Fish's Cowboys 'How to Tank' in 10 Simple Moves

1) CeeDee Lamb is dealing with an assortment of injuries that as of Thursday made him a DNP and out of practice. In a normal circumstance, CeeDee would battle through the foot and the shoulder and the back issues. ... and after all of it, still be healthy enough to hit the late-night club scene.

But this isn't normal. Want to develop kids like Jonathan "The Package'' Mingo, Ryan Flournoy and Jalen Brooks? Do it now.

2) All-Pro guards Zack Martin and Tyler Smith are also ailing and didn't work on Thursday. In the case of the future Hall of Famer Martin, he's got so many banged-up issues that the team isn't even listing them all on the official injury report.

Neither of them are going to like this; Martin is contemplating retirement and obviously doesn't want to go out this way. But as with the wideouts, there are kids to be developed here, with one of the projects being whether rookie center Cooper Beebe will move to guard next year to replace Zack.

But why wait until 2025 training camp to discover of Beebe should be a guard? Why not conduct a "Winter Training Camp'' now?

On Friday, I reported that Martin is unlikely to play on Sunday. If Dallas follows through on my belief? Good. It's a step. And a big one.

3) Jake Ferguson has a concussion, so this week, the decision is being made for the Cowboys. We're seeing that UDFA rookie Brevyn Spann-Ford might be a keeper. We still haven't seen proof that 2023 second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker is.

Let's give "Schoony'' a long-term shot at proving the Cowboys scouting department right.

4) Except for pride and stubbornness, there is no reason for Ezekiel Elliott to get even one more carry. (And if that causes him to show up late for meetings again, deal with it appropriately.) In his place?

The Cowboys think second-year fullback Hunter Luepke is a key offensive piece. ... and even half-joke that he's the second coming of Mike Alstott. But why joke about it? Why not find out if it's true?

Meanwhile, they know what they have in starter Rico Dowdle, who is bound for free agency and could be retained. Luepke might as well get snaps ahead of him, too.

5) It is the most high-profile of all of these considerations: Cooper Rush vs. Trey Lance ... and every fan and media member seems to have an opinion. But there is an obvious double-bottom line here.

One, Dallas is about to see Lance go to free agency without any real knowledge of what he might be capable of long-term in a real game. Leave it that way and that fourth-round pick trade is a disaster. Discover if he can play ... and maybe there is value in trying to re-sign him as Dak's backup in 2025.

And two, while owner Jerry Jones and coach Mike McCarthy are probably right about how "Rush gives us a better chance of winning'' ... the Tankathon - again - teaches us that Dallas' front office shouldn't really covet that "better chance.''

A "better chance of winning'' has some value ... but that value is not trumped by "a better chance at a high first-round pick in 2025.''

6) The coaching staff likes Eric Kendricks. He's actually had a solid season and he's been told Dallas might like him back next year. Fine. But he will turn 33 in February. ... and no 33-year-olds should be playing for a 3-7 team with "Organic Tanking'' on its mind.

7) It was in 2023 when the Cowboys and safety Malik Hooker finalized a three-year extension worth $24 million that runs through the 2026-27 season. Nothing against Hooker, but that decision pre-dates Dallas' spring of 2024 decision to "Blow It Up.'' And right now? We wonder if Dallas might wish it could un-do this deal.

Short of that? Put Hooker in mothballs for 2024. Let him (and Donovan Wilson, also under contract for 2025) be a key to next year's group of safeties ... while the likes of Juanyeh Thomas are allowed to take over.

8) Trevon Diggs is not having a great year. He's bogged down by nagging injuries and he feels insulted when questioned about his willingness to tackle (heads, up, Tre' ... because even Bill Belichick is questioning it now). Give him a break. Let him heal up his calf and his knee and his psyche. ... and along with CeeDee, give him time to polish up those dance moves.

Let rookie Caelen Carson try to prove something during a baptism by fire. Let practice-squadders Andrew Booth and Kemon Hall do the same. Diggs has plenty to re-prove; 2025 would be a wonderful time for it.

9) How do you tell DeMarcus Lawrence "no''? Or, at least, "Yes, but only a little bit.'' Lawrence is a prideful force who plays hurt and plays well. Right now he's trying to fight his way through a foot injury so he can return to the field to help the team ... and also, logically, to help himself.

He's out of contract after this season and his days of making $20 million APY are long gone. He'll also enter his age-33 year in 2025. ... meaning there might not be a match in bringing him back - even as Dallas can have $100 million in 2025 cap room.

Maybe Dallas "owes'' him the right to put out some good film as he hits free agency. OK. But just a little bit of good film. Deal?

10) And the toughest one of all: Micah Parsons. Parsons is a sort of ADD-driven competitor. ... and that is to be admired (especially when he someday learns how to funnel all that hyper-energy into causes that matter rather than podcast insults and Twitter wars and misguided self-comparisons to LeBron James).

Tell Micah that you are resting him down the stretch. Explain to him why. Include him. Make him feel like he's part of the decision. But then brace yourself as you next hope he doesn't spend the next two months blasting the organization for "not letting Micah be Micah.''

And there is it. ... my "10 Simple How to Tank Moves'' .... all about a temporary winter pain that can lead to big-time spring-time gain.