The 2022 NFL season is firmly on the horizon and over the coming weeks the Dimers team will break down the chances of each and every team, all vying for Super Bowl 57 glory in Glendale, Arizona come February.
Dimers.com contributor Tony Bellissimo takes a look at the key factors to consider when betting on the Dallas Cowboys in the 2022 NFL season.
Last year was in many ways a breakthrough for the long-underachieving Cowboys, as they ran away with the NFC East title.
But, postseason success again eluded the Cowboys and with top receiver Amari Cooper gone, will Dak Prescott continue his ascent to the upper-echelon of NFL quarterbacks?
The Cowboys have been widely criticized for a poor offseason, which included trading top wideout Amari Cooper to Cleveland and losing an elite pass rusher in Randy Gregory in a change-of-heart free agent move to the Denver Broncos.
Each of Dallas’ division rivals made significant upgrades either through trade (Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders) or the draft (New York Giants), so on paper the gap has closed in the NFC East. The Cowboys swept the Eagles, Commanders and Giants last season. That’s unlikely to happen in 2022.
It’s no secret Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is on the hot seat despite a six-win improvement from 2020. Dallas ranked first in the NFL in total offense (407 yards per game) but only 19th in total defense.
Some defensive improvement, consistency and a clean bill of health for its stars will go a long way in repeating as division champs and making a long overdue playoff run. And our model is pretty high on Dallas figuring those things out.
DimersBOT: In our model's 10,000 simulations of the upcoming NFL season, the Cowboys averaged 10.62 wins per year. The Cowboys might have lost some star power in the offseason, but our model is extremely high on them. Look for some wideouts to step up in Cooper's absence, and don't be surprised if Dante Fowler and Sam Williams help make up for the loss of Gregory as a pass rusher.
The top solution to keeping the receiver corps relevant was re-signing Gallup, although the contract terms (five years, $62.5 million) raised some eyebrows. Gallup suffered multiple injuries, including a torn ACL last season, and was limited to 35 catches and two touchdowns in nine games. He needs to live up to the deal and serve as the 1B opposite CeeDee Lamb. He has flashed some serious potential since arriving in Dallas, so it's certainly not out of the question.
The Cowboys are among the Top 10 favorites in the league to win Super Bowl 57. Dallas might not look like the best team in the league on paper, but there's a path to this team being excellent this season. For starters, the NFC East is primed for them to finish on top again. But some internal improvements could also take the Cowboys to another level.
DimersBOT: Our model is extremely high on the Cowboys this season and you can get them at +2000. This is definitely worth throwing a little something on.