The Dallas Cowboys should absolutely not re-sign head coach Jason Garrett a new contract. Since Garrett took over, the Cowboys have been the epitome of just flat out plain jane. After taking over in week 10 of the 2010 season, Garrett has led the Cowboys to an overall record of 77-59. Not too shabby. However, the Cowboys have gone 2-3 in the playoffs and have yet to make it past the divisional round since 1995.

Jerry Jones has big enough problems on his hands as is with some of the most important players in the Cowboys franchise right now. Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliot and Demarcus Lawrence all need to be re-signed, and they will not come cheap. Jones’ number one priority should be determining how to allocate enough funds to afford those three key contributors, as well as position themselves to be able to make potential key free agent acquisitions and add depth.

Even though the Cowboys were able to rally from a 3-5 start to the 2018 campaign to make the divisional playoffs only to lose to the Los Angeles Rams, I would argue that the season as a whole wasn’t all that exciting for “America’s team.” Despite having one of the most talented running backs in the league in Ezekiel Elliot, Dallas came in as the 22nd ranked team in total yards. That ranked last out of all playoff teams.

The first person that initially comes to mind when I think of the Cowboys’ situation with Garrett is Marvin Lewis, ex-head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. I say this because Marvin Lewis remained with that organization for 16 years, from 2003-2019. In those 16 years, he went 131-122-3, won the AFC North division four times, and lost in the first round of the playoffs seven times. Lewis seemed to always be firmly positioned on or near the hot seat, only be to granted extension after extension. In Lewis’ time with the Bengals, they had some really solid teams and also some really poor teams. From 2011-15 the team had a stretch of five straight first-round playoff exits. When a team cannot get it done when it matters most, in the postseason, then changes must be made. The regular season is important, but the postseason is where the intensity is cranked up a notch and where the real ones show up. Like Lewis, Garrett has failed to show up when it counts.

Ultimately, I do believe that the Cowboys will re-sign Garrett. Jerry Jones has expressed his admiration for the tenured Cowboys coach and recently re-signed ex-Cowboys tight end Jason Witten to a one-year deal worth about $5 million. This move paves the way for the Cowboys to re-sign Garrett because at the end of the day it shows that the franchise is not afraid to overpay for underperformers. After spending a year in the broadcast booth, Witten will most likely be a locker room guy and elder statesmen to assist the other tight ends, James Hanna, Geoff Swaim, Blake Jarwin and ex-Baylor hoops star Rico Gathers. Don’t get me wrong, Cowboys faithful will be elated to see 82 out there again running routes, blocking for Elliot and catching passes from Prescott. But he is not the tight end that will put them over the hump, just like Garrett is not the head coach to do so either. I believe this move re-signing Witten will be a key reason Dallas will struggle to make serious postseason noise in the years to come. That as well as re-signing Garrett puts the Dallas Cowboys further away from winning playoff games and closer to selling more 82 Witten jerseys. 

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