How will Cowboys deal with Tony Romo (and 4 other offseason priorities)?

ARLINGTON, Texas – For all the talk of no moral victories, even an emotionally drained Jerry Jones had a hard time swerving around the future of the Dallas Cowboys.

“It took some really outstanding plays to have us sitting in the locker room like this,” Jones said Sunday night, contemplating the divisional round loss to the Green Bay Packers that wiped away a 13-3 regular season. “I know now that this team was capable of playing all the way through this thing. Even with rookies in key spots, I know now that we were ready to win. We didn’t. That’s very real.”

It’s real, but there’s plenty of evidence to suggest Jones isn’t deluding himself when he uses the phrase “playing all the way through this thing.” Jones wasn’t referring to playing all the way through against the Packers. His vantage and confidence was much larger than that.

With Dak Prescott seizing the reins at QB in Dallas, Tony Romo may be on the move. (Getty Images)
With Dak Prescott seizing the reins at QB in Dallas, Tony Romo may be on the move. (Getty Images)

Jones can see Dallas getting close to a championship. He can see the base of the roster has been replenished. And against the Packers, he saw those young foundational pieces showing the grit to fight out of a seemingly impossible hole. Even in a loss, the core of this roster looked much tougher than anticipated. Which leads Jones to an important conclusion: This isn’t 2007, a season when the Cowboys went 13-3 and failed to make the postseason five of the next six years.

“The difference [with the 2007 season’s playoff loss] is when I look at what’s ahead for us and the valiant way we played to get it to be as competitive as it turned out near the end,” Jones said of the comeback against Green Bay. “The way we did that, I think we have a better short-term future than what happened in the ensuing years in [2007]. I don’t think I’m being an optimist.”

That’s where Jones is at – optimism is for suckers. It’s for owners who hope for the best. He’s ready for realism. That’s for owners who expect the best. And it feels like that’s in reach for Dallas. But this will be an important offseason in that regard. There will be a hardened list of priorities.

Starting with …

1. Resolving the NFL’s investigation into Ezekiel Elliott

There are other pressing matters on the roster, and Dallas will get to those in due time. But there is only one problem which they seem to lack the power to control, and that’s the ongoing domestic abuse investigation into Elliott. As it stands, a team source told Yahoo Sports the league hasn’t given Jones or the Cowboys any clarity over where the investigation stands or how close it is to ending. Instead, Dallas has been told the probe is “ongoing” and that the league won’t be pushed to any action one way or another.

While he has tempered his response, the team source said the ongoing nature and lack of information from the league has frustrated Jones. He doesn’t want this hanging over the franchise the entire offseason. One way or another, Dallas will be looking for a resolution so Elliott can get on with whatever comes next. Which, in Elliott’s opinion, will be nothing at all.

“I do want closure,” Elliott told reporters after the loss on Sunday. “I do. If there is something to find – which there is not – they would have found it by now. The police did a very thorough investigation [into allegations of abuse from an ex-girlfriend]. It just seems like they are dragging their feet right now. Who knows man?”

Neither the franchise or Elliott knows much. And the Cowboys want that stage changed – and closed – this offseason.

2. Reaching a decision with Tony Romo

Options are limited. Jones has said he wants Romo on the roster. He seemed less adamant about what was coming after Sunday night’s loss, saying there would be a proper time to address it “later on.” He could have repeated his past statements, suggesting Romo would return. He didn’t do that because it makes no financial sense and likely isn’t in the best interest for the development of Dak Prescott.

Could Romo retire? Yes. And that’s what the Cowboys prefer. But two sources inside the Cowboys told Yahoo Sports they believe he isn’t ready to walk away and still believe he’s a worthy NFL starter. That means Dallas has to find a way to get him to a team of his choosing – most likely outside of the NFC.

This one is far from over and could still get awkward. But the decision is coming, and it won’t drag on into the summer.

3. Adjusting Jason Witten’s salary

Is Witten still a useful piece going forward? Yes. Is his salary cap number too high in 2017? Yes. Even with the contract restructure knocking down his base salary in 2016, it’s hard to justify paying Witten $7.4 million in base money next season strictly out of loyalty. The Cowboys could perform some financial wrangling to take his cap hit down from $12.26 million. It’s not absolutely necessary, but that – along with taking care of the Romo business – could help Dallas take shot at a need player in free agency or potentially retain some of the talent headed for free agency. The Cowboys aren’t in a cap emergency, but there is solid breathing room laying in wait and it will be important to take advantage of the flexibility offered by Prescott’s contract slot while he’s still a cheap starter. Witten can play a role in that with another contract tweak.

4. Upgrading the defensive line and pass-rush packages

Dallas will set Jaylon Smith and Randy Gregory to the side. Neither will be penned into the plans for 2017 because the Cowboys have no idea what they can get from either player. There is a significant amount of hope that Smith will be on the 53-man roster next season, but still no guarantee. Gregory is another matter. He’s not really costing Dallas much to keep him around while suspended. But there is a prevailing feeling that carrying him through 2017 may be as far as the Cowboys will go with the relationship. If Gregory once again runs afoul of the league’s drug-testing program, the feeling is Dallas will move on from him and wish Gregory the best. And if there is an inkling of his substance-abuse issues bleeding over to other young players, he’ll be gone sooner than later. Right now, that’s not a concern.

With the contributions of Smith and Gregory up in the air, neither is expected to meaningfully change the Dallas draft or free-agency plans. Those plans won’t be complicated. The defensive line and pass rush will be the top priority, particularly after watching Aaron Rodgers absorb three sacks in the playoff loss – all at the hands of defensive backs. Dallas can’t continue to manufacture a pass rush to assert pressure. That means adding more pass rushers in the draft, free agency or through the trade market. Not exactly an ideal need with the 28th pick in the draft, but that’s what the Cowboys will be tasked with finding in this draft. Expect a couple of the picks to be dedicated to the defensive front.

As for the secondary, Brandon Carr was solid this season and though he brought up retirement, Dallas should make an attempt to see if he’ll return for another year if it can be done at a modest price. Morris Claiborne flashed the skills of being a solid No. 1 cornerback, but continues to be maddeningly undependable on the injury front. He’s another who could be brought back for a modest one-year “prove-it” deal. Safety Barry Church is also worth retaining – but again, it’s all about price.

The Dallas secondary is solid when healthy. It could be even better with a sustained pass rush. But that shouldn’t prevent Dallas from considering a cornerback signing in free agency or another depth addition.

5. Consider a wild card addition on offense

If the price point is right, Terrance Williams is a solid, capable piece alongside Dez Bryant and Cole Beasley. Witten is effective as well. But if there is a draftable difference-maker in the first three rounds or in free agency, it’s worth getting another piece to give Prescott more to work with. Particularly if it’s one of the athletic tight ends in a deep class.

We all know the Cowboys love their value picks, right? Well, someone is likely going to get a discount deal on Michigan tight end Jake Butt, who was a first- or second-round pick before tearing his ACL in the Wolverines’ bowl game. Butt likely won’t be available for the start of the regular season, but he’s one of the risk picks that Dallas might take if nothing obvious is sitting at the end of the second or third rounds.

Whether it’s Butt or not, Dallas could use another intermediate option in the offense who is capable of popping bigger plays.