What Effective NFL Front Offices Do

[Bobhaze]

For me because this team had the talent last year to win. Others looking at this team saw no reason personnel wise why Dallas should not win. Front office is the reason for the talent, because they failed front office was forced to fire the HC but give me a break this team has had to the talent to win.

I certainly agree we had more talent than results. Should we have won more in the playoffs the last ten years? Yes. Do I think we have had a championship level roster the last ten years? No.

 

[Doomsday101]

I certainly agree we had more talent than results. Should we have won more in the playoffs the last ten years? Yes. Do I think we have had a championship level roster the last ten years? No.

Given the seasons of 13-3 they had the talent to win and yes win it all. Garrett took the heat by many here and now he is gone and a new staff is in place hand picked by the HC. I think front office has done a good job talent wise but maybe their loyalty to Garrett in the end just did not pan out. Of course you can point to a certain position and say we need to upgrade it but then every team in the NFL had position to upgrade.

 

[AsthmaField]

My hesitation to credit this FO includes my frustration with SJ with his “we aren’t going to set the market”, which eventually means you’re either going to overpay for the talent you want or potentially lose them. I just think that’s a foolish starting point for the richest team in pro sports.

Being the richest team in pro sports has nothing to do with it. It is about the salary cap and the room needed to put together a team under that constraint.

They have the same cap as every team and foolishly spending that money seriously hampers attempts to put together a complete team. Each dollar given to one player takes away from another. Being frugal is smart under those circumstances.

I don’t know why people talk about pennypinching when it’s clear they’re working under a cap

 

[CATCH17]

Let me ask you guys this..............

What if the Jones's were told that they HAD to win the Superbowl THIS SEASON or they would LOSE THE TEAM.

What would they do?

What kind of signings would they make?

How would it be different then their normal offseason routine?



My point is they get to caught up in the long term and it keeps them stuck in the middle. Their secret sauce is a mediocre sauce.

 

[JoeKing]

Certainly not one that has translated into big time success on the field the last two decades plus. Is there another NFL franchise that would keep the same people in place getting these kind of results? Other than the bungles?

No doubt the Cowboys have turned out to be somewhat of a dumpster fire. In no way is 8-8 acceptable. But the regime change at coaching tells me they are trying to fix that. I try to keep my senses out of the way when the sausage is made this time of year. It just drives me bonkers if I try to pay attention to it all. I trust Mike McCarthy has a plan even if the Jones boys don't. Once the roster comes together, Mike's real work begins. We'll get a good indication of the plan during the draft. My advice is to be patient and keep your powder dry.

 

[Bobhaze]

Let me ask you guys this..............

What if the Jones's were told that they HAD to win the Superbowl THIS SEASON or they would LOSE THE TEAM.

What would they do?

What kind of signings would they make?

How would it be different then their normal offseason routine?



My point is they get to caught up in the long term and it keeps them stuck in the middle. Their secret sauce is a mediocre sauce.

Great point! They never have to worry about job or financial security.

 

[Bobhaze]

Being the richest team in pro sports has nothing to do with it. It is about the salary cap and the room needed to put together a team under that constraint.

They have the same cap as every team and foolishly spending that money seriously hampers attempts to put together a complete team. Each dollar given to one player takes away from another. Being frugal is smart under those circumstances.

I don’t know why people talk about pennypinching when it’s clear they’re working under a cap

I get that brother. What I don’t get is the timing of when they get cheap. Plus, Jerry has no cap on what he could spend on his coaching staff. Yet he chose Jason Garrett for nearly a decade, when he could have hired someone more qualified for more money.

I get the salary cap thing. I’m more concerned about what and when these guys decide to get cheap. They let a couple of million dollars clog their decision making for one guy, then later they have to pay more because the market always gets more expensive the longer you dawdle.

 

[blueblood70]

Stephen Jones has famously (foolishly) said the last couple of years that the “Cowboys won’t be market setters” when paying players. Sounds good in theory, but 31 other teams don’t intend to play that way. In fact, most of the good NFL teams have people in place whose jobs are on the line and they make decisions accordingly.

The best NFL front offices go into the free agency and draft period with a clear, proactive plan, knowing what the market prices will be for the players they want. They won’t get all of them, but they also will spend less time “dumpster diving” after other teams have executed their plans.

I believe a good NFL FO does the following:

• They have a clear, proactive off season plan in place that is coherent and is followed from day one.
• They are NOT “waiting to see what other teams do”.
• They know exactly the players they want and realistically how much it will cost to get them.
  
