​There's Always Next Year: Dallas Cowboys

Much like Baltimore, who we looked at last week, the Cowboys are set up well to rebound from a bad season.

The Cowboys lost Tony Romo for most of the season, going 3-1 in the four games he played in. In games started by the law firm of Weeden, Cassel, and Moore, Dallas went 1-11. Unlike the Ravens, the Cowboys weren't particularly unlucky by Estimated Wins. They had four wins against an estimated 4.3.

Of course, the Ravens didn't lose their quarterback for as long as the Cowboys did. And the Cowboys slumped in a much bigger way on offense under their backup quarterbacks. The Cowboys had just four positive passing offense DVOA games without Romo all season. Their quarterbacking was not merely bad—it was, occasionally, an abomination.

Much of this franchise's prospects rest on Romo's collarbone. As long as he's healthy, it's hard to argue with a straight face that they won't improve significantly next season.

Coach and quarterback confidence rating: 6/10

Jason Garrett is an interesting head coach in that he never receives much praise or slander. Part of this is the echo chamber that comes with Dallas' perpetual 8-8 ways before 2014. Part of it likely comes from an organization that is all too happy to praise its latest move rather than one that creates stability.

I, likewise, am having a hard time finding much to ascribe good or bad to Garrett. He's had some noticeable clock flubs, but he's also the coach of a team that plays in primetime practically every week. So, of course we remember his clock flubs more than his successes. I wouldn't sign Garrett to a huge extension or anything, but he's been fine.

Romo is an amazing quarterback if you're not a Cowboys fan. He's as entertaining to watch as any player in the league. He's great without being great enough to make the Cowboys a contender all by himself. And, best of all, the narratives about his clutchness make the world a better place. Every time Tony Romo doesn't lead a fourth-quarter comeback win, a Hot Take grows its wings.

The only real question I have about Romo is…

Key offseason decision: Is Romo the franchise quarterback going forward?

Dallas is in a unique situation this year as one of the few teams picking near the top of the draft with an established starting quarterback. But, Romo is turning 36 this offseason. Romo hasn't played a full season since 2012. I would never question his toughness or willingness to play through pain, but the Cowboys shouldn't rely on Romo to get less fragile.

So, gifted the fourth overall pick, the Cowboys are going to need to think long and hard about selecting a quarterback early. Assuming the Cowboys don't turn over more of his base salary into bonuses and roll that money over later, Dallas can escape Romo at 38 with a coup in cap dollars. Letting a good young quarterback learn on the bench from a star for a few years can be pretty handy, as we've seen from teams like Green Bay and San Diego.

Or, the Cowboys could use their pick to wheel in another weapon for Romo. Or another defensive star. This would push their chips into the middle for the last gasp of the Romo Era. And then use their backup quarterback spot on Johnathan Football, because that's what reporters would love.

It's just a question of short-term versus long-term here.

Major Free Agents: DE Greg Hardy, CB Morris Claiborne (option), ILB Rolando McClain, RB Lance Dunbar

Playing well can not undo terrible acts off the football field. But even if they could, Greg Hardy's play last season wouldn't have. After generating just six sacks and seeming generally unaware of his life circumstances, I'd be surprised if the Cowboys went back to this well next season.

McClain didn't have the superlative year he had in 2014, and was suspended for part of the season. He should be back if Dallas doesn't trust what they've developed behind him.

The sneaky guy here is Dunbar—Dallas missed his contributions as a receiver last year after he tore his ACL. Given how valuable the offensive line is in Dallas, any kind of role here is worth intently monitoring for signs of fantasy football life. That goes for his potential replacement too.

Cap Situation: $10,113,119 -- 25th in the NFL

Dallas has never been a huge player in recent free agency anyway, but they don't have many pieces to play with here. They're at $10 million in space, but have just Brandon Carr's deal—$6.5 million in savings—available to improve the situation.

Now, they could do what the Cowboys always do: restructure contracts on hand to create bigger cap hits down the line. By converting a base salary into a bonus and spreading it throughout the life of the contract, Dallas can generate enough space to play in the big boy's pool. That tactic would most likely be used on Tyron Smith, who has a $10 million base salary in 2016.

But even with that, there's not enough cap space on hand to alter the destiny of this team. They could shop for a few new pieces, but they'd risk a New Orleans-esque cap fallout if they stretched too far for anybody.