Long term, who are the potential cuts this offseason?

[Sydla]

That is right...but I don't get the criticism...Witten can still play! He is not a pure passing tight end, he is an old school tight end who can block and catch, not too many tight ends have that skill set these days. To me, the big issue with the passing game is not having Zeke (who the offense is designed around), lack of depth at OT (which killed us in the ATL-SD games), and a good speed catching WR. I don't think Dez has been productive enough to warrant 17M per year, but he is still a really good player. They need to draft a young talented WR to groom...Let Michael Irvin help us find one.lol

His blocking has been so-so this year, at best.

Bringing him back at that cap number is a mistake.

 

[Sydla]

I agree....Witten and his pay is not the problem...... when we are full strength we are a 30 pt a game Offense...... maybe give some of Witten's routes to Dez and like you said draft a WR1 but both guys are still the best at their position on the team...... you don't just cut those guys over a few million

We should have learned from that mistake with DWare

This would be fine if we aren't living in a salary cap world.

So, yes, it does matter if we are paying a TE $6.5MM who isn't that productive anymore even if the offense is scoring 30 points a game.

Because maybe, I can get a TE who will do what he does (which isn't a ton anymore) for $3MM and then I can use the other $3.5MM somewhere else to make us better.

 

[Sydla]

I think its time to invest in a WR again. I think a safety, WR, LB are potential first three rounds. If Jaylon continues to improve, that solves middle LB problem, but we have to think beyond Sean Lee. I think we need better safties...heath is a JAG and Jones got benched. everyone we have right now is a rotational player. I wanted us to keep Church and let Williams walk and sign Jeffries. if we had Church, I think Jones would have been much better. he needs a SS type next to him to be effective.

IMO, they are never going to get really high quality MLB play if they continue to try to shoehorn Smith in as the MLB to accommodate Lee.

Smith is a WILL. Not a MIKE.

 

[Drlabon]

This would be fine if we aren't living in a salary cap world.

So, yes, it does matter if we are paying a TE $6.5MM who isn't that productive anymore even if the offense is scoring 30 points a game.

Because maybe, I can get a TE who will do what he does (which isn't a ton anymore) for $3MM and then I can use the other $3.5MM somewhere else to make us better.

But who are you going to go get? To get a serious upgrade will cost you a high draft pick and that assumes it works out. I just think there are other priorities than TE that can be more impactful

 

[Hardline]

Witten isn't on this team because of emotion. He' on this team becase he produces at a high level and is better than 90% of all the TE in the NFL. You don' just "move on" or cut a solid contributor.

 

[haleyrules]

IMVHO, you can want all you like but Dez is not going to take any kind of pay cut. His agent would have a fit. Player's rarely take a pay cut, they ask to be released so they can
get the same money with another team.

If Bryant doesn't take a significant pay cut he is done in Dallas. He has not earned his bloated contract and now that the guaranteed money is gone must face his reality. This is a different Cowboy FO in that regard.

 

[haleyrules]

Good teams don't decide about keeping a player based on emotion unless they don't care about winning because there is an opportunity cost to acting in that way.

Witten retires if the club doesn't make the playoffs.

 

[Drlabon]

If Bryant doesn't take a significant pay cut he is done in Dallas. He has not earned his bloated contract and now that the guaranteed money is gone must face his reality. This is a different Cowboy FO in that regard.

Bryant isn't taking a pay cut this offseason. His contract will not be touched until 2019 until they decide to extend, pay him out, or release as a June 1. Dez future will be judged by his 2018 season

 

[Sydla]

But who are you going to go get? To get a serious upgrade will cost you a high draft pick and that assumes it works out. I just think there are other priorities than TE that can be more impactful

Forget upgrade............. I can get a TE to do what he does for half or a third of the price most likely.

 

[Sydla]

Witten isn't on this team because of emotion. He' on this team becase he produces at a high level and is better than 90% of all the TE in the NFL. You don' just "move on" or cut a solid contributor.

One, he is not producing at a high level anymore.

Two, you "move on" when the TE is making more than he should.

Again, he's not worth $6.5MM next year. I don't have an issue with him back. Just not at that number.

