What's your gut feeling on what Dak's contract will be worth? – BRYTON MYERS / FAYETTEVILLE, AR
David: That's so hard to guess at without knowing the length of the deal and the guarantees. I assume the salary will come in somewhere around $35 million per year, with well over $100 million in total guarantees.
Jonny: I tend to stay away from predicting the exact amount a player's contract will be worth. I don't think it's a particularly fun way to consume sports. That said, I think it will be worth something very close to what Dak wants. There's not a world where the Cowboys' present or future is better without him. I know it's hard to wrap so much money into one player, but they had their years of paying him on a rookie contract, and he's going to be paid in way that reflects just how many teams would love to have him.
How do you think the players handle this new season with a completely new coaching staff? How do those types of seasons typically go, with so many new faces? – KASON CAULEY / SAN ANTONIO, TX
David: I've got to imagine it'll be fairly positive. After a decade of one voice, I'd assume it will be refreshing to have a new message and a new approach. On top of that, McCarthy's credentials seem like the kind that would resonate in a room full of professionals. Professional athletes want to win, and McCarthy has done that.
Jonny: Well, you're asking the wrong team writers. We haven't seen coaching turnover here in a long time. But if I've been suckered into any positive thinking, it's probably the year of preparation McCarthy spent for his next coaching job. NFL head coaches have to be elite organizers, and McCarthy has been thinking over his staff and planning his approach for a year. The coaches are excited, and my guess is that the players will enjoy something like the feeling of being drafted into a new culture and system.
