Cowboys breaking the bank is a bad idea - Dallas Cowboys Forum

Verdict · 02-12-2013

I know there is a lot of talk about the Cowboys freeing up room to sign free agents such as Spencer. Personally, I think it is a mistake to break the bank to sign any free agents, except Romo, and if we resign him, his cap hit should actually go down.

I have heard (and rightly so) that the Cowboys have been doing a much better job drafting lately. But it appears that the same people who are saying that don't think that Crawford can be penciled in as the starter at DT or DE? How can drafting him been a good thing if he can't start this year with the losses of Brent and maybe Ratliff and probably Spencer and Hatcher (isn't he a free agent)?

If he was such a great draft pick, why can't we save the massive cap hit resigning Spencer will cause?

I think we could probably sign one upper end free agent (Spencer or OL) without totally wrecking our cap, but I would rather us let Spencer walk and get a comp pick next year (probably a 3rd rounder). Personally, I would rather pay an offensive lineman if one that we deem worthy of paying is available rather than Spencer. You don't overpay for solid players, which is what Spencer is.

jday · 02-12-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Verdict

I know there is a lot of talk about the Cowboys freeing up room to sign free agents such as Spencer. Personally, I think it is a mistake to break the bank to sign any free agents, except Romo, and if we resign him, his cap hit should actually go down.

I have heard (and rightly so) that the Cowboys have been doing a much better job drafting lately. But it appears that the same people who are saying that don't think that Crawford can be penciled in as the starter at DT or DE? How can drafting him been a good thing if he can't start this year with the losses of Brent and maybe Ratliff and probably Spencer and Hatcher (isn't he a free agent)?

If he was such a great draft pick, why can't we save the massive cap hit resigning Spencer will cause?

[View Full Quote]

What worries me the most about Spencer is his age and the question mark of the player he becomes after he get's the money.

Beast_from_East · 02-12-2013

Its hard to let a double digit sack guy just walk out the door, especially considering he is the only other pass rush threat we have besides Ware.

If the backup plan is to put Crawford there and "hope for the best", well that doesnt sound like much of a strategy to me. That sounds more like desperation that we really dont have any plan B and will just throw something out there and hope it is not a disaster.

Besides, if we had no plans to sign Spencer long term, why the hell didnt we let him walk last year and use his franchise tag money to get a quality free agent OL in free agency?

Make no sense the way we did it if we indeed let him walk, just total mismanagement by the front office.

My .02 for what it is worth.

**jobberone** · 02-12-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beast_from_East

Its hard to let a double digit sack guy just walk out the door, especially considering he is the only other pass rush threat we have besides Ware.

If the backup plan is to put Crawford there and "hope for the best", well that doesnt sound like much of a strategy to me. That sounds more like desperation that we really dont have any plan B and will just throw something out there and hope it is not a disaster.

Besides, if we had no plans to sign Spencer long term, why the hell didnt we let him walk last year and use his franchise tag money to get a quality free agent OL in free agency?

Make no sense the way we did it if we indeed let him walk, just total mismanagement by the front office.

My .02 for what it is worth.

Good points. Depends on what they think of a replacement for Spencer vs his cost and all the cap consequences that roll with it. If Crawford and another can play that position then they should let him go. His agent has made some noise that perhaps he's staying FWIW (not much).

Chocolate Lab · 02-12-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beast_from_East

Its hard to let a double digit sack guy just walk out the door, especially considering he is the only other pass rush threat we have besides Ware.

If the backup plan is to put Crawford there and "hope for the best", well that doesnt sound like much of a strategy to me. That sounds more like desperation that we really dont have any plan B and will just throw something out there and hope it is not a disaster.

Agree. The OP sounds like another Spencer hater looking for a reason to get rid of him.

I mean, if only it were as simple as knowing that every third rounder could play like a pro bowler.

FuzzyLumpkins · 02-12-2013

Conversations like this are pointless until you have defined what the bank actually is. All I see are nebulous assessments. It's interesting to see how the narrative has now gone from 'can't' to 'shouldn't' I will wait for Adam and then have an opinion. Until then I don't have an opinion worth the cost of admission.

Verdict · 02-12-2013

I think he played well enough to stick around, but you can't pay everyone on the roster. We probably can resign Spencer if we want to. But let's not turn Spencer into who Ware is/was. You don't pay out the wazoo for average or above average guys. Barber, Sensy, etc. I would argue that Ratliff also falls into this category. That is why we are so tight against the cap. We wasted the windfall we got by finding Romo as an udfa and the low cap hit he carried for so long. It is just an absolute waste of a great opportunity.

Verdict · 02-12-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocolate Lab

Agree. The OP sounds like another Spencer hater looking for a reason to get rid of him.

