There are bad optics. And then there is whatever the Dallas Cowboys are - and are not - doing.
Nero playing the violin while Rome burned comes to mind.
While the Cowboys were busy - as expected - cutting free receiver Michael Gallup and linebacker Leighton Vander Esch over the weekend, they also let veteran left tackle anchor Tyron Smith walk in free agency to the New York Jets.
"Within our means" never tasted so bitter.
Worse, while distraught, confused Cowboys fans clamored for a signing - or at least an explanation - Jerry and Stephen Jones were silent. Our Mike Fisher reports that Jerry really was at The Star on Monday and that Stephen was in Austin at SWSW briefly to give a speech.
And then came Thursday, when Stephen showed up at AT&T Stadium to help promote a Professional Bull Riding event coming to the Cowboys' home in May.
That's right, the Cowboys' first official comments about free agency came as Kid Rock rode into AT&T Stadium on a horse.
"We don’t define ‘all in’ by what you spend in free agency ... It's keeping your core and some of the great players in this league - like Dak Prescott, like Micah Parsons, like CeeDee Lamb, like (Trevon) Diggs,'' Stephen said. "That's what we define as all in, is trying to keep those guys.
"You don't win Super Bowl championships in the first three days of free agency. At least from our viewpoint."
Sorry, but when you've gone 28 years since sniffing a Super Bowl, the benefit of the doubt sorta rings hollow.
While the Cowboys crow about keeping their own players - other than, yeah, Tyron and Dorance Armstrong and Tony Pollard and Tyler Biadasz - their offensive line in mid-March is an absolute mess.
With Tyron gone, let's assume Tyler Smith slides to left tackle. Or perhaps that position will go to the 24th overall pick in next month's NFL Draft. leaving Tyler at a left guard position in which he has excelled. That leaves at center ... Brock Hoffman? Gulp. Zack Martin will again anchor the line at right guard, and Terence Steele overachieved last season at right tackle.
But even in that scenario, a team coming off three consecutive 12-win seasons will be looking at trotting out a rookie and Hoffman on its starting offensive line.
Nero, play another verse.
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