Cowboys' 2024 roster didn't set Mike McCarthy up to succeed - ESPN

FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones did Mike McCarthy no favors in 2024. Now the two will go their separate ways.

McCarthy will not return as Cowboys head coach in 2025, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday.

Jones allowed McCarthy and his entire staff to coach the season in the final year of their contracts with a roster that was arguably worse than the one that lost in the wild-card round to the Green Bay Packers last January.

Yes, the Cowboys made quarterback Dak Prescott the highest-paid player in NFL history and CeeDee Lamb the second-highest-paid wide receiver in the league, but they were going to be on the team in 2024 whether they had extensions or not. The team made few moves to surround its high-priced talent and set it up for success.

The Cowboys' most notable free agent addition was linebacker Eric Kendricks on a one-year, $3 million deal. He outperformed his price tag, leading the Cowboys in tackles and serving as defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer's coach on the field and a mentor to younger linebackers such as DeMarvion Overshown and Marist Liufau.

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The second-biggest addition was running back Ezekiel Elliott, who returned after a one-year hiatus. It did not work out. Elliott, who rushed for 226 yards and three TDs, was inactive for one game for disciplinary reasons and released prior to Week 18 at his request so he could try to sign with a playoff team.

The Cowboys found training camp success to varying levels with free agent additions defensive end Carl Lawson and defensive tackle Linval Joseph.

But that was it.