About a minute ago, the idea that the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders were in the same boat would've have represented an insult to Dallas.
Now? Maybe Washington feels insulted.
Over the course of decades, "America's Team'' has toyed with and taunted "D.C.'s Team.''
But in 2024? That got turned around, with Washington an upstart playoff entry and Dallas a woeful 7-10.
Looking forward, both teams in the NFC East are, to be honest, chasing the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, no matter what Dak Prescott says about his Dallas team being "very close'' to being on Philly's level.
Want a football fulcrum point in the chase?
Let's call it an arms race featuring Tee Higgins.
The Commanders won 12 games and made it to the NFC Championship Game, but there is every indication that general manager Adam Peters will work to bolster the cast surrounding QB Jayden Daniels while he is still on his rookie deal.
The Commanders, logically, have to be proactive. ... and they have around $78 million in cap space.
Little wonder ESPN's Matt Bowen is urging Washington to break the bank for Cincinnati Bengals receiver Higgins to pair with Terry McLaurin.
"Wide receiver Tee Higgins signs with the Commanders," ESPN writes in a prediction piece. "Adding another perimeter target for quarterback Jayden Daniels should be an offseason priority for Washington. It has the cap space to pair Higgins with Terry McLaurin, giving Daniels two difference-makers in the passing game."
All that make sense. But what about the Cowboys? Don't they have a need? Don't they have to be "proactive''? Don't they have a possible $100 million in cap space?
Writes our Mike Fisher, a 35-year veteran of the Cowboys beat: "Dallas has all the same resources and reasons that Washington has here when it comes to bidding on Higgins. I don't have a prediction here - especially because of Cowboys Nation's justifiable cynicism when it comes to the idea of Jerry Jones being a Tier 1 free agency buyer.
"But if Washington adds players like this while Dallas simply opts to "pay our own,'' as has been the Cowboys' frugal style for more than a decade? Not only will the Cowboys not catch Philly - they will be overtaken by Washington, too.''
Higgins' market value could be $25 to $30 million APY. (And there is an added wrinkle now with the idea of Higgins getting tagged, which means a trade might also be in order.) Dallas is already paying receiver CeeDee Lamb ... but Washington is already paying McLaurin, so that's no excuse.
For Dallas to shake its reputation as an "unserious franchise''? It doesn't have to specifically sign Higgins; there are other receivers and other stars at other spots worth signing, too.
But the football fulcrum point of "seriousness'' is coming. We know how Philadelphia will attack. We suspect we know how Washington. We're about to see if the Joneses are smart enough to ... well, "keep up with the Joneses.''
