25 years of roster building- what it reveals

[Bobhaze]

A quarter of a century has gone by since the Dallas Cowboys played in and won a Super Bowl. Or played in and won a conference championship game. Or even won a divisional playoff game. Perspective? Dak Prescott was 2 years old the last time that happened. Cedee Lamb wasn’t born yet. Nearly half our current roster wasn’t even born yet. Tony Romo was 15. This could go on....

But I was curious about how this organization invested its roster building capital the last 25 years. By that I mean which positions did the organization spend the most draft and trade capital to build a roster? The answer to that question reveals a big reason why this organization can’t seem to build a playoff winner.

Here are the positions this FO has spent most of its roster and draft capital on the last 25 years showing what they value most:

• WR- Surprise! The Cowboys have drafted 18 WRs in the last 25 drafts, and have also used 4 number one draft picks in trades for Joey Galloway, Roy Williams, and Amari Cooper. That makes a whopping 22 draft picks used to acquire WRs!
  
• DEs- The Cowboys have used 20 draft picks to acquire DEs the last 25 years.
• LBs- The next most popular position has been LB with 18 draft picks.
  
• CBs- Next most popular is corner backs with 13 picks.
• DTs- only 11 have been drafted over 25 years, and 3 of those were in the last 2 years.
• I’m not going to go position by position but the bottom two roster positions valued after P and K was also no surprise- S (only 7 drafted in 25 years) and QB (only 6)

If you want to know what an organization values, look at where they spend their roster capital. For the Cowboys the last 25 years, that position is WR. That says a lot about why we can’t seem to get over the playoff hump the last quarter century.

Here is a link I used to look up Cowboys draft history on Pro Football Reference, a free site with lots of good info. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/draft.htm

 

[big dog cowboy]

So basically after WR's it's defense, defense and defense and they still suck.

 

[DeaconMoss]

If these numbers are correct that says a lot about the mgt.

 

[acr731]

It reveals that Jerry sucks.

Polish a turd for 25 years and what do you have?

 

[Bobhaze]

If these numbers are correct that says a lot about the mgt.

If you go by what Jerry has said publicly over the years, he most values “triplets” (QB, WR, RB) and having a “War Daddy” (pass rusher) And obviously the roster numbers say he values WRs most. That pretty well sums up why we can’t seem to build the right roster.

 

[ClappingCarrot]

I've said for years that this team is absolutely awful at identifying and evaluating talent on the defensive side of the ball and this confirms it.

 

[John813]

Curious how the breakdown goes in round 1, 2-3, and then 4-7.

It's there listed but man don't feel like breaking it down now.

 

[MrPhil]

And with Buffalo making it to this year's AFC Championship game, we are now alone with Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Miami and Washington as having not been to a Conference Championship since the 2002 realignment (yes, I know its been longer). And to pour salt into the wound, the Jets have been to two Conference Championships in that same timeframe.....TWO!

Shameful, embarrassing, pathetic, infuriating.......

Thanks Jerry, great job managing this team to the cellar of the NFL! Bravo........

 

[Diehardblues]

If you go by what Jerry has said publicly over the years, he most values “triplets” (QB, WR, RB) and having a “War Daddy” (pass rusher) And obviously the roster numbers say he values WRs most. That pretty well sums up why we can’t seem to build the right roster.

It’s obvious Jethro still believes the Triplets won those rings.

But the new bar for this era in our Football Idiots own words are “ relevant and interesting “. That’s it!

 

[Bobhaze]

Curious how the breakdown goes in round 1, 2-3, and then 4-7.

It's there listed but man don't feel like breaking it down now.

Go to this link if you want to do the homework- https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/draft.htm

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

WR, DB, LB

Curious to how many were rounds 1-3 vs round 4-7.

The reason I ask is a lot of lower round picks will also be considered special team players and spot players.

Also kind of curious how much LB and DE were counted in the Parcells 3-4 time frame. Since Some LBs were 3/4 DEs

Either way I think we have known for some time that they do not value the IDL position as the only one I can think of them taking with their first picks was T Hill and he was taken in the 2nd as we had no first rounder.
I think it is also to safe to say that although they have taken a good deal of DBs...it would seem that do not put a high end interest in Safety as they normally wait until the later rounds to take them...Roy Williams was the last safety they took in the first round and that was years ago.

 

[Redline360]

Absolutely disgusting.

