Usually the offseason for the Dallas Cowboys is marked by multiple free agent signings and the usual “Why can’t we win a freaking playoff game?!” drama, but this year in a last-ditch effort to rectify the Wade Phillips experiment, Jerry Jones has decided to add to the team by subtraction. By adding only two role players and getting rid of the disgruntled, underperforming, troublemakers Jerry Jones has given Wade Phillips just enough rope to either hang himself or tie down his first playoff victory. However the scenario plays out, the Cowboys no longer have any excuses and will find out if all of the distractions were the cause of their underachieving or just an excuse to cover up the fact that they were a poorly coached team that didn’t have what it took to win a championship (or even a single playoff game).
Last year was a complete and total train wreck for the Cowboys both on and off the field, but the trade for Jon Kitna and the Keith Brooking signing suggest that the team is truly interested in turning things around. By acquiring veteran linebacker Brooking, the Cowboys have added to their team a durable linebacker that played 11 seasons, made five Pro Bowls, and will provide the team with a vocal leader both on and off the field. Kitna on the other hand may have been brought in to back up Tony Romo, but over the last two years the 36-year-old quarterback has proven that not only is he capable of moving an offense, but that he is capable of making throws all over the field. A feat that was sorely missed last year when a geriatric Brad Johnson was winging passes around like a left-handed little girl for three games.
Now that we’ve gotten the additions to the team out of the way, let’s take a look at some of those subtractions that the Cowboys made by either cutting or not resigning four troublesome players.
Adam “Pac-Man” Jones never stood a chance in Dallas, a city where the media never sleeps and ESPN’s Ed Werder follows the team around like the paparazzi. With All Eyez on Pac he tried to keep his nose clean and contribute to the team, but in the end injuries and his past kept him off the field more than he was on it. It’s a shame that Jones couldn’t pull it together for the Cowboys, because there was a time when he was one of the most talented players in the game. Now unfortunately the only place he’ll be able to showcase that talent will be on the reality show Pros vs. Joes.
Roy Williams (the safety) started out his career with the Dallas Cowboys with a bang, making it to five straight Pro Bowls, but once his coverage skills were exploited a couple of years ago he was never the same. He no longer made the big hits he was known for and continued to give up big pass plays in the secondary, which ironically isn’t a trait that you want for your starting strong safety. Some people (Roy Williams) said that he just never fit into the 3-4 defensive system, but the last time I checked even in a 4-3 defense you still need to tackle and make plays in the secondary.
Tank Johnson was a beast in Chicago … and then he got busted for having more weapons than an Iraqi army squadron in his house which led to him not only being suspended by the league, but also being cut by the Bears. A year later the Cowboys came calling and took a chance on the defensive tackle hoping that he could make the transition to nose tackle and become the player that he once was in Chicago. On both instances the Cowboys were wrong, and after just two years the team has decided that the unrestricted free agent’s services will no longer be needed.
Last but not least, we all know that T.O. was a physical freak that put up some amazing numbers while he played for the Cowboys, but as the saying goes, “His alligator mouth finally got his canary a$$ in trouble.” It’s a given that he talked more than should have, but in the end the reason that the Cowboys decided to cut Owens was his age 36 (ancient for a receiver) and the simple fact that he was no longer a legitimate No. 1 receiver but was still getting paid like he was one. On paper by cutting T.O. the Cowboys lost a receiver that caught 69 passes and 10 touchdowns for them last year, but what the numbers don’t tell you is that by cutting ties with the loquacious player they also were able to rid themselves of a receiver that devoured his quarterback’s confidence and killed the team’s chemistry.
So what does all of this mean for the Cowboys? It means that by trimming the excess fat the Cowboys will now have a less-talented team, but one that will have an overall much better chemistry. Whether or not the moves the Cowboys have made in the offseason will translate to more victories next year has yet to be determined, but at least now without any distractions perennial under achievers Tony Romo, Roy Williams, and Wade Phillips will have the chance to either put up or shut up.
This article appears in February 27 • 2009.