FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Cowboys proprietor and basic supervisor Jerry Jones did Mike McCarthy no favors in 2024. Now the 2 will go their separate methods.
McCarthy will not return as Cowboys head coach in 2025, a supply instructed ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday.
Jones allowed McCarthy and his whole employees to educate the season within the ultimate yr of their contracts with a roster that was arguably worse than the one which misplaced within the wild-card spherical to the Green Bay Packers final January.
Yes, the Cowboys made quarterback Dak Prescott the highest-paid participant in NFL historical past and CeeDee Lamb the second-highest-paid vast receiver within the league, however they have been going to be on the workforce in 2024 whether or not they had extensions or not. The workforce made few strikes to encompass its high-priced expertise and set it up for achievement.
The Cowboys’ most notable free agent addition was linebacker Eric Kendricks on a one-year, $3 million deal. He outperformed his price ticket, main the Cowboys in tackles and serving as defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s coach on the sphere and a mentor to youthful linebackers similar to DeMarvion Overshown and Marist Liufau.
The second-biggest addition was working again Ezekiel Elliott, who returned after a one-year hiatus. It didn’t work out. Elliott, who rushed for 226 yards and three TDs, was inactive for one sport for disciplinary causes and launched previous to Week 18 at his request so he might attempt to signal with a playoff workforce.
The Cowboys discovered coaching camp success to various ranges with free agent additions defensive finish Carl Lawson and defensive deal with Linval Joseph.
But that was it.
The Cowboys relied on in-house enchancment, and it got here in different-sized doses from gamers similar to defensive deal with Mazi Smith, tight finish Luke Schoonmaker, linebacker Overshown and defensive finish Chauncey Golston.
But tight finish Jake Ferguson was much less efficient in 2024 (474 yards receiving, no TDs) after being added to the Pro Bowl roster in 2023 (761 yards receiving, 5 TDs). Pass rusher Sam Williams tore his left ACL in coaching camp. Wide receiver Jalen Tolbert led the Cowboys in landing catches (7) however was too quiet because the No. 2 receiver for a portion of the season. After catching the profitable move in opposition to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5, he had solely two video games with greater than three receptions and one sport with greater than 45 yards the remainder of the season.
Yes, the accidents took their toll, however the Cowboys struggled when wholesome, too.
This season’s rookie class was up and down. First-round offensive deal with Tyler Guyton had an inconsistent season, throughout which he handled accidents and was pulled at instances for poor play, together with 18 penalties. Second-round decide Marshawn Kneeland, a defensive finish, handled a proper knee damage a lot of the season. Third-round decide Cooper Beebe appears to be like like a keeper at heart. So does Liufau at linebacker. Fourth-round cornerback Caelen Carson‘s confidence cratered early and he completed the season on injured reserve following proper shoulder surgical procedure.
McCarthy has been a draft-and-develop coach since his time with the Packers. Green Bay not often dipped into free company, except for signing cornerback Charles Woodson and defensive finish Julius Peppers.
Dallas has additionally turn out to be a draft-and-develop workforce, however ignoring free company doesn’t make a roster higher.
The Cowboys have not performed within the excessive finish of the free agent market in additional than a decade (Brandon Carr, 2012). Instead, they’ve targeted on the center or low finish of the market, which is why they didn’t examine the opportunity of including elite free agent working again Derrick Henry and as an alternative signed Elliott final offseason. They consider in retaining as a lot of their very own gamers as attainable
Generally, the strategy has labored. Just not effectively sufficient for a Super Bowl run.
In 2023, the Cowboys’ huge strikes have been buying and selling for cornerback Stephon Gilmore and vast receiver Brandin Cooks. They gave up Day 3 picks for confirmed gamers. They didn’t make related strikes final offseason. At the commerce deadline this season, the Cowboys gave up a fourth-round decide for vast receiver Jonathan Mingo. He caught 5 passes, however his story might be continued in 2025 when he has a full offseason with Prescott and no matter offense the Cowboys find yourself working.
The choice to stroll away from McCarthy is just not solely a few 7-10 file in 2024, it is about his 5 years as head coach. Ultimately, McCarthy was employed to get the Cowboys to no less than an NFC Championship Game, a spot they haven’t been in since 1995. In three postseason possibilities, it did not occur.
For the subsequent coach to succeed in these targets, the strain might be on Jones to make extra enhancements to the roster than he did for McCarthy’s ultimate season in Dallas.
