Although the Cowboys cut ties with eight assistant coaches this offseason, Jerry Jones‘ recent comments demonstrated extraordinary trust in his coaching staff.
“I think having (DC) Dan Quinn and (HC) Mike McCarthy gives the Cowboys one of the most fortuitous coaching situations that are not only in the NFL today, but one of the best we’ve ever had,” the Cowboys owner told Yahoo! Sports’ Jori Epstein.
It’s a bold claim from Jones since the organization has a rich coaching history. Pro Football Hall of Famer Jimmy Johnson guided the team to two Super Bowl titles in the early ’90s.
Quinn and McCarthy have had a solid tenure in Dallas, leading the Cowboys to consecutive 12-win seasons for the first time in 27 years.
But they’ve only won one playoff game and suffered back-to-back postseason losses against the 49ers.
2023 is a transition year. A coaching overhaul and change throughout the roster may shake Dallas’ foundation.
Dallas parted ways with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and other assistants. According to The Athletic’s Jon Machota, the Cowboys scoring offense ranked in the top six three times in four seasons under Moore.
Per Jones, McCarthy will take over play-calling. However, handling the new responsibility along with HC duties may strain him.
The Cowboys have 18 unrestricted free agents, including S Donovan Wilson and LB Leighton Vander Esch, essential components in Quinn’s defensive scheme. Wilson led Dallas in total tackles (101), while Vander Esch was second (90).
Per OverTheCap, the Cowboys are $7.1M over the cap, meaning it will have to let some players leave to create cap space.
Despite major offseason questions, Jones keeps escalating the pressure on his coaching staff.