 

[PAPPYDOG]

A quarter of a century has gone by since the Dallas Cowboys played in and won a Super Bowl. Or played in and won a conference championship game. Or even won a divisional playoff game. Perspective? Dak Prescott was 2 years old the last time that happened. Cedee Lamb wasn’t born yet. Nearly half our current roster wasn’t even born yet. Tony Romo was 15. This could go on....

But I was curious about how this organization invested its roster building capital the last 25 years. By that I mean which positions did the organization spend the most draft and trade capital to build a roster? The answer to that question reveals a big reason why this organization can’t seem to build a playoff winner.

Here are the positions this FO has spent most of its roster and draft capital on the last 25 years showing what they value most:

• WR- Surprise! The Cowboys have drafted 18 WRs in the last 25 drafts, and have also used 4 number one draft picks in trades for Joey Galloway, Roy Williams, and Amari Cooper. That makes a whopping 22 draft picks used to acquire WRs!
  
• DEs- The Cowboys have used 20 draft picks to acquire DEs the last 25 years.
• LBs- The next most popular position has been LB with 18 draft picks.
  
• CBs- Next most popular is corner backs with 13 picks.
• DTs- only 11 have been drafted over 25 years, and 3 of those were in the last 2 years.
• I’m not going to go position by position but the bottom two roster positions valued after P and K was also no surprise- S (only 7 drafted in 25 years) and QB (only 6)

If you want to know what an organization values, look at where they spend their roster capital. For the Cowboys the last 25 years, that position is WR. That says a lot about why we can’t seem to get over the playoff hump the last quarter century.

Here is a link I used to look up Cowboys draft history on Pro Football Reference, a free site with lots of good info. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/draft.htm

Nice write up....Thanks.

 

[Bobhaze]

WR, DB, LB

Curious to how many were rounds 1-3 vs round 4-7.

The reason I ask is a lot of lower round picks will also be considered special team players and spot players.

Also kind of curious how much LB and DE were counted in the Parcells 3-4 time frame. Since Some LBs were 3/4 DEs

Either way I think we have known for some time that they do not value the IDL position as the only one I can think of them taking with their first picks was T Hill and he was taken in the 2nd as we had no first rounder.
I think it is also to safe to say that although they have taken a good deal of DBs...it would seem that do not put a high end interest in Safety as they normally wait until the later rounds to take them...Roy Williams was the last safety they took in the first round and that was years ago.

If you call rounds 1-3 “premium draft picks”, the Cowboys have spent a whopping 8 premium draft picks on WRs. Compare that to 2 at DT and 1 at S.

 

[CouchCoach]

After you consider the positions, the players must be considered next and they are connected as that's why the Lions kept picking WR's first, they were missing on the players.

What is surprising are the positions following WR's but that also relates to where they were picked. They haven't taken a DT high since Johnson picked Maryland or gone for a blue chipper in FA since Parcells got Glover. They simply do not place a high value on the DT position.

Booger is just following the ball and the money. What position is the most exciting in the game? WR Offense sells tickets and garners attention and he is concerned about putting an entertaining product on the field.

Therein lies the rub between owner and GM. All of the owners want an entertaining product; all the GM's want to win. I'd like to see a draft where no one but the owners picked in the 1st round. How many D players do you think we'd see?

One of the great bafflers for me here is the McClay love and this idea that the Cowboys are this top 10 drafting team. I see comments about players making the team or starting. What's the end result? There are a lot of players that could start on the DAL defense and many are backups on other teams.

The problem with the Cowboys acquiring players, draft or FA, is that they treat it like a checklist. Need a DT, OK, got one, check that one off the list. Wait a minute, not so fast. How good is he? They've been addressing the DT position from a positional standpoint, they don't have the players. I know some of you get excited about Gallimore, just like some got excited about Tapper. Remember him and all that "he needs to play more!"

Some here have that same ailment that Booger has. Whoever the player is automatically becomes better because he's a Cowboy and every player wants to be a Cowboy. This "talent" perception is a true mystery to me.

 

[fivetwos]

You mean reactionary roster building.

Oh theres a gaping hole wherever....fix it in the off-season, during which time another hole opens up...fix that the following off-season (except for safety, which they never fix).....and on and on...

Whackamole if you will.

No organizational strategy. Just throw together coaches and players and hope the soup tastes good.

