While Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is not at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this week, the team did send a continent to represent the organization.
As part of the group attending the week-long event, Chief Operation Officer Stephen Jones took the time to speak with the media about the upcoming offseason on Tuesday.
“We’ve got a great team put together,” Jones said. “The last three years, we’ve won a lot of games, but certainly, where we have to improve is in the postseason. We’ve got to get guys who step up and make plays in the postseason. It’s been a challenge in terms of our success there, and that’s where we have to improve.”
The Cowboys will need to get creative this offseason to make those needed improvements, as the team enters the offseason more than $4 million over the salary cap despite the official number coming in higher than expected. They now have 14 free agents on which to make decisions while evaluating other options involving players currently on the roster and potential rookies who could help fill some holes.
“[The salary cap bump] helps in some ways, but all 32 teams get a cap bump,” Jones told the media. “We know what that can mean in terms of the price of doing business with whatever situation you’re working on.”
Some of those situations Dallas will be facing are signing quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, and linebacker Micah Parsons to contract extensions. While Jones would not divulge any details on the negotiation processes with these players, he acknowledged the need to sign them long-term while balancing the overall areas of need for the team.
“Obviously, between Dak and Micah and CeeDee, the salary cap’s real for us with those three guys in a situation where we want to do deals with all three of them,” Jones explained. “But do you get to do everything you want to do with the salary cap? I don’t think any team does, but we’re certainly going to go out and go to work and get things done that we feel like need to get done to be successful. ”
However they decide to make those deals work will greatly influence the structure of the Cowboys’ roster going forward.
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EXTRA POINTS
— Jones also said that linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and cornerback Trevin Diggs have a chance to return to the field by training camp.
— The Cowboys have met with Clemson DE Xavier Thomas and Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, among many other, this week in Indianapolis.
— The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) released its annual “Player Team Report Cards” that grade teams in different aspects based on player feedback. The Cowboys finished 12th overall with high marks in terms of team facilities, the weight room, and coaching but low marks for the training room due to the amount of staff.
— The Kansas City Chiefs have released wide receiver Marques Valdes-Scantling, according to ESPN.
— Teams across the league have begun using their franchise tags.
