<br><div><aside class="gnt_em gnt_em__fp gnt_em_vp__tp gnt_em__el" aria-label="Video - NFL divisional round overreactions: Cowboys and Bills' seasons crash and burn"/><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">The Dallas Cowboys didn't reach the Super Bowl.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">Again.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">It's a statement applicable to 30 NFL teams in any given year. But it's been true of the Cowboys for 27 seasons in a row, a stretch during which 21 of the league's franchises have played on Super Sunday and 13 have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy at least once.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">And the Cowboys <em>aren't</em> any given franchise.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">No other club – in any league – is known as "America's Team." No organization in pro football commands or demands Dallas' level of attention. Champions or not, the Cowboys are the NFL's flagship – the Yankees, Lakers, Duke and Alabama can only dream of a spotlight this bright.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p"><strong>Bet on the Big Game:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":body nav (superbowl)|e|auto spike click:5|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" href="https://sportsdata.usatoday.com/super-bowl-57">Super Bowl 57 stats, odds and more</a></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">But the downside for owner Jerry Jones and Co. – it's a downside, right? – is the scrutiny and handwringing that come with the annual postmortem.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">So as we dig into the residuals of the vanquished 2022 Cowboys, here are seven issues they must address going into the 2023 season:</p><figure class="gnt_em gnt_em_img"><img class="gnt_em_img_i" style="height:468px" data-g-r="lazy" data-gl-src="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2023/01/23/USAT/fb5dfc94-b50c-4e68-9fb0-71425ba09483-GTY_1455109986.jpg?crop=3801,2690,x86,y62&width=660&height=468&format=pjpg&auto=webp" data-gl-srcset="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2023/01/23/USAT/fb5dfc94-b50c-4e68-9fb0-71425ba09483-GTY_1455109986.jpg?crop=3801,2690,x86,y62&width=1320&height=936&format=pjpg&auto=webp 2x" decoding="async" alt="WR CeeDee Lamb (88), RB Tony Pollard (20) and QB Dak Prescott are critical components of Dallas' offense."/></figure><h2 class="gnt_ar_b_mt">Clear cap space</h2><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">Per <a target="_blank" href="https://overthecap.com/salary-cap-space" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">OverTheCap</a>, Dallas basically has nothing in its coffers for free agents this year. That's problematic on several levels, a few of which will be explored in further detail shortly. Last March, the Cowboys restructured the contracts of QB Dak Prescott and G Zack Martin to free up about $22 million. Do they go back to Martin and/or Prescott, who's owed $65 million combined over the next two years, and convert base salaries to signing bonuses that can be amortized into the future? Or hope other...</p></div> <style> .wrapper { text-align: center; } </style> <div class="wrapper"> <a class="button" href ="https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMigQFodHRwczovL3d3dy51c2F0b2RheS5jb20vc3Rvcnkvc3BvcnRzL25mbC9jb2x1bW5pc3QvbmF0ZS1kYXZpcy8yMDIzLzAxLzI0L2RhbGxhcy1jb3dib3lzLW9mZnNlYXNvbi1nb2Fscy1uZXdzLXJ1bW9ycy8xMTEwNDQ2NzAwMi_SAQA?oc=5">Read more <span>➤</span></a> </div>