Big spending teams on WRs don't make the playoffs often enough

[Diehardblues]

Resulted in a super bowl contender.

That’s arguable. Bill didn’t win a playoff game and Wade couldn’t win a divisional round game.

I’d agree Tuna resurrected us from 5-11 Funk and placed us on a much better path becoming a solid playoff contender.

SB contender ? IDK . I think we could present a strong argument against that. And as usual Jethro screwed it up.

Again, why I’d caution to pump the brakes .

 

[kskboys]

That’s arguable. Bill didn’t win a playoff game and Wade couldn’t win a divisional round game.

I’d agree Tuna resurrected us from 5-11 Funk and placed us on a much better path becoming a solid playoff contender.

SB contender ? IDK . I think we could present a strong argument against that. And as usual Jethro screwed it up.

Again, why I’d caution to pump the brakes .

Don't know why that would be arguable. Good D, good running game, the pieces were all there. Why are you saying they weren't?

 

[Rockport]

But for Jethro worse case scenario is if we blame his 60 million $$ QB.

You’re consumed by Dak 24x7x365.

 

[Diehardblues]

Don't know why that would be arguable. Good D, good running game, the pieces were all there. Why are you saying they weren't?

Because they didn’t get it done . Ultimately results determine and define .

Those weren’t championship caliber teams. Defenses weren’t Elite. QB wasn’t then either. Overall less than average playoff teams .

I thought our team in 2014 was our best team this era. Romo was in his prime . Leading running game . But only average defense .

It’s always something. Im not even sure how good this offense will be in playoffs. It’s sputtered some last year against better teams . And Prescott still has to prove to play his best ball on bigger stages.

 

[kskboys]

Because they didn’t get it done . Ultimately results determine and define .

Those weren’t championship caliber teams. Defenses weren’t Elite. QB wasn’t then either. Overall less than average playoff teams .

I thought our team in 2014 was our best team this era. Romo was in his prime . Leading running game . But only average defense .

It’s always something. Im not even sure how good this offense will be in playoffs. It’s sputtered some last year against better teams . And Prescott still has to prove to play his best ball on bigger stages.

Look up the definition of "contender".

Ravens, Bills, 49ers, all recent super bowl contenders who don't get it done. You're acting as if there's some guarantee, and you know there's not. All you can do is get the right pieces to get your team into contention. Tuna did that. We were contenders in 07 w/ Tuna's team. Which, of course, Jerry immediately started tearing down. As per usual.

I'm also not confident in this O. Great at times, not so great at others. So, what do we need? Good running game and top 15 D. Looks like we may have that. Backup RB does scare me. I love JW, but at the same time just not confident he'll stay on the field.

 

[Diehardblues]

Look up the definition of "contender".

Ravens, Bills, 49ers, all recent super bowl contenders who don't get it done. You're acting as if there's some guarantee, and you know there's not. All you can do is get the right pieces to get your team into contention. Tuna did that. We were contenders in 07 w/ Tuna's team. Which, of course, Jerry immediately started tearing down. As per usual.

I'm also not confident in this O. Great at times, not so great at others. So, what do we need? Good running game and top 15 D. Looks like we may have that. Backup RB does scare me. I love JW, but at the same time just not confident he'll stay on the field.

I agree overall but Ravens, Bills , 49ers were contenders cause they actually played for championships .

 

[charron]

There has to be a balance in how you build your team. You need a top 10 defense and the best offense possible. But most likely that isn't enough so your organization has to be ok with going for it, pushing money down the road knowing there may be a year or 2 you have to cut players and eat salary. All in order to have a better chance to make a run at the SB. Which is why Dallas will never be back under Jerry

 

[kskboys]

I agree overall but Ravens, Bills , 49ers were contenders cause they actually played for championships .

Nope. A contender is purely about what you have on the roster. A true contender can lose in the first round. Just last season, Rams were contenders but lost to SEA. DEN also. BUFF was a contender.

You're using results to define contender, and it doesn't work that way. A contender purely means that you have what it takes to go all the way. Doesn't mean you will, way too many factors.

 

[Diehardblues]

Nope. A contender is purely about what you have on the roster. A true contender can lose in the first round. Just last season, Rams were contenders but lost to SEA. DEN also. BUFF was a contender.

You're using results to define contender, and it doesn't work that way. A contender purely means that you have what it takes to go all the way. Doesn't mean you will, way too many factors.

But Rams made it to Championship game. Denver as well. And Buffalo had history.

