News: 2014 NFL Free Agent Listing

[Texas_Pete]

Any chance the Cowboys pickup any significant FAs this year? There are some FAs out there that could really help us. I'm no cap guru, but maybe after we make a few obvious cuts (i.e. Austin) and restructures (i.e. Ware) - who knows - maybe we can be active this year? Hope so.

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[jrumann59]

for vet mins I would give Britt a shot, and Fred Davis.

 

[sureletsrace]

$100 says the Cowboys sign a former Cowboy.

 

[xwalker]

The 2014 cap is not an issue. Free Agent decisions will be based on how it affects the cap in future years.

They could fit at least 2 contracts like Carr's (50 million total) under the 2014 cap.

 

[StarBoyz83]

We need to some how sign arthur Jones.

 

[conner01]

i think there will be some surprise with this years free agency signings. many don't get that we will be able financially to sign players. the key is signing the right ones who can really help. but financially it's not going to be a major issue. we are'nt signing a dozen but if a couple of guys fit our needs then we will be able to work it out

 

[yentl911]

Arakpo would be a nice addition.......no chance to afford him though

 

[FiveRings]

Byrd, please. Seems like we've been talking about getting him for two seasons now. He'd be a hell of an upgrade over the safeties we were putting out there this year

 

[BigStar]

The 2014 cap is not an issue. Free Agent decisions will be based on how it affects the cap in future years.

They could fit at least 2 contracts like Carr's (50 million total) under the 2014 cap.

Hope they go the smaller contract route but yeah you proved that it is definitely manageable in other posts, etc. Ware should really be forced to take a pay cut or be released. Romo restructuring gives the most relief, Lee's base can be converted, but what if the team doesn't restructure Carr? What is the team looking at without Carr in play (this season he has to regain form)?

 

[xwalker]

Hope they go the smaller contract route but yeah you proved that it is definitely manageable in other posts, etc. Ware should really be forced to take a pay cut or be released. Romo restructuring gives the most relief, Lee's base can be converted, but what if the team doesn't restructure Carr? What is the team looking at without Carr in play (this season he has to regain form)?

If a player is going to be on the team in 2014, then there is no downside to restructuring his contract. A veteran's salary is guaranteed if they're on the roster for game 1. A restructure just guarantees most of his salary in March. If the have unused cap space, they can rol it over to next year.

In regards to Carr specifically, it would be too big of a cap hit to cut him in 2014. Besides, he is only 27 and played well in 2012. He played well in some games in 2013. I expect him to rebound in 2014. It will be the 2nd year in the scheme for all players that remain and there should be some talent added through the draft and possibly free agency.

 

[Alexander]

Byrd, please. Seems like we've been talking about getting him for two seasons now. He'd be a hell of an upgrade over the safeties we were putting out there this year

I would be extremely surprised if spend the few cap dollars we will comfortably have or if we used a high draft choice on a safety for that matter.

If you look at the history of the systems in Tampa, Chicago and Indianapolis, it was always filled with a middle round type, except for the time the Bears got burned spending a lot of money on Adam Archuleta. I would not be shocked if they pass on the position entirely.

I like Byrd as a player, but I do not want the safety version of Brandon Carr. We need to improve the line. It cannot be said enough.

 

[FiveRings]

I would be extremely surprised if spend the few cap dollars we will comfortably have or if we used a high draft choice on a safety for that matter.

If you look at the history of the systems in Tampa, Chicago and Indianapolis, it was always filled with a middle round type, except for the time the Bears got burned spending a lot of money on Adam Archuleta. I would not be shocked if they pass on the position entirely.

I like Byrd as a player, but I do not want the safety version of Brandon Carr. We need to improve the line. It cannot be said enough.

I disagree. Tampa Bay had Lynch who was a very good player. Also, if you look at our secondary and D-Line, the D-Line can be pretty good, even if no work is done (let's hope we don't take that risk, but still)
Ware, Hatcher, Crawford ?Spencer? and Hayden can be decent.

Our safeties, on the other hand, aren't "middle round type" players, they played, at least this season, as some of the worst defensive backs in the league. We haven't had a formidable safety since Roy. That needs to change

 

[RastaRocket]

So many names, so little possibilities.

 

[Alexander]

I disagree. Tampa Bay had Lynch who was a very good player. Also, if you look at our secondary and D-Line, the D-Line can be pretty good, even if no work is done (let's hope we don't take that risk, but still)
Ware, Hatcher, Crawford ?Spencer? and Hayden can be decent.

Our safeties, on the other hand, aren't "middle round type" players, they played, at least this season, as some of the worst defensive backs in the league. We haven't had a formidable safety since Roy. That needs to change

If you are thinking like our front office, I pray for our season.

Hayden absolutely cannot be "decent". He's a liability if he plays the majority of the snaps. We have no, as in zip, zero, nada, butkus, candidates on the roster that can be the difference making 3-technique that line needs. We have a question mark, and a huge one at left defensive end.

