Things haven't been this quiet at Valley Ranch in a long time.
Typically, the Dallas Cowboys would be the offseason topic of conversation with big free-agent acquisitions, slick moves in the draft and, as always, a heavily debated reputation as the favorites for a trip to the Super Bowl. But things have changed in Big D, and there is a quiet calm that makes it hard to recognize the franchise that previously appeared to love the front page of the newspaper, whether it was good or bad publicity.
Acquired: QB Jon Kitna
LB Keith Brooking
LB Matt Stewart
DE Igor Olshansky
S Gerald Sensabaugh
Retained:
WR Miles Austin
Departed:
CB Adam Jones
QB Brad Johnson
CB Anthony Henry
DE Chris Canty
SS Roy Williams
WR Terrell Owens
DT Tank Johnson
LB Zach Thomas
LB Greg Ellis
» Free agency: Cowboys' moves
» 2009 draft: Cowboys' selections
Terrell Owens is the face of the changes taking place in Dallas, but the Cowboys' defensive moves might be even more dramatic than the highly visible wide receiver, who was released and now is with the Buffalo Bills. Dallas has parted ways with 10 players who helped the team finish 2008 as the eighth-ranked defense in the NFL in yards per game. Then again, that's the same defense that gave up more points than the Cowboys' offense scored. Maybe the 160 points the Cowboys gave up in their six division games (26.6 average) drove the changes. Maybe it was the talent on the bench, financial considerations, or maybe, in the case of Pacman Jones, enough was enough.
Greg Ellis, Anthony Henry, Zach Thomas, Adam Jones and safety Roy Williams were all cut. Chris Canty, Kevin Burnett, Tank Johnson, Keith Davis and Carlos Polk weren't re-signed. Those 10 defenders accounted for 95 starts, 355 tackles, 17 sacks, 25 passes defended, two interceptions and one safety in 2008. That production must be replaced.
The Cowboys signed just three defenders -- safety Gerald Sensabaugh, linebacker Keith Brookings and defensive end Igor Oshansky -- during the offseason. They also didn't have a first- or a second-round draft pick and added Western Illinois outside linebacker Jason Williams in the third round. The Cowboys are counting on former backups and players they have been developing to come through for them next season, which is more like the Pittsburgh Steelers' philosophy than a typical Dallas plan.
With the Cowboys' first game in their new, state-of-the-art stadium coming Sept. 20 against the New York Giants, it might seem like a strange time to go conservative in the personnel business. But when you think about it, it might be just what the doctor ordered in Dallas. Either way, it will be a very interesting season to watch the Cowboys.
There's no doubt that Dallas saved some significant dollars with the five defensive terminations and the release of Owens. The salary-cap savings from Owens, Ellis, Williams, Henry, Jones and Thomas totals $18.37 million. Throw in backup quarterback Brad Johnson, and it's a $20.37 million cap savings, which some speculate was needed because money might be tight in Dallas with no naming-rights deal for the new stadium. The cash savings is closer to $30 million, making it seem as if the Cowboys realize that teams can't buy a championship, they have to build for it.
Some of the savings will be used to extend the contracts of linebacker DeMarcus Ware and a few other young players who will emerge in 2009. Of course, taking on wide receiver Roy Williams' contract in a mid-season trade with the Detroit Lions was old-school Cowboys business. However, there was no talk of Dallas going after free-agent defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth or rumored trade-bait wide receiver Anquan Boldin or defensive end Julius Peppers. And there was no typical packaging of draft picks to move up in the first round for an elite player.
The 2009 Cowboys will be a different football operation. Young players such as Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin, Anthony Spencer, Mike Jenkins, Orlando Scandrick, Bobby Carpenter and at least half of the 12 second-day draft picks will be asked to make bigger contributions and get this team to a Super Bowl.
Many of the new starters and contributors in Dallas believe there is a subtle confidence brewing on that roster that isn't based on a "star" system but more on team cohesion. It will be a tight group that won't be featured in the big headlines. The Cowboys almost might appear boring at times, but they are pointed in the right direction.
In years past, my daily radio show was inundated with Dallas callers usually boasting that the "'Boys were back." This spring, the fans have been as quiet as the team, which isn't a sign that they have lost hope, but rather that they have decided to let the play on the field do all the talking.
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