The Cowboys have franchised QB Dak Prescott. How did things get to this point?

https://theathletic.com/1678674/2020/03/16/the-cowboys-have-franchised-qb-dak-prescott-how-did-things-get-to-this-point/

In other words, either you want a QB or you don’t. If you do, get the deal done, lock it in, and even if you overpay now, it will look nice in 18 months relative to the rising cap and revenues and the new deals being inked before training camp 2021.

The Cowboys say they want a Prescott deal done. They say they want to keep Amari Cooper. They have more free agents than anyone can ever recall, and clearly their plan is already based on hoping Cooper will bring an offer back to them rather than agreeing with a team before dinner tonight.

Either you play the market, Stephen, or the market plays you.

We are about to find out which is which.

Sturm: The Cowboys’ biggest enemy in 2019 could easily be facing them in the mirror

https://theathletic.com/1137468/2019/08/14/sturm-the-cowboys-biggest-enemy-in-facing-2019-could-easily-be-in-the-mirror/

Sturm’s Morning After – the release of Dez Bryant

https://theathletic.com/313610/2018/04/14/sturms-morning-after-the-release-of-dez-bryant/

The Morning After: Seahawks 21, Cowboys 12 (8-7)

https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboys/2017/12/25/morning-after-nothing-changes-nothing-changes

The Morning After - Nothing Changes Because Nothing Changes

During the good times, you never appreciate how difficult it is for your heroes to make you happy. You don't know how taking down their rivals was next to impossible, because they made it look pretty simple. You had Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin and the other team didn't. Simple. You win. You had Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett, and Drew Pearson. Easy. You win again.

They made football look easy, even when it wasn't. If they didn't win the whole thing each year, they sure came close, it seemed. You didn't have to slay the dragon all of those years. You were the dragon. The NFL was your kingdom and Dallas Cowboys Football would live forever.

Over two decades later, we still have the tall tales of their conquests. We still have the momentos and the memories of those banners and trophies that make the franchise what it is today - one of the biggest brands on the planet. The mere value of the organization is such that there is nothing for sale that the franchise cannot afford 10 times over. This is verified by frequent projects that are erected all over North Texas that show the rest of the NFL that a sporting franchise doesn't have to stop at mere football. It can showcase art, architecture, and grandiose wealth in such a way that would make small countries jealous of resources and surplus.

But, as your grandmother would tell you, there are some things that money cannot buy. Evidently, conquering the NFL again is one of them. Given that this organization will continue to wander the wilderness for at least a 22nd season without so much as a trip to a NFC Championship game - let alone another Super Bowl - we can surmise that buying another "Sky Mirror" will have to suffice, rather than a new chapter of NFL dominance. When locals who already have their own children have never actually seen you crack the NFL's version of the "Final Four", then we realize the truth - that the current state of affairs continue to reveal that while the trophies will always sparkle, the need to expand the trophy case may once again be put on hold.

And so it goes for the Dallas Cowboys. Just when you think they cracked the code to find their way back, they come back to earth in a thud that makes you want to think about something else.

Lucky for you, it is Christmas. You literally have the greatest distraction day of the year available to you. Unless you were hoping to unwrap a nice playoff berth this morning.

That is not going to be possible. Once again, with everything to play for, this team proved they cannot win a home game when needed. Sure, they did take down three home wins this season. In September, they defeated the New York Giants. In November, the Kansas City Chiefs were taken down. And again, on the final day of that same month, they beat the Washington Redskins.

Unfortunately, they also lost to the Rams, Packers, Eagles, Chargers, and now Seahawks on home turf, which meant they went 3-5 at home. Playoff teams almost never go 3-5 at home and the Cowboys insured that stat will be safe because they are not going to the playoffs. If you want to feel extra depressed, you should know that yesterday was the 75th time the Cowboys have played a home game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, and during that spell they are a mere 39-36 overall (including playoff games). Take away that 7-2 in the opening season of the stadium in 2009 (the final full season of Wade Phillips), and since the first year of the Jason Garrett era the Cowboys hold a home record of 32-34. That would seem to be awfully problematic.

If you are wondering just how problematic, here you go. Since 2010, the Cowboys rank 24th in the NFL in home win percentage. They are better than just the Raiders, Bears, Rams, Redskins, Titans, Jaguars, Buccaneers, and Browns. But, when 5 franchises - the Patriots, Seahawks, Packers, Ravens, and Steelers are winning 70% or more of their home games, and you are winning 48% of yours, you see where the biggest issue sits.

They have constructed the greatest stadium that money could buy and allow the opponents to win more often inside it than they do. If any truth best describes the modern era of Dallas Cowboys football, this might be it.

