This season delivered a stark reminder for Jerry Jones and the Cowboys as they wrapped up three decades without a Super Bowl ring. And the heartbreaking trail of missteps starts with poor money allocation and ends with coaching blunders that have haunted the franchise.

“The Dallas had the fifth biggest cap hit in the NFL on offense and the 27th biggest cap hit in the NFL on defense. And one of the lessons here is that sometimes you get what you pay for,” said the host of the SMI Cowboys show.

“This is where if you have a really talented coordinator or a really talented strategist on one side of the football or the other, you can overcome not spinning a lot to be successful. And a great example of that is the Los Angeles Rams.”

The Cowboys’ cap structuring shows that Jerry Jones and the front office are more focused on the offensive side of the ball and not on the defense. That couldn’t be more clear than what we saw all season. 

Dak Prescott and the offense were among the best in the league, averaging over 391 yards per game. But on the other hand, the defense was 30th in the league, allowing 377 yards per game. This stands as a classic example of you reap what you sow.

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But cap allocation for 2025 at first glance shows a different side of it all. According to Spotrac, the Cowboys’ top-paid players were obviously Prescott, Terrence Steele and CeeDee Lamb. The rest of the players in their top 10 in terms of cap hit were all defensive players, from Donovan Wilson to Dante Fowler Jr.

Looks good, right? Take a better look, and it starts making sense. The difference in terms of amount is huge. Prescott’s cap hit amount could cover six of those defensive players’ salaries, which range from $6 million to max $8.6 million.

Yet, the coaching staff could have made a huge difference. Just look at what the Los Angeles Rams did. They rank dead last in spending on their defense. Still, their defense was pretty good, ranked 10th in points and 17th in yards.

One of the major reasons is their coaching staff: head coach Sean McVay and defensive coordinator Chris Shula. Now compare that to how the Cowboys performed under former defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton. 

Another reason for their defense sputtering is Micah Parsons. The star had a major contribution to the team with 12 sacks, 43 tackles and 23 QB hits in just 13 games last season. Still, Jerry Jones let him walk away. Something eerily similar is set to happen with George Pickens.​

George Pickens’ franchise tag headache for Jerry Jones

George Pickens saw his rookie contract expire at the end of this season, leaving his future in Dallas up in the air. The Cowboys clearly want to keep him, and Jerry Jones has gone on record saying he’s “absolutely” considering ways to make it happen.

But contract structuring remains the hot topic in Dallas, especially under Jones. Even without a long-term extension, Jones holds a powerful tool to keep him, the franchise tag. Projections from FanSided peg the 2026 WR franchise tag at $28.824 million.

If the Cowboys slap that tag on Pickens, it opens a narrow window to hammer out a multiyear deal that truly benefits both sides. However, the process is going to be a public spectacle for sure, especially with Pickens’ high-profile agent, David Mulghetta

Still, whispers of a mega-deal are growing louder, with projections landing around $140 million over the life of the contract. The real question is whether that deal will be with Jerry Jones in Dallas or with Micah Parsons in Green Bay.