• They work hard to sign their best players before the market prices go up. (Yes, I know the Cowboys started negotiating with Dak last year, but again, SJ doesn’t want to “set the market”, smh)
• They move on quickly from older players who may be popular, but are no longer in their prime, and not worthy of a roster spot.
• They use cap space in alignment with their plan/philosophy- not just based on “how much cap space we have left”.
• They hire experts to run their front offices whose jobs are dependent on winning, not dependent on who their dad is.

This is just a short list. There’s so much more.
To be fair, the off season still has time left. The Cowboys are certainly not finished tweaking things in FA, and then there’s the draft. But I can’t help wishing we had people in charge whose jobs were dependent on winning- not who their Daddy is.

for one please stop ASSUMING ***- uMING WHat YOU think you know about whos not afraid to lose their jobs..there what 6 family members who are high up and 60 other asst.GM, scouts, coaches, and OTHER Staff that very well scared to lose their jobs.. from WilllM on down..I mean they just fired a bunch and brought in anew staff and 2 days into FA , 6-7 posts including this one started with the here we go again attitude before they have chance to fialed a team with still 6months until kick off..SMH

we have a forgiving family run corporation that may keep employees pass their expiration date but dont think for minute they even run things half the way you state..

you lost all validity in your post in the first paragraph, why? because at least 16 teams in that 31 are always finishing below the Cowboys as the DC have been relative, lets say the last decade in wins-l record top 10..

so you say 31 other teams do it differently, inferring Better , yet a minimum, of 16 are always looking up at this poorly run organization..

thats insane that you neutralize your statement before the Period in the first line.. there maybe 4-6 organizations the last 10 year that have had more success especially in the payoffs but oddly enough it doesnt add up to 31..So however you FEEL they are doing it wrong, obviously not even close to as bad as you make it appear..

NO ONE and I mean NO ONE here or anywhere else other then behind those closed doors truly know how things are run over at the Star..

want proof why is it as soon as Grates officially released he has a job in big market as an OC, Marinelli immediately hired in Oakland, Oakland takes 3 of our dumpers fire players, Quinn and Cobb our dumpster picking last year got big deals first day! and lastly even our picked on player in Collins get a job quickly.. all these coaches and player all get rehired , odd how they were all mistakes by our staff but the other 31 sure picked through our garbage and FAST it was like shark to blood in the water.

The dream team cenario teams who just go full send high risk in grabbing every forst day top FA, those do NOT typically work out.. show me one sustainable winnig n record of team that is constantly grabbig all the highest priced FA day one , i mean sustanable not one year wonder and diapear..

lastly,

NE does not do this and they are the best the last 15years..they do the exact thing Jerry and Stepjen does grab afew FAS they truly need then wait and fill in and make trade here and there.. If NE is one of those 31 well your entire long winded time comnuming post is now MOOT..

PS dont respond with no SB since 1996 , dont care ...your premise is an assumption and not true other then yes the top brass are all family that wont fire themselves but other then that the rest , just POO..lol there no one right formula..

 

[Bobhaze]

for one please stop ASSUMING ***- uMING WHat YOU think you know about whos not afraid to lose their jobs..there what 6 family members who are high up and 60 other asst.GM, scouts, coaches, and OTHER Staff that very well scared to lose their jobs.. from WilllM on down..I mean they just fired a bunch and brought in anew staff and 2 days into FA , 6-7 posts including this one started with the here we go again attitude before they have chance to fialed a team with still 6months until kick off..SMH

we have a forgiving family run corporation that may keep employees pass their expiration date but dont think for minute they even run things half the way you state..

you lost all validity in your post in the first paragraph, why? because at least 16 teams in that 31 are always finishing below the Cowboys as the DC have been relative, lets say the last decade in wins-l record top 10..

so you say 31 other teams do it differently, inferring Better , yet a minimum, of 16 are always looking up at this poorly run organization..

thats insane that you neutralize your statement before the Period in the first line.. there maybe 4-6 organizations the last 10 year that have had more success especially in the payoffs but oddly enough it doesnt add up to 31..So however you FEEL they are doing it wrong, obviously not even close to as bad as you make it appear..

NO ONE and I mean NO ONE here or anywhere else other then behind those closed doors truly know how things are run over at the Star..

want proof why is it as soon as Grates officially released he has a job in big market as an OC, Marinelli immediately hired in Oakland, Oakland takes 3 of our dumpers fire players, Quinn and Cobb our dumpster picking last year got big deals first day! and lastly even our picked on player in Collins get a job quickly.. all these coaches and player all get rehired , odd how they were all mistakes by our staff but the other 31 sure picked through our garbage and FAST it was like shark to blood in the water.

