What if Jerry said we were in rebuilding mode?

[Alexander]

Originally Posted by Lazyking

He would be wrong and lying to himself. Also, when has he EVER said that.. Even during the campo years I don't remember him saying that.

You don't go out and try to solve one need (the secondary) if you're rebuilding.

Correct.

Especially when you return a large part of the bottom of the roster. Our turnover was not significant.

We even intended to allow players like Ogletree to play the market and still brought them back and re-installed them back like they never left. Dockery was the same way.

[junk]

I thought it was a 2 year job to get this team in contention if they made the right moves.

I don't think they did. Guard and corner were very deep in FA and the draft last year. Those should have been fixed last year. Guard certainly wasn't.

That would have freed up the team this year to potentially grab another pass rusher early in what could be a banner year. It also looks like a decent safety class which is also a need.

Center is the tricky one as there hasn't been great options the last two years.

I think it was Sturm that discussed it. These misses mean they have to keep investing to fill massive holes. They never really build any depth or address positions that have plagued the team for years (OL, S)

[Alexander]

Originally Posted by junk

I think it was Sturm that discussed it. These misses mean they have to keep investing to fill massive holes. They never really build any depth or address positions that have plagued the team for years (OL, S)

There were still other holes that now they have no choice but to over-react to the misses that will get ignored.

Even if the offensive line is finally addressed ala the CB spot this year, there are still big issues at safety, center and defensive line.

Just get prepared for an offseason thinking Barry Church returning off of an Achilles injury is going to shore that spot up. The problem is, while he was showing promise, he was not a proven solution even when he was healthy. The same goes for Costa. Lissemore will be the revelation at end, Brent at nose tackle. None are sure things, but will be viewed that way.

Our "core" is getting to the point where it needs to be addressed, but I am sure the "window" will be another topic this offseason. Maybe this year it is closed.

The real problem for this organization is bad decision making coupled with poor self-evaluation.

[Clove]

We are not rebuilding - Jerry is going to keep adding parts until Tony is done stinking up the place. Then he will think he can find a QB by flipping through the undrafted free agent list, or try to draft some injury prone dude, or find a QB who's played Volleyball for 4 years and decided to come back and play football.

Jerry can't stand losing for a couple of years to position himself to get a Top QB. Rebuilding means losing fans = losing money.

As long as Jones has breath, he will never rebuild.

[Bluestang]

Originally Posted by junk

I thought it was a 2 year job to get this team in contention if they made the right moves.

I don't think they did. Guard and corner were very deep in FA and the draft last year. Those should have been fixed last year. Guard certainly wasn't.

That would have freed up the team this year to potentially grab another pass rusher early in what could be a banner year. It also looks like a decent safety class which is also a need.

Center is the tricky one as there hasn't been great options the last two years.

I think it was Sturm that discussed it. These misses mean they have to keep investing to fill massive holes. They never really build any depth or address positions that have plagued the team for years (OL, S)

I thought the Claiborne deal was something that fell in their laps when St. Louis was looking to trade down on draft day.

If that doesn't happen, I think Zeitler would have been selected with the first pick after a trade down. I believe this based on an interview Stephen had with the Talkin' Cowboys crew.

I hope that OC is the top priority on the list for the upcoming offseason. Just like Parcells believed in having a good center on the OL is paramount, I also believe the same thing.

I would take a blue-chip OC over any blue-chip OG every day of the week.

[Idgit]

Originally Posted by Alexander

There were still other holes that now they have no choice but to over-react to the misses that will get ignored.

Even if the offensive line is finally addressed ala the CB spot this year, there are still big issues at safety, center and defensive line.

Just get prepared for an offseason thinking Barry Church returning off of an Achilles injury is going to shore that spot up. The problem is, while he was showing promise, he was not a proven solution even when he was healthy. The same goes for Costa. Lissemore will be the revelation at end, Brent at nose tackle. None are sure things, but will be viewed that way.

Our "core" is getting to the point where it needs to be addressed, but I am sure the "window" will be another topic this offseason. Maybe this year it is closed.

The real problem for this organization is bad decision making coupled with poor self-evaluation.

These are the sorts of issues all organizations have. And, guess what: if we'd addressed everything, you're still going to have things like injuries and declining play hitting you upside the head where you don't expect it.

We've actually been ok this year when it comes to personnel depth. The big problems being multiple hits at positions like C and S and ILB and insufficient talent to run the offense the way we'd intended (missing a fit at WR and the issues at OT).

And, of course, because of these things, the issues with coughing up the ball that keep us from winning games against good teams.

[junk]

Originally Posted by Alexander

The real problem for this organization is bad decision making coupled with poor self-evaluation.

Agreed. I think I'd also add lack of any sort of long term vision.

