Cowboys mailbag: Questions on running back, Dak’s contract and Mike McCarthy

Our latest mailbag features plenty of questions about the Dallas Cowboys.

Every week, we take questions on X (Twitter) and Facebook about Dallas Cowboys players and other issues surrounding the team. So let’s get right into it with the new co-host of Cowboys Mailbag, Dana Bartholomew.

“Are we done with the running back room additions?”

(@Cowboysnation Germany via Facebook)

Mike: For now it looks like the team is done adding running backs. Training camp will be coming up and if someone goes down for a long period of time then that running back door could reopen, but it would have to be one of the key starters. Rico Dowdle in the lead role has durability concerns, so there is always a chance of injury, and if that was the case then Jerry would probably start hunting around.

Other than a bad injury, this running back corps actually has a lot of depth to tinker with, especially if you add Hunter Luepke to the mix. The running backs could be effective if the coaches can figure the balance out right.

Dana: There is always a chance that the Cowboys’ front office finds a way to bring in another RB through free agency or trade, but for now, it looks like the RB room will be lead by Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle with Deuce Vaughn, Royce Freeman, Malik Davis, Hunter Luepke, Snoop Conner, and Nathaniel Peat all competing for reps. Mike McCarthy recently described the running game strategy this season as “RB by committee”. He believes that splitting the reps among multiple RB’s instead of having one bell cow will keep them fresh and ultimately more impactful throughout the long 17-game season.

“If a deal doesn’t get done before camp with Dak, what do you see as the most likely outcome?”

(@Stephen Nicol via Facebook)

Mike: If a deal isn’t done before camp there shouldn’t be too much concern. Historically the Cowboys have found a way to get major contracts done in Oxnard, Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence are two good examples of this. When they get to camp and the front office can sit down, watch Dak perform and talk with Todd France, then this would be the moment his contract gets extended.

With nearly $60 million against the cap and two voidable years on Dak’s contract, not getting the extension done will cripple the plans to get other key players signed like CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa.

Dak wants to stay in Dallas and the front office have said numerous times they want Dak around for the future. So the panic levels are very low right now, but that could rise as we get closer to the start of the season and the job iss not done.

Dana: There would still be a good chance that a deal would get done before Prescott hits free agency at the end of the 2024-2025 season. When looking at the details surrounding an extension, Prescott holds all of the leverage. He currently has a no-trade clause and a no-tag clause that limits the different options this front office has: get a deal done or let Prescott hit the open market in 2025 with a $40 million plus cap hit. Even with all the leverage, it seems as though Prescott has the intention of staying in Dallas. He has been very active with the team this offseason for voluntary practices, OTAs, and even played a role in the team’s schedule announcement video alongside Jerry Jones. He has also mentioned to the media that he doesn’t need to reset the QB market with his new contract.

Brandin Cooks talked about whether he believes that Prescott is the future QB for the Cowboys on Tuesday and his answer was a confident yes, “absolutely no question”. He believes that if a deal doesn’t get done before the season starts, Prescott’s performance will ultimately prove his worth.

“If Mike McCarthy was to go after this season do you see anyone that stands out that would be the top runner for the job?”

(@Sean Twaddle via Facebook)

Dana: If the Cowboys decide to go with experience and prestige, Bill Belichick is the big name that would make a lot of sense. His name was often mentioned as a possible replacement for McCarthy this season before Jerry Jones decided to allow McCarthy to coach out the rest of his contract. Jones also had high praise for Belichick when asked about the possibility of them working together at the Senior Bowl: “There’s no doubt in my mind we could work together. None. None.”

If the Cowboys want to hire from within, the top name would be Mike Zimmer who already has deep ties to the team and eight years of head coaching experience from his time in Minnesota. If he is able to improve this Dallas Cowboys defense, especially when stopping the run, that could add a lot of value to his résumé.

Now both of those names are defensive-minded coaches and it seems as though the offensive-minded coaches are all the rage recently, and for good reason when you look at what coaches like Andy Reid and Kyle Shanahan have been able to do. If the Cowboys want to get more creative and innovative on offense, someone like Bobby Slowik (OC for the Texans) might be a more attractive candidate.

Mike: Dana hit the most obvious name on the head here with Bill Belichick. He’s out of work, been tied to the Cowboys in the past and would be that typical high upside stop-gap type hiring to try and plug the roster and make a success out of it.

If however the Cowboys really failed this year, like a terrible six or seven win season, then going to college and bringing up a young, talented coach to begin a rebuild and reshape the organization would be a great way to go. That new coach could bring new ideas, reshape the culture in the locker room and turn everything around. The big reason why that would not happen though is Jerry’s age. Jerry wants that Super Bowl bad, but time is against him as he gets longer in the tooth. A guy like Belichick would be seen as the path with least resistance with that being the case.

Of course there are options on the team like Mike Zimmer who has head coaching experience. Or they could opt to go for a coach who has been around the team a while and well respected like Al Harris. Either way, if Mike McCarthy works his magic and gets Dallas to the playoffs only to fall and bow straight out, then he’s out the job and a new coach is in. The clock is ticking with Jerry’s patience on this reoccurring problem.

Be sure to check Blogging The Boys as well as @kenfigkowboy and @day_nuh_bee on X and also Facebook for the weekly post, asking for your questions to include in the weekly mailbag. Many thanks to everyone who send in your questions and votes.