The 2024 NFL season is officially in its second half and Dallas Cowboys fans can't wait for the rollercoaster ride to end. The playoffs are nothing more than a pipedream at this point as America's Team heads into their Week 11 showdown against the Houston Texans with a 3-6 record — good for third place in the NFC East.
With Dallas likely undergoing some much-needed changes in the offseason, certain individuals must step up down the stretch. While the likes of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb aren't going anywhere anytime soon, various Cowboys must give an elevated effort if they hope to be back with the franchise in 2025.
Having said that, here are five Cowboys who are on the hot seat down the stretch.
1. Mike McCarthy, HC
After Robert Saleh and Dennis Allen were the first coaches to lose their jobs this season, Cowboys fans are wondering if Mike McCarthy could be next.
In a year where Dallas was supposed to go "all in," McCarthy's squad has rarely looked like a championship challenger. The Cowboys have consistently come up short in most facets of the game and while some of the blame can be placed on Jerry Jones' roster construction, it's up to the head coach to get the most out of his players — something the 60-year-old has struggled to do in 2024.
Cowboys fans were already fed up with McCarthy's abysmal playoff performances and that frustration is now at an all-time high based on how the campaign has unfolded. Jones is refusing to make any in-season coaching changes after the Wade Phillips debacle over a decade ago, but that doesn't mean the Dallas coach's job is safe.
After all, the 2024 season marks the last year of McCarthy's contract that he signed in 2020. Even though he's had some solid regular season success during his tenure, a 1-3 postseason record combined with this year's struggles indicates that the Cowboys might be better off thinking about potential replacements ASAP.
2. Mazi Smith, DT
The clock is ticking for Mazi Smith to prove that he deserved to be drafted 26th overall last year.
Despite displaying a fair amount of potential in college, Smith has looked completely pedestrian at the NFL level. The former Michigan Wolverine struggled immensely as a rookie and those issues have followed him into the current season as he's only registered 13 solo tackles while playing 49% of defensive snaps across nine starts.
Smith's season is even more disappointing given the help the Cowboys gave him over the offseason. After he was mismanaged as a rookie, the Year 2 goal was to give the 23-year-old more stability by helping him regain weight and deploying him in a position that he was more comfortable with. Even defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer's presence was supposed to help with a turnaround.
Instead, Smith enters Week 11 as Pro Football Focus' worst-graded interior defender with a defense grade of 30.3. The situation is only made worse by his 29.5 run defense grade, which ranks second-worst among 121 eligible players at his position.
If the Cowboys want to start stopping the run, they must take a long look at their defensive line — especially Smith. If management becomes unconvinced that he's capable of being a starting DT, options for a divorce could be considered this winter.
3. Ezekiel Elliott, RB
It'd be tough to find anyone — aside from Jerry Jones — who's been happy with Ezekiel Elliott's performance since returning to the Cowboys in the offseason.
Even though he's yet to hit the 1,000-yard mark since 2021, the Cowboys were still confident enough to roll with Elliott as their No. 1 running back to begin the season. He's looked like anything but an NFL-caliber player since then, recording only 171 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 54 carries in eight games.
That's without mentioning how the declining 29-year-old runner owns the ninth-worst run grade among 57 eligible RBs on PFF. No matter how that fact is looked at, it's clear that Elliott isn't even league-average at this stage of his career.
Elliott was initially placed on the hot seat when the Cowboys named him as a healthy scratch in Week 9. It should've been quite the reality check for a seasoned veteran who had never been scratched in his NFL career before that moment. But instead of learning from the situation, Elliott returned to action one week later with a 22-yard performance on six carries, which also included a fumble.
If Elliott can't prove that he has something left in the tank, he's going to have a tough time convincing any team — not just the Cowboys — that he deserves another contract in 2025.
4 & 5. Cooper Rush & Trey Lance, QBs
With a hamstring injury likely ending Dak Prescott's season, the Cowboys will turn to backup quarterbacks Cooper Rush and Trey Lance down the stretch. If either man plays his cards right, he could end up being Prescott's primary backup in 2025.
Unfortunately, neither signal-caller has done much to prove that they deserve the honor.
Rush, 30, has earned the reputation of being one of the NFL's better backup QBs during his time with the Cowboys, however, he hasn't exactly looked the part this season. In five appearances (1 start), the ex-Central Michigan product has only completed 56.5% of passes for 212 passing yards, one touchdown, an interception, and a 62.0 passer rating.
After Rush struggled against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 10, the Cowboys handed the reins over to Lance beginning in the second quarter. The former 2021 third-overall selection didn't have much more success than his counterpart, going 4-of-6 (66.7%) in the pocket for 21 yards and an INT.
It's hard to tell if either gunslinger is capable of more. Rush essentially is who he is at this stage of his career while Lance has failed to live up to the hype that comes with being a top-three draft pick.
Both Rush and Lance are playing on expiring contracts, meaning it's up to them to prove that they deserve to be a part of the Cowboys' future plans. If they can't show that they're up to the test, Dallas could look to replace the duo either through the NFL draft or free agency.
6. Linval Joseph, DT
The Cowboys added some experience to their D-line when they signed two-time Pro Bowl tackle Linval Joseph to a one-year contract in the offseason.
Even though it had been nearly a decade since the former East Carolina product notched an individual accolade, the expectation was that he could still be a solid contributor in Year 15. After all, Joseph's two Pro Bowl appearances occurred when he played for the Zimmer-coached Minnesota Vikings back in 2016 and 2017.
Unfortunately, a reunion with the Cowboys DC hasn't helped the 36-year-old turn back the clock. Joseph has been limited to a career-low 29% of defensive snaps while recording six solo tackles, a sack, and one forced fumble in nine games. He's also played a role in Dallas' inability to stop opposing RBs, proven by his 31.9 run defense grade — sixth-worst among 121 eligible interior defenders.
Needless to say, Joseph will be under a lot of pressure down the stretch. His expiring contract means he has to step up if he wants to run things back with the Cowboys in 2025. If he fails to do so, it won't be surprising if other teams aren't willing to take the chance on the declining defensive tackle.
It's now or never for Joseph to prove himself if he hopes to continue his NFL career.
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