The Dallas Cowboys know that what transpired last year can't happen again, and certainly not after the positive offseason we've seen from the franchise.
With Brian Schottenheimer now in the big chair, he has overseen significant changes both on and off the field, thanks to a solid free agency and draft haul, coupled with several coaching changes.
All of that was part of what CowboysCountry.com dissected last offseason as a "Blow It Up'' plan. That was about a combination of inactivity and savings when it came to roster-building going into 2024 ... and major changes - including the dismissal of coach Mike McCarthy - at the end of the 7-10 campaign.
But "Blow It Up'' is over.
Now it is time to recover from the pain and to capitalize.
And the post-McCarthy vibes are good at The Star.
Training camp is under a month away, and we'll get to see how long those good vibes last with the staff able to get a proper evaluation of every player on the roster.
Such has been the level of positivity this offseason that some are hopeful Schotty can lead this franchise back to the playoffs —and possibly beyond. Will it happen? Who knows, but when you have true belief, anything is possible.
However, for that to happen, the Cowboys have to show they are better than they were a year ago, and for Fox Sports' Ben Arthur, when naming one word to describe the offseason, "rebound."
"With quarterback Dak Prescott back healthy, the Cowboys will look to return to the playoffs in 2025," Arthur writes. "They traded for receiver George Pickens and a pair of former first-round defenders (linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr., cornerback Kaiir Elam) to give their team a boost under new coach Brian Schottenheimer."
There are many unknowns about the Cowboys under Schottenheimer, with numerous new faces, a different coaching approach, and adjustments to the system.
However, there is also a benefit to change. With a revamped run game and offensive line, and with Dak Prescott now having two genuine receiving weapons, fans are no longer looking at Dallas as dead in the water.
Granted, we are in June, so we can't be steadfast in our convictions just yet.
But things are nicely poised for the Cowboys to "rebound" under Schottenheimer.
