Jerry Jones' missteps in free agency during the 2022 offseason are a big reason why the Cowboys didn't make a deep playoff run last year.
The play of Dak Prescott tends to dominate Dallas Cowboys headlines on an annual basis, but questions over the quarterback position overshadow a lot of choices Jerry Jones has made about the team's roster. In particular, his errors during the 2022 offseason failed to surround Prescott with the talent required to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
The good news for fans in Dallas is that not a lot of the mistakes Jones made during 2022 have hamstrung the franchise over the long haul. One-year deals can only be so problematic in the context of modern NFL salary cap structures.
Even so, Jones failed to make enough impact signings in 2022 to elevate his roster. The following three mistakes are still costing the Cowboys.
Jerry Jones decisions Cowboys owner, GM regrets: 3. Signing Dante Fowler
Inking Fowler to a one-year deal at just under $3 million was a reasonable game for the Cowboys to take. He gave the defense six sacks in a rotational role, but once again, he failed to live up to his significant potential.
Some might point to the fact that Dallas brought him back on another one-year deal this offseason as a sign that the agreement worked out. That's a short-sighted view. Fowler will struggle to log regular snaps behind Micah Parsons and Dorance Armstrong.
Such a reserve role should be reserved for a player on a minimum contract who can contribute on special teams. Fowler is slightly overpaid and doesn't give Dallas anything outside of obvious passing downs. He doesn't make enough money to be classified as a major mistake, but he's still not worth the money or roster spot.
Jerry Jones decisions Cowboys owner, GM regrets: 2. Overpaying Dorance Armstrong
Parsons isn't the only mistake the Cowboys made at edge rusher a season ago. Giving Armstrong a two-year, $13 million contract underestimated just how much of a star Parsons was going to become at the defensive end position.
Cowboys fans will point to the nine sacks Armstrong racked up as evidence that his contract is a bargain. That total flatters how he played. His PFF grade of 61.8 shows just how empty that sack total actually was.
Like Fowler, he really didn't do anything for the defense other than rush the passer on obvious passing downs. He really struggled to do anything against the run. His snaps were also very limited by Parsons being a superstar ahead of him on the depth chart.
Armstrong isn't the worst option as a backup defensive end but the Cowboys could have spent the six million used to retain him to bring in a starter at another position. He might earn even more money in his next contract if he flirts with double-digit sacks again but Dallas shouldn't fall into the trap of overpaying him any longer.
Jerry Jones decisions Cowboys owner, GM regrets: 1. Placing the Franchise Tag on Dalton Schultz
Electing to place the franchise tag on Dalton Schultz rather than inking him to a long-term deal set the stage to lose him in free agency during the 2023 offseason. Jones and his front office should have worked to lock Schultz into a reasonable, long-term deal instead of using the franchise tag to keep him on the roster in 2022.
Instead, they tagged Schultz and he took his talents to the Texans via a one-year, $6.25 million deal. That's a financial figure the Cowboys should have been happy to match on a multi-year contract.
After all, Schultz was a very valuable security blanket for Prescott in the passing game. He's not the most dynamic pass-catching tight end in the NFL, but he did pressure opposing secondaries with his ability to run intermediate routes down the seam. Schultz's value was so significant that his departure forced the Cowboys to spend a second-round pick on tight end Luke Schoonmaker with the idea that he can replace him.
The organization may not have viewed Schultz as a difference-maker, but he performed as an above-average starter during his tenure in Dallas. They could have kept him but their decision to franchise him in 2022 started the momentum for him to leave via a cheap free agency deal in 2023.