The Dallas Cowboys have won 12 games in each of the past two seasons, but they have been unable to overcome the second-round obstacle that has haunted them since the 1990s. In the 2021 season, they were eliminated by the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card Round, and this year, the same team ended their hopes in the Divisional Round.
As they prepare for the 2023 season, Dallas acknowledges their competitive prowess but faces difficult choices. They must make roster changes to comply with the salary cap, as well as identify strategies to enhance performance on both offense and defense.
Here are five bold predictions for them as they look to do this during the 2023 offseason.
5 bold 2023 offseason predictions for the Dallas Cowboys
5. Tyron Smith signs an extension
Many had predicted that the Dallas Cowboys would part ways with Tyron Smith during the offseason, as they recently used a first-round draft pick on Tyler Smith, whom they view as the future at left tackle. Furthermore, the veteran Smith filled in at right tackle when Terence Steele was injured, making that position secure as well.
Moreover, Smith’s annual salary of $17.6 million makes him the team’s fourth highest-paid player, which seems excessive given his participation in only 17 games in the last three years, and no full season since 2015.
Despite these facts, the Cowboys are known for retaining players for their past accomplishments, and Jerry Jones has already announced that Smith will remain with the team. This announcement has sparked rumors that Smith’s contract will be restructured, resulting in a potential savings of roughly $6.217 million.
4. Isaiah Oliver reunites with Dan Quinn
Isaiah Oliver was a second-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons during Dan Quinn’s tenure as head coach. Oliver played under Quinn for the first two and a half seasons of his career and had become a regular starter, proficient in playing on the boundary and in the slot. Oliver continued to perform well even after Quinn left the Falcons. However, his 2021 season ended prematurely due to a knee injury after playing just four games, despite being retained for a one-year deal for 2022.
In Week 6 of the 2022 season, Oliver made his season debut and made an immediate impact with three tackles, a pass breakup, and an interception. His career stats include 203 tackles, 34 pass defenses, three forced fumbles, and two interceptions. Oliver was ranked as the 11th best cornerback in the NFL by PFF in the most recent season and is now a free agent at the optimal time.
3. Brandin Cooks deal finally goes through
The Dallas Cowboys engaged in serious trade talks with the Houston Texans to acquire Brandin Cooks before the trade deadline in the previous season. However, the Cowboys eventually decided not to pay the asking price and pursued Odell Beckham, Jr., until it was apparent that he was not ready to return.
The Cowboys eventually signed T.Y. Hilton late in the season, which was a good move, as he provided a significant boost, including a pivotal 52-yard reception on third-and-30 that helped Dallas defeat the Eagles in Week 16. Despite this, Hilton is currently 33 years old and will turn 34 in November. Additionally, it has been a few years since he has been the player he was in his prime. As a result, Dallas needs to explore other options, and since they have needs throughout the roster, they do not want to be forced into any decisions during the draft.
Consequently, they were finally able to pull off a trade for Cooks, who would be an outstanding No. 2 wide receiver opposite CeeDee Lamb. Cooks has been a journeyman throughout much of his career, having played for four teams already. Nevertheless, he has achieved a 1,000-yard season with each of them. In total, Cooks has 630 receptions for 8,616 yards and 49 touchdowns. Cooks will be turning 30 this season, so he will not be a long-term solution for the team. However, he can provide a temporary solution while they try to develop Jalen Tolbert or consider other options.
2. Dalton Schultz lands a massive extension
The Cowboys face a significant decision this offseason regarding Dalton Schultz, who is set to hit free agency again after the two sides failed to reach an agreement last year. Although Dallas used the franchise tag to keep Schultz in 2022, they drafted Jake Ferguson and signed Peyton Hendershot as insurance options. While Schultz missed time due to a knee injury, the offense didn’t seem to miss a beat. However, when Schultz returned to full health and Dak Prescott was back from injury, they quickly resumed their chemistry. Schultz had a remarkable postseason performance with three touchdowns in two games, leading to PFF projecting a $58 million contract over four years.
DAK PRESCOTT ➡️ DALTON SCHULTZ 🎯
— ESPN (@espn) January 17, 2023
Cowboys lead!
(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/neQgLCINFM
It’s frustrating that Dallas continues to undervalue their players, only to end up paying more later. The organization lowballed DeMarcus Lawrence in 2018 and ended up paying him more after a year on the franchise tag. The same thing happened with Dak Prescott, who was also tagged in 2019. It’s crucial for the Cowboys to learn from past mistakes and keep Prescott happy by finding a way to retain Schultz, who has become his favorite red zone target.
1. Cowboys let both RBs walk and still improve their ground game
Dallas has had its fair share of contract disputes in recent years, but the Ezekiel Elliott negotiations stand out as a huge mistake. After giving in to his holdout and allowing him to jump ahead of Dak Prescott in the payment queue, they also signed him to a six-year extension that did not begin for another two years. Predictably, Elliott’s performance has declined, and while he scored 12 touchdowns, the majority were short-yardage runs after Tony Pollard had done most of the work.
Now, with Pollard hitting free agency, the Cowboys face a tough decision on whether to overpay for another running back. Given their past mistakes, they are likely to release Elliott, saving nearly $11 million, and let Pollard walk. Instead, they could focus on improving their running game by drafting someone like Bijan Robinson, who is projected to be a top prospect in the upcoming draft. With Robinson, the Cowboys would have a dominant rushing attack and control of his contract for the next five seasons, making their offense significantly better in 2023.
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