25 Most Overrated Dallas Cowboys in Franchise History

The Dallas Cowboys enter their bye week with so much to focus on. Getting healthy, their position within the NFC East and preparing for the New England Patriots are just a few of the things that may be occupying space between the ears of some Cowboys players.

But with so much hype and talk about the play of Tony Romo as of late and how he may be overrated, I figured it may be time to take a peek who a few Cowboys players who truly fit that mold.

Ladies and Gentlemen: Tony Romo is not overrated, and I can probably make the case that he’s grossly underrated, but I’ll digress from that point.

The Dallas Cowboys haven’t won a Super Bowl, or even made it that far, since 1995 and there are a few factors that have contributed to that. Like overrated football players?

At any rate, here are the 25 most overrated Dallas Cowboys in team history.

Roy Williams, WR

Williams has been labeled a disappointment, there is no doubt or questioning that. But do we remember what brought Williams to Dallas?

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones acquired Williams from the Lions for a first-, a third-, and sixth-round draft pick. Jones proceeded to sign Williams to a five-year contract extension that was worth 45 million bucks.

The Lions used that first-round pick in 2009 to acquire tight end Brandon Pettigrew, who caught six passes for 64 yards against the Cowboys last week.

Williams was overrated from the jump and I, along with many others, thought that he would do wonders for the Cowboys offense. I was wrong, and so was Jerry Jones.

Antonio Bryant, WR

Bryant never grossed more than 750 receiving yards while in Dallas and couldn’t amass more than 45 receptions.

He had a great rookie season which led some fans to believe that he was on his way to becoming a great receiver, but he just never materialized. He didn’t get along with the Big Tuna, Bill Parcells, when he came through and was eventually traded to the Browns in 2004.

Bryant went on to have an okay NFL career, with his best season coming in 2008 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he totaled over 1,200 receiving yards.

Shante Carver, DL

Carver played four full seasons in the NFL before drug problems derailed his career.

Carver had his best season in 1997 when he totaled six sacks. He was drafted in the first round of the 1994 draft and was expected to be a force on the Cowboys defensive line.

Never happened and soon after, Carver was out of the league.

Roy L. Williams, S

Funny that two Williams’ makes this list. But I loved Roy Williams when he first came into the league because of his penchant for the big hit. He could put a “woo” hit on anybody.

But soon after, Williams started to get burned often in deep coverage and he never seemed to improve. He could hit, but he just couldn’t cover.

I believe the ‘Boys held on to him for probably a season or two too long, because it became routine to hear about Roy being beat on a deep pass route.

Bottom line is that Roy was overrated, and his ability to play linebacker as a safety is what endeared him to Cowboys fans; it was his eventual undoing as well.

Mike Jenkins, CB

I know the clock on Jenkins is still ticking, and he’s working hard to make fans forget about 2010 but until that day arrives, Jenkins is a tad bit overrated.

He made the Pro Bowl in 2009 and for some fans they are still holding on to that fading memory. Jenkins was piss-poor awful last season and he played so bad that many called for him to be cut.

But he remains a Cowboy, and until Dallas can either sign better players or draft them, he’ll remain with the star on his helmet, but one has to wonder for how long.

Anthony Spencer, LB

We’re still talking recent players here, and Spencer fits the mold of overrated right now. He’s supposed to be the guy who brings the pressure opposite DeMarcus Ware, but so far his best sack season was in 2009, when he had six.

2011 is the make-or-break year for Spencer in my opinion, and if he can’t strike fear in the opposing quarterbacks similar to Ware, then he may have to hit the bricks.

Julius Jones, RB

Remember when Jones rushed for over 1,000 yards for the ‘Boys and people thought that he was the answer for the rushing woes the Cowboys were having? Remember when people thought that Jones and former Cowboys running back Marion Barber would be like thunder and lightning?

That didn’t work out so well for Jones and Dallas, as he was eventually cut and signed by the Seahawks.

I had high hopes for Jones, but he as evidenced by his play for other NFL teams, he was overrated even when he was with the Cowboys.

Bradie James, LB

James' time in Dallas is coming close to a close. Sean Lee has taken over for Keith Brooking and more than likely, Bruce Carter will take over for Bradie James.

James' best statistical season came last year when he had 81 tackles and one interception. But as much as he’s celebrated, he’s also beat in coverage and fails to show up in many games.

Bobby Carpenter, LB

Carpenter is overrated because he was drafted in the first round of the 2006 NFL draft with the 18th pick. He became best friends with Tony Romo, but that’s about as much as he has to show for his time in Dallas.

He had 18 total tackles in Dallas and was eventually traded to the Rams for an offensive tackle who ended up costing the Cowboys a victory against the Redskins last season.

Rod Hill, DB

Hill was drafted with the 25th pick of the 1982 draft and lasted a good two seasons with the Cowboys.

He was a punt return guy who ended up with marginal success and a one-way ticket out of town.

Troy Aikman, QB

I’m sure that I’ll need a one-way ticket out of town after this one, but I was never a huge fan of Aikman. I thought that he was glorified game manager who did a great job of not screwing up.

I never thought that he “led” Dallas to the Super Bowl but those runs were engineered by Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin and the Cowboys defense.

