The Dallas Cowboys should be a much better team in the second half of the season. Now, that might not translate to a lot of wins because the schedule gets really difficult starting in Week 12. But between the additions of Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson at the trade deadline and the return of several injured players, fans should see a better version of the Cowboys.
Of course, this roster is still extremely flawed on the defensive side. There are holes at linebacker, cornerback, safety, and edge rusher. One thing Cowboys fans feared was that Jerry and Stephen Jones would set the bar too high for DeMarvion Overshown and Shavon Revel Jr.
Like clockwork, that is exactly what Stephen Jones did during his weekly hit on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. Jones said the team thinks it can go on a run if injured players such as Overshown, Revel, and Malik Hooker get healthy.
Cowboys' Stephen Jones is selling hope again by counting on injured players to spark the team
Can the Cowboys go on a run if Overshown and Revel play at a high level upon returning? Sure, but that's not the point. It is unfair to expect the young defenders to help turn the season around.
Neither has played a snap this season while rehabbing from major knee injuries. Overshown tore the ACL, MCL, and PCL in his right knee last December, while Revel tore his ACL last September in his final year at East Carolina.
RELATED:Bombshell Nico Harrison firing is a liberation that Cowboys fans will never feel
A third-round pick this year, Revel suffered a setback in training camp, and Dallas has been slow-playing his return ever since. He was activated off the NFI list on Tuesday, but it's no guarantee that he plays Monday night against the Raiders. And yet, Jones is selling hope that he will help save a secondary that is 31st in both defensive EPA and defensive success rate.
The goal with Overshown and Revel should be simply to finish the season healthy. If they flash their potential along the way, even better. That momentum can carry into next season, when they’ll be expected to emerge as true difference-makers with a potential clean bill of health.
Cowboys fans admittedly have high expectations for Overshown and Revel. But it was highly unfair of Jones to loop Overshown and Revel into that agenda. These players are coming back from significant injuries. Fans should not expect them to hit the ground running.