Slow news cycle brings peak absurdity for Dallas Cowboys

Stop me if you have heard this one before, “The Dallas Cowboys need to cut X players and get a new coaching staff because they failed this past season.” It happens almost every year, and sometimes rightfully so.

Right after the Super Bowl and right before the draft season picks up, the news cycle is so slow, wild takes start getting thrown around. Some have merit, like, will the Cowboys keep or cut Amari Cooper, but others like the Dallas Cowboys need to bring in Marcus Mariota to compete with Dak Prescott and/or draft a new QB (that one was awful, just terrible).

This is the time of the year every team that didn’t win the Super Bowl goes back to lick its wounds and figure out what they can do to make it next year. Exit interviews get conducted, teams prepare for free agency, draft prep is just starting (serious draft prep with the Combine this week), and outside of that, there is just not a lot of news or things to report on.

It is just a lot of speculation, breaking down Stephen and Jerry speak, and angry fans lashing out to just about every player and coach.

Faith in the Dallas Cowboys is at its lowest point amongst fans.

This year, it seems to have hit a low we haven’t seen since before Bill Parcells was hired.

Every year at this time, fans take to social media and throw things at the wall to see what sticks. The hate for the quarterback, the desire to replace the coaching staff, talking about which players to cut, which players to sign, and which players to draft, flood the conversations.

Complaining about a down cycle isn’t a bad thing though. It could be far worse, this could be the Quincy Carter-led Cowboys again.

What this time of the year really needs to focus on is how free agency will shake out and how the draftees are doing in preparation for the draft. Sure, we can talk about keeping Armstrong instead of Gregory. We can certainly have the conversation of whether Amari will be here next season.

However, what we should not be doing is swinging at every pitch. But the strikeout rate this time of year is higher than Yordan Alvarez (Houston Astros left fielder with an over 25% SO rate) so take every story, statement, idea with a grain of salt.

This week the 2022 NFL Combine starts up, followed closely by free agency. Those two landmarks on the NFL calendar should be the topic of conversation. No, the Dallas Cowboys are not getting rid of Dak or bringing in Mariota to “compete for a starting spot” against him. No, the Cowboys are not going to grab every top-tier free agent (they may not even get any top-tier free agents).

Instead, they will make some moves to get what they perceive is a cap-friendly situation, sign mid-to-low level free agents, and head to the draft telling everyone they are set to go with BPA (best player available).

So enjoy the slow news cycle, it is about to pick up. Take the time to look at the draft, free agency, and smaller moves that go a little unnoticed (like finally bringing in another kicker for next year). For now, we will march toward the start of the 2022 season. There is a long way to go, and a lot of news that will come out.