Super Bowl odds: 20-1
What they are considered: A team that would have contended for the Super Bowl last year had it not faced the crippling adversity of...um, losing its running back to a midyear suspension that it should have spent months preparing for in the first place.
What they really are: The '67 Mustang that your uncle only thinks he knows how to restore.
The Cowboys spent this offseason in "we meant to do that" mode. Cutting Dez Bryant to clear cap space? Meant to do that! Begging Jason Witten not to retire, even though he's been fading for four years? Meant to do that! Spending almost a quarter of the defensive budget on Tank Lawrence's franchise tag while still drowning in dead Tony Romo money? It's all part of a master plan, Cowboys fans!
The Cowboys' receiving and tight end corps looks like something from the future roster of Salt Lake City's AAF team. The lack of experience and quality at receiver will hinder Dak Prescott's effort to bounce back to 2017 form, which will make Jason Garrett's offense more run-oriented and predictable, which will further hinder Prescott's efforts, and so on.
The young, budget-friendly secondary will get picked apart when it matters. It's great to have Randy Gregory back, but let's wait for that second career sack before we pencil in a Von Miller-type season. And no, Earl Thomas isn't coming, because the Cowboys cannot afford to pay him, because the Cowboys still manage their salary cap like a college sophomore who just got their first credit card.
Those Super Bowl odds are appropriate, but the Cowboys are getting 7-2 odds to win the NFC East. Picking them to win the division means picking the Eagles to collapse, Washington to suffer another injury apocalypse, the Giants to not catch any lightning in their Odell Beckham Jr.-Saquon Barkley bottle and for Witten understudy Rico Gathers to suddenly become more than a minicamp Antonio Gates impersonator.
That's not a wager you want to make.
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