The dream team cenario teams who just go full send high risk in grabbing every forst day top FA, those do NOT typically work out.. show me one sustainable winnig n record of team that is constantly grabbig all the highest priced FA day one , i mean sustanable not one year wonder and diapear..

lastly,

NE does not do this and they are the best the last 15years..they do the exact thing Jerry and Stepjen does grab afew FAS they truly need then wait and fill in and make trade here and there.. If NE is one of those 31 well your entire long winded time comnuming post is now MOOT..

PS dont respond with no SB since 1996 , dont care ...your premise is an assumption and not true other then yes the top brass are all family that wont fire themselves but other then that the rest , just POO..lol there no one right formula..

Blue, I respect your happiness with the Jones family.

 

[AsthmaField]

I get that brother. What I don’t get is the timing of when they get cheap. Plus, Jerry has no cap on what he could spend on his coaching staff. Yet he chose Jason Garrett for nearly a decade, when he could have hired someone more qualified for more money.

I get the salary cap thing. I’m more concerned about what and when these guys decide to get cheap.

Timing? I’m not sure what you mean by that in relation to salary cap spending.

And the coaching (though it is a valid point) has nothing to do with paying players.

 

[blueblood70]

Blue, I respect your happiness with the Jones family.

its not about Happiness its about Facts and rhetoric you are spewing is not fact.. theres very few teams that are more successful then the Cowboys and many lie NE did it very different then you are describing..who cares about feeling and happiness, you were WRONG about 31 teams have it right.. LMAO name them all , the sustained success over the process you described , the teams that do it exactly like that and stay GREAT? the best at it NE does not go out and go crazy in FA and are very methodical in who they bring in and for how much.. that blows your theory up and thats my point.. sometimes being aggressive works and sometimes it doesnt , just because fans arent happy their team are big splash FA first day news worthy means nothing.. thats HYPE, looks good on paper until it doesnt IE dream team assemblers who hardly have that work out..

 

[TwoDeep3]

Stephen Jones has famously (foolishly) said the last couple of years that the “Cowboys won’t be market setters” when paying players. Sounds good in theory, but 31 other teams don’t intend to play that way. In fact, most of the good NFL teams have people in place whose jobs are on the line and they make decisions accordingly.

The best NFL front offices go into the free agency and draft period with a clear, proactive plan, knowing what the market prices will be for the players they want. They won’t get all of them, but they also will spend less time “dumpster diving” after other teams have executed their plans.

I believe a good NFL FO does the following:

• They have a clear, proactive off season plan in place that is coherent and is followed from day one.
• They are NOT “waiting to see what other teams do”.
• They know exactly the players they want and realistically how much it will cost to get them.
  
• They work hard to sign their best players before the market prices go up. (Yes, I know the Cowboys started negotiating with Dak last year, but again, SJ doesn’t want to “set the market”, smh)
• They move on quickly from older players who may be popular, but are no longer in their prime, and not worthy of a roster spot.
• They use cap space in alignment with their plan/philosophy- not just based on “how much cap space we have left”.
• They hire experts to run their front offices whose jobs are dependent on winning, not dependent on who their dad is.

This is just a short list. There’s so much more.
To be fair, the off season still has time left. The Cowboys are certainly not finished tweaking things in FA, and then there’s the draft. But I can’t help wishing we had people in charge whose jobs were dependent on winning- not who their Daddy is.

Bob - your first point.....They have a clear, proactive off season plan in place that is coherent and is followed from day one.

Please advise me how you know the Cowboys don't have a clear cut plan. They could very well have a clear cut plan, and that plan, while clear cut, is incorrectly built.

Since the majority of this board - fans do not get accurate information from the inside since the team spins and the press reports that spin - has no real clue what the team thinks, plans, and accomplishes in regard to that plan, how is your assessment accurate to any degree?.

You claim all teams but the Cowboys do not wait to see what other teams do. Can you cite empirical evidence that supports this?

Point - They know exactly the players they want and realistically how much it will cost to get them.

How do you know for a fact other teams have this information and the Cowboys do not?

Point - They use cap space in alignment with their plan/philosophy- not just based on “how much cap space we have left”.

Please explain this then cite your source for other teams. And by other teams, your intro to this suggests all teams but the Cowboys do these things. So support for that statement here means revealing the other teams behavior .

There are some points you make I might agree with. But there is a lot of opinion here painted as facts. However, I could be wrong about your assessment. I do appreciate your hard work on this. But I also would like to know if you think you may just be premature on this expose`, even with your comment:

To be fair, the off season still has time left. The Cowboys are certainly not finished tweaking things in FA, and then there’s the draft. But I can’t help wishing we had people in charge whose jobs were dependent on winning- not who their Daddy is.

