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Schefter and McAfee unsure of Cowboys’ plans at head coach (2:11)

Adam Schefter joins “The Pat McAfee Show” to discuss how waiting to move on from McCarthy has a domino effect on the Cowboys’ hiring process. (2:11)

FRISCO, Texas — Jerry Jones has tried all kinds of coaches with the Dallas Cowboys.

His first, Jimmy Johnson, came from college. So did his second, Barry Switzer. They won three Super Bowls between them. Then Jones dipped into the hot offensive coordinator pool with Chan Gailey, who went to the playoffs in each of his two seasons. Jones promoted from within with Dave Campo, who went 5-11 in three straight years.

Then the owner and general manager swung big, bringing in Bill Parcells, who had won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants. He then went the defensive coordinator route in Wade Phillips, and he promoted from within again with Jason Garrett, whom he viewed as his Tom Landry.

After nine full seasons with Garrett, Jones went back to a Super Bowl-winning coach in Mike McCarthy, who is leaving after five seasons.

Now Jones is looking for another head coach as the Cowboys’ Super Bowl drought reaches 29 years following a 7-10 finish in 2024.

Which direction might he choose now?

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These days, it seems like the coaches are put into categories of offensive-minded, defensive-minded or leader of men.

Considering the state of the Cowboys’ roster, an offensive-minded head coach would make sense.

Quarterback Dak Prescott turns 32 in July. He is coming off surgery to repair a right hamstring avulsion but figures to be ready to go for the start of the offseason program. He is also entering the first year of the four-year, $240 million contract extension he agreed to hours before the season opener.

Maximizing the quarterback has always been a priority for Jones. When Tony Romo was the quarterback, the Cowboys were “Romo friendly.” Then they turned into “Dak friendly.”

Any offensive-minded head coach — such as former Cowboys and current Eagles coordinator Kellen Moore — would be about maximizing Prescott.

And for those who forget, Prescott had a team-record 37 touchdown passes with Moore calling the plays in 2022. If Moore were coach, then Prescott would be running the same offense for the better part of a decade as opposed to learning a new scheme under a new coach.

CeeDee Lamb signed a four-year, $134 million extension that made him the NFL’s second-highest-paid wide receiver. Finding an offensive mind to continue to maximize his skill set would make sense.

Regardless of the direction the Cowboys take, the defense would be looking at its third coordinator in three years if Mike Zimmer does not return. When asked if he wanted to continue to coach in 2025, Zimmer demurred late in the season. His unit improved as the year went on, but it still finished near the bottom in points (355.2, 28th) and yards (28.5, 31st) allowed per game.

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Micah Parsons‘ skill set makes the Cowboys’ job an intriguing one. The edge rusher can ruin games by himself, but the Cowboys are facing an offseason in which key contributors, such as CB Jourdan Lewis, LB Eric Kendricks, DT Osa Odighizuwa and DE Chauncey Golston, could be gone as free agents, while cornerback Trevon Diggs and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown work back from serious knee injuries.

There could be a serious remake of the defense, which would put a lot on the plate of a defensive-minded coach beyond overseeing the full team his first year.

An offensive coach would allow the Cowboys to keep the focus on Prescott and Lamb while having a defensive coordinator fully dive in on a new scheme with new personnel. McCarthy always chose a defensive coordinator with head coaching experience (Mike Nolan, Dan Quinn, Zimmer) to understand the full scale of game operations.

It is possible the Cowboys might continue that trend with an offensive-minded head coach.

But this is the Cowboys, and this is Jones.

Anything is possible.