Dozens of accidentally merged threads ** LOCKED **

[John813]

It is just darn depressing that they followed up last year with this group. I have not seen Williams so we are hoping for a miracle.

I was fine letting Dowdle go. He was fine. But had not impact in wins. They probably had a bottom 5 running back room last year. Should have been so easy to upgrade. But here we are.

Same, but was at least hoping for a clear cut upgrade over Dowdle, at least vet wise. Not a high bar, and honestly I don't think they surpassed it with Williams or Sanders.

 

[Flamma]

and some players I think?

Yes. One we traded for a 5th. Jimmy was still not satisfied. He turned those picks into more picks. He'd get players and trade them for picks.

As dumb as this trade sounded to most people, you have to consider what the Vikings were thinking at that time. The Vikings had a really good team but for RB. They thought, along with everyone else, Walker would put them over the top.

The problem was, like what happens to a lot of teams, the Vikings simply weren't that good the following year. Had they had Walker a year prior, maybe then.

 

[HanD]

Now go look at the other 31 teams from that draft and compare....its probably a very similar or worse picture.

The Cowboys have two starters from that class plus a guy in Gholston who has been decent but walked for a comp pick. Thats about all you can ask for out of any draft class.

Philly has DeVonte Smith, Landon Dickerson, plus a good pick that just walked in Milton Williams. Similar draft to the Cowboys. Very few teams will have had stronger 2021 drafts than the Cowboys at this point. Reality is the draft is a very low probability event with most players not making it to a 2nd contract.

agreed but that's why you need to supplement via FA instead of just relying on the draft like the cowboys. granted they are very solid at it but a few quality free agents would really help.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Released by Eagles Monday........I know some posters were high on him

Eh, probably not an NFL caliber QB. If we want to upgrade Milton, Id rather look elsewhere

 

[ghst187]

Let’s just cut to the chase, Dak isn’t good enough without a great running game to win anything and esp since he can’t run himself now.

 

[Bobhaze]

It is just darn depressing that they followed up last year with this group. I have not seen Williams so we are hoping for a miracle.

I was fine letting Dowdle go. He was fine. But had not impact in wins. They probably had a bottom 5 running back room last year. Should have been so easy to upgrade. But here we are.

Consider this: Last year we kept Trey Lance on the roster, paying him $5.3 million, and he played in ONE regular season game. Derrick Henry cost about $6 mil last year. And SJ said we couldn’t afford him.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Without wearing blue fan glasses, I’m not seeing a running back on this roster that makes defensive coordinators respect the run.

Three straight drafts the Cowboys have fail to spend quality draft capital on a RB. And after each of those drafts the members in here have been shall we say, upset.

Also consider the play caller we have had. The Cowboys haven't had a serious dedication to establishing a running game like we saw back in the heyday in a long time. It's pass, pass pass all game long.

 

[Flamma]

It’s hard to finder a backup QB with more potential and nfl experience than Sam Howell right now, that isn’t like in his 30s at the tail end of his career.

He just started a NFL season 2 years ago on one of the worst squads in football, the 32nd ranked run offense, and threw for almost 4k yards and STILL is only 24 years old. Literally Joe Milton is older than him.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/gamelog/_/id/4426875/type/nfl/year/2023

Look at the two games he started against the eagles, it’s no wonder the eagles have a very high opinion of him. That second game he went 39/52 for 397 yards, 4TDs and 1int. So being a late round rookie and getting replaced by him doesn’t say as much about him as what it says what they think about Howell.

I have no problem with Howell. He's a great backup, borderline starter.

 

[mcmvp]

Completely agree, Bob. I don’t think the running back room in Dallas is scaring anybody in the NFL. What makes matters worse is that one of the few defenses, that the Cowboys could have success running against, is their own

 

[darthseinfeld]

Whose better, McCord or Milton????

McCord probably had a worse preseason than Milton. He was downright awful

 

[big dog cowboy]

Consider this: Last year we kept Trey Lance on the roster, paying him $5.3 million, and he played in ONE regular season game. Derrick Henry cost about $6 mil last year. And SJ said we couldn’t afford him.