Convince me, Bob.

 

[Bobhaze]

Bob - your first point.....They have a clear, proactive off season plan in place that is coherent and is followed from day one.

Please advise me how you know the Cowboys don't have a clear cut plan. They could very well have a clear cut plan, and that plan, while clear cut, is incorrectly built.

Since the majority of this board - fans do not get accurate information from the inside since the team spins and the press reports that spin - has no real clue what the team thinks, plans, and accomplishes in regard to that plan, how is your assessment accurate to any degree?.

You claim all teams but the Cowboys do not wait to see what other teams do. Can you cite empirical evidence that supports this?

Point - They know exactly the players they want and realistically how much it will cost to get them.

How do you know for a fact other teams have this information and the Cowboys do not?

Point - They use cap space in alignment with their plan/philosophy- not just based on “how much cap space we have left”.

Please explain this then cite your source for other teams. And by other teams, your intro to this suggests all teams but the Cowboys do these things. So support for that statement here means revealing the other teams behavior .

There are some points you make I might agree with. But there is a lot of opinion here painted as facts. However, I could be wrong about your assessment. I do appreciate your hard work on this. But I also would like to know if you think you may just be premature on this expose`, even with your comment:



Convince me, Bob.

You make a fair point asking me to convince you they don’t have a plan. You’re right- I don’t know that they don’t have a plan. But can you convince me they do? Maybe they do.

I also think your point is fair that I might be premature in this opinion for this year. It could still turn out to be a successful off season.

But again, I’m not as focused on “the plan” as I am their lack of earned capital in the trust department. I admit I don’t trust them. But my lack of trust is based on their lack of results. Maybe this is the year they start earning some trust back. But until then, I don’t feel it’s unfair of me to say the Jones Family Front Office has not been particularly great the last two decades.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Stephen Jones has famously (foolishly) said the last couple of years that the “Cowboys won’t be market setters” when paying players. Sounds good in theory, but 31 other teams don’t intend to play that way. In fact, most of the good NFL teams have people in place whose jobs are on the line and they make decisions accordingly.

The best NFL front offices go into the free agency and draft period with a clear, proactive plan, knowing what the market prices will be for the players they want. They won’t get all of them, but they also will spend less time “dumpster diving” after other teams have executed their plans.

I believe a good NFL FO does the following:

• They have a clear, proactive off season plan in place that is coherent and is followed from day one.
• They are NOT “waiting to see what other teams do”.
• They know exactly the players they want and realistically how much it will cost to get them.
  
• They work hard to sign their best players before the market prices go up. (Yes, I know the Cowboys started negotiating with Dak last year, but again, SJ doesn’t want to “set the market”, smh)
• They move on quickly from older players who may be popular, but are no longer in their prime, and not worthy of a roster spot.
• They use cap space in alignment with their plan/philosophy- not just based on “how much cap space we have left”.
• They hire experts to run their front offices whose jobs are dependent on winning, not dependent on who their dad is.

This is just a short list. There’s so much more.
To be fair, the off season still has time left. The Cowboys are certainly not finished tweaking things in FA, and then there’s the draft. But I can’t help wishing we had people in charge whose jobs were dependent on winning- not who their Daddy is.

Teams that play market setter are like 1 for 200 in the past twenty years in terms of regular season success. Washington and NY have tried it recently and repeatedly and failed hard.

The Cowboys have obviously had a gameplan for years. You don't like parts of it but that doesn't mean it is not there.

There is no reason to believe that NFL teams pigeonhole themselves into individual players and unerringly predict the market.

The club has systematically resigned their own players they want to keep. OL, DE, LB, WR, etc. They have had many successes over the years but it takes two to tango at the end of the day. If a player insists on testing the market short of the tag the club cannot stop it.

The only aging player we have held onto lately at a poor price has been Witten and his play only really cratered last year. We have had one of the youngest rosters in the league because of it.

Stephen has talked at length about how he appropriates space between sides of the ball and position groups. I think you mistake message board stupidity for actual policy.

You have little clue about the level of nepotism in the NFL. Most owners meddle all the time and use their GMs as chamberlains to occlude their involvement. Mara, Benson, and Rooney have been doing it for decades. The difference with Jerry is he is open about it.

 

[TwoDeep3]

You make a fair point asking me to convince you they don’t have a plan. You’re right- I don’t know that they don’t have a plan. But can you convince me they do? Maybe they do.

I also think your point is fair that I might be premature in this opinion for this year. It could still turn out to be a successful off season.

