Report: Dallas Cowboys sign VP of Player Personnel Will McClay to a multi-year extension

The Cowboys are taking care of a key member of their front office, as they’ve inked Vice President of Player Personnel Will McClay to a multi-year extension, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.

“The Cowboys have signed VP of player personnel Will McClay to a multi-year extension, according to sources,” Archer reported. “He has overseen Cowboys’ scouting since 2014, found 15 Pro Bowlers, 6 All Pros through the draft. A key retention as club moves forward with new coach Brian Schottenheimer.”

As Archer alluded to, McClay has been a pivotal piece of the Cowboys front office over the past decade. He’s had chances to leave for other franchises who have had open front office positions, but he’s elected to stick with Dallas through thick and thin.

All told, he might be the most important decision-maker in the Cowboys organization not named Jerry Jones. The franchise obviously values McClay tremendously, and they’re letting him know ahead of a new era for Dallas, with Brian Schottenheimer as the team’s head coach.

The move to hire Schottenheimer, the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator for the last two seasons, has been talked about by experts since he’s never been a head coach in the NFL or college, but the team’s braintrust doesn’t share those concerns.

“I know that Shotty is no stranger to these guys (players),” Jones explained during Schottenheimer’s introductory news conference, per NFL.com. “I know he’s no stranger to this building. I get my proverbial ass kicked over needing people in my comfort zone. Without this thing being about me in any way, if you don’t think I can’t operate out of my comfort zone, you’re so wrong it’s unbelievable.

“This is as big a risk as you can take. As big a risk as you can take. No head-coaching experience.”

Jones added, “I have a good background in the makeup of what a coach is. “To think that you can make a decision in an interview and if you didn’t and had never communicated or had a visit, I wouldn’t dare have an interview unless I talked to many, many people that knew that person, and had those kind of life experiences. … Knew their story.”

Time will tell if it all works out for the Dallas Cowboys, but at least they’ll have Will McClay in the building to help oversee all the changes. They’re hoping to get back to their championship-winning ways, even if it’s been quite some time for the proud franchise.

— On3’s Brian Jones contributed to this article.