'We Are Definitely Improving!' Is Dallas Cowboys' McCarthy Lying About Free Agency Moves?

The Dallas Cowboys have been noticeably quiet in free agency. Head coach Mike McCarthy spoke about the organization's direction in the wake of that choice.

NFC Wild Card Playoffs - Green Bay Packers v Dallas Cowboys / Cooper Neill/GettyImages

The Dallas Cowboys have proven that even in their silence, the spotlight will find them. While the legal tampering period sent notifications to the football world, Dallas sat in the background, waiting. Not to spend on the discount rack, or for a starter’s market to fall into an acceptable range. Waiting for the sake of waiting, because the Cowboys have made it clear they aren’t going to spend.

Their lone external free agent signing was former Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Eric Kendricks, who played under Dallas defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer during their shared time with the Minnesota Vikings.

The Cowboys have decided to sit out the most lucrative portion of this offseason. For better or worse, that storyline will follow them into the season – a campaign stocked to the brim with warming seats from head coach to quarterback.

NFC Wild Card Playoffs - Green Bay Packers v Dallas Cowboys / Cooper Neill/GettyImages

Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy spoke on ESPN’s NFL Live about the direction the front office has taken and what to expect from the remainder of the offseason.

“I’m a big believer in the second and third-year jump,” McCarthy said. “We’ve got some players, we’ve got some guys coming back off of I.R. that were young players that we’re excited about. So we are definitely improving, we’re just not part of the free agent market right now.”

McCarthy’s words, regardless of how genuine, echo that of a big-market MLB owner crying poor while shaving payroll costs. The Cowboys welcoming corner Trevon Diggs back after an ACL tear is resoundingly similar to a team getting their ace back at the trade deadline – without additional moves, neither end up moving the needle. 

Of course, developing young players is critical to finding success and surplus value in a salary cap league. But putting the pressure on after years of stagnation and relying on those developments isn’t as good of a process as a penny-pinching executive may lead you to believe.

If there’s any hope in Frisco, it may come after the NFL Draft sends the offseason into its dreariest few months. The Cowboys will seemingly look to find value on the margins with cheaper deals and a more clear idea of how their cap space will play out.

“And also there’s a lot left,” McCarthy said. “You’ll probably have a market right before the draft, post-draft, and then you have your June 1 market, and obviously we’ll have another draft class. I have great confidence in our roster.”

The Cowboys, almost certainly, will have additional signings to make before things seriously start ramping up for 2024. But with the biggest stars gone by the wayside and quality contributors quickly finding homes elsewhere, McCarthy’s words will continue to fall on deaf ears.