===

So, there they were. Yet again, in a spot where maybe they could pull their disappointing season from the fire. The Cowboys held a halftime lead, but as soon as the 3rd Quarter began, the Cowboys 2nd offensive snap turned into a Seattle go-ahead Touchdown with an ill-advised throw from Dak Prescott to Ezekiel Elliott was tossed well over his head and into the path of an oncoming defensive back. 30 yards later, Justin Coleman is jumping into the Salvation Army pot and the Seahawks are ahead for good.

The offense was not done giving the ball away, however. After the first turnover where Dez Bryant allowed the ball to be punched away and after the second turnover where Dak airmailed a pretty simple pass to Coleman, they killed the buzz of the stadium late in the third quarter with a third turnover. This time, on 2nd and 12 from the Seahawks 25 - in a spot where the Cowboys were poised to take a lead, Prescott's short pass to Bryant on a crosser made the receiver reach back to catch it, but both hands were on the ball. We can debate whether the throw or the catch was more to blame, or we can offer the common-sense approach to the tandem this year: They both share the blame like they do the entirety of 2017. Anyone who wishes to isolate one's role from the other is grasping at straws and missing the very essence of the sport.

Dak Prescott has been very poor at times this season when so much was put on his shoulders. He did not quiet the critics who feared he was a product of the game situation for this team. If they keep him ahead of the score and ahead of the chains, he would be fine. But, put him in a spot where he had to do what QBs frequently must do - make lemonade out of lemons - they would reveal him to be rather limited at the highest level. He has taken a major step back this year and has to get guys like me who were very impressed with his football IQ a few weeks back to reevaluate our thoughts moving forward.

Dez Bryant has been poor for large swaths of the last three years. We have discussed why this is and the many logical reasons and excuses why he no longer measures close to the other elite receivers in the game. But, after a 3-year span of 3,935 yards and 41 touchdowns, he signed one of the richest contracts his position has ever seen. Since then, he is about to complete another 3-year span, which with 1 game to go, has 2,012 yards and 17 touchdowns. That no longer leads the industry - not even close. In fact, it is 15 yards more in that span than Terrance Williams and 58 yards less than Sammy Watkins. It ranks 42nd in the NFL which sounds about right, unfortunately. And nobody disputes his special play in the red zone leading to touchdowns galore, but he isn't even the top 20 in that stat over those three years and once again trails guys like Sammy Watkins, Kyle Rudolph, and Kenny Stills in touchdowns over that span (let alone DeAndre Hopkins who might tell you how important QBs are to his stats).

So, was that pass Dak's fault or Dez's fault? It doesn't matter. The organization counts on both of them and they both failed this season - despite their intentions.

To be fair, they aren't alone. Ezekiel Elliott is the golden boy who nobody who resides locally seems interested in holding accountable for his role in this season. He has been portrayed as a complete victim, despite his repeated behavior WHILE BEING INVESTIGATED. I'm sorry, but I won't be able to get past that fact for a long time that while the NFL is looking into your actions for discipline, you give them more actions to consider. It all seems incredibly dense, to be honest.

If that wasn't enough, when he returned to the field - with 200-yard projections dancing in his head - he forgot the part of his job that made some want to draft him so high. He is excellent at pass protection, we were told. He will always get that blitzing defender blocked. Well, unfortunately, with the season hanging from a thread, he busted on several blitzes yesterday. Apparently, the mental reps were not available in Cabo and he came back looking completely ill-equipped to know what the Seahawks had planned to rock Dak Prescott on 3rd downs. If Prescott looked a little rattled, it might have something to do with his RB not knowing who to block on no fewer than 3 different blitzes.

So, the moment that will forever be paired with this disappointing loss will go back to the 1st and goal at the 3-yard line in the 3th Quarter. Because of the three giveaways - all three put into the endzone as Seahawks touchdowns, by the way - the Seahawks were up 21-12. But, there was still time. Just get this 1st and goal into the end zone and perhaps everything will be fine. Surely, between the aforementioned touchdown makers - Dez Bryant and Ezekiel Elliott - the Cowboys would get this lead down to 21-19 with plenty of time to save the day.

Instead, neither would touch the ball. Dak kept the ball on the RPO keeper for a yard. Then, on 2nd down, they decide to pass the ball on the rollout, but Jason Witten is called for a massive holding penalty because pass protection has been an issue all day long. Now, it is 2nd down from the 12. You are now out of running territory. On 2nd and 12, Byron Bell gets rolled like Chaz Green by Frank Clark and Dak goes down again. 3rd and goal from the 23 means no chance, and the day was made awful by a Dan Bailey missed FG from short range.

Perhaps, Dan Bailey's year is actually the perfect metaphor for the season. I am losing track now.

But, with the season on the line, neither Ezekiel Elliott nor Dez Bryant factor in. How this happens is anyone's sad guess.  The Cowboys turned the ball over three times and come up short in a game that means everything.