And when you say "formidable safety" and Roy, in the same sentence, and do not preface it with "in his rookie season", I can truly discount the most of what you say.

 

[AsthmaField]

The Cowboys are going to be able to get some help in free agency if they want to. I do like to get low to mid range priced free agents typically, but there are a few guys that will be high priced that I kind of wish they'd make a run at (one of them).

One thing that I would insist upon is relative youth for any big contract given out.

It remains to be seen who will use the franchise tag, or will resign their own player before he hits the market, but there are a couple of really good, fairly young safeties that could hit the market in TJ Ward and Jarrius Byrd. Byrd in particular would change the entire secondary with his ball awareness and range. Ward is a pounder in run support, but he's a really good all around player. Get one of those guys and let all the holdovers compete for the other safety spot.

Greg Hardy is a terrific player and I seriously doubt Carolina lets him get out of town, but if he does hit the open market, I would pull out all stops to try to get him in Dallas as the Strongside DE. He's 25 years old, is big, strong, and agile at 6-4, 290, and his contract would pay him less in 2014 than we paid Spencer last year. IMO, Hardy is the premier SDE in the NFL. We could let Spencer go, and let low priced Tyrone Crawford backup Hardy and give him breaks. Crawford (6-4, 280) and Hardy (6-4, 290) would make a huge, physical strong side and would provide a very good pass rush from that spot.

George Selvie plays better from the weakside, so if we keep Ware, Selvie could play behind him. Or he could compete with a draft pick for playing time behind Ware.

By simply getting Hardy, Dallas could solidify both DE positions and would be able to focus on DT in the early rounds of the draft.

However, I really doubt Carolina lets Hardy get away.

Also, there is Henry Melton who will probably get away from Chicago. His leg will really have to be checked out, but if we can get him at a reasonable cost because of his injury, I wouldn't mind us taking a look at him, assuming our doctors think he is going to be ok. Players come back all the time from knee surgery these days and Chicago is changing schemes and probably won't make a big push for him. Having said that, I wouldn't go real expensive with him. It would have to be reasonable.

Another guy is Ziggy Hood. I honestly don't know how he has done in Pitt, but I remember liking him when he came out of college. I thought at the time that he would have been a lot better in a 4-3 defense and was a little surprised that Pitt wanted him as a 3-4 DE. To me, he was a penetrating 4-3 DT, but that was a while back so I'm not real sure about him.

 

[BigStar]

I disagree. Tampa Bay had Lynch who was a very good player. Also, if you look at our secondary and D-Line, the D-Line can be pretty good, even if no work is done (let's hope we don't take that risk, but still)
Ware, Hatcher, Crawford ?Spencer? and Hayden can be decent.

Our safeties, on the other hand, aren't "middle round type" players, they played, at least this season, as some of the worst defensive backs in the league. We haven't had a formidable safety since Roy. That needs to change

I agree with addressing safety but not for the sake of the DL. I'm just tired of the team treating S like an afterthought (Wilcox--talented but small school program) and think it could stabilize this secondary w/o breaking the bank.

 

[BigStar]

If a player is going to be on the team in 2014, then there is no downside to restructuring his contract. A veteran's salary is guaranteed if they're on the roster for game 1. A restructure just guarantees most of his salary in March. If the have unused cap space, they can rol it over to next year.

In regards to Carr specifically, it would be too big of a cap hit to cut him in 2014. Besides, he is only 27 and played well in 2012. He played well in some games in 2013. I expect him to rebound in 2014. It will be the 2nd year in the scheme for all players that remain and there should be some talent added through the draft and possibly free agency.

Carr certainly has talent and think he would benefit from more man coverage (not 1 on 1 CJ every week style) but definitely not giving up on him. Hopefully Wilcox/FA can allow more man cover 1 options to help with the Run D (Church in the box/manned on TE). Thanks for the info/clarification.

 

[locked&loaded]

Any chance the Cowboys pickup any significant FAs this year? There are some FAs out there that could really help us. I'm no cap guru, but maybe after we make a few obvious cuts (i.e. Austin) and restructures (i.e. Ware) - who knows - maybe we can be active this year? Hope so.

LINK

Jacoby Jones (pr/kr/wr)..Dex Mccluster(wr/rb/kr/pr)...Mike Neal (dend/dline)...Michael Johnson (dend)..Ropati Pitoitua (dt)..Desmond Bishop (lb)..

I would take a look at these guys...personally

 

[tecolote]

I wuold not sign anyone of note this free agency. Just free up some cap space and get healthier capwise. Dallas has to think about Dez and Tyron, their contracts will be up soon.

Just sign a couple of veterans for short cheap contracts, like Waters and Abraham, draft defense and hope for the best.

 

[Kristen82]

Hope we can get a vet WR with speed like a Jacoby Jones or Joe Morgan or Andre Roberts etc. for cheap