Michael Irvin Says Cowboys Now 'Less Talented', Questions Team's 'Will'

"A man’s greatest promise comes from their greatest pain,'' said the three-time Super Bowl champ Irvin. “I want (losing) to hurt them like that. ... But I haven’t seen that.''

FRISCO - There are plenty of people inside The Star - starting with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones - who insist there is nothing to worry about as it regards the talent on this roster.

“This time last year, we didn’t have Micah Parsons,” said Jones, obviously suggesting that the upcoming NFL Draft can cure some ills. “I like where we are right now as well as I did at this time last year.''

But Michael Irvin, maybe as much of a Cowboys homer and booster as anyone not named "Jones,'' is uncharacteristically concerned about his 'Boys entering 2022.

He's identified a problem - but maybe also the solution.

“They have lost talent,'' the Hall of Famer Irvin said, via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "They are not a better team talent-wise.''

We are still early in the roster-building process, but that seems fair. Dallas has lost a handful of key guys off last year’s 12-5 NFC East championship roster, highlighted by Amari Cooper (traded to the Browns in a salary dump), defensive end Randy Gregory (lost via free agency to the Broncos) and offensive tackle La’el Collins (waived and now with the Bengals).

But along with the subtractions, the Cowboys legend Irvin said, can come an addition. And it's not about a big trade or a major signing.

Said Irvin: “This game doesn’t require skill. It requires will. If a team loses a little bit of skill but gains greater will, they call still do great things.''

And does Irvin believe the 2022 edition of the Cowboys, led by Dak Prescott on offense and by Parsons on defense, can do that? "Take the disappointment of that (first-round playoff) defeat against San Francisco and internalize it in the offseason, and come with less skill and more will, (they can) have a better season.”

In the end, though, Irvin, who knows this team well, seems dubious.

A man’s greatest promise comes from their greatest pain,'' said the three-time Super Bowl champ Irvin. “If they felt the pain like we felt and like those fans (felt) ... I want to see them ... cry like that. I want it to hurt them like that. ... But I haven’t seen that.''

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