2018: 23 years old; 4 years; 60 Million; 45 GTD

gimmesix said:

This is also a good example of the importance of striking quickly and drafting replacements.

The Connor McGovern pick likely gives us the opportunity to replace La'el Collins at right tackle instead of giving him an expensive deal. Now, it's much harder to replace All-Pros like Smith, Martin and Frederick, which is why you ultimately end up paying them.

However, just like Jones' statement about going cheap on the line because of Romo was a failure, thinking we can go routinely replace stars at other positions because of the line is doomed for failure. Tyron Smith is already wearing down because of back issues. Frederick missed last season with GBS. We've got to strengthen the team around this line before it goes the way of other great players that team failed because of poor personnel choices or coaching.

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TwoDeep3 said:

Yes, taking advice from someone so myopically tunnel visioned regurgitating football bromides while ignoring this game is cyclical is the smart move for me.

The one thing about watching this team since the very first game against the Steelers is you have a history to draw on. How teams chase the latest and greatest thing until someone else comes up with a way to stop it. We see this right here when Dallas was lights out in 2016 and then defenses started playing near the line of scrimmage.

No running back who won the season rushing title ever went on to lead his team in winning that year's SB.

Until Emmitt did it three times. Used to be players had jobs in the off season. They came in fat and out of shape. Hence the long training camps. There was a time the receivers were big. Then the Smurfs. Now it is moving back to big. Linebackers were big and slow. TE's were mainly blockers. But all that has changed.

And the cap does not prevent a team from winning.

But what is a consistent is championship teams are built around play makers. Skill positions get paid the most because they put points on the board.

You can argue with yourself now, Spunky.

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northerncowboynation said:

Super glad you have no signing authority @mmohican29

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Corso said:

People think so linearly.

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mattjames2010 said:

1. No, I didn't. Nothing about the NFL is "easy", I listed two most probable ways to win a Super Bowl, I gave the easier route to go down - that's getting a franchise QB. Building an elite defense and keeping it together is tougher, not sure why this is controversial or difficult to understand - but moving on.

2. No, the Cowboys defense was not elite in 2018. It was actually quite a down year in terms of defenses as a whole last year, not sure a single one I would say was "elite".

3. It is very much a dopey Stephen Jones quote, but even he turns around in the same breath and says he's worried about reasonable contracts. Cap matters, and we were in a funk for years because Jerry and Stephen thought they could outsmart the system, they didn't.

4. LOL you want to rely on the outliers of outliers? A GOAT QB paired with a GOAT HC?

5. The Patriots have Tom Brady, the best QB in the league.

The Patriots can afford losing defensive players BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE GREATEST QUARTERBACK AND COACH IN HISTORY OF THE NFL. Of course they can afford to lose freakin' players, dude, we are working with an Alex Smith clone and Garrett LOL

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1. Patriots defense holds one of the Greatest Offensive teams of all time to just 17 points to allow the FG Kicker to win it at the last minute
   
2. Brady had a great game, and the defense did not hold. Again, needing a FG Kicker to win it all in the last minute, again
3. The Patriots win again, but not at the last minute this time. I wonder if the 3 point win had anything to do with McNabb choking (or puking) the game away with 3 Ints
4. Arguably the biggest choke in NFL history as the undefeated Patriots, with their all-time great offense, put up a mere 14 points in a 17-14 loss to Eli
5. The "revenge" Super Bowl were "The GOAT" Tom was only able to put up 17 points against Eli's 21
6. Patriots win due to Seattle's stupidity at refusing to run it on 2nd and Goal, from the 1, with 1 TO left, and "Beast Mode" as the RB for the GW TD, only to have the Defense bail Tom out again
7. I could call this a choke job by Atlanta, but I will give full credit to Tom for leading the offense back from being down 21-3 at half time to make an historic comeback
8. Was able to cap off his largest margin of victory in his SB history (at least so far) but it was far less about the offensive output (13 points) and more about defensive domination (3 points allowed)