Unfortunately, we have seen butchered offensive execution and self-inflicted wounds so often in the Jason Garrett and Scott Linehan era that we sometimes minimize their roles. But, as Troy Aikman said yesterday, if Dak Prescott is making decisions that you don't agree with as coach, then it is up to you to take those decisions back from him. This isn't that complicated unless you make it so.

And, repeatedly, under Jason Garrett, the Cowboys make the simple appear complex. You could do worse than him as your head coach, but I am under the belief that it seems time to consider doing better.

But, as always, the case when discussing Cowboys football, every time you try to follow the trail to the true culprit, the trail continues to a bigger culprit. Is it your QB? Or is it his boss? Is it your OC? Or is it his boss? Is it your head coach? Or is it his boss? Oh, yes. Here we are again looking at Jerry Jones again.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. We will not blame Tony Romo for this one or Wade Phillips or Dave Campo or Quincy Carter. Only one thing ties 22 years of Cowboys disappointment together and the stubbornness to try a different route.

Instead, we line up each July for another trip of speeding directly into the same concrete wall by January that this organization has so steadfastly defended all these years.

In fact, we just inducted that concrete wall into the Hall of Fame to verify that all the methods were correct.

It is so maddening and yet so familiar. Nothing changes, and therefore, nothing changes.

Go do something else today. It is Christmas.

And this Dallas Cowboys mess will be right where we left it tomorrow morning.

It always is.

Bag of Footballs - April 17 - Jerry Jones Draft Day Trade Log

https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboys/2017/04/17/bag-footballs-annual-jerry-jones-draft-day-trade-log

Staff Photographer

(from left) Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer Charlotte Jones Anderson, Owner Jerry Jones, and Executive Vice President, CEO, and Director of Player Personnel Stephen Jones visit in the War Room before making their first pick as the NFL Draft gets underway at Valley Ranch Thursday, April 28, 2016. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)

By Bob Sturm, Special contributor Contact Bob Sturmon Twitter:@SportsSturm

Over the next 10 days, we will endeavor to elaborate about our more specific beliefs about the Cowboys' 2017 draft plans. But today, I wanted continue an annual tradition and fill in the blanks on a particular topic that goes hand in hand with player selections on draft day in Dallas. With so many people wondering if the Cowboys will use the draft day to "make another splash" (to go get that War Daddy), we need to ponder the track record around here of making splashes. 

 

This will be the 24th draft that the Cowboys will participate in since Jimmy Johnson left town before the 1994 draft. In that time, the Cowboys have certainly taken on a different reputation for their drafting ability and one of those cliches that analysts will use is the idea that "Jerry cannot sit still" on draft day.

He is thought of as an owner over the years who falls in love with a target and then trades up to go get him without worrying too much about the cost. He is thought of as a major downgrade to Jimmy Johnson's 5 years of drafts, but in fairness, Jimmy compares favorably to almost anyone who ever drafted in any organization so that isn't a stretch. Presently, we cannot oversimplify the front office by saying it is Jerry Jones sitting on a throne calling out orders to his servants. Rather, Will McClay, Stephen Jones, and Jason Garrett all have significant say and on most moves, we believe that Jerry serves more as a tie-breaker than a decision maker.

Anyway, through covering this team, I feel it is always more helpful to actually deal in facts rather than what we can recall. If you polled draft experts, many would accuse the Cowboys of trading up all of the time. Others might say that they actually trade down quite a bit. Obviously, this seems to indicate they certainly enjoy trading in general, up and down. In this post, I wish to document the trades they have conducted that take place using picks from the top 3 rounds (Top 100) only. But that alone will take up quite a bit of space.

Below is a very basic summary of the trades by era. The Player +/- is simply a quantity count of Top 100 players in versus out in these trades. They, by no means, account for quality of players so it is a flawed discussion for sure. But, just so you can see the activity by era, here it is:

So, by my count, 27 trades that involve Top 100 picks over the 23 drafts by Jerry Jones. If nothing else, you should never leave your television set during draft coverage, because as the cliche tell us, he can't sit still in that war room. If the Cowboys lack success, it isn't because they are napping. In fact, quite the opposite might be true. A nap might be what they need over the years. 

However, you might find that the Jason Garrett/Will McClay/Stephen Jones era is the time in the last few decades where the Cowboys "slow their roll" a bit. Oh, sure, Peter King assured us that the Cowboys were trying to do everything in their power last year to go get Paxton Lynch in Round 1. But, let's at least compliment them that they had a price and held strong to that price, rather than make the trade at any cost. So, they are active, but not desperate. And that is the balance we should want them to have. 

