When the team benched Kellen Moore, who was once thought of as a rising offensive maestro akin to Sean McVay, many fans were left scratching their heads. However, Mike McCarthy took a chance and the result was one of the NFL’s most productive offenses.
For the majority of the season, Dak Prescott was the front-runner for MVP and ended up in the top five in most important statistical categories for quarterbacks. With 4,516 yards (3rd in the NFL), 36 touchdowns (1st), nine interceptions, and a QB rating of 72.6 (2nd), the Cowboys signal caller concluded 2023.
The starting quarterback for the Cowboys has, however, had previous fantastic seasons. In 2019, for example, he came only 98 yards short of passing for 5,000 passing yards. However, he had a worse completion %, fewer touchdowns, and more interceptions that season. Additionally, his QB rating from 2023—105.9—surpassed that of any prior NFL season.
McCarthy converted the Cowboys into one of the league’s most deadly passing assaults. McCarthy, who found out on Wednesday that he will be able to maintain his job for at least another season following three consecutive 12-5 finishes, must break the playoff curse in order to remain in it. With an average of 256,8 yards via the air per game and 36 passing touchdowns, they ended as the league’s top passing attack.
The 2023 Cowboys finished as the No. 5 offense in the NFL, had the best overall scoring offense (averaging 29.9 points per game), were second in the red zone offense (converting 65.5% of the time), and were the best offensive on third downs (converting 48.3% of their attempts).
The Cowboys had been hoping for a dominant wide receiver since drafting him, and McCarthy and Prescott finally delivered. CeeDee Lamb was almost unstoppable, reaching the 100-yard mark in nine of his games, including a spectacular performance on December 30 against a strong Detroit Lions defense. Lamb averaged 17.5 yards per reception to finish that game with 13 receptions for 225 yards and a touchdown.
With 12 touchdowns by the end of 2023, the dynamic wide receiver for the Cowboys scored in eight of his final nine games, including a two-score day against Washington in the regular season finale.
The Dallas Cowboys are still adding talent for 2024, but they must make some important contract decisions.
One of the three main Dallas stars who is expected to get a contract extension soon is Micah Parsons.
Prescott, Lamb, and standout pass rusher Micah Parsons are the three biggest players on the current Cowboys roster, and their contracts are up for renewal within the next 12 months.
The Dallas Cowboys are built around these three players, so it’s unlikely that Jerry Jones will let any of them leave the building. However, the team will need to use some ingenuity in freeing up cap space by releasing other important players and maybe acting sooner rather than later if they want to keep their big three.
Prescott is the first and most significant.
Regardless of how he performed against the Packers, the Cowboys quarterback has clout in contract extension negotiations. After Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s $63.977 million, his $59.455 million is the second-highest 2024 salary cap amount in the NFL. Prescott’s contract contains a no-trade clause. In the event that he fulfills his contract, he also has a clause prohibiting Dallas from designating him as a franchise or transition player in 2025.
One NFL agent claims that by extending Prescott now, the Dallas Cowboys will be able to arrange the terms of the new contract to free up salary room until 2024.
If the salary cap for 2024 is set at $242.5 million, Dallas is expected to have an overage of $21.295 million.
Depending on how the deal is arranged, lowering Prescott’s 2024 cap number with an extension might theoretically eliminate the entire overage.
Dallas would be wise to find a way to extend Parsons and Lamb as soon as feasible given their consistent production, as their market values will only rise following the 2024 season.
In any case, some well-known players should be let go to make room on the cap this summer. Additionally, a number of the team’s starters are due to become free agents, and Dallas won’t be able to retain them all. RB It will be necessary to resign or find new employment for Tony Pollard, OT Tyron Smith, C Tyler Biadasz, CB Stephon Gilmore, S Jayron Kearse, and other players.
In terms of outperforming cutbacks to clear cap space?
If released after June, defensive end Demarcus Lawrence—who is coming off one of his greatest seasons in a while—would free up $10 million in contract room for the Cowboys. Although it’s possible that Lawrence’s contract can be restructured, the Dallas Cowboys brass may surprise him by releasing him.
Wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Michael Gallup have both been flagged as potential cut targets in an effort to save money. Expect Jones and company to seek a dynamic wide receiver early in the 2024 draft if that decision was made.
LB Leighton Vander Esch’s injuries are likely to be lifelong. If dismissed, backup quarterback Cooper Rush and punter Bryan Anger would save Dallas over $6 million.
The Dallas Cowboys are still expected to make big offseason acquisitions.
The Cowboys haven’t been able to overcome adversity with a dynamic running back in the past, as they saw multiple years with Ezekiel Elliott in his heyday; nevertheless, Dallas has admitted that one element of McCarthy’s scheme was absent in 2023.
A top-tier dual-threat ball carrier could be added because the Cowboys are anticipated to make significant moves in the summer to clear cap space.
The potential impact of having a true dual-threat running back such as Giants utility player Saquon Barkley, who is set to enter free agency this offseason, on this Dallas offense is almost unfathomable.
Maurice Jones Drew, the former running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars, recently made a prediction about the offseason destinations of the top free agents. In a move that could send fans of the New York Giants into a frenzy, he had Barkley joining the Cowboys.
No Saquon, no possibility.That’s my genuine assessment of the New York Giants’ chances in 2024. In 14 games, he totaled 10 touchdowns and 1,242 scrimmage yards, making him one of the few shining stars of the season. Saquon is the man to help the G-Men win, as seen by his 2022 Pro Bowl season, in which the team advanced to the playoffs for just the second time since 2011.
The running back said he wants to play for the Giants forever, but I’m not sure what the team’s current position is. Will the parties negotiate about a possible long-term deal once more, like they did during the previous offseason? I’m too busy to hang around and wait for this exercise. So why not send him to a division rival to liven things up?
Although the Cowboys’ cap situation isn’t ideal, Saquon Barkley visiting The Star is still a possibility because NFL teams are constantly juggling cap situations these days. It was not the season to replace Ezekiel Elliott’s hard-nosed, downhill running style with Tony Pollard. Dallas discovered the hard way that the passing offense and Dak Prescott are not enough on their own. In order to wear down defenses and keep opponents honest, this offense needs a run game. Barkley is a dangerous, versatile threat that can operate out of the backfield.
