Not relevant.
It is a descriptor rarely associated with Dallas Cowboys. But after reports surfaced Saturday that quarterback Dak Prescott’s hamstring injury would likely end his season, rather than simply interrupt it, here’s where we stand – “the team of ‘America’ is little more than the Western Carolina Panthers.
That’s quite a result for owner Jerry Jones, whose repeated claims that he was “all in” for the 2024 campaign couldn’t have been more vain. After three straight 12-win regular seasons – two NFC East crowns – his club essentially sat out free agency this year, produced an uninspiring draft, belatedly dealt with cumbersome (and inevitable) contract matters with Prescott and All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee. Lamb…and finished with a 3-5 record, good for 13th place in the NFC.
And it was Before It became apparent just how badly Prescott was injured during the Week 9 loss to the Falcons in Atlanta.
This begs the question: apart from these wild tours are held regularly at the team’s training facility in Frisco, Texaswhat does he expect for this team and its legion of supporters?
NFL STATS CENTER: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
Well, it’s only been a few days since Jones’ club reached a widely criticized deal with Carolina for Jonathan Mingo, a 2023 second-rounder who had been so disappointing in Charlotte (55 catches, 0 touchdowns in 24 games of the NFL) for the rebuilding Panthers… that the Cowboys shelled out a fourth round for him. Now he’ll get to play nine games…in an offensive system that might not survive until 2025…and all while probably not getting familiar with Prescott on the field. SO …
All-Pro passer Micah Parsons missed more than a month with an injured ankle, but is apparently close to returning. Yet it’s almost worth asking why – for Parsons and his team. He’s Dallas’ next player in line for a mega-contract, likely next offseason, is the mainstay of the defense, and it hardly seems worth exposing him to further injury at this point – as admirable as it would be for Parsons to dress again in what is now. a lost season. SO …
If you think there’s intrigue in watching backup quarterbacks Cooper Rush and Trey Lance play… well. Rush, who turns 31 later this month, helped save the 2022 season by going 4-1 when Prescott was out with a thumb injury. However, his success has largely come against mediocre competition and with the endgame of handing the operation to the team’s biggest star. That apparently won’t happen this time. As for Lance? There was certainly curiosity — and skepticism — when the team traded a fourth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers last year for the No. 3 overall selection in the 2021 draft. Sure, maybe be that with the right opportunity and training, Lance, 24, could leverage his estimable tools to take a strong position in the league. Yet, so far, he hasn’t even unseated Rush for the QB2 role. Plus, both backups are free agents after this season and — in light of the four-year, $240 million extension Prescott signed just before the 2024 opener — that’s really not a place to develop a young passer. It probably makes sense to re-sign Rush, but whatever success Lance might have in the coming weeks would likely not benefit Dallas aside from short-term gains on the field. SO …
Perhaps the team’s fans could focus on what could be a good start for pending free agents like perennial All-Pro safety Zack Martin, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and/or WR2 Brandin Cooks. But …
All the latest NFL news on and off the field. Register for USA TODAY’s 4th and Monday newsletter.
Perhaps – and especially with Prescott out – the Cowboys could actually see what they have in the running back room given the constant flashes Rico Dowdle has shown unlike has-been stars like Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook . Dowdle’s fantasy owners would certainly appreciate the gesture, as would his new quarterback. Wait? He also hasn’t signed beyond the 2024 season. Ah, well…
Perhaps local Cowboys fans can take comfort in the fact that so many prime-time games may not disrupt the routine of their personal lives. Of course, no sports franchise typically garners TV ratings like the Cowboys. But is the NFL really going to keep three exclusive broadcast slots at AT&T Stadium – Week 11 against the Houston Texans, Week 14 against the Cincinnati Bengals and Week 16 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – on the schedule? Especially since this year offers the league the possibility of withdrawing from Monday evenings (Texans, Bucs) for more selected clashes? SO …
There’s always a spoiler role — and the Cowboys have yet to face rivals Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday’s opponent) or the Washington Commanders, who look likely to challenge for the division title this year. But such upheavals will bring only very temporary satisfaction — and likely concurrent grumbling about an underrated positioning for the 2025 draft… which may not have a bumper crop of potential superstars. And, unfortunately for its fans, Dallas doesn’t look bad enough to position itself for, say, Colorado’s Travis Hunter next spring. SO …
However there will being a subplot definitely worth watching.
Jones will have to decide whether or not to retain head coach Mike McCarthy, whose contract will expire once the season ends after he failed to secure an extension before this cascading turmoil. McCarthy compiled a 45-30 regular season record in more than four years at North Texas. Yet he also owns an infamous 1-3 playoff record, which included a disastrous 48-32 loss to the Green Bay Packers at home in the wild-card round in January. McCarthy hasn’t brought a team nearly 30 years removed from its last NFC title game and Super Bowl to those thresholds. It was a bit of a surprise that he survived the Pack’s loss, and now he’s being evaluated even though his roster has been deteriorating for nearly a year.
It might be worth tuning in to see how it goes. Otherwise, Cowboys fans everywhere can be forgiven for being “all in” – at least for the next 10 months…or more.
***
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.
