A wrecking ball is headed towards the Dallas Cowboys. After Week 18, the Cowboys will end yet another season without a playoff berth, and owner and general manager Jerry Jones has just said the quiet part out loud. The blueprint that built this roster hasn’t worked. Now, no one is safe. Not coaches, not players, not anyone.

“It’ll be quite a busy offseason for us and this next month or so as we evaluate total team–and that’s not just coaches,” Jerry Jones said on 105.3 The Fan ahead of the Week 18 clash with the New York Giants. “That’s everything we’ve done.”

These words carry significant weight in a franchise that missed the postseason despite making splashy mid-season moves and having a franchise quarterback earn $60 million annually. 

The defense has been the primary culprit all season, despite Jones loading up at the trade deadline. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberlus finds himself squarely on the hot seat, with ownership already hinting at his uncertain future. The unit that was supposed to anchor Dallas has instead become its Achilles heel.

Dallas did address pass-rush concerns by acquiring Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets at the trade deadline. The tackle, for the most part, has been a revelation, recording 51 tackles and 2,5 sacks (as of Week 17) since suiting up for Dallas. He’s filled the void left by Micah Parsons, who got shipped off to the Green Bay Packers after his contract negotiations hit a snag. 

Jones had already attempted to land Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby before the trade deadline. With the Raiders star now at odds with Las Vegas after being shut down against his wishes, another push from the Cowboys front office could materialize. The cornerback room also needs reinforcements after Trevon Diggs’ departure left young corners scrambling to shore up the backfield.

The offense, however, has been the unexpected bright spot. First-time head coach Brian Schottenheimer has orchestrated a unit that kept Dallas competitive despite the defense faltering. George Pickens, acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers, has provided a reliable depth behind CeeDee Lamb that the receiving corps desperately needed. And yet, all the offensive firepower hasn’t stopped Jerry Jones from asking questions about his franchise quarterback, Dak Prescott, and the massive investment behind him.

The $240 million question mark for Jerry Jones

Dak Prescott’s four-year, $240 million deal is the elephant in the AT&T Stadium. That deal signed in 2024 was supposed to cement Dallas’s championship window and bring back the Troy Aikman era from the 90s. Instead, for Jerry, it has become an anchor around a sinking ship.

Prescott has played exceedingly well individually this season, putting up solid numbers as chaos unfolded around him. He leads the league in passing yards as of Week 17 with 4,482 yards, and ranks 4th in the league with his 71.8 QBR. But Jerry Jones isn’t measuring success in passer ratings anymore.

“This is a surprise to me,” Jerry noted on a previous appearance on 105.3 The Fan. “When I signed Dak [to the extension], I didn’t expect for us not to be in the playoffs the last two years.”

Top Stories

Cowboys Fire Defensive Coordinator Matt Eberflus: Contract, Salary, NFL Earnings & More

10 Biggest NFL Draft Busts of the Last Decade, Including Trey Lance and Justin Fields

Andy Reid Sets Record Straight on Travis Kelce’s Chiefs Future As Retirement Question Continue to Mount

Russell Wilson Announces Retirement Stance as Giants QB Shares Hidden Injury News

John Harbaugh’s Feelings Clear on Ravens’ Future as Firing Calls Mount Against HC

Jones’ disappointment is clear. Investing a quarter-billion dollars in a quarterback should guarantee postseason football. But the 2025 season has been another brutal reality check that’s left Jerry at a loss for answers.

“We’ll make those kinds of adjustments that’ll give us the best shot at the playoffs,” Jerry continued. “We can’t be timid about it. They’re not just subtle, little adjustments. We’ll have to do some things that, as they say, ‘put your head between your legs, and prepare for some rough landings.’”

Dallas now faces a critical juncture. They have elite pieces in Williams, Pickens, and Lamb, but glaring holes everywhere else. Jerry Jones can either double down on this core or blow it up entirely. And based on his recent comments, even the elites might be on shaky ground. The Cowboys won’t just be busy this offseason. They will transform, one way or another.