• a iron nerved kicker
• a defense that held great offenses in check multiple times
  
• and arguably the most idiotic coaching decision in NFL history

• "there's no way we can win a Super Bowl because me made Zeke the highest paid RB in the NFL"
• "how can we pay Amari so much because top WRs don't win Super Bowls"
• "the Jones' cursed the Cowboys by signing Dak to a top-5 QB deal"

Hennessy_King said:

ooooooo sleazeside lol. That's what we call it any way. Go to point pleasant much better bar scene with better females if you go, go to jenks. Both decent boardwalks.

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QuincyCarterEra said:

The ones that think Zeke is the exception and we should sign him to the largest RB contract are wrong.

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cern said:

Since we picked up the option, he's ours thru 2020. The only potential problem is a holdout.

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SackMaster said:

1. How many franchise QBs would you say are out there in the NFL in any given year? Yet that is easier than putting together an elite defense? Interesting.

2. I would not call either defenses elite either, but both were Top-10 in scoring D, which is pretty darn good. Good enough to win anyways.

3. You know the biggest single reason why the Cowboys have had cap issues in the past are attributed to? Injuries. Not bad signings, but guys they signing or trading for that ending up having severe or career ending injuries.

4. Yet without that pairing taking up almost half of the Super Bowl spots during their time together, there is a chance that a Top WR and/or Top RB, two positions that the Patriots do not value, could have won a Super Bowl. Just like when the Cowboys were winning in the 90's, it was "clear" you needed a Top WR (Irvin) and Top RB (Smith) to win it all. Trends come and go man, especially when there is a dynasty driving those trends.

5. Despite being the best QB in the league, lets look at all the Patriot Super Bowls

1. Patriots defense holds one of the Greatest Offensive teams of all time to just 17 points to allow the FG Kicker to win it at the last minute
   
2. Brady had a great game, and the defense did not hold. Again, needing a FG Kicker to win it all in the last minute, again
3. The Patriots win again, but not at the last minute this time. I wonder if the 3 point win had anything to do with McNabb choking (or puking) the game away with 3 Ints
4. Arguably the biggest choke in NFL history as the undefeated Patriots, with their all-time great offense, put up a mere 14 points in a 17-14 loss to Eli
5. The "revenge" Super Bowl were "The GOAT" Tom was only able to put up 17 points against Eli's 21
6. Patriots win due to Seattle's stupidity at refusing to run it on 2nd and Goal, from the 1, with 1 TO left, and "Beast Mode" as the RB for the GW TD, only to have the Defense bail Tom out again
7. I could call this a choke job by Atlanta, but I will give full credit to Tom for leading the offense back from being down 21-3 at half time to make an historic comeback
8. Was able to cap off his largest margin of victory in his SB history (at least so far) but it was far less about the offensive output (13 points) and more about defensive domination (3 points allowed)

Some may look at that list and think "damn, SackMaster is a Tom Brady hater" and the list would be a great argument for that take. BUT .... what I am HOPING what people will see is that despite being the G.O.A.T. NFL QB, without

• a iron nerved kicker
• a defense that held great offenses in check multiple times
  
• and arguably the most idiotic coaching decision in NFL history

Even with the GOAT QB, the Patriots could EASILY be 1-7 in the Super Bowl with the only "Tom carried the team" Super Bowl win being against the Falcons.

That's why the NFL is so great. It is the one major American sport where a single player CANNOT carry a team for an entire season. Without a good kicker, good luck. Without a good defense, nice try. Without a good offense, fat chance. Without a good coach, bahahahahaha.

That is why a Doug Williams, Trent Dilfer, Brad Johnson, Joe Flacco and Nick Foles can be Super Bowl winning QBs, while guys like "Record Breaking" Tom Brady, Payton Manning, John Elway and Dan Mario are Super Bowl losing QBs.

It is NOT all about the QB.
But how many Super Bowls does the Patriots have without Tom Brady?