Even during the rare season it does, someone ends up choking on it.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

A quarter of a century has gone by since the Dallas Cowboys played in and won a Super Bowl. Or played in and won a conference championship game. Or even won a divisional playoff game. Perspective? Dak Prescott was 2 years old the last time that happened. Cedee Lamb wasn’t born yet. Nearly half our current roster wasn’t even born yet. Tony Romo was 15. This could go on....

But I was curious about how this organization invested its roster building capital the last 25 years. By that I mean which positions did the organization spend the most draft and trade capital to build a roster? The answer to that question reveals a big reason why this organization can’t seem to build a playoff winner.

Here are the positions this FO has spent most of its roster and draft capital on the last 25 years showing what they value most:

• WR- Surprise! The Cowboys have drafted 18 WRs in the last 25 drafts, and have also used 4 number one draft picks in trades for Joey Galloway, Roy Williams, and Amari Cooper. That makes a whopping 22 draft picks used to acquire WRs!
  
• DEs- The Cowboys have used 20 draft picks to acquire DEs the last 25 years.
• LBs- The next most popular position has been LB with 18 draft picks.
  
• CBs- Next most popular is corner backs with 13 picks.
• DTs- only 11 have been drafted over 25 years, and 3 of those were in the last 2 years.
• I’m not going to go position by position but the bottom two roster positions valued after P and K was also no surprise- S (only 7 drafted in 25 years) and QB (only 6)

If you want to know what an organization values, look at where they spend their roster capital. For the Cowboys the last 25 years, that position is WR. That says a lot about why we can’t seem to get over the playoff hump the last quarter century.

Here is a link I used to look up Cowboys draft history on Pro Football Reference, a free site with lots of good info. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/draft.htm

Interesting. I do think at one point, they switched gears and really went after O linemen, resulting in our powerful O-line of 2014. They had a good thing going with that OL for a while.

 

[Diehardblues]

After you consider the positions, the players must be considered next and they are connected as that's why the Lions kept picking WR's first, they were missing on the players.

What is surprising are the positions following WR's but that also relates to where they were picked. They haven't taken a DT high since Johnson picked Maryland or gone for a blue chipper in FA since Parcells got Glover. They simply to not place a high value on the DT position.

Booger is just following the ball and the money. What position is the most exciting in the game? WR Offense sells tickets and garners attention and he is concerned about putting an entertaining product on the field.

Therein lies the rub between owner and GM. All of the owners want an entertaining product; all the GM's want to win. I'd like to see a draft where no one but the owners picked in the 1st round. How many D players do you think we'd see?

One of the great bafflers for me here is the McClay love and this idea that the Cowboys are this top 10 drafting team. I see comments about players making the team or starting. What's the end result? There are a lot of players that could start on the DAL defense and many are backups on other teams.

The problem with the Cowboys acquiring players, draft or FA, is that they treat it like a checklist. Need a DT, OK, got one, check that one off the list. Wait a minute, not so fast. How good is he? They've been addressing the DT position form a positional standpoint, they don't have the players. I know some of you get excited about Gallimore, just like some got excited about Tapper. Remember him and all that "he needs to play more!"

Some here have that same ailment that Booger has. Whoever the player is automatically becomes better because he's a Cowboy and every player wants to be a Cowboy. This "talent" perception is a true mystery to me.

Spot on Coach.

The conflict of interest with owner and GM wearing the same hat has left us in this perpetual motion pursuing “ relevant and interesting” instead of greatness and championships.

 

[Redline360]

Problem is ever since the superbowls Jerry thinks we're always one or two players away from making it back to the big game. Insert 20+ years of failed thinking, failed contracts, drafting injury prone players, FA busts or FA signing at the end of their careers that have nothing left in the tank.

Plus throw in coaching hires and etc...

It's almost embarrassing to be a Cowboys fan.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

So basically after WR's it's defense, defense and defense and they still suck.

i think that’s just a product of the nfl landscape. WRs, DEs, even LB’ers rotate throughout a game. You may have 2 starters, but 4-5 guys will play significant roles throughout the game.

whereas if you draft Travis Frederick, how many centers do you need to draft over the next 5 years? How many tackles after Tyron, or guards after Martin. How many QBs after Romo-to-Dak. And then Witten, then Zeke-Marion-Murray, these aren’t positions that see a lot of turnover throughout a game (unless you don’t have a workhorse back).

so other than the bizarre obsession with WR’s, I don’t think this list is that abnormal. Turnover at those positions is a bit higher