 

[haleyrules]

Bryant isn't taking a pay cut this offseason. His contract will not be touched until 2019 until they decide to extend, pay him out, or release as a June 1. Dez future will be judged by his 2018 season

We shall see. I believe his guaranteed money is done this year...in that case he must face his new reality. He is very vulnerable at this point. I think, if he doesn't take a huge pay cut, he will be released. Simply not worth the payout.

 

[Drlabon]

One, he is not producing at a high level anymore.

Two, you "move on" when the TE is making more than he should.

Again, he's not worth $6.5MM next year. I don't have an issue with him back. Just not at that number.

Who are you going to get to replace him?

 

[Sydla]

Who are you going to get to replace him?

Well, I have Gathers stashed as a potential long term replacement. Swaim and Hanna are good depth guys.

I've said I would do due diligence on Tyler Eifert. He's been hurt and had back issues but he had back surgery and they've said the problem should be fixed. You can probably get him cheap and if he's healthy, he's a real TE that can stretch the defense and give you way more in the passing game than Witten at this point. But he would have to be cheap and you have to really check his medical history. But if cheap, he's worth a flier. I'd also see what Philly does with Burton. I suspect he might get resigned but if he shakes free, I'd be all over him. Another guy who would give way more in the passing game.

If Witten wants to come back at $2.5MM a year............ great. That's an option too.

 

[xwalker]

It absolutely matters when the savings occur....that is the point
Restructuring another contract is not the same deal..... it is a whole new transaction with a different player

You are combing two conversations to try and make cutting Dez look more palatable

There is no cap cost involved with restructuring another contract.

This point is not about Dez. It's about making is it easy to understand the cap impact of keeping or cutting players and how the dead-money is irrelevant in 2018.

If Mayowa was scheduled to make 20M and the dead-money from cutting him was 19M, people would post that they might as well keep him because they only gain 1M by cutting him.

You obviously know that under no circumstance is there a reason to pay Mayowa 20M and that while only 1M is gained in 2018, 19M is gained in 2019 in regards to my example.

 

[Hardline]

One, he is not producing at a high level anymore.

Two, you "move on" when the TE is making more than he should.

Again, he's not worth $6.5MM next year. I don't have an issue with him back. Just not at that number.

He's out producing every TE except for the 7 that's statistically ahead of him this year. He in fact produces at the level when he is targeted.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Mayowa could be cut if a cheaper replacement is found. Otherwise I don't see any of the other names you listed being cut. None offer significant enough savings. The popular name will be Dez but he needs to take a pay cut not actually be cut.

Mayowa can be cut and replaced with a modest FA or mid round draft picks. I'd rather churn a UDFA frankly. He's been worthless this year.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

He's out producing every TE except for the 7 that's statistically ahead of him this year. He in fact produces at the level when he is targeted.

In catches maybe but he is 15th in yards and outside of the top 50 in YPA. He's still got good hands but is a limited threat and a spotty blocker nowadays.

 

[Sydla]

He's out producing every TE except for the 7 that's statistically ahead of him this year. He in fact produces at the level when he is targeted.

In receptions only.

He's 79th in yards per reception
He's 16th in yard per game

Football Outsiders advanced stats have him rated 19th.

He has a Top 10 TE cap hit next year, I believe.

 

[xwalker]

This would be fine if we aren't living in a salary cap world.

So, yes, it does matter if we are paying a TE $6.5MM who isn't that productive anymore even if the offense is scoring 30 points a game.

Because maybe, I can get a TE who will do what he does (which isn't a ton anymore) for $3MM and then I can use the other $3.5MM somewhere else to make us better.

If they can get better production from another TE then they should do it but it's a performance issue not really a cap issue. They're not going to replace Witten with a guy they expect to have the exact same performance. It would be for a player they think will perform better.

In regards to performamce, it's a difficult decision. If they had more juice in the WR core to open things up, then Witten still has some value as a possession receiver; however, the current roster has possession receivers everywhere. Witten, Dez, TWill and Beasley are all possession type receivers.

If the WRs are going to stay the same, then there is a bigger need to replace Witten was a TE that has more speed.

 

[xwalker]

IMO, they are never going to get really high quality MLB play if they continue to try to shoehorn Smith in as the MLB to accommodate Lee.

Smith is a WILL. Not a MIKE.

Based on what?