It is NOT all about the RB.
But how many Super Bowls does the Cowboys have without Emmitt Smith?

It is NOT all about the WR.
But how many Super Bowls does the 49ers have without Jerry Rice?

It is NOT all about the Defense.
But how many Super Bowls does the Steelers have without the Steele Curtain?

Yet take away the Defense or Kicker from Tom Brady's Patriots, do they withstand the offensive powerhouses they faced?

Take away Aikman-to-Irvin from the Cowboys offense, is the offense nearly as potent and deadly?

Take away the west-coast offense that the 49ers perfected, can they win SBs with two different QBs?

Take away Steelers' amazing WR catches (Swann and Holmes), would their defense have been enough?

I know at this point, I beat a dead horse to death, but some people just don't get it.

In closing, if you want to cry that

• "there's no way we can win a Super Bowl because me made Zeke the highest paid RB in the NFL"
• "how can we pay Amari so much because top WRs don't win Super Bowls"
• "the Jones' cursed the Cowboys by signing Dak to a top-5 QB deal"

I served 5 years in the military to protect your right to whine like a baby (although JOKINGLY I do regret that sometimes)

But that does not mean that any single, combination of, or all of them happening automatically keeps the Cowboys from being able to compete for a Lombardi.

Yet by stating so, all you are doing is giving yourself a 31 of 32 chance about bragging how you were right all this time every single year. So I will say, congratulations for sticking your neck out there against such "terrible" odds.

As for me? The Cowboys are going to do what the Cowboys do regardless of what a "internet troll" thinks. That is part of the reason they make millions and I have yet to hit 6 figures a year. And when the season comes, I will root for them, even for the guys I don't particularly like *cough* Garrett *cough* and deep down, truly hope that he can figuratively tell me to "**** Internet Troll, let the coaches coach, and let what ever people like you do, continue to do". I will still walk around with a smile on my face happily displaying Cowboys colors and any Super Bowl winning merchandise.

And for the sake of your well being, I hope you can do the same.

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Hardline said:

Zeke is built like an iron wrecking ball.
He will have longevity in this league . He is worth the investment.

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Toruk_Makto said:

That is what the Rams signed up for this time last year.

And now....



The point?

RB is the most wasteful position to invest heavily in. Period.

The Rams are 1 year into a new deal for Gurley and in their heart of hearts they're counting down the days until 2022 when they can get out from under the it.

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CowboysFaninHouston said:

they do. no denying. I am not worried about paying big dollars, more so on guaranteed dollars and how many years...if he gets a 90 million 5 year contract but guaranteed for 36 million 3 years...that's a good deal for a RB like Zeke.

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buybuydandavis said:

Another point to take is that you don't run grind your all star back into hamburger as a "bell cow". Let someone else take touches, particularly between the tackles. And use him as a decoy to take attention away from other players.

Dak, Olawale, Austin, Pollard. Lots of run threats on the field *with* Zeke. Throwing isn't the only alternative to something other than running Zeke. We can run someone else. And should.

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Kaiser said:

You can post anything, but if you post "Don't extend Prescott because, well....., umm......, RGIII" then I'm going to post the same replies.

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Rockport said:

I’m just pointing out that there are exceptions. You implied investing in any RB is a mistake.

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CowboyRoy said:

This all goes in line with the theory that you DONT take a RB high or especially with the 4th pick in the draft. Because then you are more apt to have to resign him to make that investment work.

We don't HAVE to pay Zeke for another two years. He has 2 years left. Then you can franchise him for two years. See where we are in two years. Could be a big difference from now. Run him into the ground until then.

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Toruk_Makto said:

I'd love for you to quote where i've made this or any similar statement as part of my reasoning in not wanting to sign Dak to a monster deal.

You're entitled to your own opinions but not your own facts.

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Kaiser said:

That was an analogy to this stupid Zeke thread, but somehow your keen analytical skills missed it.

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