While true that's apples and oranges with Lance being a QB. We know the pay scale for them is completely wonky.

 

[Flamma]

Yea , incredible and all because Jimmy didn’t play all the players they received which contributed to 1-15 record.

Herschel was coming off leading rusher in NFL considered best RB and Vikings were a playoff team thinking he could be enough to put them over the top then. And then didn’t use him to his strengths.

Watson wasn’t even considered a top 5 QB. Perhaps one of the worst trades. Incredible Cleveland gave up 3 1st rounders. And now look at Houston . On cusp of becoming one of the top tier teams in AFC. Browns still struggling to find a QB. And stuck with Watson contract.

I'm just going by memory here. But I think Watson was coming off a 34TD season with 7 picks on a 4-12 team. I could be off on the numbers a bit, but not by much. That's why they gave so much for him. Problem was, he wasn't the same player, just like the Vikings weren't the same team.

 

[kskboys]

This. ^^^^

Quality roster construction depends on knowing what kind of support your best players need. It appears Jerry and “Air Quotes” approach roster construction like fantasy football. They collect a few stars, overpay them, then expect guys they draft to carry the rest of the load without seemingly much thought on developing a complimentary roster.

And worse, they completely neglect a whole aspect of quality roster building - finding key support players in free agency. They don’t have to be the highest paid FAs, just not a bunch of dumpster JAGs.

For a simple example - the highest paid player in the NFL is a good but not great QB. He clearly needs an outstanding running game to keep defenses from keying on stopping the pass. Then they neglect the RB position. He needs a defense that is at least good enough to keep their QB from having to be a hero every week. How many years have we had a mediocre to bad D?

In other words they don’t know how to develop a roster to support their cap investments. They are amateurs.

And then add in that they are absolutely terrible at evaluating players.

 

[Teague31]

That Dan Quinn is a clever one. Not.

 

[Aven8]

Damien Martinez got cut by Seattle. Go get him please.

 

[CCBoy]

Payton Turner: Free Agent Signing Stays With Rib Injury​

When the Cowboys signed pass-rusher Payton Turner this spring, he seemed like a real contender for the Week 1 roster.

After all, he had a career-high in tackles and tied his high in sacks and quarterback hits with the Saints in 2024. Some broken ribs and a roster-cutdown later, and Turner’s Dallas debut is on hold, at least for now.

The team placed him on the IR as well earlier today as he recovers from his injury sustained on August 9th.

Another issue for Turner is his slip on the depth chart. He is now listed behind backup Tyrus Wheat for the job he wants; that spells trouble for his future unless injuries take place.

https://insidethestar.com/cowboys-roster-update-dallass-injured-reserve-list-growing

 

[Zekeats]

It is just darn depressing that they followed up last year with this group. I have not seen Williams so we are hoping for a miracle.

I was fine letting Dowdle go. He was fine. But had not impact in wins. They probably had a bottom 5 running back room last year. Should have been so easy to upgrade. But here we are.

They’re all trash except for Blue but can Blue carry the load or a good part of it and stay healthy?

 

[John813]

Consider this: Last year we kept Trey Lance on the roster, paying him $5.3 million, and he played in ONE regular season game. Derrick Henry cost about $6 mil last year. And SJ said we couldn’t afford him.

And to be determined on the cap space this year after the practice squad, IR, PUP etc all hit the cap, but we had plenty of cap space, to keep him on his 2nd year cap hit, pre extension too.
So not like the Ravens put 20mil into year 2.
I have to admit, this front office has made it easier not to be fully invested.

 

[dmq]

There are many avenues to acquire talent in the NFL outside of the draft. Not a great draft though.

 

[thunderpimp91]

agreed but that's why you need to supplement via FA instead of just relying on the draft like the cowboys. granted they are very solid at it but a few quality free agents would really help.

Absolutely agree. The Cowboys lack of FA activity gives the false impression that they are horrible at drafting. In reality they are one of the better drafting teams in football, but sitting out FA puts extra attention and urgency on the draft.