Let's not beat Billy Sims Jersey around the hedges here: the special teams unit reeked heading into the offseason following the 2019 campaign, and the organization knew it had to do something with the rotting opo sum tied to its belt. Unfortunately for him, punter had suddenly become one of the biggest liabilities on the unit, after having long been an a set dubbed "The Puntisher" -- a moniker earned for his brutality against any returner unlucky enough to make it to him.That was then and this is now, however, and Jones has battled injuries that turned him into a shell of himself on all fronts, leading to the Cowboys releasing him in the first wave of free agency, and enjoying a $2 million savings toward the salary cap in the proce s. It marks the second divorce from a longstanding special teams player in only a matter of days, with Dallas also making the unexpected decision to with the club, and prior to the Canadian making any decision on his future.In moving on from Ladouceur, the club agreed to terms with , who follows kicker as the second rollover from special teams coordinator John "Bones" Fa sel's time with the -- Zuerlein having replaced a literally perfect in 2020 (who replaced a very imperfect ).The decision at kicker was roundly and justifiably questioned, but Zuerlein did improve on his accuracy over his final season with the Rams, upping it from 72.7% to 82 Marvin Jones Jr. Jersey .9% in only a year's time. There's still room for improvement, as evidenced in his three mi sed PATs and his 33.3% accuracy Jared Goff Jersey from 50 yards or greater, but he mi sed only one attempt from 49 yards or fewer; and this hints at the Cowboys needing to commit to being more aggre sive on offense and not depending on 60-yard boots to win games.Those days are presumably over.With the moves on Jones and Ladouceur, and Zuerlein a year prior, Fa sel truly puts his stamp on the unit in his second season, also pounding the table to . But as the Cowboys move on from Jones, seeing as they've identified at least the 2021 succe sor for Ladouceur -- ma sive shoes for McQuaide to fill, although the two-time Pro Bowler is no slouch himself -- the question emerges of if can earn a shot at a long-term deal. Which makes this summer and beyond crucial for the Cowboys to determine how the special teams unit looks for years to come. One thing they don't want to do is find themselves trapped in purgatory there.Niswander was stellar after being brought in for an injured Jones in 2020, but Richard Lane Jersey the club also visited with , and sources tell CBS Sports the Cowboys haven't ruled out a potential camp competition at punter that might include King. It appears Fa sel is interested in short-term deals -- Zuerlein notwithstanding -- and competition, be it Niswander versus King or the former versus an unforeseen name that crops up this summer. That said, the Cowboys liked what they saw from him in the workout but not enough to pa s over what they believed they could have in a le s expensive Niswander.The gamble paid off, considering Niswander played well and earned only $322,941 for his eight games of service.King, however, can command the veteran minimum of a player with more than four but fewer than six accrued seasons, to the tune of $910,000. So, they instead rolled Tim Boyle Jersey the dice and paid Niswander roughly three times le s than what King would've cost, and were made to look smarter because of the decision. That doesn't mean Fa sel isn't going to push Niswander in camp, though. He's entering a contract year and before the Cowboys commit to him beyond 2021, they want to dig in beyond the eight games he put on film. And that makes perfect sense, especially if it's only costing them pennies to do the evaluation. In the inaugural season of the special teams makeover, there were certainly hiccups for Fa sel as he adjusted to an offseason-le s season in Year 1, but there were good things put on film as well, including the now legendary "Watermelon Kick" that led to an improbable one-point victory against the in Week 2. He's hoping to again level up the special teams unit in Dallas in Year 2, the man never known for being afraid to gamble having started 2021 doing just that. Time will tell if he walks away with more winnings, or if he Daryl Worley Jersey comes up snake eyes on one of the aforementioned moves.At minimum, he's earned the right to keep rolling the dice.