Despite owner Jerry Jones promising to "go for it" before Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, ESPN inside Adam Schefter suggests the "dye has been cast" on the Dallas Cowboys' failed season.
FRISCO - Tank vs. Trade?
With an ugly three-game losing streak, Dak Prescott out for "several weeks" with a hamstring injury and lame-duck coach Mike McCarthy's tenure likely expiring in two months, the Dallas Cowboys are faced with a huge decision on Tuesday. Not, not America's Presidential election. Does Jerry Jones beat the NFL trade deadline with a deal that attempts to salvage a sinking season or merely sit idly and start a long-term plan for a brighter "tomorrow"?
After last Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons, Jones promised "we'll go for it" in seeking a trade. But according to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter the 2024 ship has sailed.
"The magic solution isn't walking through that door," Schefter said Monday morning. "The die is cast with this team. They have so many issues that one trade, two trades, three trades - that aren't going to happen - can't fix this roster."
If anything, Schefter says, the Cowboys should be sellers instead of buyers. That's nothing new or clever; our Mike Fisher has been talking about that "seller'' concept for weeks based on Dallas' "Blow It Up'' plan.
But Schefter goes a step beyond, as ... He expects several teams to call Jones about the possibility of trading edge rusher Micah Parsons - but he does couch his prediction inside of a "conversational shell.''
Schefter: "Maybe we should check to see if they would be willing to move on from Micah Parsons, which I don’t think they would be, but those are the conversations that are going on.''
To be frank, there's something about that statement that seems a level below "journalism.'' But if we're to take it seriously? Know that in NFL history since 2000, "blockbuster trades'' for defensive players usually net the selling team a first-round pick and one additional lower pick.
Unless Dallas is changing its mind drastically about Micah as a foundational player? The Cowboys won't be accepting those calls with a very serious mindset.
With Prescott out, receiver CeeSee Lamb nursing a sprained shoulder and defensive stars Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence not likely to be on the field at the same time for several more weeks, the Cowboys face a tough road to get back into playoff contention. They are 3-5 with upcoming games against the 6-2 Philadelphia Eagles, 6-3 Houston Texans and 7-2 Washington Commanders.
Though the loss to the Falcons was littered with pre-snap penalties, countless missed tackles and a botched fake punt, Jones has repeatedly said he will not fire McCarthy during the season. So McCarthy is here. And so is Micah ... right?
