National Football League

Daryl Johnston concerned about Cowboys following offseason exits

Updated Apr. 5, 2022 8:02 p.m. ET

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The Dallas Cowboys are going to field a markedly different team in 2022. On paper, it looks to be much less talented, as well. 

A handful of notable starters are gone, including Pro Bowl wideout Amari Cooper and emerging edge defender Randy Gregory. And on Tuesday's edition of "The Herd," FOX Sports analyst and former Cowboys star fullback Daryl Johnston said this offseason has produced a lot more questions than answers for America’s Team.

The biggest one, for Johnston, is with the offensive line. 

Cowboys offseason moves broken down by Daryl "Moose" Johnston

Daryl "Moose" Johnston joins Colin Cowherd to discuss the Dallas Cowboys' offseason moves, including the departure of Randy Gregory and Amari Cooper.

"That’s the one that I’ve had my focus on with La’el Collins and Connor Williams leaving, Tyron Smith near the end of his career," Johnston said. "That’s been the one positional group that I thought really needed some attention given to it, and they just haven't been able to hit the way that they did five, eight years ago. 

"I think the starting five has always been one of the cornerstones for the Dallas Cowboys franchise. When you talk about them having success, and if anything for me going into this season, it’s how do they shore up that offensive line? How do they get back to controlling the game running the football?"

Perhaps, through the NFL draft. Johnston said he would be "shocked" if the offensive line wasn’t the top priority after the Cowboys didn’t add to the unit in free agency. 

Such an initiative could prove vital for both aspects of the offense. While quarterback health has seemingly been the No. 1 factor in the Cowboys’ success in recent years, a strong and sometimes dominant run game helped them overcome leaky defensive play prior to 2021. 

Last year’s rushing attack was middle of the pack in the NFL — it ranked No. 13 in DVOA — and took a backseat to one of the league’s best passing outfits. Of course, Dallas also has holes to fill with its receiving corps after trading Cooper and allowing Cedrick Wilson to walk in free agency. Its lone addition thus far, former Steelers reserve James Washington, brings big-play potential.

The good news for the Cowboys: The 2022 draft is rich with receiver and O-line prospects. The bad news is they don’t have an abundance of draft capital to work with. Dallas holds the No. 24 pick overall and just one selection in each of the first four rounds. 

"I think Amari Cooper makes everybody in the wide receiver room better," Johnston said. "Is Michael Gallup as good as he is without having had the opportunity to spend time around Amari Cooper? I don't know. That's going to be the interesting thing to watch this year. I think Cedrick Wilson is an under-the-radar loss in that wide receiver room that nobody’s really talking about. 

"It's going to be hard on the outside."

It all could make for a hard 2022 campaign. Significant roster changes were inevitable this spring with the Cowboys initially sitting more than $20 million over the cap. But after handily winning the NFC East and notching their most victories since 2016 (12), Dallas appears no closer to making its first deep playoff run this century.

Either way, this figures to be a make-or-break year for coach Mike McCarthy. Colin Cowherd asked Johnston if he thought there was a moment following the team's wild-card loss in which McCarthy was in danger of being fired.

"No, I didn’t," Johnston said. "Do you make a coaching change? I don’t think so, because he’s done enough in his time in Dallas to earn a right for another year, I felt."

The jury remains out whether Johnston is in the majority or the minority regarding McCarthy's job status.

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