The Dallas Cowboys enter the offseason with a bloated payroll and a roster that just proved it can't keep up in an increasingly competitive NFC. After losing four of their last five games and losing to the New York Giants 34-17, the worst team in the conference, at MetLife Stadium in Week 18, it may be tough to see now, but it's not all bad for the Cowboys roster.
Offensively, the team is in good shape. The offensive line can improve in protecting the edges, but other than that, offensive coordinator Klayton Adams' side of the ball is definitely not the problem.
Even at the running back position. Even if Javonte Williams and Malik Davis leave in free agency. The former is an unrestricted free agent, while the latter is a restricted free agent this offseason. The injured Miles Sanders, who underwent a chondral tissue graft surgery in which pieces of bone and cartilage are transplanted into the affected area, is also a free agent, but he's not expected to return.
With Williams and Davis' season over, rookie RBs Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah were given a chance to lead the backfield in Week 18. The duo ended up capitalizing on their opportunity, as Blue turned 16 carries into 64 rushing yards and his first career touchdown, while Mafah added 18 yards on five carries, even punching in a short-yardage touchdown against the Giants.
Now that the first-year pair has proven themselves, the Cowboys have plenty to think about this offseason.
Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah Could Alternate Cowboys' RB Plans This Offseason
Williams built his reputation on being a pass-catching back, but his longest reception this past season was for 14 yards. Perhaps he was being affected by injuries, but either way, he now faces the chance to get paid on the open market. Williams could be in line for a deal as high as $20 million over three years, per Cowboys Wire, while Dallas is already projected to be more than $22 million over next year's salary cap.
There's no justification for owner/general manager Jerry Jones to bend over backwards to bring him back. It's Williams' right to seek as much money as possible, especially given an RB's deal limited shelf life in the NFL, but if he's too expensive for the Cowboys to retain, they should let him search for that payday elsewhere.
There's more sense in bringing Davis back. He'll come at a cheaper rate than Williams, and as a special teams contributor, he can cede the spotlight in the backfield to the Cowboys' emerging rookie combo.
Head coach Schottenheimer and ST coordinator Nick Sorensen chose not to use Williams in the special teams, worrying about his importance to the RB room. That's valid, but it also speaks to the difficulties in investing big into Williams. If a combination of Blue and Mafah can do his work for him, while Davis contributes on special teams, America's Team might be better off turning the page on the ex-Denver Bronco.
It's Jones we're dealing with, though, so who knows what direction the backfield is heading in. Regardless, Blue and Mafah have given the Cowboys a lot to digest before free agency begins in March.