Dallas Cowboys evaluation season has begun

In the coming weeks, the Dallas Cowboys will be determining which of their players deserve to be back in 2016.

When it actually happened is debatable.

One could argue that it occurred in the offseason, as the Dallas Cowboys brain trust dragged their feet on getting wide receiver Dez Bryant signed to a long-term deal and, because of that failure, watched last year’s leading rusher, DeMarco Murray leave for nothing.

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Many would probably say it happened when quarterback Tony Romo was injured in the third quarter of Week 2. This event lead to the embarrassment of seven straight losses with two different guys trying to fit into shoes much too big for them.

Personally, I would say it happened after Romo’s third interception in the first half, two of which were taken back to the house, creating an insurmountable 22-3 deficit at halftime of the Thanksgiving day game versus Carolina.

Regardless, the 2015 Dallas Cowboys season is officially done. That’s a fact that is not up for debate.

Of course, there are those who will look at the standings and try to make some ridiculous argument that this team is still in it. Others will comfort themselves with the absurdity that anything is possible until the Cowboys are actually, mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

To that I say, stop. Just stop.

This team has not won a single game without Romo as the starting quarterback. They’ll be lucky to win two or possibly even one game without him the rest of the way.

The Cowboys have played three teams this year with a record above .500. They’ve lost all three by double-digits and play three more teams at or above that mark, two of which are on the road. There’s three more losses.

The other two games are divisional matchups against a Washington Redskins team still very much in position to win this division. One is on the road where they’ve won every game this year. The other is the last game of the year in which the Cowboys will have absolutely nothing to play for. At best, they steal one of these games.

From 12-4 to 4-12, just like that. How fitting for a team who previously was stuck in the rut of three straight 8-8 seasons.

So, what exactly is there to play for?

How about your jobs?

That’s right, for the next five weeks, every single person who draws a paycheck from Jerry Jones should be under the microscope. From the coaching staff, to the players, to scouts, everyone better show up and perform over the next five weeks.

Otherwise, Jerry and his son, Stephen Jones need to be making some serious decisions. This type of failure is unacceptable for any team who fancies themselves as playoff and Super Bowl contenders.

It all starts with the quarterback position. The next ten days should be utilized to install Kellen Moore as the starter the rest of the way. Dallas desperately needs to know if they need to spend their soon-to-be very high draft pick in 2016 on a quarterback or if Moore is ready.

In a world in which 40-year old Matt Hasselbeck is undefeated for the Indianapolis Colts, Michael Vick and Landry Jones won two games for Pittsburgh while Ben Roethlisberger was injured and three different quarterbacks have won games for the Houston Texans, there is no excuse for any quarterback not wearing #9 to be winless.

At running back, I want to see more of Robert Turbin. Darren McFadden has done a decent job trying to make up for the mistake of letting Murray go, but I want to see if Turbin has some juice getting 20+ carries or if the Cowboys need to be thinking about Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott with their first round selection.

I also want to see more of Brice Butler at wide receiver. We know we what we have with Bryant, Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley. Can Butler be in the mix next year? Apparently, Jerry is already against this idea, at least at Bryant’s expense.

As soon as Chaz Green is ready, I would like to see him take Doug Free‘s spot as the starter on the offensive line. Free has been the worst of a disappointing quintet up front. He’s also the oldest by far. Guess we should pump those breaks a bit on the “Great Wall Part 2” talk, eh?

Defensively, enjoy these last five games of Greg Hardy is a Cowboys uniform. There is no point to bringing back a guy with so many problems, who is supposed to be a sack machine, yet has three games without one and another game with just a half sack.

Apparently, little things like meetings and fielding questions from the media are too difficult for him. Good luck getting another shot buddy. It won’t be here. Another Buckeye, defensive end Joey Bosa, could be on the Cowboys radar with their likely top five pick.

Linebackers Sean Lee and Rolando McClain should also be heavily evaluated. Can Lee finish the season without getting hurt? Will McClain play like he cares when the season doesn’t matter anymore? If either question is no, the Cowboys will need to spend a second or third round pick on a playmaker at this position.

Lastly, the defensive backs may be the easiest to evaluate. Morris Claiborne is gone after next year unless he wants to play on the cheap. J.J. Wilcox should be as well with Byron Jones looking more like a safety than a cornerback. Tyler Patmon should be getting starts to see if he can be the third guy next year when Orlando Scandrick comes back.

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Unfortunately, it’s not even December and this is the conversation we have to have. The only way to salvage anything from this season is to see what guys are made of and who deserves to wear the Star next year.

Tis the season for evaluation.

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