Clarence Hill: Give credit VP Stephen Jones, aka Cap Boy, for Dallas Cowboys’ 3-1 start
Way back in the good old days when the NFL had 16-game seasons, like two years ago, teams used to break the schedule down in four-game quadrants.
With 17 games now, it’s not so clean.
But the premise is the same, get through the unknowns of the first four games and September football, access where you are and then tackle the next four.
Outside of the injury to quarterback Dak Prescott, things couldn’t have gone better for the 3-1 Cowboys.
“We have navigated the first quarter fairly well,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “But the exciting part for us is the amount of improvement that’s in front of us.”
Certainly, McCarthy, backup quarterback Cooper Rush and the play of the team’s defense deserves the bulk of the thanks.
But it’s also time to recognize the role of the front office and Will McClay’s scouting department.
Vice president Stephen Jones, known derisively as Cap Boy by frustrated fans and local radio hosts for his frugality in free agency, seemingly pushed the right buttons to keep the Cowboys competitive without mortgaging the future, like the defending Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams, who are heading into Sunday’s game at 2-2.
None of it matters if it doesn’t lead to owner Jerry Jones holding up the Lombardi Trophy for the first time in 27 years.
But much of the angst about the lack of big-time moves were based on the uncertainties surrounding the team and minimal moves to address them, especially with such a seemingly tough early season schedule before them.
A stress point was the receiver corps, minus Amari Cooper (traded to the Cleveland Browns) and with Michael Gallup sidelined for the first three games rehabbing from a torn ACL.
So was the offensive line, minus a cap casualty in La’el Collins (now with the Cincinnati Bengals) at right tackle and with a rookie top pick Tyler Smith expected to start at left guard. And that was before left tackle Tyron Smith was lost until December with a hamstring injury, forcing Tyler Smith to start at left tackle and career backup Connor McGovern at left guard.
And then there’s the defensive end position minus the-departed Randy Gregory.
Questions were raised about who would provide the pass rush opposite DeMarcus Lawrence.
The Cowboys have survived concerns at receiver and the offensive line. And the pass rush has thrived.
Even though rookie third-round pick Jalen Tolbert has been disappointing at receiver, the Cowboys were right to trust in the development of Noah Brown.
The former special teams maven is the team’s second-leading receiver with 18 catches for 274 yards behind new No. 1 wide out CeeDee Lamb’s 23 for 288. Lamb is also tied for the NFL lead with 11 receptions of 15 or more yards. And with Gallup back at full strength, the Cowboys have a potent threesome of pass catchers.
For those keeping track, Cooper has 20 catches for 228 yards with touchdowns for the Browns.
Tyler Smith has been the league’s best rookie tackle, Terence Steele has been a solid replacement for Collins at right tackle. And the signing of 19-year veteran Jason Peters has given the Cowboys a strong set of options at left guard.
The Cowboys have allowed just six sacks, while Collins and Bengals have given up 16.
Owner Jerry Jones has repeatedly said the reasons they let Gregory sign with the Denver Broncos in free agency was because they were able to sign three players — defensive ends Dorance Amstrong and Dante Fowler and linebacker Leighton Vander Esch — for what they would have paid Gregory. The Cowboys also valued availability.
Gregory, who missed 54 games with Cowboys due to suspension and never played a full season, has one sack in four games with the Broncos and is now expected to miss several weeks with a knee injury.
Meanwhile, Armstrong is second on the Cowboys with three sacks and Fowler has two in a reserve role. Vander Esch is second on the Cowboys with 30 tackles and has one sack of his own.
They are all part of a Cowboys defense that ranks seventh in the league, second in sacks and first in quarterback pressures.
And this doesn’t even include chess moves at the beginning of the season, like releasing Rush and starting him on the practice squad to keep other valued members on the roster, or the signings of safeties Malik Hooker and Jayron Kearse, who are part of the league’s best trio at the position, along with Donovan Wilson.
Kick returner KaVontae Turpin and kicker Brett Maher were added after the start of training camp and have paid off with both playing key roles in victories through the first four games. Maher, who nailed a 50-yard game winner in Week 2 against the Bengals, has made 10-of-11 field goal attempts, including four from 50-plus yards.
Turpin is fourth in the NFL punt return average at 12.4 yards per return.
Even better news for the Cowboys is they have a chance to grow, develop and get better, especially with Prescott expecting to return in the next couple of weeks.
The Cowboys still have $9.2 million in cap space available to make a move at the trade deadline or to move money into next year to help with future cap hits for Prescott and looming extensions.
So far it’s been the best of both worlds for the Cowboys on the field and off the field.
The homegrown talent, largely mined by McClay and his scouts, is the foundation for their success
Stephen Jones, aka Cap Boy: take a bow.
