"The Cowboys are bailing water"- Colin Cowherd criticizes Dallas for setting a bad precedent in NFL

The Dallas Cowboys are known to be the standard when it comes to paying players that they are truly enamored with. Lately, it seems as if that strategy has failed, causing the team to have massive contracts for players who are not living up to expectations.

FOX Sports host Colin Cowherd presented his thoughts on how some of the absorbant salaries are affecting the Dallas Cowboys. He had this to say on Ezekiel Elliot and Dak Prescott's contracts.

"But there's this sort of just pay everybody (routine). You pay Dak (Prescott), pay Zeke (Ezekiel Elliot)...well now the Cowboys see what happens when you pay a running back two years early. The Cowboys are bailing water. Dak is a B ,B+ quarterback. You see what happens when you pay guys like that?"

Running back Ezekiel Elliot is in the midst of a six-year, $90,000,000 contract. But since that extension was signed in 2019, his production has dropped in comparison to how he started his career in 2016.

Elliott's backup, running back Tony Pollard, has begun to get more carries as he has proven to be more explosive than the former Ohio State Buckeye. In 2021, Pollard averaged a whopping 5.5 yards per carry to Elliott's 4.2.

The team must get more from Ezekiel Elliott as much of the team's salary is tied to his contract.

Can the Dallas Cowboys finally get back to Super Bowl in 2022?

Dallas are looking to return to the Super Bowl after two-and-a-half decades

Whether the Dallas Cowboys can return to the Super Bowl for the first time in over 25 years depends on the health of quarterback Dak Prescott. In the first quarter of last season, the Pro Bowl signal caller was arguably in the running as an early-season candidate for NFL MVP.

However, his production took a nosedive after suffering a calf injury at the tail end of a Week 6 overtime victory over the New England Patriots in 2021. He returned weeks later, but he wasn't as explosive as he was before the injury.

Although the team lost star receiver Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns, they still have former University of Oklahoma star receiver CeeDee Lamb. He will now move into the No. 1 position.

Michael Gallup, whose 2021 season ended with an ACL tear, was re-signed to a five-year, $62.5 million deal. So, he expects to slide into the No. 2 role once he is healthy.

Gallup is one of two members of this team to have 65 plus receptions and 1,000 yards receiving with five-plus touchdowns at the age of 23 or younger. The defense is also set with 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Micah Parsons.

DeMarcus Lawrence provided a push from the interior of the defense and Trevon Diggs came into his own last year. He led the league in interceptions and made the All-Pro team at cornerback.

If Dak Prescott can remain healthy in 2022, it wouldn't come as a shock to see a team with talent like the Dallas Cowboys make a run at the Lombardi Trophy.