The Draft > Free Agency

[Bobhaze]

I admit it, does the same to me even though I try to stay on the upswing, stay positive and optimistic. That family is always lurking in the background like a shadow.

I was really surprised when McC was given the green light to hire his own staff, I took that as a positive sign but still, lurking in the background are Booger & Son. They're like those two idiots from Laverne and Shirley, can't even trust them to sneak into the prom and spike the punch, they'd probably siphon gas out of Booger's Boogie Bus.

That's why I really don't get down on Greg, Diehardblues, because with their presence, even if it's going right, they can make it all wrong. They don't intend to, they're just incompetent on the football side of it. And always have been.

Well said.
I like the idea that the best leaders of organizations have enough humility to own and learn from their mistakes. Conversely, arrogance doesn’t learn. And Im sure BigMac is about to learn that the Jones family will always be loitering just outside the locker room door, ready to swoop in and have their way with everything from coaches to jock straps. Because arrogance doesn’t learn.

 

[Bobhaze]

Every Super Bowl team I can remember had a good free agent haul in

If you draft well but suck at free agency your still failing...you can do both

I agree- Free agency is very important and doing it well is critical. All I’m saying is the draft is more important. About 80% of your future success relies on the quality of your draft. Free agents serve as key support to your foundation with a good draft. But it’s not a 50/50 thing IMO.

 

[Stash]

I agree- Free agency is very important and doing it well is critical. All I’m saying is the draft is more important. About 80% of your future success relies on the quality of your draft. Free agents serve as key support to your foundation with a good draft. But it’s not a 50/50 thing IMO.

Find me one person in this entire thread who has disagreed with that.

You're 'arguing' against nobody here.

 

[eromeopolk]

Very strong post with comparative examples from the glory years to support your view. Really nice post.

I am a fan but not a fanatic.

If we had a real GM, the Cowboys would have been in a Super Bowl like Seattle (Wilson), KC (Mahomes), Rams (Warner), Steelers (Big Ben), Ravens (Flacco), Panthers (Newton), Titans (McNair), Eagles (Wentz), and Rams (Goff). Since 1996 all those teams that got to the Super Bowl with their QBs on rookie contracts.

Personnel management and coaching means everything in the NFL. When the Cowboys had Schramm, Brandt, and Landry, they got to Super Bowls. When the Cowboys had Johnson, Ackles and Wooten, they got to Super Bowls.

When the Cowboys had Jerry Jones and anyone, they have no Super Bowls. When they had Jerry, Tuna, and Ireland, they got a brand new Stadium. What is really important to Jerry Jones?

 

[cowboygo]

I am a fan but not a fanatic.

If we had a real GM, the Cowboys would have been in a Super Bowl like Seattle (Wilson), KC (Mahomes), Rams (Warner), Steelers (Big Ben), Ravens (Flacco), Panthers (Newton), Titans (McNair), Eagles (Wentz), and Rams (Goff). Since 1996 all those teams that got to the Super Bowl with their QBs on rookie contracts.

Personnel management and coaching means everything in the NFL. When the Cowboys had Schramm, Brandt, and Landry, they got to Super Bowls. When the Cowboys had Johnson, Ackles and Wooten, they got to Super Bowls.

When the Cowboys had Jerry Jones and anyone, they have no Super Bowls. When they had Jerry, Tuna, and Ireland, they got a brand new Stadium. What is really important to Jerry Jones?

I'm pretty sure Jerry wants to win, heck what keeps him up at night is that he hasn't won after being detached from Jimmy Johnson and/or his players. He really wants it to be his way though, he would have been vindicated if Garrett had pulled. Yes, we botched the rookie contract window, but not all rookies perform like the ones you mentioned, its still a crapshoot. You'd be ecstatic if you get Burrows to play like Dak across his rookie contract. The hope is for Dak to progress, if he doesn't we're screwed.

 

[ShiningStar]

what we need to do first, is see if the FA has what we need, if it doesnt, we have to go to the draft. we need some pieces, we arent going to change teh whole team in 1 season. we can all debate what we need and most would be right. but the draft is going to have to go defense very hard. but whatever the FA doesnt have, we have to get in the draft and hope for the best, and than use the FA to fill or upgrade what we can, but NOT get steak at every position. this is what must happen. the team needs to be stream lined and right now, its not hitting on all cylinders. Id like to see a safety, but lets be honest, we probably need the big nt or guy up the middle to stop the run. whatever MM goes with, FA and the draft is goign to be essential this year.

 

[conner01]

The draft is the core of your team
Free agents are like the candles on your birthday cake
They are important but you don’t want many of them

 

[Stash]

The draft is the core of your team
Free agents are like the candles on your birthday cake
They are important but you don’t want many of them

I love that analogy!

 

[CouchCoach]

When FA first came about, the feeling was they could sign their way out of draft mistakes but then it 180'd and they realized the draft was made even more important because of FA. The players had a voice in their future and the more successful your team, the more the vultures lined up.

No one has used the combination as well as Belichick but as of late, he's failing more in the draft, more misses than hits. And he was astute with his FA's, picking just the right fit for his needs. If he "overspent" he balanced that with 1st contract players.

