Tyrone Crawford (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images)
The Cowboys need to make significant roster changes to recover from an underwhelming 2020 campaign. These three players are on the way out.
Cowboys fans hoping to see a coaching change this offseason are set to be disappointed. Instead, look for serious roster turnover in Dallas. This team needs to get younger and more athletic if they want to compete for a playoff berth in 2021.
Dak Prescott’s return to the field should do a lot to boost things on the offensive side of the football. The presence of other big-name stars like Ezekiel Elliott and Amari Cooper will prevent sweeping personnel changes to the offense. Moves on that side of the ball are more likely to take place around the edges of the depth chart.
The defense is a different story. The Cowboys tried to rely on some high-priced veterans to keep the unit afloat in 2020 but that proved to be a flawed philosophy. The defense desperately needs an infusion of young talent to take a step forward.
Quite a few veterans need to be concerned about their place on the roster this offseason. The following three players will likely be looking for new teams when the 2021 season kicks off.
3. Tyrone Crawford
Crawford is playing out the final season of his five-year, $45 million contract this season. His production hasn’t come close to deserving that sort of compensation. Any defensive end making that kind of cash needs to provide his team more than two sacks in 15 games.
Expect the Cowboys to spend a high draft pick on an edge rusher that’s capable of taking some pressure off of DeMarcus Lawrence. Aldon Smith and Randy Gregory can’t be counted on to provide consistent pass-rushing on a weekly basis. Crawford is the right age to fit into Dallas’ short and long-term plans, but he’s just not good enough to deserve the sort of salary he’ll be looking for in free agency. The Cowboys might offer him some sort of contract to return, but he’ll find another team looking to give him more guaranteed money. His days in Big D are numbered.