There’s no way to know if a team has what it takes UNLESS they are on the brink of winning a championship.

Otherwise you are only Pretenders or Paper Champions . Results do matter .

There has to be a balance in how you build your team. You need a top 10 defense and the best offense possible. But most likely that isn't enough so your organization has to be ok with going for it, pushing money down the road knowing there may be a year or 2 you have to cut players and eat salary. All in order to have a better chance to make a run at the SB. Which is why Dallas will never be back under Jerry

I don’t like using the word never. There’s always a slim glimmer of hope.

But with rare exceptions at least this era few teams win championships without an Elite defense or QB. And we’ve had neither.

contender​

noun​

con·tend·er kən-ˈten-dər

: one that contends
especially : a competitor for a championship or high honor

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contender​

Nope. A contender is purely about what you have on the roster. A true contender can lose in the first round. Just last season, Rams were contenders but lost to SEA. DEN also. BUFF was a contender.

You're using results to define contender, and it doesn't work that way. A contender purely means that you have what it takes to go all the way. Doesn't mean you will, way too many factors.

I looked it up and provided definition above from Websters. And contending for championships is it.

And yes there are other factors but at some point you must produce or you become over hyped , etc.

And I’m speaking of teams not individual talents which a great talent can’t always control the teams they are on.

 

[kskboys]

But Rams made it to Championship game. Denver as well. And Buffalo had history.

There’s no way to know if a team has what it takes UNLESS they are on the brink of winning a championship.

Otherwise you are only Pretenders or Paper Champions . Results do matter .

I think you're getting your terms mixed up!!!!!

There have been many super bowl contenders over the years who did not sniff the super bowl.

All of what you're stating is true, but they are mere platitudes.

There is also many cases of a team having what it takes, but coming up against a little bit better team, or losing due to a bounce of the ball or TO.

 

[kskboys]

don’t like using the word never. There’s always a slim glimmer of hope.

But with rare exceptions at least this era few teams win championships without an Elite defense or QB. And we’ve had neither.

Agree completely. Mostly D. Several non-elite QBs have won super bowls due to D. Russell Wilson, Eli, Nick Foles, Darnold. Goff almost won one.

 

[Diehardblues]

I think you're getting your terms mixed up!!!!!

There have been many super bowl contenders over the years who did not sniff the super bowl.

All of what you're stating is true, but they are mere platitudes.

There is also many cases of a team having what it takes, but coming up against a little bit better team, or losing due to a bounce of the ball or TO.

I understand . There is always exceptions.

Usually though a team that is that serious of contender eventually overcomes in seasons to come.

Yep, the bounce of the ball can be brutal. But that’s why we play the games. And why results matter.

And I do think or agree the Cowboys have had a couple teams this era which could have been more serious contenders. But in the end they didn’t prove it and never did.

 

[charron]

I don’t like using the word never. There’s always a slim glimmer of hope.

But with rare exceptions at least this era few teams win championships without an Elite defense or QB. And we’ve had neither.

I would agree except when it comes to how the Jones's operate. There is not enough luck in the world that can get them to a SB because they only build good teams not great post season teams.

 

[Diehardblues]

I would agree except when it comes to how the Jones's operate. There is not enough luck in the world that can get them to a SB because they only build good teams not great post season teams.

I agree we are probably doomed with Jethro but he could finally land a great QB, etc. that could carry him.

 

[eromeopolk]

With all the discussions about tagging George Pickens and how or why we should keep him long term, or if we should keep both he and Cedee Lamb…There’s an interesting fact about the teams who are top ten spenders each year on WRs:

They don’t usually even make the playoffs.
In fact, in the last 5 seasons (2021-25), the top ten most expensive WR rooms only made the playoffs approximately 46% of the time.
For example, here are the top ten teams spending big on WRs in 2025:

1. Cincinnati-$50.9 million
2. Tampa Bay - $47.5 million
3. Miami - $41 million
4. Chicago - $35.3 million
5. Tennessee- $33.6 million
6. Indianapolis- $33.4 million
7. Detroit $30.4 million
8. San Francisco $29.1 million
9. Washington $28.7 million
10. Dallas $28.2 million

Of those ten teams only three made the playoffs in 2025.

I won’t take up a huge amount of space here listing each team from 2021-24. But I did my homework and only one team in the last 5 years that spent top ten money on WRs won a SB - the 2023 chiefs.

So as we discuss how to allocate future cap space, let’s remember that having the highest paid WR room does not translate to playoff success very often. Not saying WR talent isn’t important. Just saying be wise and discerning on spending big money on them.

