Jerry Jones' 6 Worst Decisions of the Past Decade
By Cem Yolbulan
5. Signing Dontari Poe In Free Agency
Every Cowboys fan remembers this as there was widespread excitement about the signing of Dontari Poe in the 2020 offseason.
After missing the postseason in 2019, the Cowboys wanted to bolster the defensive line. They signed Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe in the offseason. Even though they were slated to start together at defensive tackle, things didn't work out well for either player. McCoy was lost for the season with a quadriceps injury and Poe only lasted seven games.
Poe was one of the worst free-agent signings in recent memory, penned to a two-year, $8.5 million deal after being released by the Carolina Panthers. He started as the nose tackle for seven games and recorded seven tackles and zero sacks before being released mid-season.
The objective of bringing in the former Pro Bowler was to improve run defense. Instead, Dallas had one of the worst defenses they ever had, finishing with the 28th-best defense in the league, consistently getting destroyed by the run.
It is therefore not a surprise that Poe never played another snap in the NFL after that season. It may not seem like a big enough decision to be included here but this perhaps pushed Jerry Jones to go back to his frugal ways.