The Dallas Cowboys offseason is already off to a hot start. DC Dan Quinn is back but OC Kellen Moore and a number of assistants are out. A changing of the guard, so to speak.

As the Cowboys go through the phases of free agency and the draft, the hope is the front office learned some of the hard lessons of last year. Rather than taking away players that helped (Amari Cooper) and replacing them with cheap fill-in's (James Washington), that addition by addition yields better results.

There are multiple things the Cowboys need to do before OTA's but these five are the most pressing and most glaringly obvious.

Offensive Weapons

This doesn't exclusively mean just wide receiver but is very much emphasized by it. Tony Pollard is an unrestricted free agent and coming off an injury, while Ezekiel Elliott's future in Dallas in question. Good news is the draft is very deep at running back.

TE Dalton Schultz is also a free agent and has developed a great connection with QB Dak Prescott over the last three years. However, the quality combo play of both rookies Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot may be enough for the position.

Then, it comes to wide receiver. CeeDee Lamb was essentially it. T.Y. Hilton and Noah Brown are both free agents, and even though Brown had a career year, his inconsistent play and hands made him a liability. Making it hard for there to be an established WR3 with Michael Gallup, who couldn't create separation coming off an ACL tear.

This year's free agency class is full of upgrades who would easily come in and establish themselves as a starter. The draft class looks top heavy but not as deep as recent years. Sign one, draft another.

Offensive Coordinator

Kellen Moore is now with the LA Chargers and Head Coach Mike McCarthy is planning to call plays in 2023.

Whoever the next OC is, if they won't be who runs the plays they need to be able to do two things: create an offensive game plan, create a cohesive connection with Dak.

Moore did a great job of establishing a gameplan against teams that had deficiencies on defense, but was insistent on establishing the run when the run just wouldn't establish. The next OC needs to recognize when their original plan isn't working and rather continuing to run up the middle on first downs, put Dak and the Cowboys offense in their best position.

McCarthy and Jones need to avoid getting one of 'their guys' because that could result in another Mike Nolan situation.

Re-sign Key Unrestricted Free Agents

The Dallas Cowboys have 20 UFA's. Some, like Pollard or Schultz are likely going to command top dollar. While the Cowboys love to sign their own, they have known to low-ball players either in an effort to save money or to show them the door in a more 'cordial' way.

Players like S Donovan Wilson and LB Leighton Vander Esch have both elevated their games from last year to this year, with their values having increased. As has someone like G Connor McGovern who is going to get starter money, if not in Dallas than one of the many offensive line-needy teams.

Last year, it was Randy Gregory, Jayron Kearse, Schultz, Cedrick Wilson among others of key players looking for a second deal. Time will tell if the front office has learned it's lesson on tight pockets.

Start 'Early' Negotiations

WR CeeDee Lamb, CB Trevon Diggs and C Tyler Biadasz have all finished their third seasons in Dallas. Each making the Pro Bowl at least once and each one is three seasons in.

Each of them are now eligible for contract extensions and can begin negotiations at the start of free agency. The Dallas Cowboys at the very least need to consider early negotiations for extensions with their values that could land them among the highest paid at their positions. Or at least among the top 5 average:

• Centers: $12.75 million/year
• Cornerbacks: $20 million
• Wide Receivers: $27 million/year

If the Cowboys intend to keep these players, they need to sign them sooner than later. Their respective markets will only go up, pricing themselves out.

'Do Anything'

Jerry Jones, just one year ago said just to what lengths he would go to win his fourth Super Bowl as the Cowboys owner.

"I'm not trying to be sacrilegious here, but the facts are that I would, right now, if I could, and I knew had a good chance to do it, I would do anything known to man to get in a Super Bowl. That's a fact. And there's nothing, in my mind, that can have a higher priority than that."

Time to put his money where his mouth is.

Everything mentioned previously ties into just how much Jones and the Cowboys are willing to pay.

Pay for the best offensive coordinator they can, just as they did on the defensive side.

Being players in free agency as well as the trade market. Active and exciting. As well as bringing back some of their best free agents, ignoring the markets, to an extent. Not overpaying for a position you don't value as highly but bringing back your best players who are only getting better.

If the Dallas Cowboys go through yet another 2021-like offseason, the results for 2023 will be more of the same. If they really want to "get over the hump", the front office needs to change their approach. An approach that has been in place for a decade with no viable results.

Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman of USA TODAY Sports