Yes, the Dallas Cowboys have a lot of needs but there is no reason to believe they can’t relax a little.
Sure, the Dallas Cowboys had a poor 2015. Starting players like quarterback Tony Romo, wide receiver Dez Bryant, and cornerback Orlando Scandrick all missed all or most of the season. That was clearly a huge hit to a team that had Super Bowl aspirations. But, with those injuries, the awful play of the offense, and a mediocre pass rush, there is a reason the Cowboys can relax and let the offseason come to them.
First, the Dallas Cowboys have a decent amount of cap space. This space should allow for an upgrade at two to three positions. There are some quality pass rushers in this free agent market, good wide receivers, upgrades in the secondary, and possibly even a backup quarterback or running back could be found.
The free agent market is actually suited to the needs of the Cowboys. Letting the market come to them could help upgrade multiple positions without overspending.
Second, the Dallas Cowboys have a top five pick in the draft. Even if they hold onto the spot (although it might be smart to trade down for more picks), a instant upgrade can be found early at cornerback, defensive end, linebacker, or even backup quarterback. Depending on how the Cowboys do in free agency, the picture for the draft could be very easy. While the draft is not the best for quarterbacks, it is pretty deep in a lot of positions, save maybe safety.
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So why can the Cowboys relax?
Well, the answer is easy – health.
Tony Romo will be returning, and while he has had some injury history, when he plays, the Cowboys have a chance to win. Dez Bryant will also be fully healthy, and when he is on the field it opens up the field for tight end Jason Witten and everyone else on the field.
Romo has shown he is the brains behind the offense and when he plays everyone else around him gets better.
It might mean the Cowboys finally must give him a defense that can keep up with the Romo-led offense.
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Another reason the Cowboys can relax is that the NFC East probably won’t be very good. The New York Giants are going through a coaching change. The Philadelphia Eagles are going through not only a coaching change, but possibly a quarterback change as well. The Redskins? Well, the Redskins are just so inconsistent. Their offense can play well one game, and be a disaster the next. Their defense plays the same way.
If the Cowboys can allow free agency and the draft to fill most of their needs and work on adding some new wrinkles, they could be the team everyone saw in 2014. With such a young team on the lines, another year should help develop many of them into better, more consistent players.
Getting some leadership (maybe bringing back DeMarcus Ware?) would help the younger players on defense and strengthen what many feel is a shaky locker room.
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Sure, 2015 was a disaster of epic proportions for the Dallas Cowboys. The nice thing about the NFL is that every year brings new hope for every team. It is the nature of the league. But the Cowboys needn’t panic and should relax about their offseason. A healthy Tony Romo returning and some smart moves in the offseason could bring Romo’s words true, albeit a year late. “The only thing left to do is win the whole %&#!ing thing.”