Everyone knows my dislike of the job Jerry has done here. Although he likes to spout off about how he listens to all these "advisers", I think it really handicaps him because he just listens to whoever has his ear. As a result, the team doesn't have any sort of long term plan for what kind of football team they want to be.

Someone else mentioned it on here, but they described as players that don't play well together......good collection of individual talent, but not a great team.

[junk]

Originally Posted by Bluestang

I thought the Claiborne deal was something that fell in their laps when St. Louis was looking to trade down on draft day.

If that doesn't happen, I think Zeitler would have been selected with the first pick after a trade down. I believe this based on an interview Stephen had with the Talkin' Cowboys crew.

I hope that OC is the top priority on the list for the upcoming offseason. Just like Parcells believed in having a good center on the OL is paramount, I also believe the same thing.

I would take a blue-chip OC over any blue-chip OG every day of the week.

Center is a tough one. The only guy that might be considered blue chip this year is Barrett Jones.

I was for signing Koppen last year just for the veteran leadership. Look at Doug Free and Tyron Smith's best years......who was playing next to them? The team needs a vet presence on the line.

[Alexander]

Originally Posted by junk

Agreed. I think I'd also add lack of any sort of long term vision.

Everyone knows my dislike of the job Jerry has done here. Although he likes to spout off about how he listens to all these "advisers", I think it really handicaps him because he just listens to whoever has his ear. As a result, the team doesn't have any sort of long term plan for what kind of football team they want to be.

Someone else mentioned it on here, but they described as players that don't play well together......good collection of individual talent, but not a great team.

If Jerry Jones is the true alpha male in the organization, which I believe he is, it is part of his job to make a great team.

There is a lot more that goes into that other than signing the checks.

[junk]

Originally Posted by Idgit

These are the sorts of issues all organizations have. And, guess what: if we'd addressed everything, you're still going to have things like injuries and declining play hitting you upside the head where you don't expect it.

We've actually been ok this year when it comes to personnel depth. The big problems being multiple hits at positions like C and S and ILB and insufficient talent to run the offense the way we'd intended (missing a fit at WR and the issues at OT).

And, of course, because of these things, the issues with coughing up the ball that keep us from winning games against good teams.

I know it is really popular around to here to pretend that Dallas is just like every other franchise, but they aren't. I think their track record over the past 15 years or so is evidence enough of that.

[junk]

Originally Posted by Alexander

If Jerry Jones is the true alpha male in the organization, which I believe he is, it is part of his job to make a great team.

There is a lot more that goes into that other than signing the checks.

Jerry wants the credit for building a football team and being a football guy. He gets the blame when he fails. He's failed for quite some time now.

A good GM is working all day, every day to evaluate players, work with his staff, etc. I actually don't Jerry being a meddler is his issue. It is that he is only a part time GM and he listens to way too many people.

[Idgit]

Originally Posted by junk

I know it is really popular around to here to pretend that Dallas is just like every other franchise, but they aren't. I think their track record over the past 15 years or so is evidence enough of that.

That's popular? I hadn't noticed.

What I have seen as popular is people pretending that, because some things are wrong in Dallas, everything is wrong in Dallas.

Like it or not, our personell has not been a huge problem, other than having to work around some very specific injuries. We've got a moderately-talented club right now.

And that's not me making an excuse, it's me taking the personnel excuse off the board. That should make you happy instead of sad.

[junk]

Originally Posted by Idgit

That's popular? I hadn't noticed.

What I have seen as popular is people pretending that, because some things are wrong in Dallas, everything is wrong in Dallas.

Like it or not, our personell has not been a huge problem, other than having to work around some very specific injuries. We've got a moderately-talented club right now.

And that's not me making an excuse, it's me taking the personnel excuse off the board. That should make you happy instead of sad.

So you think it is all injuries? Or coaching?

[Zordon]

Originally Posted by Bluestang

I thought the Claiborne deal was something that fell in their laps when St. Louis was looking to trade down on draft day.

If that doesn't happen, I think Zeitler would have been selected with the first pick after a trade down. I believe this based on an interview Stephen had with the Talkin' Cowboys crew.

I hope that OC is the top priority on the list for the upcoming offseason. Just like Parcells believed in having a good center on the OL is paramount, I also believe the same thing.

I would take a blue-chip OC over any blue-chip OG every day of the week.

why do you have to tease me?

[Idgit]

Originally Posted by junk

So you think it is all injuries? Or coaching?

It's turnovers. That's part coaching. Part players (WRs, in particular, but also the QB and the protection). It's also the S's not getting the takeaways we need. I think the injuries at OLB are really going to end up hurting us. We've also been largely unable to blitz as a by product of compromised coverage which has probably hurt our defensive takeaways.

But the personnel problems have been more or less isolated to WRs and OTs and S. And then depth at OC and ILB. Given the extent of the damage at those spots, though, the 3rd and 4th string backups have actually played ok. It's just not reasonable to expect us to go 3 and 4-deep at those positions.