Jerry Jones' 6 Worst Decisions of the Past Decade

Cowboys fans are once again having to deal with a frustrating offseason under Jerry Jones' stewardship. As disappointing as it is to see the Dallas Cowboys let talent walk out the door without proper replacements in place, it's not the first time we have seen this. Over the 35 years that Jones has led this team, there have been plenty of head-scratching moves.

Focusing on all of those would be an albatross of a task so we will only focus on the last decade. Let's take a look at the six biggest mistakes Jones and the Cowboys front office made since 2014.

6. Ezekiel Elliott Contract Extension

After three excellent seasons with the Cowboys, Dallas picked up the fifth-year option on Ezekiel Elliott's contract. However, the former fourth overall pick held out during training camp, prompting contract extension negotiations. This resulted in a massive six-year extension worth $90 million, with $50 million guaranteed, that was supposed to keep Zeke under contract through the 2026 season.

This was Jerry Jones zagging while the entire NFL was zigging. In an era when every team was paying their running backs less, the Cowboys made theirs the highest-paid running back in the league while giving him more guaranteed money than any rusher ever.

As good as Elliott was, giving such a lucrative, long-term deal to any running back has significant risks. And those came back to bite the Cowboys. Considering the physical running style of Elliott, it was obviously difficult for him to sustain his production through his late 20s. After he finished last in the NFL in yards per carry with 3.8 in 2022, Dallas released him.

Elliott continued to struggle after he signed with the Patriots last offseason and is currently looking to come back to Dallas to revive his career.