarcus Lawrence stays healthy, he should lead the team in sacks. Lawrence played well in a lot of areas last season, but he’s been criticized for his sack numbers declining the last two years after posting a career-high 14.5 in 2017. Look for a bounceback in that area in 2020, as he’s expected to rush in a variety of ways in Mike Nolan’s more multiple defensive scheme.
17.) Ezekiel Elliott’s workload is an interesting topic with a new coaching staff. Jason Garrett wanted the Cowboys’ identity to be built around a strong running game. Mike McCarthy was known more for his passing offenses in Green Bay, which would probably be the case for anyone coaching Aaron Rodgers. But how will things change for McCarthy now that he has the most talented back he has ever worked with? Fans seem to think 15 to 20 carries per game is the right amount of work for the two-time rushing champ.
By Jon Machota May 27, 2020
Last week we posted a 35-question survey for Cowboys fans, ranging from multiple-choice questions about the current team to write-in responses about why nearly 25 years have passed since the franchise last played in the Super Bowl. Over the next two days, we are revealing the results.
When voting ended on Tuesday, a total of 2,280 responses were counted. (Note: Not all 2,280 participants voted on all 35 questions.)
To get things started, we’re taking a look at the 17 questions regarding the current team. The 18 responses to the historical and big-picture franchise questions will be posted Thursday morning.
1.) There was a lot of optimism here, with the majority of responders believing that they’ll see the Cowboys back on the NFL’s biggest stage in the next five years. This shows there is either a lot of confidence in the current roster and coaching staff, or just an abundance of wishful thinking. Three playoff appearances in the last six years should provide some optimism, but it’s not like there has been any success beyond the first round. Having a new head coach in Mike McCarthy, who has already guided a team to a Super Bowl win, probably helps. It’s interesting to think what the results would have been had Jerry Jones extended Jason Garrett’s contract in January.
2.) This seemed to be the consensus when the NFL schedule was released earlier this month. Nine or 10 wins has been a popular projection over the last few years. That’s usually good enough to stay in the NFC East title hunt. Most expect the division to again come down to the Cowboys and Eagles. Although the division winner had 13 wins in 2016 and 2017, 10 or fewer has gotten the job done seven of the last 10 years.
3.) You know there’s a lot of hype about the offseason when the fanbase is handing out almost all As and Bs. We’ll get into the biggest offseason losses in a little bit, but it’s clear that hiring a new coaching staff and having what appears to be an outstanding draft has overshadowed the departure of several key veteran players.
4.) Quarterback is arguably the most important position in all of sports, so this shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Even with the addition of Andy Dalton, the Cowboys are probably in trouble if they have to go an extended period of time without Dak Prescott. Dallas’ top five most valuable are all on offense.
5.) The starting left guard position is one of the biggest question marks heading into the 2020 season. Connor Williams seems like the best bet because he has the most starting experience, but don’t count out Connor McGovern. Last year’s third-round pick was expected to compete for that spot last year until he suffered a season-ending pectoral injury. Those two are expected to battle for that job while Joe Looney and rookie Tyler Biadasz do the same at center.
Who is the most overrated player on the roster?
Jaylon Smith: 364 (votes)
Ezekiel Elliott: 327
Dak Prescott: 268
Amari Cooper: 108
Tyron Smith: 82
DeMarcus Lawrence: 77
6.) Among 1,543 write-in responses, 1,496 voted for a player on the actual roster. A total of 37 different players received at least one vote. This was one of the responses I was most interested to see because there were no options given. A year after having a breakout season for the Cowboys in 2018, Jaylon Smith didn’t play as well but went to his first Pro Bowl last season. It’s clear that fans are hoping for more from the starting middle linebacker, who signed a five-year, $63.75 million contract extension before the start of last season. Prescott is the only one of the top six who has not yet received a significant long-term deal. But the biggest deal of them all is likely in the near future for him.
7.) Fans would probably have been pleased with just about anyone as long as there was a new head coach heading into this season. Mike McCarthy’s past success in Green Bay has led to hope that he can get the Cowboys past the divisional round for the first time since 1995. Of course, the outside perception will quickly change if the team doesn’t meet expectations.
8.) The special-teams unit needs the biggest upgrade, and fans clearly believe John Fassel is the answer. Jerry Jones put most of the blame for the poor special-teams play last year on the coaching staff. Most of the key special-teams contributors are back, a good indication that the front office didn’t feel it was for a lack of talent. If Fassel has the same success he did in Los Angeles, the Cowboys should quickly return to respectability.
9.) There will be no rebuilding period for Mike McCarthy and his staff. The expectation is that the Cowboys will not only win double-digit games but that they’ll also have some playoff success. It’s a high bar for a new group of coaches, but Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones have made it clear that the expectations are to get this current group over the hump in January. The fans apparently feel the same way.
10.) This one was a little surprising. Maybe it’s because of so much negativity that’s routinely posted on social media. The projection going in was that “paying him, even if it means making him the highest-paid player in the league” would be around 30-33 percent. But 40 percent shows most fans understand that that’s a real possibility. It also means they understand how difficult it would be to find another player as good or better at the position. Of course, this was never going to be unanimous. Prescott’s contract is arguably the biggest story in the NFL at the moment.
11.) To say Prescott will still be the Cowboys’ quarterback in five years means not only does he get a long-term deal, but he has continued to play well and stay healthy. The majority of Cowboys fans project that will happen.
12.) It’s tough to argue with the top answer. Travis Frederick has been one of the league’s top centers since he was drafted in 2013. It’s difficult to just replace that type of production, knowledge and leadership. The Cowboys didn’t add a cornerback better than Bryon Jones or a pass rusher better than Robert Quinn this offseason, but their next-best options in those areas will probably have better results than whatever they end up doing to replace Frederick. Looney or Biadasz might be just fine, but they won’t be close to Frederick.
13.) CeeDee Lamb was expected to get the most votes here. No one projected the Cowboys to end up with arguably the NFL Draft’s top wide receiver. There is a ton of hype surrounding this addition and the immediate impact he could have on the offense. But it was also interesting to see the other players that fans were excited about: the two most notable free-agent additions (Gerald McCoy and Andy Dalton) along with a second-round pick (Trevon Diggs) many are expecting to compete for Byron Jones’ old starting spot.
14.) The Cowboys made Amari Cooper one of the NFL’s highest-paid wide receivers for a reason. He led Dallas in targets last year (119), his first full season with the team. However, his total was only six more than Michael Gallup. Cooper’s targets will likely go down slightly with the addition of Lamb, but the four-time Pro Bowler should still end up leading the way as long as he stays healthy.
15.) There hasn’t been nearly enough production in this area for a while in Dallas. A Cowboys defensive back hasn’t totaled more than three interceptions in a season since Terence Newman had four in 2011. So, yes, the bar is very low.
16.) As long as DeMarcus Lawrence stays healthy, he should lead the team in sacks. Lawrence played well in a lot of areas last season, but he’s been criticized for his sack numbers declining the last two years after posting a career-high 14.5 in 2017. Look for a bounceback in that area in 2020, as he’s expected to rush in a variety of ways in Mike Nolan’s more multiple defensive scheme.
17.) Ezekiel Elliott’s workload is an interesting topic with a new coaching staff. Jason Garrett wanted the Cowboys’ identity to be built around a strong running game. Mike McCarthy was known more for his passing offenses in Green Bay, which would probably be the case for anyone coaching Aaron Rodgers. But how will things change for McCarthy now that he has the most talented back he has ever worked with? Fans seem to think 15 to 20 carries per game is the right amount of work for the two-time rushing champ.
