NFL

Cowboys roster didn't set up Mike McCarthy for success

Todd Archer, ESPN Staff WriterJan 13, 2025, 02:33 PM ET
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FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones did Mike McCarthy no favors in 2024. Now the two will go their separate ways.

McCarthy will not return as Cowboys head coach in 2025, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday.

Jones allowed McCarthy and his entire staff to coach the season in the final year of their contracts with a roster that was arguably worse than the one that lost in the wild-card round to the Green Bay Packers last January.

Yes, the Cowboys made quarterback Dak Prescott the highest-paid player in NFL history and CeeDee Lamb the second-highest paid wide receiver in the NFL, but they were going to be on the team in 2024 whether they had an extension or not. The team made few moves to surround their high-priced talent and set them up for success.

The Cowboys’ most notable free agent addition was linebacker Eric Kendricks on a one-year, $3 million deal. He outperformed his price tag, leading the Cowboys in tackles, serving as defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s coach on the field and a mentor to younger linebackers such as DeMarvion Overshown and Marist Liufau.

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The second-biggest addition was running back Ezekiel Elliott, who returned after a one-year hiatus. It did not work out. Elliott, who rushed for 226 yards and three TDs, was inactive for one game for disciplinary reasons and released prior to Week 18 at his request so he could try to sign with a playoff team.

The Cowboys found training camp success to varying levels with free agent additions defensive end Carl Lawson and defensive tackle Linval Joseph.

But that was it.

The Cowboys relied on in-house improvement, and it came in different-sized doses from players such as defensive tackle Mazi Smith, tight end Luke Schoonmaker, linebacker Overshown and defensive end Chauncey Golston.

But tight end Jake Ferguson was less effective in 2024 (474 yards receiving, no TDs) after being added to the Pro Bowl roster in 2023 (761 yards receiving, five TDs). Pass rusher Sam Williams tore his left ACL in training camp. Wide receiver Jalen Tolbert led the Cowboys in touchdown catches (seven) but was too quiet as the No. 2 receiver for a portion of the season. After catching the game-winning pass against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5, he had only two games with more than three catches and one game with more than 45 yards the rest of the season.