Dallas Cowboys Mailbag: Why Micah Parsons hasn't signed long-term deal, building an elite OL, Ashton Jeanty vs Tetairoa McMillan
After a busy first week of NFL free agency, the news cycle has died down a little bit for the Dallas Cowboys, excluding some Micah Parsons drama as the football world ponders if the superstar defender has leadership problems. So taking advantage of the slow football days leading up to the NFL Draft, I asked my […]
After a busy first week of NFL free agency, the news cycle has died down a little bit for the Dallas Cowboys, excluding some Micah Parsons drama as the football world ponders if the superstar defender has leadership problems.
So taking advantage of the slow football days leading up to the NFL Draft, I asked my followers on X to shoot me some questions. They delivered.
Let's dive in and thanks to all who reached out.
Why, if it's said that signing Micah Parsons now is good for the salary cap, doesn't Dallas do it? – @kyler1805
I'd love to know the exact answer to this question. But the reality is the Cowboys think differently about team building than we do. When media members and fans point out a Parsons' contract extension will lower his salary cap hit in 2025, they do so while thinking of using the newly freed up cap space in new players, preferably some that would upgrade the starting lineup. The front office doesn't think that way.
Heck, Jerry Jones didn't hide anything when he said he didn't look at free agency as a place to fill voids. In other words, they're never in a rush to get deals done earlier rather than later because they won't be aggressive in free agency anyways.
The Cowboys are also clearly okay with letting the market prices rise at crucial positions before committing long-term to a player. They did so with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and many others in the past. Perhaps they prefer the money in their pockets for as long as possible before putting it in someone else's.
"How long will it take to build a top OL? We all know Dak has not been the same after his ankle injury (running game)." – @Carlos___Alonso
This is a great question. The reality is the Cowboys are a few steps away from having an elite offensive line. Really the only player on the unit worthy of being called "elite" right now is Tyler Smith. Cooper Beebe might be the next best player but is far from being at that level. Building an OL that resembles what Dallas had in 2014 and 2016 anytime soon is far-fetched.
With that in mind, I think the real question about the Cowboys OL that we should be asking ourselves is what can coaching do to improve the unit? With Klayton Adams onboard as offensive coordinator and Conor Riley as offensive line coach, I'd love to see a different approach to the run game that puts these young players in a position to be successful.
"If Ashton Jeanty and Tetairoa McMillan are not there at No. 12 , who would you grab? Matthew Golden, Emeka Egbuka or Omarion Hampton? Cheers, Mau." – @RisingPrometeo
I'm glad it won't be me in that War Room in late April because that's no easy decision. Ultimately, it comes down to what the Cowboys prefer: A safer option that's unlikely to fail at WR2 in Egbuka or a guy with bigger upside in Golden?
At this point, I'd take my chances with Golden because of what a player with speed can do for an offense in the NFL. Plus, he's got sharp routes and good hands. He might be more of a risk but I'm rolling with the Texas Longhorn.
"Tet McMillan or Ashton Jeanty?" – @Dr_DavePimentel
Jeanty is a better running back than McMillan is a wide receiver but I'm one of those suckers for positional value. That's to say I'm more comfortable rolling the dice at RB in Rounds 2 and 3 than I am at wide receiver. Give me McMillan if it comes down to those two though I must admit it's difficult to pass on Jeanty.
"With the Cowboys team we currently have, is there anything to be excited or hopeful about in terms of being relevant next season?" – @ufo_dr
It depends. If a Super Bowl run is the only thing that would get you excited or hopeful, probably not. The Cowboys have multiple roster issues and I think they're not among the top contenders in the NFC. But if playoff chances do the trick for you, then I'd say Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons are the big reason for hope. These are top-tier players at their position that will keep the Cowboys in the conversation every week. That's something plenty of other NFL teams would love to have.
But the roster must improve if we're thinking about winning in January and February.
Dallas Cowboys 2025 depth chart highlights crucial team needs the front office can’t afford to ignore in upcoming NFL Draft
What the team looks like right now.
