Cowboys' recent decisions prove they're in win-now mode for 2023 NFL season
There's no saying in the NFL that's more overused* than claiming a team "is in win-now mode." But in the case of the 2023 Dallas Cowboys, it's not just the words. In fact, it's their actions that prove they're in such a mindset as a franchise. *A worthy opponent: "I'm in the best shape of […]
There's no saying in the NFL that's more overused* than claiming a team "is in win-now mode." But in the case of the 2023 Dallas Cowboys, it's not just the words. In fact, it's their actions that prove they're in such a mindset as a franchise.
*A worthy opponent: "I'm in the best shape of my life."
The Cowboys, widely known for their conservative approach to team-building, deviated from their typical strategy in many ways this year. The same front office that has preached the "draft and develop" mentality for years has traded four draft picks away since March, two of which were used in veteran CB Stephon Gilmore and WR Brandin Cooks.
Both these players are going to make an immediate impact on the team even if they're in Dallas for the short term. Although the trade compensation the Cowboys gave up in each of those deals is nothing major, the decisions broke away from the usual way of doing things by the front office. As far as 2023 is concerned, adding Cooks and Gilmore are two of the biggest reasons why this team can be even better than last year's 12-win squad.
Now granted, being in win-now mode doesn't mean that the front office hasn't been thinking about the future. Just last month, they traded a fourth-rounder away for QB Trey Lance, who they'll try to develop behind Dak Prescott. In April, they traded up in the sixth round of the Draft to get the cornerback they liked, Eric Scott Jr.
But making these small decisions (along with one of the toughest cuts this year that we'll explore in a moment) is a sign that they're covering all the bases even if it means sacrificing a piece of the future. Next April (pending compensatory picks), the Cowboys will have no Day 3 picks until the seventh round. Below is a rundown of how things look like so far for the 2024 NFL Draft.
I don't know when was the last time the Cowboys lacked so many picks even if it's in the late rounds. For a franchise that loves its draft picks, there isn't a better sign of the times than noting how few picks they have. Keep in mind the context, too: The front office will be facing a tough free agency in 2024.
Not only will they be working through contract extensions for Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons, and CeeDee Lamb, but they also have a long list of key players set to become free agents next March. There will be crucial contributors that will need to be replaced.
The Cowboys' roster cut that further proves the 'win now' mentality
On cutdown day, the most controversial cut made by the Cowboys had to be that of rookie edge rusher Isaiah Land. The undrafted free agent thrived in training camp and preseason football and seemed set to break into the 53-man roster. But there was one small (yet good in a way) problem: This team has a lot of edge rushers.
With Dante Fowler, Dorance Armstrong, Sam Williams, and fourth-round rookie DT/DE Viliami Fehoko rotating behind Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, the team would've had to go significantly long at the position in order to keep Land. They were never going to cut one of the previously mentioned names because they've all proven how productive they can be when they finally get playing time.
And yet, some argue, what about Land's upside? From the little football we saw from him, he looked like a guy you can develop into a starter down the road. But that's the thing. In 2023, Land had little to no shot of getting on the field behind such as strong rotation. The Cowboys aren't going to sacrifice one of their battle-tested defensive linemen in a year when the unit is one of the biggest reasons to believe they can go all the way for a project.
Regardless of how much they liked Land – and they did, considering Dan Quinn had been scouting him since 2021 – keeping him on the 53-man roster didn't fit that win-now mentality we've been discussing.
The planning and team-building are done for the most part, though. Now, we're on to ballgames. Next weekend, it'll be the Cowboys and the New York Giants battling it out in an NFC East clash. Let's see if their strategy yields early results.
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Featured image via Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
