Rank'Em
Rank’Em: Dak or Romo For All-Decade QB?
While the future might be unclear, the past decade is officially in the books. Let's check out the staff picks for the Cowboys All-Decade Team, picking the best players at each position fro 2010-19.
DE — DeMarcus Ware: Ware was a force from the minute he was drafted in 2005, but he did plenty of damage in the 2010s, too. After establishing himself as an elite pass rusher in the years prior, Ware amassed 41.5 sacks from 2010-12, helping to anchor an aging Dallas defense in the early going of Jason Garrett's tenure. Injuries derailed his career in 2013 and he was released that offseason, but his contributions have more than earned him a spot on this list.
DE — DeMarcus Lawrence: Drafted at the midpoint of the decade, Lawrence has developed into the "War Daddy" that Jerry Jones has long sought after. He contributed to two playoff runs in the early going of his career, but he really took off in 2017 when he posted 14.5 sacks. He has recorded 30 of his 39 sacks in the last three years, helping him climb the ranks of the best young pass rushers in the league.
DT — Jay Ratliff: Ratliff has been gone for the majority of the decade, but there's no denying he made his mark as one of the best draft stories in recent team history. He was originally drafted in the seventh round back in 2005, but he blossomed into a four-time Pro Bowler and a one-time All-Pro at nose tackle — traditionally one of the toughest positions to accumulate stats. He earned two of those Pro Bowl selections this decade, which gives him more than enough credentials to make this team.
DT — Tyrone Crawford: Crawford has been a man without a true position for the past few years, but the Cowboys originally envisioned him as a cornerstone defensive tackle when they signed him to a five-year, $45 million contract extension back in 2015. It's fair to say Crawford hasn't lived up to those lofty numbers, but he has been a solid all-around player and a glue guy in the Cowboys' locker room ever since, posting 23 sacks in the process.
LB — Sean Lee: One of the few players who was here for the entire decade. Lee was drafted in 2010 and has been making an impact ever since. It's fair to point out that injuries have hampered Lee's career, as he only appeared in 109 of 160 possible games, but there's no denying his effectiveness when he's available. Across 10 seasons, Lee made 774 tackles and 14 interceptions, establishing himself as one of the few playmakers on this unit.
LB — Anthony Hitchens: An injury to Sean Lee made Hitchens a starter from the moment he arrived in town as a fourth-round draft pick, and he made the most of the opportunity. Across four seasons, he started 48 games and made 304 tackles. He never quite reached top-tier status, but he was a rare constant for a Cowboys linebacker unit that has battled inconsistency for a decade. Hitchens eventually departed for Kansas City, where he has excelled as a starter for a Super Bowl contender.
CB — Byron Jones: It feels strange to include Jones on this list after just two seasons at corner, but that's a testament to how well he played — and how much the Cowboys' cornerback play has been lacking. He was moved to cornerback from safety in 2018, following the arrival of Kris Richard, and immediately flourished. He hasn't managed to get many takeaways, but his coverage was good enough to earn him an All-Pro designation in 2018.
CB — Orlando Scandrick: He rarely achieved regular starter status, but at his peak Scandrick was one of the better slot corners in the league. He gradually improved his role as a young player, and he eventually came to be a steady presence in the slot for seven of the 10 years of this decade. Not bad for a guy originally drafted in the fifth round back in 2008.
CB — Brandon Carr: He was often maligned by fans and media, but Carr was the definition of an Iron Man. He didn't live up to the $50 million contract he signed in 2012, but he never missed a game during his four years in Dallas, finishing with seven interceptions and 44 pass breakups. He was a constant presence for two of the Cowboys' three playoff teams this decade.
S — Barry Church: Church showed up undrafted in 2010, but injuries prevented him from reaching a starting role until 2013. Once he got there, though, he was hard to get out of the lineup. He made 488 tackles during his seven years in Dallas, with the vast majority coming from a four-year stretch as a starter from 2013-16.
S — Jeff Heath: This probably says more about the production from the safety position than Heath himself. But it's hard not to love his story. He was signed undrafted out of Saginaw Valley State because of his hustle on special teams, and he slowly but surely rose to a regular starter and a team captain. His play hasn't always been great, but he can claim more game-changing plays to his resume than any of the other defensive backs on this list.
K – Dan Bailey: He didn't start the decade here or finish it, but in between he was one of the best kickers in Cowboys history. He made a Pro Bowl and also got a new contract extension, two things that are rather rare for kickers on any team. Bailey is the team's all-time leader with 86 field goals made.