Here’s the link I used: https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/position/_/year/2025/table/active-reserve/type/cap_total
(You can look up positional spending by year)

Agree. Do you know what is the easiest position to fill in the NFL? WR.

For every Dez and Cee Dee in the 1st round there are Drew Pearson, and Miles Austin as UDFAs. Tony Hill was a 3rd round pick and retired as the Cowboys receiving yards leader. Only 1/2 of the Cowboys top ten receiving leaders were 1st round picks.

 

[Bobhaze]

I don’t like using the word never. There’s always a slim glimmer of hope.

But with rare exceptions at least this era few teams win championships without an Elite defense or QB. And we’ve had neither.

Greggo, I think Jerry and Giggles’ biggest flaws as personnel guys is they have no clue what makes a great playoff team. And worse, they don’t see what is needed to make a decent team even better. They occasionally build a good team that hits a wall.

They see a good team - and think it’s a SB contender. And it’s not.

We have a good not great QB. A good QB can help your team win a lot of regular season games. About half the league every year is terrible. So you beat those teams. Then in the playoffs you run into great teams with great defenses, and our good QB isn’t good enough. Coupled with a not so good defense.

That has explained much of the last 30 years. Occasionally good but not great because we don’t have leaders who know how to build great. They see every team as a marketing opportunity.

We have a front office that has never understood how to build a great roster on both sides of the ball. We have receipts.

Good is not good enough.

 

[charron]

I agree we are probably doomed with Jethro but he could finally land a great QB, etc. that could carry him.

I don't believe that's the issue. In post season play a good QB is more likely to string together a great/elite game or 2 than it is for a good defense to play at that great/elite level. And since offense sells, that's where Jerry focuses on. The question is can they build a defense good enough while they primarily focus big money on offense? And that answer has been no so far.

 

[John813]

To me, I get the argument, but there's a lot of factors going into building a 53 man roster.
The ability to play with cap hits on a year to year basis also throws this into a spin, as some teams have cap space to burn, so they could leave a WR on a 20mil base+SB while others restructure and then boom, shave 10-15mil off the cap hit.
How is the team built? Any obvious holes? Bengals have a QB and 2 WRs but are in the 2009-10 Cowboys Oline talent levels, getting Burrows killed out there.
But, even if they let one of their WRs walk or trade, would it guarantee a equal talent replacement on the offensive line?

There's so many moving parts to build a starting roster, let alone depth.
Seattle won in the early 2010's with a stud rookie class. But once guys got paid, they couldn't replicate. Was it a mistake to pay a QB and the secondary/LOB?

 

[kskboys]

contender​

noun​

con·tend·er kən-ˈten-dər

: one that contends
especially : a competitor for a championship or high honor

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contender​

Good stuff.

However, a contender can lose in the first round. A team can have what it takes and still not get there. Happens all the time

 

[JoeKing]

With all the discussions about tagging George Pickens and how or why we should keep him long term, or if we should keep both he and Cedee Lamb…There’s an interesting fact about the teams who are top ten spenders each year on WRs:

They don’t usually even make the playoffs.
In fact, in the last 5 seasons (2021-25), the top ten most expensive WR rooms only made the playoffs approximately 46% of the time.
For example, here are the top ten teams spending big on WRs in 2025:

1. Cincinnati-$50.9 million
2. Tampa Bay - $47.5 million
3. Miami - $41 million
4. Chicago - $35.3 million
5. Tennessee- $33.6 million
6. Indianapolis- $33.4 million
7. Detroit $30.4 million
8. San Francisco $29.1 million
9. Washington $28.7 million
10. Dallas $28.2 million

Of those ten teams only three made the playoffs in 2025.

I won’t take up a huge amount of space here listing each team from 2021-24. But I did my homework and only one team in the last 5 years that spent top ten money on WRs won a SB - the 2023 chiefs.

So as we discuss how to allocate future cap space, let’s remember that having the highest paid WR room does not translate to playoff success very often. Not saying WR talent isn’t important. Just saying be wise and discerning on spending big money on them.

Here’s the link I used: https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/position/_/year/2025/table/active-reserve/type/cap_total
(You can look up positional spending by year)

I believe one thing (high spending on WRs) has nothing to do with the other (not making the playoffs). Being a playoff team has more to do with having balance between offense and defense with both being on the high efficiency scale. A high-performance WR corps is something to be desired if you can afford it and you have the QB to take full advantage of those WRs. If you don't have the right QB, big spending at WR is a waste of resources.