Everyone points to Patriots coach Bill Belichick and his plans.  Some suggest he is overrated.  I would say this study should get you to see his genius.  The Cowboys are a minus-2 in 23 drafts on Top 100 picks.  Belichick has gained, according to this study on Grantland from  2 years ago - "it's like he's been handed the 99th overall pick in each of his 15 drafts just for showing up and saying yes to overanxious teams."  We can point to Tom Brady as a reason why the Patriots have been successful.  But, I think to put solid rosters around him, we need to look at the Belichick draft plan. 

Starting with 2016 and working backwards, here are the Cowboys trades involving the traditional "Day 1" picks - including the names that those picks ended up being: 

Jason Garrett/Jerry Jones Era 

2016: No Trades 

2015: No Trades (in the top 100 picks, that is) 

2014: Traded 2014 second round pick #47-Trent Murphy and third round pick #78-Spencer Long to Redskins for second round pick #34-Demarcus Lawrence TRADE UP 

2013: Traded #18-Eric Reid to 49ers for pick #31-Travis Frederick, third round pick #74-Terrance Williams. TRADE DOWN 

2012: Traded #14-Michael Brockers and #45-Alshon Jeffery to the St. Louis Rams for 6th overall- Morris Claiborne. TRADE UP 

2011: No Trades 

Summary of Garrett/Jones: 6 drafts and 3 major trades. Plenty of activity and definitely leading us to believe that they are still spending some time locking in on a target and displaying urgency to grab it. You may recall that even when they traded down in 2013, they still talked about Travis Frederick as "the last of the Mohicans" that they had to have. But, 2015 and 2016, the Cowboys are grabbing their full allotment of players and getting the right ones. 

Wade Phillips/Jerry Jones Era 

2010: Traded #27-Devin McCourty and #90-Taylor Price to the New England Patriots to select Dez Bryant and pick #119. TRADE UP 

Traded 2010 second round pick #59-Montario Hardesty, 2010 fourth round pick #125-Clay Harbor to Eagles for 2010 second round pick #55-Sean Lee TRADE UP 

2009: Cowboys acquire WR Roy Williams and a 7th from Detroit for #20-Brandon Pettigrew, #82-Derrick Williams, #192-Aaron Brown. TRADE OUT 

Traded away pick #51-Andy Levitre to Buffalo Bills for 75th Robert Brewster and 110th Victor Butler picks. TRADE DOWN 

2008: Traded #28-Lawrence Jackson, #163-Owen Schmitt, #235-Brandon Coutu to Seattle for pick #25 Mike Jenkins. TRADE UP 

2007: Cowboys trade away #22 Brady Quinn to Browns for #36-Kevin Kolb and 2008 first round pick #22-Felix Jones. TRADE DOWN 

Then, Cowboys Traded #36-Kevin Kolb, #87-Stewart Bradley, #159-C.J. Gaddis to Eagles for #26-Anthony Spencer. TRADE UP 

Summary of Phillips/Jones: This is where trading up to "get your guy" really got traction. They went up to get Anthony Spencer and then up to get Mike Jenkins and then up to get Dez Bryant and then to get Sean Lee. In the process that that cost a total of 10 picks to get 3 players and 1 additional (and significantly lesser pick). If you add to that the 2008 Roy Williams trade that gutted the 2009 draft, they basically spent 13 picks to get 5 players. And we wonder why this team has so many holes. 

They also had 2 trade downs, including the 2007 trade down to get an extra #1 in 2008 (Felix Jones) and a trade down in 2009 where they picked up quantity but dropped significant quality to do so. Just stay there and grab Andy Levitre has been said quite a few times since that bad idea of a trade down and settle for Robert Brewster (who never played) in the 3rd Round.

===

Bill Parcells/Jerry Jones Era

2006: Cowboys Traded #49-Kellen Clemons to Jets for #53-Anthony Fasano, #189-Drew Coleman, #211-Pat McQuistan. TRADE DOWN

Cowboys Traded #80-Clint Ingram to Jaguars for #92-Jason Hatcher and #125-Skyler Green. TRADE DOWN

2005: No Trades (but the extra pick from 2004 accounted below).

2004: Cowboys traded away #22-J.P. Losman to Buffalo for #43-Julius Jones, #144-Sean Ryan, 2005 first round pick #20-Marcus Spears TRADE DOWN

2003: No Trades

Summary of Parcells/Jones: As you can see, this is a unique period in which draft picks were used poorly, but they were always valued. The Cowboys only participated in 3 trades in 4 drafts of top 100 picks, but each time they were accumulating bodies and stepping back. They sent away 3 picks and brought back 8. This is how a roster is built quickly, if it can be done properly. Mistakes were made when Parcells ran the war-room, with the Steven Jackson/Julius Jones decision chief among them, Bobby Carpenter, and many offensive linemen too (Jacob Rogers, Stephen Peterman), and of course the legendary battle where Parcells wanted Marcus Spears or Shawne Merriman over DeMarcus Ware. But, overall, the efficiency and conservative nature of his draft day philosophy is in sharp contrast to say, Phillips/Jones.

