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Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys appear to be getting desperate when it comes to improving their 2024 roster.
After yet another embarrassing playoff exit, Jones told reporters at the Senior Bowl that his team would go “all-in” for the 2024 season.
“I would anticipate, with looking ahead at our key contracts that we’d like to address, we will be all-in,” he said.
Jones and the Cowboys then proceeded to have, perhaps, the worst offseason of any team in the league when it comes to roster construction. Key pieces such as Tyron Smith, Tony Pollard and Dorrance Armstrong all left in free agency. While Eric Kendricks was the only notable free agent to join the team.
Dallas then failed to replace Pollard in the NFL Draft, leaving the Cowboys to turn to Royce Freeman, who hasn’t eclipsed 500 scrimmage yards since 2019, to try and fill the whole.
Meanwhile, Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb are each in need of contract extensions.
But Jones and company don’t appear to be in a rush to do anything big.
Instead, they’re scraping the bottom of the barrell.
After the medical retirement of Leighton VanEsch, an already weak Cowboys linebacker corps got even weaker.
How is Dallas looking to replace the former Pro Bowler? Well, it appears they’re looking to the UFL.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports the team is bringing UFL linebacker Willie Harvey Jr. for a workout on Tuesday.
Harvey led the UFL in tackles and all linebackers in tackles for loss, passes defended and forced fumbles. But he hasn’t appeared in the NFL since a short stint with the Cleveland Browns in 2021.
Who knows, maybe Harvey just needed some time to refine his game? And Dallas has had success with finding prospects from lower leagues. KaVontae Turpin and Brandon Aubrey both signed from the USFL and went on to become Pro Bowlers.
But specialists are a different breed.
Maybe Harvey works out. But it’s not a good sign for the Cowboys that this is the ace of their sleeve.