The Dallas Cowboys 2020 season started off bad and has gotten progressively worse. Just over half way through the season so far, there is little for Dallas Cowboys fans to be optimistic about. However, there is always a silver lining, a bright side, or a reason for hope for Dallas Cowboys fans. Here are 5 such things that Dallas Cowboys fans can be optimistic about for the 2020 season.
5. “So you are saying there’s a chance?”
To qoute Jim Carey’s line from the classic comedy Dumb and Dumber I feel like this is an equally comical take. Yet, even at 2-7 the Dallas Cowboys are within striking distance of the division leading Eagles and have games remaining against each divisional foe. They have played much better the last two games and it is not far fetched to imagine they can win those games and somehow win this division and earn a playoff berth. That may not be music to the ears of some Dallas Cowboys fans intent on tanking but getting into the tournament gives us a chance, however slim, for the ultimate prize of the Super Bowl.
4. Tank for a QB/Multiple draft picks
Back to reality now, the Cowboys may be only a game or so out of the division lead but if the season were to end today they would own the 3rd overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Some Dallas Cowboys fans would like to reset the rookie quarterback contract clock so they don’t have to pay Dak Prescott $40+ million dollars a year. I am not one of those fans but I do see the logic given some of the potentially elite prospects such as Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, and the rising Zach Wilson. The Cowboys could also be the beneficiary of multiple offers to trade up and thus stockpile draft picks to help build around their current QB Dak Prescott. Alternatively, they may miss out on the QB sweepstakes but still have their choice of the best prospect available whether that be on the defensive/offensive line, secondary, linebacker, safety, etc with a top 5 or top 10 draft pick. Most Dallas Cowboys fans will agree that this season is lost. The best opportunity to come back stronger than ever in 2021 is to come back healthier and with a strong draft class. The inevitable tank in 2020 could help them achieve the latter.
3. Young players beginning to shine
One of the few positives that Dallas Cowboys fans can agree upon is the emergence of some of their young players, specifically from this years draft class, as bright spots during this disappointing season. First round pick CeeDee Lamb has lived up to the hype and promises to be an elite WR in the NFL for years to come. Trevon Diggs was thrust into a starting role and has showed grit and tenacity despite getting burned on multiple occasions. The past couple of games he has really elevated his play and showed the ball skills that the Cowboys front office coveted when they drafted him in the second round. Defensive tackle Neville Gallimore came out of nowhere against the Steelers to have by far the best game of any defensive tackle on the Cowboys the entire season. The defensive tackle position is one in dire need of an upgrade and if Gallimore can build upon his performance against the Steelers it would be monumental for the Dallas Cowboys defensive line. Tyler Biadasz is injured and has been replaced by Joe Looney for the next few weeks but he has already emerged as a legitimate starting Centre and will fill the role vacated by Travis Frederick going forward. Bradlee Anae and Reggie Robinson II are two other promising youngsters who have not had an opportunity to see the field. Any contribution by those two combined with the other four top picks could make this the best draft class the Cowboys have ever had, including the 2016 haul. Another young player who has showed promise is safety Donavon Wilson. Wilson was the darling of the 2019 preseason thanks to three interceptions but he did not see the field often as a rookie. This year he has had to play far more often and he has taken advantage of this opportunity. If he continues to improve he will be a crucial piece of the Dallas Cowboys secondary that will require a major overhaul next season.
2. They are at least putting up a fight
A loss is a loss, or so I have always believed. My view has changed somewhat after witnessing the Dallas Cowboys uninspired losses against the Cardinals and the Washington Football team. It is painful to watch a team that is getting bullied at the line of scrimmage, missing tackles, and consistently getting burned in the secondary. It is also painful to watch an offense sputter and a quarterback run for his life behind a porous offensive line. For most of the season, the Dallas Cowboys have looked like a team that has either quit or that is so confused that they have no business being on the football field. That has not been the case the last two weeks. The defense finally came to life against the Eagles and last week against the Steelers the Cowboys played hard and looked respectable on offense, defense, and special teams. It is the first time that has happened in what feels like ages. That type of effort restores faith in a coaching staff that has to date not given Dallas Cowboys fans any confidence in their hiring. Now I can at least believe they are capable of producing a winning team. It definitely always hurts to lose but getting dominated is worse than losing with dignity. I feel as though this team has lost with dignity the last two games and that makes me far more optimistic that in 2021 when the team is healthy, they actually have a chance to go all the way.
1. “That’s my quarterback”
Dallas Cowboys fans have debated whether or not Dak Prescott is a franchise QB or whether or not he deserves to be paid among the highest at his position. If you ask me, my opinion has not changed and I believe that YES he is a franchise quarterback and YES he deserves to be paid at market value. If there is one thing that this season has taught most Dallas Cowboys fans, it is how valuable Dak Prescott actually is. The team was playing as poorly as it possibly could to begin the year and yet they were still competitive in every game and posted a respectable 2-3 record with Dak Prescott at quarterback. Ever since Dak went down for the season, the absence of their best player and the leader of the team has resulted in a downward spiral that has exposed just how bad the team actually was. Most of, but unfortunately not all, of the Dak haters have come to realise that it is Dak Prescott and not Ezekiel Elliott that is the straw that stirs the drink in Dallas. Dallas Cowboys fans should take solace in the fact that they are extremely lucky to have Dak Prescott, who is on track to make a full and speedy recovery. Dak Prescott is a valuable asset the likes of which many other teams will covet. The Dallas Cowboys will likely franchise tag Dak Prescott again in the offseason and attempt to sign him long term. Now, if that plan does fall apart, at least there are now options. I don’t doubt at all that Dak Prescott, even with a ridiculously high franchise tag and coming off of an injury, would demand a kings ransom from a suitor desperate for a quarterback. At the current rate, the Dallas Cowboys already are on track to have a premium draft pick of their own. They can theoretically move on from Dak Prescott, draft a young QB and build around him. The Dallas Cowboys, given their unique circumstances, could find themselves in an optimal position. They could commit to Dak Prescott long term and continue to build around him in the draft. They could trade out of a premium draft pick to accumulate even more draft capital. Or, they could move on from Dak Prescott and avoid having to pay the top of the market contract while using the draft capital to build around a new young quarterback. My preference is that they sign Dak Prescott but even I, a staunch supporter of his, have to admit that it is nice to have a contingency plan. If Dak Prescott were to play out this season and the Cowboys made the playoffs or just missed out, they likely would not be in a similar situation. They would be out of range of the premium draft picks that would allow the flexibility and option for exploiting the new class of elite quarterback prospects. Dallas Cowboys fans, whether they are fans of Dak Prescott or not, have to be thankful that the team has him as an asset for 2021.
*Photo by Joe Glorioso All-Pro Reels https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/legalcode
