2017 Free Agents. Decisions

[CATCH17]

Dallas will definetely sign back Terrance Williams.

 

[T-RO]

Dallas will definetely sign back Terrance Williams.

Really? I'm not saying they wouldn't but why do you feel so certain.

Numbers this year aren't bad, nor particularly impressive...
REC TGT YDS-R AVG LNG TD
29 42 394 13.59 47 2

I like my receivers to feature one particular "super power"
-Jitterbug quickness like cole
-Pure burner speed
-Size and strength like Dez
-return vision and savy like Dwayne Harris

T-Wil has no one true super power.

Other considerations I look at:
-Run after catch
-Salary
- Age/Upside
-Can he go down and make a ST tackle?
-Target area: combined height, arm length and leaping
-Blocking

I just don't see anything compelling with T-Wil. He's good at several things but not great. He is a good dependable guy which counts for something...

His combine 40-time was 4.52 but he doesn't play fast, IMO. Vertical jump (32") is well below average for NFL receiver so he doesn't "play big". He's a body catcher. He rarely gets wide open and he isn't explosive with the ball in his hands. Doesn't offer value in ST.

 

[jamesdojr]

I think after another injured year, Mo will not get a huge offer. I think we resign him to a 1-2 year deal.

Eric Berry. Get him.

If not, keep Barry Church

I look at next draft like we have 2 firsts. And we already made our first pick - Jaylon Smith. This guy will play again. And he is an absolute nightmare.

Use the draft on Defensive Lineman / pass rushers. I like Lawson.

I'd bring back Terrell McClain for the right price. That guy can ball.

I like Justin Durant for a depth guy. He usually has a key play or 2 in a game.

The rest can go...

Here are the 2017 free agents and what I think the Cowboys will do:

Rolando McClain GONE
Morris Claiborne PROBABLY GONE
Ron Leary PROBABLY GONE
Barry Church KEEP HIM OR WILCOX
Mark Sanchez KEEP HIM OR MOORE
Andrew Gachkar PROBABLY GONE
Darren McFadden GONE
Lance Dunbar GONE
Jack Crawford PROBABLY GONE
Gavin Escobar PROBABLY GONE
Terrell McClain PROBABLY GONE
Justin Durant PROBABLY GONE
Johsua Thomas GONE
Terrance Williams GONE
Kellen Moore KEEP HIM OR SANCHEZ
J.J. Wilcox KEEP HIM OR CHURCH
Brice Butler PROBABLY GONE

The only big issue I see here is with the secondary.

Claiborne will get a big check when there are 32 teams bidding on him. I suspect the Cowboys will make efforts to sign him, but the price will get too high. Fortunately we have Brown and Scandrick. Will need a CB in the draft or FA.

Wilcox/Church. I would think the Cowboys will go hard to retain one of the two, probably Church. I suspect the salary needed won't be too painful.

Butler and Williams ultimately are JAGs. Keep or replace won't make much difference. I'd sure like the cowboys to get a WR/KR when they replace.

Kellen Moore could be retained on a minimum contract...so maybe it's him over Sanchez.

McClain and Crawford. I'll defer to other posters as I don't have a meaningful evaluation on these guys. But this upcoming draft is purported rich on defense ends. Tapper will also hopefully be contributing. McClain is a starter on our depth chart but is more of a rotational player, IMO.

 

[T-RO]

I think after another injured year, Mo will not get a huge offer. I think we resign him to a 1-2 year deal..

Lots of guys with question marks get huge money in free agency and Mo will get a big hunk of cheese.

32 teams out there and they all need at least 3 good cornerbacks. A minimum of 12 teams will be looking around for a corner and the power of auction bidding will do the rest to escalate his value.

Claiborne played VERY well early in the season. There will be a team or two or three willing to on Claiborne's risks in hopes of getting a top-20 corner.

 

[StarBoyz83]

I'd probably resign mo for 3-4mil a year.

 

[T-RO]

I'd probably resign mo for 3-4mil a year.

Then you won't be re-signing Mo.

 

[cej757]

After listening to Jerry talk about Leary on the Fan this morning he sounded like Collins is gonna be the guy they're going with in the future. They mentioned something about possibly moving Collins to right tackle and Jerry pretty much shut that idea down.

 

[bsbellomy]

You forgot to also mention that Tyrone Crawford will also be a free agent because he is getting cut.

 

[dallasdave]

Here are the 2017 free agents and what I think the Cowboys will do:

Rolando McClain GONE
Morris Claiborne PROBABLY GONE
Ron Leary PROBABLY GONE
Barry Church KEEP HIM OR WILCOX
Mark Sanchez KEEP HIM OR MOORE
Andrew Gachkar PROBABLY GONE
Darren McFadden GONE
Lance Dunbar GONE
Jack Crawford PROBABLY GONE
Gavin Escobar PROBABLY GONE
Terrell McClain PROBABLY GONE
Justin Durant PROBABLY GONE
Johsua Thomas GONE
Terrance Williams GONE
Kellen Moore KEEP HIM OR SANCHEZ
J.J. Wilcox KEEP HIM OR CHURCH
Brice Butler PROBABLY GONE

The only big issue I see here is with the secondary.

Claiborne will get a big check when there are 32 teams bidding on him. I suspect the Cowboys will make efforts to sign him, but the price will get too high. Fortunately we have Brown and Scandrick. Will need a CB in the draft or FA.

