The Dallas Cowboys made some wholesale changes to their roster during the NFL offseason. Quarterback Dak Prescott seems to trust the process.
The Cowboys moved on from longtime roster fixtures in wide receiver Amari Cooper, defensive end Randy Gregory, and right tackle La'el Collins. QDak Prescott was asked about the moves that Dallas has made this offseason and the current state of the team after the dust has settled two weeks into NFL free agency.
Via Cowboys beat reporter Jon Machota of The Athletic:
“Things happen and things change,” Dak Prescott said of the Cowboys' offseason moves thus far. “I think it will be to that standard here soon. Obviously, things aren’t done. Free agency isn’t done, the draft’s not done, so a lot of the roster is to come.”
But while Dak Prescott sounds fully receptive to the changes the Cowboys have made at present, he still admits to completely feeling the human side of these business transactions all the same. The two-time Pro Bowl QB spoke out candidly on the difficulties he personally experiences in having to say goodbye to teammates he's become accustomed to, not just on the field but as friends off of it.
“This is the hardest part of the league to me, watching teammates, watching friends, watching men that you’ve grown up with over the past few years on the field and off the field leave and depart,” Dak Prescott said the Cowboys' recent moves. “Just understanding that that’s the business of this game. Obviously sharing words with (Cooper and Collins), knowing how much they’ve impacted my career, how much they mean to me as people and players. I’m excited for them. I know they’ll do great things.”
Amari Cooper, Randy Gregory, and La'el Collins all played over 50 contests for the Dallas Cowboys spanning multiple NFL seasons. Each one of them has gone down into the trenches with Dak Prescott both through the winning seasons and the down years.
It's clear that the moves made were meant to be cap-saving transactions. The Cowboys now have a shade below $20 million to spend after their efforts to move on from their previously established veterans. While it remains to be seen just how exactly they're going to be spending that money, Dak Prescott isn't sweating the specifics. He's ready to work with whatever he has.
“I’m excited for this team,” the Cowboys QB continued. “I’m excited for the things I can control. And I’m going to continue to do everything I can to make this team better to finish in the best position that we can moving forward in this offseason and into training camp.”
The Dallas Cowboys enter the season after an early postseason exit, losing in the Wild Card game to the San Francisco 49ers on what was a whimper of a final play. But slate gets wiped clean as the season begins anew soon enough. Whether or not they improve on their campaign next season largely depends on what moves they pull off between now and opening day.