The Dallas Cowboys have had a 2024 to forget.
At 3-7 on the year, Mike McCarthy’s crew is fading fast, leading many to question multiple facets of this franchise. Jerry Jones has formed a culture of complacency in Dallas, and any fan would be able to notice that.
This is more than just a 2024 problem.
How could one of the most statistically efficient and successful teams over the last three years fall so flat? From free agency to drafts, something Dallas is considered one of the strongest in the league at doing, something about this team feels off. The answer isn’t going to come easy, but it’s as clear as day that change needs to be enacted. Let’s dive into why Dallas’s downfall shouldn’t be a surprise.
Deflated Offense
The trenches have been rough sledding for Dallas on both sides of the ball. They aren’t just underperforming, they’re terrible. The team is in the bottom three for rushing yards, attempts, and average yards per carry. Their 817 rushing yards are less than Derrick Henry’s alone, yet Jones thought he wouldn’t be a good fit for the team. The passing attack tried its best to salvage this offense, but with Dak Prescott sidelined for the remainder of the year it looks like it’s closing time for the 2024 season.
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Ghosts in the Trenches
Defense is an even bigger headache, and it’s not all Mike Zimmer’s fault.
Now granted, this unit was still underperforming at full strength. In the last couple of weeks, though, they’ve shown life but can’t stay off the field. Not only is the offense failing to establish any pace running the ball, but they’ve been just as bad at stopping the run on defense. They have allowed the sixth most rushing yards in the NFL paired with a gutting 18 rushing touchdowns on the year.
How many rushing touchdowns does Dallas have on the year? Three. This unit allows six times as many touchdowns as they score themselves. Joe Mixon was the latest to feast on this defense and won’t be the last.
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The catch to both of these issues is Jerry Jones has refused to address them. Fans and analysts worried that the team would head in this direction, yet Dallas showed overwhelming reluctance to improve their roster. They’ve elected to solely address their issues in the draft, but the guys they’ve brought have been either hurt or among the worst at their position. Fans have seen the reluctance to spend money on outside talent, but now what was once considered their strong suit in the draft is falling through.
Arrested Development
It’s hard to follow up a class like 2022. Tyler Smith, Jake Ferguson and DaRon Bland are Pro Bowl or All-Pro-level talents. There’s been a lot left on the table for Sam Williams, Jalen Tolbert and Damone Clark but they’ve been serviceable players for the team since joining. This was the expectation for fans. They’ve seen home runs countless times, yet 2023 was a big whiff.
DeMarvion Overshown has been promising in 2024, but that’s all the good this class has offered. It’s been two years, but the Mazi Smith experiment is over. He was brought in to be a force inside and help stuff the run. Instead, he’s been a ghost. He has only earned a 50% or higher snap count in four games this year. He hurts the team every time he steps on the field, and that isn’t going to magically go away with more reps.
Luke Schoonmaker just wasn’t a second-round talent. He’s barely seen the field, alongside the rest of the class. It’s not like this class isn’t talented down the board either. Tank Dell and Josh Downs are phenomenal secondary options who separate at a high level. De’Von Achane, Tyjae Spears and Tank Bigsby are sparkplugs in their offenses, yet Dallas opted to sit and go with Deuce Vaughn who isn’t close to cracking the rotation. Dallas has insisted on building through the draft, but with a class like 2023’s the foundations they’re planting are as thick as paper.
It’s All Up From Here, Right?
2024 doesn’t get much better. Tyler Guyton made sense with Tyron Smith leaving. They knew what they were getting with how raw of a prospect he remains to be and the same things were said when you drafted Tyler Smith. Unlike Smith, though, Guyton hasn’t made a splash yet. Marshawn Kneeland was a solid value pick. He was a first-round talent in the second that will likely be Demarcus Lawrence’s replacement.
Unfortunately, he won’t be healthy in 2024. Cooper Beebe has been the highlight at center, but there isn’t much else to this class. It’s still very early, but there’s a lot of work left to do for these young Cowboys.
The only notable acquisition the Cowboys made mid-season was getting Jonathan Mingo from Carolina for a fourth-round pick. Mingo has some promise and is an intriguing athlete, but isn’t making a big enough impact anytime soon. Rico Dowdle has tried his best to get something going at running back, but he isn’t the answer. Mike McCarthy is in the last year of his deal and there’s likely not a fan that wants him back.
There needs to be an overhaul fast.
Tick-Tock, Mr. Jones
There are plenty of avenues Jerry Jones can explore.
They sit at $25.5 million in cap space and that will likely widen. However, it’s wishful thinking to expect Jones to pull the trigger on any upcoming free agents. The 2025 class has potential answers, but is that something fans can still look forward to after the last two years?
The Cowboys have an opportunity to revitalize before it’s too late. The core talent is still championship material— they just need to go from a reality show to a football team.
2024 will be one to forget, so they must have a clear vision for next season. It’s tough to say what the blueprint will be now, but one thing is certain. Time is running low for Jerry Jones to flip the script and prove this squad is a contender. If there’s ever an opportunity to do so, it’s 2025.
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