The Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles were light years ahead of the Dallas Cowboys last season. This NFC East pendulum shift is forcing owner/general manager Jerry Jones into a change of pace.
One that reeks of desperation to get with the times.
Dallas isn't known for spending lavish sums in free agency. This isn't the greatest crop of veterans to do that anyway. Adam Peters feels the same, opting to retain some core pieces from last season rather than go through a significant roster overhaul once again. The two biggest acquisitions Washington made came via the trade market.
The Commanders kicked off their offseason recruitment by spending a fifth-round pick on Deebo Samuel Sr. Peters followed this up with another monumental addition in the form of prolific left tackle Laremy Tunsil from the Houston Texans.
Commanders are thinking bigger than the Cowboys this offseason
This forced the Cowboys into action, but their chosen transactions represented another panic-stricken attempt from Jones to find good players. Neither went over well with the team's fanbase.
Cornerback Kaiir Elam was acquired from the Buffalo Bills after a less-than-stellar stint with the AFC East club. The dust had barely settled on this trade when another move was announced.
This time, it was a trade for linebacker Kenneth Murray. The failed first-round pick was heavily criticized for his first four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers. Things didn't get much better following his move to the Tennessee Titans, so this represents a huge gamble despite the minimal compensation attached.
Jones and those who bow to his every demand in Dallas' front office love trusting their pre-draft evaluations over what players have achieved in the pros. Another example of this laughable strategy arrived last season when the Cowboys gave up a fourth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for wide receiver Jonathan Mingo before the 2024 trade deadline. He proceeded to gain five receptions from 16 targets for 46 receiving yards.
The Cowboys are shopping at the clearance sale. The Commanders are shopping from the designer brands.
Washington has a rookie contract to build around. Dallas is trying to navigate being competitive with Dak Prescott's whopping contract taking up huge chunks of salary-cap space over the next four years.
This is something the Commanders might have to deal with in the coming years if Daniels continues his rapid rise to superstardom. But for now, Peters is solely focused on maximizing his window. If Jones had done this with the same efficiency and purpose in Dallas, his team might not be in such a mess.
Of course, every trade isn't guaranteed to bear fruit. But taking their chances with proven Pro Bowl-caliver performances rather than failed high-end draft picks is a much smarter approach.
One that can hopefully serve the Commanders well as they go in search of another deep postseason run in 2025.