Will the Dallas Cowboys handle their offseason differently this time?
Indications are the Dallas Cowboys plan to release Amari Cooper and DeMarcus Lawrence this month, and if I’m being completely honest about it, a lot of sense could be made of it. Big cap hits are coming for these two players and the fact they are constantly banged up and have stand-offish personalities certainly don’t help.
Yes, Lawrence is aging and missed considerable time in 2021. The Dallas Cowboys also won while he was out. So what’s the big deal?
Amari Cooper got an ear full from Michael Irvin about not being willing to do whatever it takes to win when word got out that Coop will refuse to get vaccinated. Is it Coop’s personal choice? Yes. Was Michael Irvin ultimately right? Also, yes.
Amari Cooper missed two games and was unable to perform up to snuff in a third (and fourth, and fifth, etc) game after catching COVID. Again, this is his right, but his choices came with consequences. Oh, and he’s owed a lot of money in 2022 as well.
The only problem with holding on to the issue of Amari Cooper’s vax status is the NFL has dropped their mandates and protocols. It’s no longer relevant. The real issue here is the Joneses hold on to the past, no matter how far or how recent. No matter how good or how bad.
Now factor in Amari Cooper’s complaints about his targets, along with some seemingly sluggish efforts and you’ve got your recipe for release.
That’s fine. It happens every year. At least when the Cowboys gave Amari Cooper his team controlled deal they implemented a plan to be covered when he ultimately departs, right?
Actually, no. Should the Dallas Cowboys release Amari Cooper they’ll have exactly one healthy receiver on the team who’s ever seen a single NFL target. Frightening, right?
What about DeMarcus Lawrence? As mentioned, they did go on a nice streak while he was out in the first third of the season.
Well, as it stands, should the Dallas Cowboys release Lawrence the defensive ends on the roster (Tarell Basham and Chauncey Golston) combined for a grand total of 4.5 sacks on the 2021 season.
Have we mentioned nearly half of the Cowboys 2021 roster are free agents? Including Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson, Malik Turner, Randy Gregory, Dorance Armstrong, Carlos Watkins, and Brent Urban. In other words, the Cowboys are about to make a thin WR and DL room even thinner and significantly less talented.
That’s because when you’re in the position of ultimate comfort that the Joneses sit in, you can skate through the job (that you don’t actually deserve), feeling like everything will work out for you. Which, for the Joneses, it will work out for them. Even if it doesn’t work out for the coaches, players or fans.
No matter what direction the Cowboys go, it’s all A+’s on Jerry and Stephen’s self evaluated report cards.
And what do they plan to do with this newly acquired cap space?