===

Dave Campo/Jerry Jones Era

2002: Cowboys traded #6-Ryan Sims to Kansas City for #8-Roy Williams, #75-Derek Ross, #186-Zuriel Smith. TRADE DOWN

Cowboys traded up to #63 to take Antonio Bryant and #129 Jamar Martin, sending Chicago #72-Roosevelt Williams, #104-Alex Brown, #140-Bobby Gray. TRADE UP

2001: Cowboys traded #37-Idrees Bashir to Colts for #52-Chris Chambers and #81-Kenny Smith. TRADE DOWN 

Cowboys trade #52-Chris Chambers to Dolphins for #56-Tony Dixon and #122-Markus Steele. TRADE DOWN

Cowboys trade for pick #53 Quincy Carter by sending the Saints #70-Sedrick Hodge and #81-Kenny Smith. TRADE UP

2000: Dallas traded 2000 first round pick #19-Shaun Alexander, 2001 first round pick #7-Andre Carter to the Seattle for Joey Galloway. TRADE OUT 

They also traded pick #80-Darrell Jackson to Seattle for James McKnight. TRADE OUT

Summary of Campo/Jones: We really don't think Dave Campo was involved in the drafting, so this might have been more the "Jones and Larry Lacewell" era. Wow. To see it all on paper again is tough to read. This is where things really started spiraling out of control as Jerry went "all in" on the Galloway trade. In fact, he went so crazy that we really forgot about the overpayment for James McKnight with the SAME TEAM! Then, the targeting and drafting of Quincy Carter and Antonio Bryant in which neither guy was what you hoped he was and then finally a very impressive job trading back in 2002 for 3 picks to just fall back 2 slots to take the guy you truly wanted. Pretty crazy reviewing these drafts and the gutting of the Galloway trade which set the 2001 trade back initiative into motion. What is truly nuts is that the Galloway trade did not scare him off the Roy Williams idea in 2008.

=====

Chan Gailey/Jerry Jones Era:

1999: No Trades

1998: No Trades

Summary of Gailey/Jones: about as non-descript an era of the Cowboys history as we can find. The only notable footnotes of these 2 drafts would be the Randy Moss/Greg Ellis decision which has been discussed pretty thoroughly by now.

=====

Barry Switzer/Jerry Jones Era: 

1997: Cowboys trade with the Eagles to get #22-David LaFleur and send away #25-Jon Harris, #155-Luther Broughton, 1998 third round pick #70-Brian Alford. TRADE UP

They then trade #54-Kevin Abrams to Lions for #65-Dexter Coakley and #101-Antonio Anderson. TRADE DOWN

1996: Cowboys trade Washington Pick #30 - Andre Johnson for #37-Kavika Pittman and #67-Clay Shiver. TRADE DOWN

Cowboys get pick #49-Randall Godfrey from Miami in exchange for #60-Michael Cheever and #99-Phillip Daniels. TRADE UP

1995: Cowboys trade Tampa Bay pick #28 - Derrick Brooks for #41-Ronald Davis and #63-Shane Hannah. TRADE DOWN

Cowboys trade Atlanta pick #41 - Ronald Davis for #46-Sherman Williams and #110-Eric Bjornson. TRADE DOWN

1994: Cowboys trade for pick #23 - Shante Carver from San Francisco (also receive pick #217) for #28-William Floyd and #62-Tyrone Drakeford. TRADE UP 

Summary of Switzer/Jones Era: This was certainly a very active era where the Cowboys were constantly doing something in these 4 drafts. In the end, the trades up and trades back seem to cancel each-other out in number - but don't be fooled. The quantity is out-weighed by the details. The 1995 passing on Derrick Brooks for what amounts to Sherman Williams, Shane Hannah, and Eric Bjornson seems crazy. Also, the amount of heaven and earth that was moved to get Troy Aikman his new tight end in David LaFleur should not be under-rated, either. And in 1994, sending a 1st and 2nd to get Shante Carver is a bit cringe worthy, too.

=====

In a day and age where studies continue to prove that the only way to win in the long term is by trading down (see those studies here and here) this should show that aside from Bill Parcells being here and doing just that, every other Cowboys draft room of the modern era seemed to err on the side of giving more than they received -- although this current group seem pretty well-read.

Resist the urge to instinctively shrug off sending a 3rd round pick away to move up 4 spots in the 1st. It is a move that the winning organizations almost never make.

Gameplan - Bye Week - Patience With Coaching Staff Has Paid Off

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboys/2016/10/20/sturm-turnaround-cowboys-coaches-making-jerry-jones-look-wise-patient


One of the most surprising discoveries for Cowboys fans this season must be the revelation that this coaching staff has provided a clear and obvious advantage most weeks.  

