Dallas Cowboys Poised to Become Perennial NFC Power
Despite winning 13 regular season games and clinching home field advantage throughout the playoffs, the Dallas Cowboys could not carry over their success into the postseason. That being said, America's Team is in great position to become a consistent NFC power over the next five years. Their offense, led by rookie quarterback Dak Prescott and rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott played consistent football each week. The Cowboys’ offensive line is one of the best in the NFL and their receiving corps, led by Dez Bryant and tight end Jason Witten provided Prescott with plenty of weapons.
Head coach Jason Garrett refused to rule out Tony Romo as the team’s 2017 starting quarterback, but it would make no sense to demote Prescott.
“Tony has been such a great player for the Cowboys over the course of his career here," Garrett told ESPN on Monday. “Equally important is he has been such a great person for this organization. He has been a great leader and an example to his teammates, his coaches and people in the community about how to go about it. We certainly want the best for him, whether he is here or whether he is somewhere else.”
Although the future of Tony Romo will be a major storyline to follow during the offseason, the Cowboys will need to figure out which of their 18 unrestricted free agents they want to resign. This includes left guard Ronald Leary, wide receiver Terrance Williams, linebacker Justin Durant, cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne, safeties Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox, and defensive linemen Jack Crawford and Terrell McClain.
Free agency and the upcoming draft will be extremely important to the Cowboys, who need to address their pass rush. Linebacker Jaylon Smith is recovering from knee surgery and he is expected to play significant minutes next season. The team has drafted well in recent years, and they might look to give Prescott a deep threat as well as a defensive end and depth at cornerback. All signs point to the Cowboys continuing their dominant play on the field and plenty of playoff appearances in the future.