But again, I’m not as focused on “the plan” as I am their lack of earned capital in the trust department. I admit I don’t trust them. But my lack of trust is based on their lack of results. Maybe this is the year they start earning some trust back. But until then, I don’t feel it’s unfair of me to say the Jones Family Front Office has not been particularly great the last two decades.

I agree they have been remiss in fixing this problem with building a winner. And I have an ax to grind with Jerry for two decades of crapola.

My real issue is with the notion 31 other teams get it right and this team doesn't. I feel there are far more teams making ridiculous decisions. The Browns have had high draft choices for the last decade or more. I cannot believe they know something the Jones boys don't.

 

[Creeper]

The joke to me is the Cowboys say they don't want to be market setters in free agency but then they set the market by resigning their own players to contracts that set the market. They paid $21.5 million for Lawrence which is above any other DE in the league at the time. They paid Zeke $90 million. They paid Cooper $20 million a year. They will eventually pay Dak an lot of money on a longer term deal. My question is, what's the difference if you pay a guy like Lawrence $21.5 million or a Free Agent from another team? The fact they they drafted Lawrence? Maybe it would have been better to not pay Lawrence and use that money to sign an impact DT, for example and maybe a lesser DE. The CAP imposes an additional dimension into the strategy. It requires GMs to think about the entire team, not just for this year but for the future.

 

[blueblood70]

Bob - your first point.....They have a clear, proactive off season plan in place that is coherent and is followed from day one.

Please advise me how you know the Cowboys don't have a clear cut plan. They could very well have a clear cut plan, and that plan, while clear cut, is incorrectly built.

Since the majority of this board - fans do not get accurate information from the inside since the team spins and the press reports that spin - has no real clue what the team thinks, plans, and accomplishes in regard to that plan, how is your assessment accurate to any degree?.

You claim all teams but the Cowboys do not wait to see what other teams do. Can you cite empirical evidence that supports this?

Point - They know exactly the players they want and realistically how much it will cost to get them.

How do you know for a fact other teams have this information and the Cowboys do not?

Point - They use cap space in alignment with their plan/philosophy- not just based on “how much cap space we have left”.

Please explain this then cite your source for other teams. And by other teams, your intro to this suggests all teams but the Cowboys do these things. So support for that statement here means revealing the other teams behavior .

There are some points you make I might agree with. But there is a lot of opinion here painted as facts. However, I could be wrong about your assessment. I do appreciate your hard work on this. But I also would like to know if you think you may just be premature on this expose`, even with your comment:



Convince me, Bob.

he can not, its all rhetoric and feelings he decided to eloquently wrote trying to make it look legit, it was not...

 

[TwoDeep3]

he can not, its all rhetoric and feelings he decided to eloquently wrote trying to make it look legit, it was not...

I hold Bob and his thoughts in higher esteem than almost every poster here. Thanks for your reply.

 

[blueblood70]

I hold Bob and his thoughts in higher esteem than almost every poster here. Thanks for your reply.

just because he writes well thought out, heart felt , eloquent ,well structures posts doesnt make them legit..

its a opinion and thats it.. internet media at its best..you can hold him in high regard but it doesnt make his post more factual or accurate..its just his opinion..

but thanks for letting me reply..lol

 

[Whyjerry]

Stephen Jones has famously (foolishly) said the last couple of years that the “Cowboys won’t be market setters” when paying players. Sounds good in theory, but 31 other teams don’t intend to play that way. In fact, most of the good NFL teams have people in place whose jobs are on the line and they make decisions accordingly.

The best NFL front offices go into the free agency and draft period with a clear, proactive plan, knowing what the market prices will be for the players they want. They won’t get all of them, but they also will spend less time “dumpster diving” after other teams have executed their plans.

I believe a good NFL FO does the following:

• They have a clear, proactive off season plan in place that is coherent and is followed from day one.
• They are NOT “waiting to see what other teams do”.
• They know exactly the players they want and realistically how much it will cost to get them.
  
• They work hard to sign their best players before the market prices go up. (Yes, I know the Cowboys started negotiating with Dak last year, but again, SJ doesn’t want to “set the market”, smh)
• They move on quickly from older players who may be popular, but are no longer in their prime, and not worthy of a roster spot.
• They use cap space in alignment with their plan/philosophy- not just based on “how much cap space we have left”.
• They hire experts to run their front offices whose jobs are dependent on winning, not dependent on who their dad is.

This is just a short list. There’s so much more.
To be fair, the off season still has time left. The Cowboys are certainly not finished tweaking things in FA, and then there’s the draft. But I can’t help wishing we had people in charge whose jobs were dependent on winning- not who their Daddy is.

Teams that do not subscribe to this methodology might only win a couple playoff games in 25 years.