KR – Dwayne Harris: He was one of the most complete special teams players the Cowboys have ever had, showing the ability to return punts, kickoffs and even cover kicks. Harris is one of just four players in team history to have over 3,000 return yards, and he did all of that in his four seasons with the Cowboys from 2011-14.
P — Chris Jones: It's hard to find much competition for this spot, given that Jones has been on the roster since 2011 and has handled punting duties full-time since 2013. At his peak, Jones has been one of the most unappreciated players on the roster — and that's not just because he can pull off fake punts and make devastating tackles. It's fair to point out that his performance has dipped in recent seasons, but it shouldn't affect his place here.
LS — L.P. Ladouceur: He's the only guy to hold this title for way more than 10 years, but it also helps that he's very good at it. Ladouceur set the franchise record for consecutive games this season, and in that span he has developed a legendary reputation for playing mistake-free.
TE – Jason Witten: Who else could it possibly be? In fact, Witten would have a strong case to be the tight end for the NFL's All-Decade team of the 2010's. He has the most catches of any tight end since 2010 with 692 and ranks third in receiving yards behind Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski.
OT – Tyron Smith: Like Witten, this is a no-brainer considering he's probably the starting left tackle for the NFL's All-Decade team. Smith has now made seven straight Pro Bowls and is making a case as the best offensive tackle in Cowboys history.
OT – Doug Free: One of just three players to start over 100 games for the Cowboys this decade, Free was never considered a star, but a mainstay on the offensive line for more than half of the decade.
G – Zack Martin: This is sounding like a broken record, but Martin is again a candidate for NFL All-Decade team. Clearly, he's one of the best guards in all football and could even make a push as the best guard of all-time in Cowboys history when he's done playing, even in the same breath as Larry Allen.
G – Ron Leary: The Cowboys were ecstatic to land Leary as an undrafted free agent back in 2012 and now we know why. Leary didn't get picked because teams were concerned about his knee, but he's played eight seasons now, including four in Dallas, starting 58 games in Dallas, mostly at left guard.
C – Travis Frederick: The Cowboys surprised most of their fans back in 2012 when they traded back in the first round and eventually picked Frederick. But he's been better than anyone could've imagined, earning five Pro Bowl selections, tied for the most by a Cowboys center in team history. This past year, he made a full recovery from missing the entire 2018 season with Guillain-Barré syndrome.
WR – Amari Cooper: In terms of overall numbers, Cooper actually ranks fifth among receivers in this decade. Still, Cooper's value and impact have to be factored into the mix. His presence alone helped guide the Cowboys into the playoffs in 2018. His injuries in 2019 affected the offense as well. Still in this decade, Cooper made one Pro Bowl is likely an alternate for his second year. He gets the nod over Miles Austin and Terrance Williams for third receiver spot.
WR – Cole Beasley: He was never the featured receiver in the offense, mainly because he played most of his career with Dez, but Beasley ended up with 319 catches, the second-most among receivers in this decade, only behind Bryant. Beasley showed the Cowboys he wasn't done producing as he carved up the secondary on Thanksgiving Day this past November with the Bills.
WR – Dez Bryant: He started his career in 2010, so he was by far the team's most productive receiver of this decade. He finished his career as the Cowboys lead in TD receptions with 73 and was able to hold off Jason Witten (72) this season. Depending on what Witten decides to do, Bryant could remain with that record for years to come. He also finished third in franchise history with 531 catches and fifth in yards with 7,459. During these last 10 years, no receiver came close to dominating guys like Dez.
RB – Ezekiel Elliott: In four years, Zeke has now become of the most productive backs in Cowboys history, finishing the season ranked fourth in rushing yards with 5,405, trailing only Don Perkins, Tony Dorsett and of course, Emmitt Smith. Zeke has the franchise record for most yards per game, averaging 96.5 yards, ahead of both Emmitt (85.4) and DeMarco Murray (85.4). There could've been a case for Murray, who did set the franchise single-season record in 2014 with 1,845 yards. But like Zeke, Murray played just four years and they haven't been on the same level as Zeke.
QB – Dak Prescott: While this one was one of the closest decisions to make, Prescott gets the edge over Tony Romo because of playoff appearances. Both of them won 40 games this decade, although Dak has a higher winning percentage. Romo has more yards and TD passes, but Dak led the Cowboys to a pair of playoff appearances in 2016 and 2018 while Romo led the Cowboys to the playoffs just once in 2014. When the All-Decade team is introduced for the 2000s, Romo undoubtedly won't be left off that list.
