Mac Engel: Cowboys' offseason moves have completely undercut coach Mike McCarthy

FORT WORTH, Texas — He presides over the richest franchise in sports, and Jerry Jones is asking his team to do “more with less.” How very corporate of the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, this in an offseason where he is “all in.”

Our favorite Pro Football Hall of Famer is 81 years old, and he is not stupid. He just thinks you are.

The NFL’s offseason is nearly three months old, and to improve their team the Dallas Cowboys have done the equivalent of sitting on their couch while playing with their phone in front of the television. Not nothing. Just close.

How can anyone take the owner of this team seriously when he carnival barks, “All in!” while declaring they will need to do more with less.

This is the seven-figure “earning” CEO telling their employees they’re going to have a great year while cutting back staff, reducing vacation time and eliminating dental and eye care benefits, amid raising prices for the consumer and record-breaking profits.

This now includes reports that suggests the Cowboys will not re-work quarterback Dak Prescott’s contract for salary cap relief this offseason.

Sorry, Mike McCarthy.

The loser in this scenario is the head coach who enters the final year of his contract. And the established, veteran players like Zack Martin, Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons, Tank Lawrence, CeeDee Lamb and the others who desperately want to win.

In fairness to Jerry and vice president Stephen Jones, this is not the first offseason a Cowboys follower has made the observation that the team’s inactivity will lead to a horrible regular season. The last time the Cowboys can say they were “all in” with offseason moves was when they caved to running back Ezekiel Elliott with a six-year, $90 million extension.

That was in 2019. The team finished 8-8 that season.

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