Cowboys Cut Clinton-Dix: What It Says About McCarthy - And Earl Thomas

The Dallas Cowboys Need Takeaways. Yet NFL Free Agency Signee Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix is Now Cut. What That Says About Coach McCarthy, And About Earl Thomas

FRISCO - In 2016, Ha-Ha Clinton Dix represented the Green Bay Packers in the Pro Bowl after recording a career-high five interceptions. In spring 2020? He was to represent new Mike McCarthy's idea of a ballhawk as the safety, 27, signed a one-year deal to join the Dallas Cowboys secondary.

And as we approach fall 2020? Ha Ha is - no joke - out of a job.

READ MORE: NFL Cowboys Cutdown Tracker: No Joke: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Released

Clinton-Dix, who played for the Cowboys coach in Green Bay from 2014-18, got a $2.5 million guarantee to come to Dallas. ... but his release opens up $1.5 mil in cap room.

Still, this is an eye-on-the-face transaction. Clinton-Dix was supposed to be the top candidate to supplant Jeff Heath, who has moved on to the Las Vegas Raiders via NFL Free Agency.

"That’s the No. 1 thing in winning football games,'' new Dallas defensive coordinator Mike Nolan said of his and McCarthy's shared philosophy on that side of the ball. "Getting the ball for your offense.''

Clinton-Dix couldn't beat out journeyman Darian Thompson, and we're not sure he outplayed second-year guy Donovan Wilson or converted rookie Reggie Robinson II, either.

The Clinton-Dix transaction does tell us two things, however. 1) Unlike previous Dallas head coaches (read: Parcells, Bill), McCarthy doesn't favor "McCarthy Guys'' who can't play. And 2) The national-media people, and anybody else around here who kept pitching that Clinton-Dix is superior to Earl Thomas - a name that still resonates here at The Star, believe me - are now proven horribly wrong.