What happens if the Dallas Cowboys fail to make the playoffs again?

We try to figure out some of the bigger ramifications if the Dallas Cowboys fail to make the playoffs again in 2018. Will it finally spark change?

The current regime running the Dallas Cowboys seems to believe their team is very close to winning a Super Bowl title. If they didn’t, why would they spend all their monies on keeping their own players rather than looking to free agency to add talent. Surely, no one wants to overpay for mediocre players, especially if they are coming from your own roster.

Clinging to the hope of the 13-3 season they had in 2016, the Cowboys brass presses on with their team-building philosophy of keeping the “status quo”. Despite missing the playoffs last season and posting a disappointing 9-7 record, Dallas decided to keep their three biggest coaches in place. Those being head coach Jason Garrett, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli.

Instead, several of their subordinates were allowed to leave. In total, 10 changes took place along the Cowboys coaches staff this offseason. But again, those at the top remain. And why not? There were plenty of excuses to use, with the six-game suspension of running back Ezekiel Elliott being chief among them.

But the fact is, this Cowboys’ offense looked like a shell of themselves even when Elliott was on the field early last season. But just when Dallas seemed to be getting their mojo back, Zeke was suddenly gone. And quarterback Dak Prescott struggled to put the team on his back and win ballgames without him.

Despite some very shaky performances last season, the Dallas brass seems satisfied to stay the current course. They’ll go about this offseason as they’ve done in the past, re-signing their own free agents, bottoming feeding in the open market and hoping a rookie or two can fill a pivotal role for them in 2018.

But what happens if the Dallas Cowboys fail to make the playoffs for the second year in a row? What happens to the coaching staff then? Will the Cowboys finally start buying into the fact it’s a balance between the draft and free agency that builds champions?

If the Cowboys fail to make the playoffs in 2018, the first person you’d expect to go is the head coach. Although I’m sure the excuses will be plentiful, as they always are, I actually believe Garrett could actually survive another down season. To the dismay of many Cowboys fans. Certainly, Linehan would be the biggest scapegoat. And Marinelli may elect to quietly retire.

By not making coordinator changes this offseason, Garrett could have earned himself an extra year of grace in owner Jerry Jones’ eyes. But also remember, making a head coaching change is also about options. Are there better candidates available at the time? Is Sean Payton or Bill Cowher ready to make a move? Is Tony Romo ready to move on from broadcasting? Etc …

As for the players themselves, depending upon their 2018 performances, longtime and expensive names like wide receiver Dez Bryant, cornerback Orlando Scandrick and defensive end Tyrone Crawford could be released and Dallas would finally be forced to look to free agency for possible replacements.

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I think that the important thing to take away from another playoff-less season in Dallas is that it might finally spark change within the Cowboys’ front office. For too long, the Dallas brass has been content with mediocrity as long as they could cling to past successes as justification for not making any critical changes. Although there will always be excuse, another disappointing season like the one they had last year may finally force the Dallas Cowboys to make those Super Bowl-worthy changes.