Wilcox/Church. I would think the Cowboys will go hard to retain one of the two, probably Church. I suspect the salary needed won't be too painful.

Butler and Williams ultimately are JAGs. Keep or replace won't make much difference. I'd sure like the cowboys to get a WR/KR when they replace.

Kellen Moore could be retained on a minimum contract...so maybe it's him over Sanchez.

McClain and Crawford. I'll defer to other posters as I don't have a meaningful evaluation on these guys. But this upcoming draft is purported rich on defense ends. Tapper will also hopefully be contributing. McClain is a starter on our depth chart but is more of a rotational player, IMO.

Good write up and info.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I think a more interesting conversation would be what guys under contract could be released in the offseason to clear cap space/not be a progress stopper.

 

[waving monkey]

Here are the 2017 free agents and what I think the Cowboys will do:

Rolando McClain GONE
Morris Claiborne PROBABLY GONE
Ron Leary PROBABLY GONE
Barry Church KEEP HIM OR WILCOX
Mark Sanchez KEEP HIM OR MOORE
Andrew Gachkar PROBABLY GONE
Darren McFadden GONE
Lance Dunbar GONE
Jack Crawford PROBABLY GONE
Gavin Escobar PROBABLY GONE
Terrell McClain PROBABLY GONE
Justin Durant PROBABLY GONE
Johsua Thomas GONE
Terrance Williams GONE
Kellen Moore KEEP HIM OR SANCHEZ
J.J. Wilcox KEEP HIM OR CHURCH
Brice Butler PROBABLY GONE

The only big issue I see here is with the secondary.

Claiborne will get a big check when there are 32 teams bidding on him. I suspect the Cowboys will make efforts to sign him, but the price will get too high. Fortunately we have Brown and Scandrick. Will need a CB in the draft or FA.

Wilcox/Church. I would think the Cowboys will go hard to retain one of the two, probably Church. I suspect the salary needed won't be too painful.

Butler and Williams ultimately are JAGs. Keep or replace won't make much difference. I'd sure like the cowboys to get a WR/KR when they replace.

Kellen Moore could be retained on a minimum contract...so maybe it's him over Sanchez.

McClain and Crawford. I'll defer to other posters as I don't have a meaningful evaluation on these guys. But this upcoming draft is purported rich on defense ends. Tapper will also hopefully be contributing. McClain is a starter on our depth chart but is more of a rotational player, IMO.

Thats a lot of bodies to let go in one off season plus there is Zach Martin contract to consider. They can let him play out his contract and franchise him I guess,I don't think so.I think they keep three QB's. I'm glad to read this upcoming draft is rich in DE's I've been wondering about that.

 

[waving monkey]

I think a more interesting conversation would be what guys under contract could be released in the offseason to clear cap space/not be a progress stopper.

have you got any thoughts on who they might consider releasing

 

[waving monkey]

I'd probably resign mo for 3-4mil a year.

not enough ,i would think . even with injury history

 

[MichaelWinicki]

have you got any thoughts on who they might consider releasing

Off the top of my head, based on the savings the Cowboys would get by releasing them prior to June 1st...

Romo $5.1 mil
Free $5 mil
Hanna $1.5 mil
Morris $1.7 mil

Releasing guys like Scandrick & T. Crawford doesn't do anything for improving the Cowboys' cap situation.

 

[StarBoyz83]

Then you won't be re-signing Mo.

Then he can walk

 

[StarBoyz83]

not enough ,i would think . even with injury history

Then I'd let him go

 

[T-RO]

Thats a lot of bodies to let go in one off season...

At first glance it seems like a lot of players, but it's really not.

There are 17 free agents, but of those
-Five or Six have had no or very little impact
-Three or four have had modest impact
-Only a few are integral contributors

When you consider the normal turnover for any NFL team...this isn't bad at all.

 

[mattjames2010]

Cowboys did massively well in grabbing Leary as an undrafted player. He was viewed as an injury risk from day 1, but team saw potential and have been massively rewarded. The production per dollar has been off the charts.

Ron an interesting one to watch hitting the open market. Are teams still worried about his longterm health? Will someone offer him a big long term contract?

Leary will get a big contract. He's part of the best line in football, that alone even if he played average would net him a decent contract. The fact that he plays at a good level, as a run blocker at least, he'll go somewhere in desperate need for O-Line help.

There are teams with franchise QBs getting killed weekly that will be in the running for him.

 

[mattjames2010]

Unless a big time CB is cut unexpectedly, we'll be bringing back Carr and Mo. The biggest mistake in the offseason we made was not signing Casey Hayward when we had interest. I simply just don't like the FA market for CBs this year, but we might get lucky and one of the top CBs on the market may not re-sign with their teams. Johnson and Kirkpatrick should be watched. But either way, either Carr or Claiborne is coming back.

 

[T-RO]

Then he can walk

Maybe Claiborne departs, but no way in hell I'd let him depart if the price was only 3-4 mil and the Cowboys won't either! You won't find a proven corner in free agency for less than $4mil per year.

Morris got 3 million this pass offseason because he'd never shown anything. This year he has shown show real ability.

Pro Football Focus has him rated as a Top-10 cornerback in the league this year with a score of 84.3 on the season. He's rated out good in pass protection and against the run.

Claiborne can cement his value if he comes back in the next few weeks and continues his fine play, though he'll probably be playing with some residual limitation.