text: 2018 Before the 2018 season began the Cowboys parted ways with three of their key offensive players. Wide receiver Dez Bryant was released in April 2018. His performance had steadily declined since the 2015 season. During the 2017 season he started having sideline outbursts. Longtime tight end Jason Witten retired in May after 15 seasons (though he would return in 2019 and spend one season with the Raiders in 2020 before fully retiring). Lastly, the franchise's most successful kicker Dan Bailey was cut on September 1 after losing the job to former CFL kicker Brett Maher. Other additions prior to the start of the season was former Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Allen Hurns who signed for two years and wide receiver Tavon Austin whom the Cowboys received from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a 2019 sixth-round draft pick.
  The season started out with a loss to the Carolina Panthers 16–8. The following week they bounced back to beat the New York Giants 20–13. Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks was a mess offensively as Dak Prescott threw two costly interceptions. Ezekiel Elliott also had a 4th quarter fumble that ended any chance of a comeback. The Seahawks prevailed with a 24–13 victory. In Week 4 the Cowboys beat the Detroit Lions 26–24 thanks to a game-winning field goal by Maher as time expired.
  October was not a good month for the Cowboys as they went 1–2. In Week 5, they lost to the Houston Texans 19–16 in overtime. In Week 6, they defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 40–7. In Week 7, the Cowboys lost to the Washington Redskins 20–17 after Maher missed a game-tying field goal.