Insider Dishes on ‘Possibility’ of Cowboys Firing Mike McCarthy

Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy, owner Jerry Jones

Getty Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy, owner Jerry Jones

The Dallas Cowboys conducting a second head-coaching search in as many years is not an impossibility, according to Bleacher Report.

In his latest Scouting Notebook, plugged-in draft analyst Matt Miller opined that although Cowboys owner Jerry Jones “doesn’t seem poised” to fire HC Mike McCarthy after the 2020 season, “we can’t entirely rule out the possibility,” either.

“The Cowboys sitting at 3-8 has to be one of the biggest surprises of the season, and if Jones gets upset down the stretch, we could see movement here,” Miller wrote.

However, Miller ultimately feels McCarthy will receive a mulligan for what’s been an injury-ruined campaign and that Dallas could achieve a “quick turnaround” due to its “strong” roster, the likely return of franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, and a premium building block in the form of a potential top-five 2021 NFL draft pick.

This all aligns with Jones’ continued defense of the former Green Bay Packers’ Super Bowl-winning coach. In perhaps his most emphatic comments, the Cowboys czar emphatically declared in October that “I’ve got my man.”

“One of the, without a question, reasons Mike McCarthy is the coach is because he’s been through it,” Jones said. “He’s had tough times, and he’s had disappointing times. He’s got a staff that has a lot of experience. He’s got some younger guys on there. … Certainly, we couldn’t have anticipated being at this stage with our team this year. But if I were going to hire for a head coach, that we’re going to be at this stage this year and work through this for the betterment of what’s in store for us for the rest of the year and for what’s for us in the future, I’ve got my man.”

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Scout’s Take on Cowboys Draft

Assuming they hang onto the No. 4 overall selection, Dallas could have its non-QB pick of the litter — perhaps an offensive tackle like Penei Sewell or a blue-chip defender such as linebacker Micah Parsons.

An unnamed scout told Miller that “Dallas ain’t going to be picking that high again for a while. They better take advantage of it.” To which Miller wrote: “This is the conventional wisdom around the league, as an injury-depleted roster has led to a much worse record than the Cowboys should have.”

He continued: “At pick No. 4, the Cowboys would have choices. They could reach slightly for the best offensive lineman available given the injuries to Tyron Smith and the retirement of Travis Frederick. They could also look at the board full of defensive players and look to bolster the secondary (Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II from Alabama) or pass rush (Miami edge-rusher Gregory Rousseau). They’ll have plenty of options, including a chance to trade this pick to a team that needs to come up for a quarterback.”

Speaking of signal-callers, one recent mock draft projected the Cowboys taking BYU’s Zach Wilson, which only would happen if the team moves on from Prescott. Miller believes a trade-down involving a QB is a lot more practical.

“Moving from No. 4 to No. 9 overall wouldn’t cost the Cowboys a ton in draft value because they don’t need a quarterback, but it could net them precious draft picks that they could use to bolster the roster,” he wrote.

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Jerry Responds to Dak’s ‘Small Victories’ Message

Jones had an … interesting reaction to recent comments made by Prescott — particularly the “small victories” that Prescott conveyed he’s achieved in his recovery from season-ending ankle surgery.

“You better be looking for the little nuances of victory because the big ones haven’t been there,” Jones said Friday on 105.3 The Fan, via The Athletic.

In the interest of fairness, Jones was asked about the Cowboys finding small victories throughout an extremely disappointing season, and his very Jerry-like answer reflected that.

Still, it’s worth wondering about any lingering resentment the sides may still harbor following their failed long-term contract negotiations. Some interpreted Jones’ response as a not-so-subtle dig at Prescott.


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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL

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