Dallas Cowboys’ offseason hasn’t been good. It’s about to get worse for Jerry Jones

Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys just can’t help themselves.

It’s always something that takes the focus away from the main thing.

And this time, what’s old is new again

For all of the reasons the Cowboys’ prospects of playing February football might have increased — and we’ll get to those later — the issue now is more news about something that did not occur on a football field. And it’s also something that did not occur recently.

Just three weeks after the organization reached a $2.4 million settlement with four former members of the team’s iconic cheerleaders squad over a 2015 voyeurism claim made against a former executive, the team owner himself became the subject of a paternity suit that claims Jones fathered a child out of wedlock back in 1996, according to court records obtained by the Dallas Morning News and ESPN.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Alexandra Davis, a 25-year-old congressional aide who grew up in Dallas and claims that her mother and Jones had a relationship in the 1990s, the Dallas Morning News reported..

According to court documents, Jones and the woman’s mother had an agreement for financial support, as long as the Cowboys owner wasn’t revealed as the father.

From all accounts, it would appear that the team and organization were not attached to this matter, unlike last month’s voyeurism scandal that alleged the team’s recently retired vice president, Rich Dalrymple, attempted to video four former members of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders who were changing in their locker room for a 2015 event at AT&T Stadium.

The story garnered national news and raised questions about the organization’s work environment.

After the Dalrymple report, which was first reported by ESPN, Jones attempted to address the issue with a local TV reporter. But that went south when Jones explained how the organization did a “look-see” into the cheerleaders’ allegations.

Jones loves when his team is the center of attention. But in the aftermath of the initial story and his response, maybe there was too much attention.

He refused to take questions at a media event last week to promote an upcoming fight at AT&T Stadium, and then two days later the team announced his day-of cancellation of his annual state of the Cowboys chat with the media at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

There’s no easy way to pivot from stories of this nature to discussing where the on-field product stands today, nearly two months after their untimely and unseemly exit from the playoffs.

Off-the-field issues have long taken the spotlight away from football matters with the Cowboys and this is no different, but it’s not as if it has been smooth sailing on football side of the house either.

As for football ...

For the last quarter century, the goal of the Dallas Cowboys has been to get back — and win — a Super Bowl title. Those Lombardi trophies may have appeared to grow on trees, with the team winning three titles within Jones’ first decade as owner. But such trees have not produced such fruit in 27 seasons.

That said, the Cowboys’ path back to a Super Bowl, one could argue, has rarely been as favorable. Between the retirement of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, the inner turmoil between the Arizona Cardinals and quarterback Kyler Murray, and the rebuilding Seattle Seahawks trading quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, the path to a NFC Championship Game looks as smooth as it could in March.

Along with the reigning Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers, who may be starting over at quarterback, the Cowboys should be considered one of the top teams in the conference.

But so far the Cowboys have done nothing but hustle backwards.

The anger displayed by Jones in the immediate aftermath of the disappointing season-ending loss to the 49ers has fostered turmoil and smoke but nothing of substance in terms of improving the team for 2022.

It was Jones who helped cause some uncomfortable moments for Mike McCarthy to open the offseason by refusing to initially publicly endorse him, causing rumors to run amok about his job security.

Then came news last week that quarterback Dak Prescott underwent surgery to left shoulder last month. It was considered minor and it was to his non-throwing shoulder. But it was the third surgery for the team’s $160 million franchise quarterback in the last 14 months and fourth injury during that span, including a fractured ankle, a muscle strain in his throwing shoulder and a calf strain. He should be good to go when the offseason program begins in April.

What has caused the biggest tizzy among the fanbase are the roster moves that the team appears to be on the verge of making. The Cowboys are prepping for a future without two of their best players in receiver Amari Cooper and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence.

The team plans to cut Cooper and his $20 million salary because the offensive system doesn’t prioritize him as a No. 1 receiver. The financial aspect makes sense, but the Cowboys are not a better football team with Cooper off the roster.

The team will use some of that money on a franchise tag for tight end Dalton Schultz and a contract extension for receiver Michael Gallup. But neither player has ever commanded the attention from opposing defenses like Cooper.

The Cowboys have asked Lawrence to take a pay cut from his $19 million salary. He declined. So far, no one has blinked. It remains to be seen if the Cowboys are going to release the two-time Pro Bowl defensive end. As with Cooper, the Cowboys are not a better football team without Lawrence.

What’s more, the team has plans to let Pro Bowl punter Bryan Anger walk in free agency. A lot of moving parts remain and the Cowboys still have decisions to make with 18 unrestricted free agents, led by defensive end Randy Gregory and safeties Jayron Kearse, Malik Hooker and Damontae Kazee. But even if they keep all of them, that is simply maintaining the status quo. That is not improving the roster.

It is well understood that the Cowboys are not going to be movers in free agency with players from other teams. That is simply not their style.

The Cowboys have a chance to improve the team via the 2022 NFL Draft and so that will be their focus.

But as of now the Cowboys are taking a step backwards and Jones’ anger has been nothing but a puff of smoke on the field.

Off the field?

They just can’t help themselves.