Now, there is no way to say that without sounding offensive and condescending to some very wise football men. But hopefully they can understand the cynicism after a 2015 season where they seemed to have almost no answers for the questions that were being asked of them.

The job Scott Linehan has done with the offense has been as top notch as any Cowboys offense in recent memory.  Combined with the job Rod Marinelli continues to do with his rather anonymous personnel on the defensive side of the ball, the Cowboys appear well-coordinated and organized.  Then, Jason Garrett ties it together with some rather uncharacteristic ruthlessness and aggressiveness.  

Linehan could not make heads or tails of his challenging personnel issues last year and the offense could not execute on even the most basic levels.  Garrett then reacted to this and reeled in everything to a level of conservatism that made Cowboys games slightly less entertaining than the peeling of paint.  Marinelli’s squad fought hard but ultimately collapsed under the pressure late in games.

By the end, it seemed that a side with less patience might decide that the coaching staff required a major overhaul and that fresh eyes might do better in charge of this roster.

But, to the credit of all involved, the boss himself did not even think of changing his coach.  This is notable because, to be honest, very few head coaches get to their seventh season without anything more to show for it than a solitary Wild Card win in year five (to be fair, the fourth full year).  

So the coaches and the front office went to work.  And to their credit, they worked feverishly to conceive of some plans that would withstand the potential of attrition once again offering major changes.  Football is a game of attrition.  Injuries will occur.  You will lose important pieces.  So, any design that requires the presence of Tony Romo  and otherwise would collapse without him is a poor design as Romo tried to begin his second decade under center.  They had to begin to plan for life without him.  Surely they had time, but it was speeding in their direction.

It turned out they didn’t have time.  Romo was hurt immediately.

Week after week in 2016 -- all without Romo, most without Dez Bryant -- this offense has been characterized by its design.  It has base plays that are effective.  It then has change-ups off that design that have been impressive.  Now, with things like last week when they showed several new ideas, they showed change-ups off the change-ups.  Same formations, same pre-snap movements, but then as many as four or five different options are executed off the same look.  Most offenses have this in theory.  Scott Linehan has demonstrated they will use them all on game day, and the opposing defenses have looked overwhelmed.   

Oh, and all with a rookie QB who required almost no investment to acquire.  And a rookie RB who has already fulfilled the incredibly high level of promise that preceded him.

That is the story here in the bye week.  

Not that this team has a QB controversy or a surprising start, but that this team is consistently outcoaching its opponent.  With the same staff that was looking pretty feeble last fall.

Chances are they are the same coaches as they ever were.  But, now, things have finally come together to let them prove it here. 

Patience appears to be paying off for the Cowboys.  

The Annual Jerry Jones Draft War-room Trade Log

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Executive Vice President/COO Stephen Jones talk in the Dallas Cowboys "War Room" on the first day of the NFL Draft at Cowboys Training Facility at Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas on Thursday, May 8, 2014. (Brad Loper/The Dallas Morning News)

Tomorrow, we will endeavor to elaborate about our specific plans and beliefs about the Cowboys 2015 draft plans. But, today, I wanted continue an annual tradition and fill in the blanks on a particular topic that goes hand in hand with player selections on draft day. With so many people wondering if the Cowboys will use the draft day to "make another splash" (we are looking at you, Minnesota), we need to ponder the track record around here of making splashes.

This will be the 22nd draft that the Cowboys will participate in since Jimmy Johnson left town before the 1994 draft. In that time, the Cowboys have certainly taken on a different reputation for their drafting ability and one of those cliches that analysts will use is the idea that "Jerry cannot sit still" on draft day.

He is thought of as an owner over the years who falls in love with a target and then trades up to go get him without worrying too much about the cost.  He is thought of as a major downgrade to Jimmy Johnson's 5 years of drafts, but in fairness, Jimmy compares favorably to almost anyone who ever drafted in any organization so that isn't a stretch.  Presently, we cannot over simplify the front office by saying it is Jerry Jones sitting on a throne calling out orders to his servants.  Rather, Will McClay, Stephen Jones, and Jason Garrett all have significant say and on most moves, we believe that Jerry serves more as a tie-breaker than a decision maker.

Anyway, through covering this team, I feel it is always more helpful to actually deal in facts rather than what we can recall. If you polled draft experts, many would accuse the Cowboys of trading up all of the time. Others might say that they actually trade down quite a bit. Obviously, this seems to indicate they certainly enjoy trading in general. Up and Down. In this post, I wish to document the trades they have conducted that take place using picks from the top 3 rounds (Top 100) only. But that alone will take up quite a bit of space.