Aikman tossed over 140 interceptions and was never considered to be an elite passer. Even Cold Hard Football Facts believes that Aikman was overrated. The argument is that Emmitt always benefited from an immense circle of talent, but if anything Aikman was the true beneficiary.

David LaFleur, TE

No overrated/disappointment list is complete without David LaFleur’s name. He was in the NFL for a total of four years and caught only 85 balls during that span.

LaFleur was supposed to take over for Cowboys legend Jay Novacek, but that dream quickly turned into a daymare.

Sherman Williams, RB

There are three things that Sherman is known for in this lifetime. His name is synonymous with Alabama football, he had a dance called "The Sherman Shakedown" and he was arrested for trafficking drugs.

He was largely a disappointment for the Cowboys and only lasted four years in Dallas.

Troy Hambrick, RB

Troy Hambrick was supposed to replace Emmitt Smith and ease Dallas into a new era of rushing greatness. Okay, that last part may be an exaggeration, but you get where I'm going.

Mr. Hambrick had 1,896 rushing yards in four years with the 'Boys and only lasted a total of five years in the NFL. I give him the label of overrated because Emmitt was pushed out by this cat and he stunk up the joint.

Then again, I should probably give that label to Jerry Jones, since he's the one who released Smith.

Joey Galloway, WR

I can't place all of the blame on Joey, because those teams in the early 2000s were just...just awful. His best season in Dallas was in 2002 when he had 908 receiving yards, but his total stay in Dallas was largely a bust.

I thought Galloway, as a player, under-performed at times, but as a Cowboy, he was a disappointment.

Terence Newman, CB

Terence Newman is the Cowboys cover corner, but that's not really saying much. I remember a few weeks ago when Newman was still nursing a groin injury, he proudly proclaimed on his Twitter account, "I'm back this week and that's all I''m going to say."

Newman is just an okay corner; he's nothing special. I feel as if he's injured so much that Cowboys fans are able to miss him more because what's left in his absence is even worse talent.

I like Terence, and I think that the Cowboys secondary would suffer without him, but that doesn't mean that he's not overrated.

Kyle Kosier, OL

Here's the only reason Kosier is on the list: because I believe that he's one of the most stable players on the Cowboys line this season.

But after last year, fans and some pundits were ready to run him out of town as there were rumors that he was due to be cut.

He stayed and for good reason, as he's helped with the development of rookie offensive lineman Tyron Smith. But before this season, Kosier was vastly overrated.

Keyshawn Johnson, WR

Two years in Dallas and Johnson had almost 2,000 receiving yards. A respectable number for most receivers, but not for this guy.

This guy famously wrote a book entitled Just Give Me The Damn Ball and was once deactivated by the Bucs for the remainder of a season due to his behavior with the team.

So for a guy who proclaimed himself to be such a great receiver for two years with less than 1,000 yards in each season is a disappointment. In fact, I would say that he's grossly overrated.

Quincy Carter, QB

I say that he's overrated because the Cowboys believed in him at one point. After he led Dallas to the playoffs in 2003, the team was all behind him to lead them again in 2004. But then he was abruptly released before the start of the 2004 campaign and Carter's career was just about over.

Carter was overrated from the jump and never completed more than 57 percent of his passes as a Cowboy. It was great for him to make the playoffs, but he was never going to take Dallas any further than a wild-card playoff game.

George Teague, DB

I love Mr. Teague because one, he played for Dallas and two, he played for the Crimson Tide in my home state of Alabama.

He's also responsible for a jarring hit on Terrell Owens after he celebrated on the large blue star in the middle of Texas stadium. But outside of that, Teague totaled 57 tackles and seven picks with the 'Boys.

I don't think that many expected huge numbers out of Teague, but he's a Cowboys legend due to his one hit on Owens.

Igor Olshansky, DE

Olshansky was signed by the 'Boys following the 2008 season to replace Chris Canty and played in every single game for the 'Boys. But the problem with Igor was that his impact was marginal and Dallas decided to let him go this past offseason.

Chris Canty, DE

Here's why I say that Chris Canty is overrated. He decided to go with the Giants after the 2008 season, but he's done just about nothing with the Giants.

He had 28 tackles last season with 1.5 sacks, but when do we ever hear of his name? My thought on Canty was that he's overrated, and the $42 million contract he signed was as well.

The coolest thing about Canty is that cage-looking face mask he wears.

Zach Thomas, LB

Thomas was signed following the 2007 season for $1 million and promptly ended his career after 2008. He had injury issues, but his time with Dallas a disappointment at best. He had only 29 tackles in 14 starts.

Larry Brown, DB

Larry Brown. I honestly believe that I could just put Larry Brown's name for the meat of this article and that would be enough.

He picked off former Steelers quarterback Neil O'Donnell twice and turned that into a lucrative contract where he played two years in Oaktown where he totaled two tackles and once interception.

As the chant in college basketball goes, "Ovveerrratted!! Clap, clap, clap-clap-clap!"

Herschel Walker, RB

Walker is overrated because the Cowboys were willing to trade him away. He had one great season in Dallas where he had over 1,500 rushing yards but was promptly traded away in the greatest trade in team history.

By sending Walker to Minnesota, the Cowboys churned three Super Bowls out of this picks gained from the trade.

Walker the player was slightly overrated in the NFL, but in Dallas he's forever known as the guy who was traded for three Super Bowls. At least to me he will be.