One of the most important lessons any decent NFL front office understands is this:
the most important ability after playing ability is RELIABILITY. The recent problems we are having trying to upgrade our talent at DL are directly related to Jerry’s foolish habit of relying on talented but unreliable players for too long.
In fact one of the cornerstones of building a championship team (or any organization of excellence) is the idea that you only
build with reliable people. I believe in giving anyone a second chance. But not 4th, 5th chances. Being too accepting of unreliable people because of their potential is a cancer if you let it stick around.
When the Cowboys drafted Randy Gregory in 2015 with their 2nd round pick, it was well known that he had major problems with bipolar depression, weed and alcohol. I don’t knock Randy Gregory for that. He has major life challenges that are way more important than football. But the Cowboys have had 4 seasons to decide on what he is and it’s way past time to say goodbye. RG has now been suspended four times, the latest being indefinite. This isn’t three strikes, it’s four.
David Irving is another guy with a checkered past that we counted on for three seasons because of his enormous talent. But like Randy Gregory his off the field habits and problems could not keep him from being suspended. After his latest suspension, the FO finally said enough is enough.
But look at the effects of relying on the unreliable:
- Caused us to Draft Taco Charleton in 2017- a guy we probably wouldn’t have taken had we already said bye to RG, or maybe if we had never drafted RG in the first place.
- We are currently trying to make a deal (and use needed cap space) to acquire a guy like Robert Quinn because of no RG and/or DI. Cause and effect.
- If we end up using cap space to solve the lack of DE help, it may have effects with cap space for some other players we need and want to keep.
The bottom line is this: This Owner/GM/FO’s willingness to give talented players with multiple suspensions and consistent off field problems too many chances has a ripple effect on how you draft and address free agency.
It’s ok to give second chances to talented people. But stop there. Or you will be creating new problems rather than solving current ones.
The premise is wrong. The Cowboys never RELIED on David Irving or Randy Gregory. They always had others to play in their stead. What they did was take a chance on some supremely talented players. Irving was a guy they plucked off the Chiefs practice squad. I don't understand why anyone is bent out of shape about the Cowboys giving the guy a chance. Gregory was a projected top 10 pick, but the Cowboys didn't take him until pick 60, late in the 2nd round. That's a reasonable risk. But when you look at their personnel, the Cowboys have never put themselves in a position of relying on either player. Even last year, with Gregory finally breaking into the starting lineup, they had Charlton, Armstrong, and Crawford available to take over if Gregory got suspended.
As for Taco Charlton, the scouting report on him was that he'd take at least 3 years to develop and that the upside was a Justin Tuck type of guy. In the past 9 drafts, they've missed on 2 first round picks - Claiborne and Charlton. That is a 77.8% success rate - much higher than the typical 50% bust rate for first round picks. Personally, I would have picked Awuzie in the 1st round, but they were trying to build depth at DE. It is still possible that Charlton takes a step up in his 3rd season.
Even now, Gregory is a low risk player. His contract rolled over, so this is his final year on a rookie contract. If he isn't allowed to play this year, then his contract will roll over again. After that, he'll be a restricted free agent, who the Cowboys can sign cheaply. As for Irving, he quit because he doesn't like football, and it was never his dream to play. That's a choice a free man in America gets to make. He hasn't cost the Cowboys anything for giving him a chance. It's not like having Irving stopped them from acquiring other players.
Finally, getting to Robert Quinn. He'd be a wise signing even if Gregory had not gotten suspended again. Blame the lack of development of Taco Charlton for that. But with Lawrence wanting to break the bank, getting Quinn is a good idea. Sign Quinn for a moderate 3-year deal, and it gives the Cowboys the option of letting Lawrence walk after this season, and collecting a 3rd round compensation pick. Quinn is still only 28 years old, and is a better scheme fit in Dallas than in Miami. And he might even be a better pure pass rusher than Lawrence, though not as good against the run.
All this wailing and gnashing of teeth over disappointing players is fruitless. They are disappointing because they never lived up to their potential. But if the team never relied exclusively on them, which the Cowboys did not, and if the cost was low, which it was, then it is more satisfying to be thankful for the flashes of excellence they provided than it is to be bitter over the lost opportunities. Without them, the Cowboys would have had some mediocre play ALL the time, instead of only part of the time. In other words, even with the disappointment, the Cowboys only gained. They didn't lose.
Put another way, the going rate in the NFL is $1M per sack per season. Randy Gregory's rookie contract is under $4M. He's only been paid $2.36M for 7 sacks, a little over $300K per sack, which is a bargain. Gregory's total compensation is less than the signing bonuses the Cowboys gave to Nolan Carroll and Allen Hurns, neither of whom have delivered the value Gregory has. It is less than the Cowboys paid Tavon Austin last season for 8 receptions.
David Irving has cost the Cowboys $3.58M for 7 sacks and 5 forced fumbles. Again, that is about $300K per splash play - a bargain in the NFL. So it is sad that these two players have had issues that kept them from achieving what they are capable of doing. But the cost has been very low in NFL terms, and they've more than compensated the Cowboys for the investment made.
So, if you must, mourn the lost potential. But don't believe for a second that this has been a net negative experience for the Cowboys. They've more than recouped their investment.