The Cowboys haven't used FA to get better, they just tread water and are second wave players. They've actually done better at trading for Quinn and Cooper than playing in FA although Cobb was a nice pick up.

The last 3 years of drafting has not been good but why should it be? The owner is so cavalier that he wants to spend a 1st on a lightning rod nutjob QB, and 2nds on a pot head, injured player and a DT that if he were a racehorse would be considered incorrigible. He plays at this drafting process. it's the fun part of the job, get the family around and let's make a weekend of it.

But the worst part is what we joke about here, "we like our guys". He really does and if he's going camping with them, that's swell but they need some fear, not some love. He wants them to like him, wants to be in with the in crowd. If I were the owner, I would want them dropping their voices when I was around, watching me out of the corner of their eye and wondering "does he like me"? I would want a level of discomfort people should have when the big cheese shows up. And since I would seldom show up, that would be even more special.

 

[CouchCoach]

I love that analogy!

I am going to steal it and claim conner stole it from me. The very nerve of some people.

 

[Ranched]

Can only imagine what the Cowboys would look like if every player was acquired & released from a fans request.

 

[Mobinvans]

Can only imagine what the Cowboys would look like if every player was acquired & released from a fans request.

probably better than 8-8

 

[Rockport]

Getting better > Not getting better

Last year's draft netted Tony Pollard.

Last year's free agency netted Randall Cobb.

We have to be better at both, especially free agency.

Also, fans here have to stop acting as if it's an either/or situation. You don't have to sit out the draft because you were aggressive in free agency. For great Front Offices, the answer is both free agency and the draft.

Draft & FA

It totally depends on your salary cap situation as to what you can do in free agency. Dallas has done very well in that regards and it’s why they’re 70+ million under the cap.

 

[Rockport]

Even the players they have brought in haven't been very good.

Everybody remember Nolan Carroll? Cedric Thornton? Stephen Paea?

Yeah, if those are the recommendations I'm getting from my "football guys", I can see why the Joneses go on vacation instead!

I also remember Blake Jarwin, Quinn, Cobb, Tony Romo, Barry Church, La’el Collins, Ronald Leary, David Irving, Lance Dunbar, Dan Bailey, Cole Beasley, etc.

 

[TwentyOne]

Every spring during the big free agency period beginning in March, many of our fans will begin the annual scream for the FO to sign some big name unrestricted free agents. These are usually big name players with some accomplishments and big price tags. Some are in their prime. Some have their best days in the rear view mirror. Most give sticker shock and require longer commitments.

The best NFL front offices have a a good plan going into the offseason along with who to look at and who to avoid. Our FO IMO has done a pretty good job the last few years not throwing too much cash or commitment to the big name flashes in free agency.

Count me as one of the fans who is usually happier when we don’t spend a bunch cash in free agency. In fact, I’m a big believer in the philosophy of having lots of draft picks with a few key FAs who are not in the highest price range because they typically also want longer deals.

You can sign a few good free agents that can immediately help. But they are usually not the big names and usually are short term rentals.

Bottom line- the draft is where the heart of your team is built. There are a lot of talented young men on college campuses tonight who will be the future of the Dallas Cowboys more than a 28-30 year old vet looking for the biggest payday of their lives.

Yes....I know. We need a few FAs. Just don’t break the bank and expect them to save us. Our future rests primarily on the broad shoulders of Will McClay’s draft analysis. The Draft > FA.

I have to disagree in parts.

I am a fan of building thru the draft. But when i watch NFL teams the last few years, they do value proven FAs coming into their second contract more then round 1 picks. And i am willing to learn how this NFL works and i tend to agree with their approach.

But then teams still use the later rounds to finalize their roster.

 

[TwentyOne]

I also remember Blake Jarwin, Quinn, Cobb, Tony Romo, Barry Church, La’el Collins, Ronald Leary, David Irving, Lance Dunbar, Dan Bailey, Cole Beasley, etc.

Remind me please: How many rings did they win again ?

 

[Rockport]

Remind me please: How many rings did they win again ?

I knew some ignorant yahoo would come back with this totally ridiculous argument only a mouth breather would come up with.

 

[glimmerman]

Hoping for some good activity in FA this year. A chance to get proven talent instead of having to gamble on a player to make a immediate impact or wait to develop through draft.

 

[jjktkk]

Maybe but you also have to acknowledge the reality of your team. We have an aging OL that has shown some breakdowns in terms of age and injury. At some point, you have to expand your pool of FAs to try to make a run in a 2-3 year window.

That doesn't mean just go dumb in FA and blow all your cash on vets but the reality is this team has probably missed a window or two over the last ten years because they approached FA stupidly.

Do you mean a premium draft pick, and/or a high priced free agent, because, as far as the OL goes, the FO has addressed the OL in recent years thru the draft and FA,

 

[Kingofholland]

Definitely a balance, if you use free agency to fill glaring holes and upgrade a position or two before the draft that sets you up for the most flexibility in the draft to select BPA.