Will McClay situation a byproduct of Cowboys dysfunctional structure

The Dallas Cowboys are at the risk of losing their best personnel man in Will McClay – something that wouldn’t happen if the front office structure weren’t so dysfunctional.

Stop me if you heard this one: The Dallas Cowboys need to get a real GM. This sentiment has been proclaimed loudly for the past two decades by lovers and haters alike. The official general manager is, of course, none other than team owner, Jerry Jones.

Now anyone who’s been paying attention the past five plus seasons knows that Jerry is largely a GM in name only. He’s still the final say in all matters personnel, but he’s not pretending to scout or evaluate anymore.

That day-to-day job responsibility has fallen on vice president of player personnel, Will McClay. Owner Jerry and son Stephen have grown to love and appreciate McClay over the years. A 16-year Cowboys “veteran”, McClay has risen through the ranks and earned a place at the table, yet that elusive GM label has remained out of reach.

It’s because of that absent title that McClay will always be a threat to leave. Reports surfaced last week the Houston Texans were offering him a position as their GM. Conflicting reports have since come out that he’s either rejected the offer or he’s failed to even discuss the offer with Houston. But regardless of how this shakes out, it promises to be an issue as long as Jerry arrogantly holds onto the GM title.

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Some may say the role of VP trumps that of GM, but for a blue collar guy like McClay, who elevated his own status through intelligent, hard work, the GM title is the Holy Grail.

It’s hard to understand why Jerry Jones is clinging to the general manager title. He’s not fooling anyone and he’s not even trying to. He’s handling personnel like a CEO should – he leans on his experts and drives them to make the right decisions. Why he insists on holding the title is mind-boggling. And if it ultimately costs them their homegrown talent in Will McClay, it will be unforgivable.

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Look, I have no issue with Jerry and Stephen being involved in football decisions. They are the owners and contrary to popular opinion, they really are “football guys”. They’ve been around the game longer than I’ve been alive and access resources you and I could only dream of. I know it’s not fashionable to complement the Jones’ but to some extent they deserve some respect.

But the respect ends when Will McClay’s future is in jeopardy. McClay isn’t the best personnel guy in the NFL but he’s pretty darn good – and much better than the Cowboys deserve. To think he could be replaced adequately is fantasy. Who would really want to join the dysfunctional system in Dallas’ front office if they aren’t even going to get the GM title?

Jerry Jones can pay Will McClay like a GM. He can give him the credit and responsibility of a GM. He could make a fancy new title like, Emperor and Grand Poohbah of all Contracted Football-playing Human Beings. But none of it matters unless he gives up the GM title.

Jerry Jones could literally do nothing to change his behavior and it would be ok if he would just relinquish the title. The Dallas Cowboys have been somewhat successful these past few seasons (maybe not record but certainly in upgrading the talent on their roster) and much of that has been the stability in the scouting and personnel department. Not to mention the cohesive relationship between McClay and the rest of the front office seated around the war room table.

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The dysfunctional nature of the Cowboys front office will always be an issue – long after Jerry’s gone. But some of the issues can be solved if Jerry would just part with the GM title and give it to who really serves as the GM, Will McClay.

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