Below is a very basic summary of the trades by era. The Player +/- is simply a quantity count of Top 100 players in versus out in these trades. They, by no means, account for quality of players so it is a flawed discussion for sure. But, just so you can see the activity by era, here it is:

Head Coach	Drafts	Trades	Trades Up	Trades Down	Trades Out	Top 100 +/-
Garrett	4	3	2	1	0	-1
Phillips	4	7	4	2	1	-5
Parcells	4	3	0	3	0	+5
Campo	3	7	2	3	2	-1
Gailey	2	0	0	0	0	0
Switzer	4	7	3	4	0	0
Totals	21	27	11	13	3	-2

So, by my count, 27 trades that involve "Top 100" picks over the 21 drafts by Jerry Jones. If nothing else, you should never leave your television set during draft coverage, because as the cliche tell us, he can't sit still in that war room. If the Cowboys lack success, it isn't because they are napping. In fact, quite the opposite might be true. A nap might be what they need.

Starting with 2014 and working backwards, here are the Cowboys trades involving the traditional "Day 1" picks:

Jason Garrett/Jerry Jones Era

2014: Traded 2014 second round pick #47-Trent Murphy and third round pick #78-Spencer Long to Redskins for second round pick #34-Demarcus Lawrence TRADE UP

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2013: Traded #18-Eric Reid to 49ers for pick #31-Travis Frederick, third round pick #74-Terrance Williams. TRADE DOWN

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2012: Traded #14-Michael Brockers and #45-Alshon Jeffery to the St. Louis Rams for 6th overall- Morris Claiborne. TRADE UP

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2011: No Trades

Summary of Garrett/Jones: 4 drafts and 3 major trades.  Plenty of activity and definitely leading us to believe that they are still spending some time locking in on a target and displaying urgency to grab it.  You may recall that even when they traded down in 2013, they still talked about Travis Frederick as "the last of the Mohicans" that they had to have.

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Wade Phillips/Jerry Jones Era

2010: Traded #27-Devin McCourty and #90-Taylor Price to the New England Patriots to select Dez Bryant and pick #119. TRADE UP

Traded 2010 second round pick #59-Montario Hardesty, 2010 fourth round pick #125-Clay Harbor to Eagles for 2010 second round pick #55-Sean Lee  TRADE UP

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2009: Cowboys acquire WR Roy Williams and a 7th from Detroit for #20-Brandon Pettigrew, #82-Derrick Williams, #192-Aaron Brown. TRADE OUT

Traded away pick #51-Andy Levitre to Buffalo Bills for 75th Robert Brewster and 110th Victor Butler picks. TRADE DOWN

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2008: Traded #28-Lawrence Jackson, #163-Owen Schmitt, #235-Brandon Coutu to Seattle for pick #25 Mike Jenkins. TRADE UP

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2007: Cowboys trade away #22 Brady Quinn to Browns for #36-Kevin Kolb and 2008 first round pick #22-Felix Jones. TRADE DOWN

Then, Cowboys Traded #36-Kevin Kolb, #87-Stewart Bradley, #159-C.J. Gaddis to Eagles for #26-Anthony Spencer. TRADE UP

Summary of Phillips/Jones: This is where trading up to "get your guy" really got traction. They went up to get Anthony Spencer and then up to get Mike Jenkins and then up to get Dez Bryant and then to get Sean lee. In the process that that cost a total of 10 picks to get 3 players and 1 additional (and significantly lesser pick). If you add to that the 2008 Roy Williams trade that gutted the 2009 draft, they basically spent 13 picks to get 5 players. And we wonder why this team has so many holes.

They also had 2 trade downs, including the 2007 trade down to get an extra #1 in 2008 (Felix Jones) and a trade down in 2009 where they picked up quantity but dropped significant quality to do so. Just stay there and grab Andy Levitre has been said quite a few times since that bad idea of a trade down and settle for Robert Brewster (who never played) in the 3rd Round.

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Bill Parcells/Jerry Jones Era

2006: Cowboys Traded #49-Kellen Clemons to Jets for #53-Anthony Fasano, #189-Drew Coleman, #211-Pat McQuistan. TRADE DOWN

Cowboys Traded #80-Clint Ingram to Jaguars for #92-Jason Hatcher and #125-Skyler Green. TRADE DOWN

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2005: No Trades (but the extra pick from 2004 accounted below).

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2004: Cowboys traded away #22-J.P. Losman to Buffalo for #43-Julius Jones, #144-Sean Ryan, 2005 first round pick #20-Marcus Spears TRADE DOWN

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2003: No Trades

Summary of Parcells/Jones: As you can see, this is a unique period in which draft picks were used poorly, but they were always valued. The Cowboys only participated in 3 trades in 4 drafts of top 100 picks, but each time they were accumulating bodies and stepping back. They sent away 3 picks and brought back 8. This is how a roster is built quickly, if it can be done properly. Mistakes were made when Parcells ran the war-room, with the Steven Jackson/Julius Jones decision chief amongst them, Bobby Carpenter, and many offensive linemen too (Jacob Rogers, Stephen Peterman), and of course the legendary battle where Parcells wanted Marcus Spears or Shawne Merriman over DeMarcus Ware. But, overall, the efficiency and conservative nature of his draft day philosophy is in sharp contrast to say, Phillips/Jones.

