Jan 5, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) celebrates after scoring the game-winning touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Commanders' rival Cowboys no longer 'all in' this offseason

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By David Harrison | Last updated Feb 25, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The Washington Commanders split the season series against the Dallas Cowboys but it was ultimately the burgundy and gold who walked away from the 2024 season feeling like winners.

Despite Cowboys owner Jerry Jones saying his team was 'all in' during the 2024 offseason, it was the Commanders who made sweeping changes and not only earned a postseason spot but made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game.

Now, with another offseason already begun, the Commanders are looking for solutions to getting past the Philadelphia Eagles while Dallas is taking a new approach. One that will draw fewer expectations, even if the mocking doesn't dissipate as quickly.

"We're going to be selectively aggressive out here," Stephen Jones, the Cowboys' co-owner and COO told a group of reporters on Monday. "Obviously, our goals historically have been to try to fill as many of your musts and needs before the draft so you can pick [the] best player on your board. We didn't get that totally accomplished last year, but certainly that's always the goal. Every year's different in terms of what those musts and needs are. Then, you also have to marry up what's in free agency versus where the draft is heavy, where we can help ourselves in the draft."

'Secretly Aggressive' isn't as sexy as 'All In', but it also isn't as likely to bring forth expectations that team will try and land the biggest whales in free agency and trade talks.

However, as Dallas tries to stay in the national spotlight, there have already been talks about the team trading for defensive end Myles Garrett, all the while current star linebacker Micah Parsons is closer and closer to demanding a trade out–if you believe growing speculation that the relationship between team and player might be frayed.

The jokes aren't likely going away anytime soon, even as the younger Jones tries to give reporters a similar yet less provocative combination of buzzwords to run with this offseason.