I mean, if only it were as simple as knowing that every third rounder could play like a pro bowler.

Are you saying resign him at all costs? Seriously?

Chocolate Lab · 02-12-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Verdict

Are you saying resign him at all costs? Seriously?

Of course I didn't say that. You know that... You're a lawyer, right?

But it's kind of obvious when you refer to him as an average player. He's better than that, and it's not just people in Dallas who think so.

And I'm not saying we have to keep him. But if we don't, we better have a better plan than just assuming an untested second year player can replace him simply because he was a third rounder. A lot of third rounders aren't any good.

Crawford was drafted to be a 34 end, which is quite a bit different from 43 end. And we don't even know if he can play yet.

cowboysooner · 02-12-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beast_from_East

Its hard to let a double digit sack guy just walk out the door, especially considering he is the only other pass rush threat we have besides Ware.

If the backup plan is to put Crawford there and "hope for the best", well that doesnt sound like much of a strategy to me. That sounds more like desperation that we really dont have any plan B and will just throw something out there and hope it is not a disaster.

Besides, if we had no plans to sign Spencer long term, why the hell didnt we let him walk last year and use his franchise tag money to get a quality free agent OL in free agency?

Make no sense the way we did it if we indeed let him walk, just total mismanagement by the front office.

My .02 for what it is worth.

I agree with alot of what you wrote. It is difficult to let a guy go who can get double digit sacks and make other disruption plays. Those guys don't move around much and they are hard to draft. We have drafted 3 of them maybe 4 (Ware, Ellis, Spencer, Tolbert) in the 20 years of Jerry Jones, including Jimmy Johnson.

I heard on one of the Cowboy podcasts that he is asking for 12 million and the club is looking to spend 9 or 10. If you want to spend 9 or 10 aav, then you need manage your cap well enough to franchise him at $10.6. If you can't do that it is a front office failure of planning and management.

**Idgit** · 02-12-2013

Resigning Spencer is almost entirely a matter of the price tag for me. He's a very good player, and he'll be very good for at least three more years. If they can get the deal done and stay within what they've slotted for the position group, that's fine with me. I think they probably won't be able to match the market for him, though, and I expect him to be gone.

I think Crawford can readily play DE in the 4-3 under base defense. I think the team believes so, too. Losing Spencer, though, pretty much means we have to go DT in round one, though, because we'll have lost a lot of depth to the defensive front (Spencer, Spears, Brent, Coleman). With Ratliff's injury concerns, we'll need to add value veteran FAs and a high pick to make the front work. In the face of that, it's hard to let a home-grown quality 4-3 DE just walk if you don't absolutely have to.

DBOY3141 · 02-12-2013

I think regardless of Spencer, they will focus on DT. Kiffin needs that disruptive force in the middle.

I would not re-sign Spencer. I use the money to fix the OL and shore up some depth in other areas.

OL
Safety
LB

Between Ware, Hatcher, Lissemore, Crawford, Ratliff, Price, and a couple of draft picks we can have a decent DL.

Our OL is garbage regardless of what JJ thinks.

Risen Star · 02-12-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBOY3141

I think regardless of Spencer, they will focus on DT. Kiffin needs that disruptive force in the middle.

I would not re-sign Spencer. I use the money to fix the OL and shore up some depth in other areas.

OL
Safety
LB

Between Ware, Hatcher, Lissemore, Crawford, Ratliff, Price, and a couple of draft picks we can have a decent DL.

Our OL is garbage regardless of what JJ thinks.

That's been the problem. Decent at best DL, pitiful OL. You can't win that way.

People try to cherry pick and say this team won with a not so great line, but they didn't win with both lines lacking talent.

DFWJC · 02-12-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Risen Star

That's been the problem. Decent at best DL, pitiful OL. You can't win that way.

People try to cherry pick and say this team won with a not so great line, but they didn't win with both lines lacking talent.

They really have a great opportunity to finally address it (both lines) this offseason.
If they just play this right this franchise can finally get back on on track..and in a hurry.

I fear if they miss big this offseason, this thing is really going to be n trouble for many more years to come.
The opportunity is right there for them...can't ask for more.

GimmeTheBall! · 02-13-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBOY3141

Between Ware, Hatcher, Lissemore, Crawford, Ratliff, Price, and a couple of draft picks we can have a decent DL.

Our OL is garbage regardless of what JJ thinks.

I believe that "decent" DL get you 8-8 seasons.
I am done with that.

That has been our achiles tendin: An infatuations with over-the-hill, aged, journeymen players like Hatcher, Ratliff and those other no-names you mentioned. Spencer is so overrated it is silly to talk about him as viable player for the money he will be demanding.

Ware and Lee, even when healthy, I am convinced, cannot do it by themselves. That is a fact.

And you are correct: our OL is garbage.