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Dave Campo/Jerry Jones Era

2002: Cowboys traded #6-Ryan Sims to Kansas City for #8-Roy Williams, #75-Derek Ross, #186-Zuriel Smith. TRADE DOWN

Cowboys traded up to #63 to take Antonio Bryant and #129 Jamar Martin, sending Chicago #72-Roosevelt Williams, #104-Alex Brown, #140-Bobby Gray. TRADE UP

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2001: Cowboys traded #37-Idrees Bashir to Colts for #52-Chris Chambers and #81-Kenny Smith. TRADE DOWN

Cowboys trade #52-Chris Chambers to Dolphins for #56-Tony Dixon and #122-Markus Steele. TRADE DOWN

Cowboys trade for pick #53 Quincy Carter by sending the Saints #70-Sedrick Hodge and #81-Kenny Smith. TRADE UP

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2000: Dallas traded 2000 first round pick #19-Shaun Alexander, 2001 first round pick #7-Andre Carter to the Seattle for Joey Galloway. TRADE OUT

They also traded pick #80-Darrell Jackson to Seattle for James McKnight. TRADE OUT

Summary of Campo/Jones:  We really don't think Dave Campo was involved in the drafting, so this might have been more the "Jones and Larry Lacewell" era.  Wow. To see it all on paper again is tough to read. This is where things really started spiraling out of control as Jerry went "all in" on the Galloway trade. In fact, he went so crazy that we really forgot about the overpayment for James McKnight with the SAME TEAM! Then, the targeting and drafting of Quincy Carter and Antonio Bryant in which neither guy was what you hoped he was and then finally a very impressive job trading back in 2002 for 3 picks to just fall back 2 slots to take the guy you truly wanted. Pretty crazy reviewing these drafts and the gutting of the Galloway trade which set the 2001 trade back initiative into motion. What is truly nuts is that the Galloway trade did not scare him off the Roy Williams idea in 2008.

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Chan Gailey/Jerry Jones Era:

1999: No trades

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1998: No Trades

Summary of Gailey/Jones: about as non-descript an era of the Cowboys history as we can find. The only notable footnotes of these 2 drafts would be the Randy Moss/Greg Ellis decision which has been discussed pretty thoroughly by now.

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Barry Switzer/Jerry Jones Era:

1997: Cowboys trade with the Eagles to get #22-David LaFleur and send away #25-Jon Harris, #155-Luther Broughton, 1998 third round pick #70-Brian Alford. TRADE UP

They then trade #54-Kevin Abrams to Lions for #65-Dexter Coakley and #101-Antonio Anderson. TRADE DOWN

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1996: Cowboys trade Washington Pick #30 - Andre Johnson for #37-Kavika Pittman and #67-Clay Shiver. TRADE DOWN

Cowboys get pick #49-Randall Godfrey from Miami in exchange for #60-Michael Cheever and #99-Phillip Daniels. TRADE UP

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1995: Cowboys trade Tampa Bay pick #28 - Derrick Brooks for #41-Ronald Davis and #63-Shane Hannah. TRADE DOWN

Cowboys trade Atlanta pick #41 - Ronald Davis for #46-Sherman Williams and #110-Eric Bjornson. TRADE DOWN

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1994: Cowboys trade for pick #23 - Shante Carver from San Francisco (also receive pick #217) for #28-William Floyd and #62-Tyrone Drakeford. TRADE UP

Summary of Switzer/Jones Era: This was certainly a very active era where the Cowboys were constantly doing something in these 4 drafts. In the end, the trades up and trades back seem to cancel each-other out in number - but don't be fooled. The quantity is out-weighed by the details. The 1995 passing on Derrick Brooks for what amounts to Sherman Williams, Shane Hannah, and Eric Bjornson seems crazy. Also, the amount of heaven and earth that was moved to get Troy Aikman his new tight end in David LaFleur should not be under-rated, either. And in 1994, sending a 1st and 2nd to get Shante Carver is a bit cringe worthy, too.

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In a day and age where studies continue to prove that the only way to win in the long term is by trading down (see those studies here and here) this should show that aside from Bill Parcells being here and doing just that, every other Cowboys draft room of the modern era seemed to err on the side of giving more than they received.

Resist the urge to instinctively shrug off sending a 3rd round pick away to move up 4 spots in the 1st.  It is a move that the winning organizations almost never make.