IRVING, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys’ Twitter mailbag is ready.
In it we discuss:
Jason Garrett’s future
What happened to the offense?
Away we go:
@toddarcher how likely is it that Jerry Jones moves on from Jason Garrett #cowboysmail
— Shawn Nelson (@ShawnyFootball1) December 23, 2015
@toddarcher: Do you mean in like three weeks? No chance of happening. This has not been a good year for Jason Garrett and the rest of the coaching staff, but 12 months ago he was earning Coach of the Year votes and the team was 12-4 and a whisker away from the NFC Championship Game. Plus, he is in the first year of a five-year deal that pays him $6 million a year. Since Jerry Jones stayed with Garrett through the 8-8 seasons as the Cowboys retooled, it makes sense to stick with him through a season in which Tony Romo played two full games. Now, can he have another year like this one, injuries or no injuries? I don't think so, but I wouldn't put him on the hot seat entering 2016, either.
@toddarcher #cowboysmail
1. Should the boys throw money at Normans feet?
2. Should the draft priority be pairing a DB with Jones?
— Rob (@RW_WHTCHOCOLATE) December 23, 2015
@toddarcher: There is zero chance Josh Norman will be on the open market. Zero. The Panthers won't let him go, so I don't think I need to answer the first part. As to the second part, the Cowboys need a lot of secondary help. Brandon Carr is set to make $9 million next year. Morris Claiborne is going to be a free agent. Orlando Scandrick is coming back from major knee surgery. As I sit here right now, a priority has to be drafting a cornerback or cornerbacks, perhaps over everything. I'll reserve the right to change my mind, especially if a quarterback is there. But with only one interception by a corner this year and just four by the entire secondary, there has to be an infusion of talent in the secondary in 2016.
@toddarcher It seemed to me like even with Romo, the wheels were already coming off this team. What happened this year? #cowboysmail
— Reece Waddell (@ReeceTapout15) December 23, 2015
@toddarcher: I do think you're hitting on something here. Even when Romo played, the offense scored five touchdowns in 35 drives. Something was off the entire year. They didn't find a groove in the running game until the sixth game of the season. The passing game was a mess without Romo and some of that can be put on Dez Bryant's broken foot. Last year, everything worked perfectly for the Cowboys and Romo bailed the offense out of trouble a lot. This year, things did not go perfectly and Romo wasn't there to bail them out. The frustrating thing to me about this offense is how they don't scheme their stars open enough. It shouldn't be about jet sweeps to Lucky Whitehead. It should be about getting the ball to Bryant and Jason Witten and they don't do enough there, in my opinion.