2023 NFL free agency team-by-team grades: Cowboys earn A-

[Bullflop]

Good work thus far. Additionally, we still need to solidify the OL with better depth to replace Tyron if and when he's unable to play. I could also see how we might draft a promising guard/center to back up Biadasz if he's unable to play. RB and DT should also be highly crucial draft targets.

 

[Rockport]

I don't know. I have a weird theory that you should approach the draft the right way regardless of what you did in free agency.

Screwing up your draft as a response to not doing enough in free agency doesn't seem smart. Seems like something a bad front office or a fan boy would say.

The FO has been killing the draft for the last several years.

 

[InPhiltraitor]

Was the Cowboys “A-” grade given based on some kind of Jones Ineptitude Curve or were they graded equally with the rest of the league?

I was really pleased they were able to keep a few key pieces that I thought were going bye-bye, and I’ll give them credit for dipping a toe in the deep end and collecting a couple quality players. I had hoped for a different option at WR, but hey, I’ll take it give the past quarter century plus of being irrelevant. Besides, many of you have presented a strong enough case to give me hope that I'm wrong about Cooks.

 

[XXLMike]

Why do we need 2 RBs?

Because every team in the league has at least RB right now, we have one.- who is coming off surgery not to mention undersized.

 

[XXLMike]

It’s true

 

[Flamma]

This is more like an off season grade, not a free agency grade, as Dallas hasn't signed any free agents except for their own players. Which is what they do every year.

 

[plasticman]

How many times are we going to feed off this propaganda?

Are we not deceived almost every year by this sham?

What is free agency? The NFL's version is nothing more than players who did not live up to their previous contract or players that have been overvalued by teams other than the ones they played for.

If these players were as good as we think then why are their previous teams unwilling to come to terms?

And, for the record, the Cowboys did practically nothing in free agency other than sign their players they knew were keepers. The players they think will be true contributors were traded for and it's more like they are being borrowed. The Cowboys traded two draft picks for one year of service from Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore. They aren't going to keep Cooks with a 15 million salary cap hit in 2024.

Cooks will be 30 and Gilmore will be 33 in September as the 2023 season gets under way. Therefore, this is not team building, this is temporary patchwork, if it's even that. How many of these veteran free agents end up as disappointments? How many end up on injured reserve early in the season?

In case you think the draft choices were cheap then consider that recent 5th and 6th rounders include Damone Clark, DaRon Bland, Israel Mukuamu, Quentin Bohanna, Donovan Wilson, Cedric Wilson, Xavier Woods.

Since 2010, 5th and 6th round draft picks for the Cowboys have participated in an average of 31 games and rising because 12 of them are still active. Damone Clark Daron Bland, and Donovan Wilson have been starters on this defense.

What potential for these draft picks ae the Cowboys going to be missing for one year of service from older veterans with diminishing skill sets?

 

[T-RO]

We have deep Jones grudges here. Most all of us, me in particular. We have earned our right to rage. Lots of us want to pull some grievance from 15 years ago and rant once again. Burp that anger back up again. Chew on it some more. Spit. Vent. Throw things.

If we reflect on it a bit: Our hot cinder anger makes us all stupid in thinking with our brains versus our ulcers.

But judging it for what it is, objectively: This free agency is A or A+. No other grade is intellectually credible given the limitations of this FA class. And if pressed we must concede the last two Cowboys drafts are surprisingly deft. So productive. Star clusters even.

This was, simply, insanely good, and it's starting to look like a trend.

 

[jazzcat22]

When Cowboys hater Kyle Brandt on GMFB this morning was giving them props...then it is definitely an A+.

 

[jazzcat22]

How many times are we going to feed off this propaganda?

Are we not deceived almost every year by this sham?

In case you think the draft choices were cheap then consider that recent 5th and 6th rounders include Damone Clark, DaRon Bland, Israel Mukuamu, Quentin Bohanna, Donovan Wilson, Cedric Wilson, Xavier Woods.
Since 2010, 5th and 6th round draft picks for the Cowboys have participated in an average of 31 games and rising because 12 of them are still active. Damone Clark Daron Bland, and Donovan Wilson have been starters on this defense.
What potential for these draft picks ae the Cowboys going to be missing for one year of service from older veterans with diminishing skill sets?

The thing is, you will not hit on all those 5th to 7th round picks every year. When you feel you are close to going further in the playoffs. You get these vet players that do have something left to help. As you know what they can do opposed to a late round pick.They tried in the past with the Poe's and others, but now this time it feels so much better.

Is this not what the masses on here want, go get vet player to help to get to the SB like other teams have lately? So they are not the cap killing high price huge name players, but they are known to contribute in a big way.

For every one of those players you mention, there are 1 or 2 players like an Ivie, or Carrell, or Anai.

 

[removed_20241105]

100% absolutely not. any GM that blindly takes bpa every time won’t be gm for long.

I agree with @Risen on this one. They should always take BPA according to their board or then why waste time with a board or window dress it? How many times have they made a choice and Steven says, we didn’t think he would be there but he’s the highest on our board?

I think most GMs actually follow their board and probably lose their jobs more when they stray from it.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

Before Gilmore & Cooks - 8-9 and a Wild Card loss if we sneak in.

After Gilmore & Cooks - 10-7 and MAYBE a Wild Card loss.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

Before Gilmore & Cooks - 8-9 and a Wild Card loss if we sneak in.

After Gilmore & Cooks - 10-7 and MAYBE a Wild Card loss.

We were 12-5 last season with a playoff win, you think losing McGovern and Noah Brown would have made us that much worse? Lmao.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

Tyron restructure - incredible
Zeke cut - awesome
LVE, Dono, and Rush resignings - fantastic
Gallimore and Cooks trades - shrewd and smart

Pollard tag - I wouldn't have done it
Gallup restructure - unnecessary

 

[Silly]

If Dallas can get Turpin on the field as a deep threat WR, they probably don't need Old man Odell. They do need to find a HB, DT, and Ol help.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

We were 12-5 last season with a playoff win, you think losing McGovern and Noah Brown would have made us that much worse? Lmao.

No.

I think the INT leader despite missing 5 games (Dak) playing the whole season makes us that much worst.

Thank you Cooper Rush for leading us to 4 wins.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

No.

I think the INT leader despite missing 5 games (Dak) playing the whole season makes us that much worst.

Thank you Cooper Rush for leading us to 4 wins.

Ahh so you think that our starting QB who had our offense scoring the most points per game in the NFL, not missing games will decrease our win total by multiple games?

It would be hard to come up with a less accurate hypothesis if you tried.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

Ahh so you think that our starting QB who had our offense scoring the most points per game in the NFL, not missing games will decrease our win total by multiple games?

It would be hard to come up with a less accurate hypothesis if you tried.

The less accurate hypothesis would be believeing in anything at all that has failed you 7 years in a row thinking this time he's going to be different.

But hey, you knock yourself out.

 

[Doomsday101]

I'm excited to see the guys the Cowboys brought in but now it falls to the coaching staff to get these guys playing as a team.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

They’ve done a fantastic job. Let’s get some beef in the trenches and I’m feeling really good about sustained success next year

Definitely, if we can get a solid NT, then I think this team will have everything it needs.