Archer: Cowboys face toughest offseason

[jterrell]

This off-season is undoubtedly tough.
You have cap limitations and pick in the middle of every round, not at the top.

But get out of here with it being the toughest or hardest in the league.

Dallas has far more pieces than most spare teams.
Of guys that actually helped last year they lose 1, Jason Hatcher.

Dallas has 4 young plus starters: Sean Lee, Demarco Murray and the franchise caliber LT and WR; Smith and Bryant.
Any club would that that young group to start with.
You can arguably add Frederick to that group already.

Dallas needs to draft well but not miraculously.
They dont need elite just about 3/4 solid NFL starters. --which is why a trade down again appeals

As to the cap stuff... they are going to lose 1 guy because of the cap: Hatcher.
They will face tough decisions like most clubs but if you think Oakland, Washington or Miami wouldn't take this roster going into the off-season you are absolutely nuts.

 

[Nirvana]

Stephen Jones is chuckling and saying thanks for playing.

 

[pancakeman]

He will try to win now as long as he has a QB he feels can get them their. Granted that gets highly debated around here if Romo can help lead this team to a championship but the only opinion that matters on that is the franchise view of Romo.
Jerry has given his views on this and so has Stephen so as long as they continue to think Romo can do the job Dallas will try to win now.

This is true.

 

[LatinMind]

This off-season is undoubtedly tough.
You have cap limitations and pick in the middle of every round, not at the top.

But get out of here with it being the toughest or hardest in the league.

Dallas has far more pieces than most spare teams.
Of guys that actually helped last year they lose 1, Jason Hatcher.

Dallas has 4 young plus starters: Sean Lee, Demarco Murray and the franchise caliber LT and WR; Smith and Bryant.
Any club would that that young group to start with.
You can arguably add Frederick to that group already.

Dallas needs to draft well but not miraculously.
They dont need elite just about 3/4 solid NFL starters. --which is why a trade down again appeals

As to the cap stuff... they are going to lose 1 guy because of the cap: Hatcher.
They will face tough decisions like most clubs but if you think Oakland, Washington or Miami wouldn't take this roster going into the off-season you are absolutely nuts.

But people seem to think we are the weird ones for thinking like this.

 

[Zman5]

We may not be the most talented team but this team could have been a playoff team past 3 years if it had a HC that didn't have major brain farts that lost us few games each season.

We are not in the best position talent wise but we are also not as bad as people are making us out to be.

We just need few key players (Romo, Lee, Murray, Ware) to remain healthy for the full season. Most of the the teams are in the same boat.

 

[Super_Kazuya]

We may not be the most talented team but this team could have been a playoff team past 3 years if it had a HC that didn't have major brain farts that lost us few games each season.

I thought when teams that weren't very talented were in position to make the playoffs that that was pretty much all coaching? Maybe it was the great, deep roster provided by Jerry?

 

[coult44]

But people seem to think we are the weird ones for thinking like this.

98% of people who do this for a living think opposite of you. JJ, and his sons make up the other two %. If it were 50/50, I'd give your thinking a bit more credit. But absolutely nobody in the business of the NFL thinks we are in any kind of decent shape.

 

[Seven]

This is all this franchise has been 'stacking'. Peter is tapped out. Paul is screwed.

 

[LatinMind]

98% of people who do this for a living think opposite of you. JJ, and his sons make up the other two %. If it were 50/50, I'd give your thinking a bit more credit. But absolutely nobody in the business of the NFL thinks we are in any kind of decent shape.

Every yr the only people that seem to think this team is ruined are in this forum. Sure people think Jerry makes some bad choices and he wants too much airtime. But so what. Thats been around since he bought the team. Get over it.

Bascially what ur saying is a healthy defense and Romo not missing that last game this team doesnt go into the playoffs?

 

[StevenOtero]

The defense needs a complete overhaul, it'll take at least 2 years to get it fixed.

The offense is getting there, we are building an offensive line that will carry the QB that takes over for Romo.

Any winning/good times we get out of Romo, Witten, Ware, and so on over the next couple years is a bonus.

 

[Alexander]

This off-season is undoubtedly tough.
You have cap limitations and pick in the middle of every round, not at the top.

But get out of here with it being the toughest or hardest in the league.

Dallas has far more pieces than most spare teams.
Of guys that actually helped last year they lose 1, Jason Hatcher.

Dallas has 4 young plus starters: Sean Lee, Demarco Murray and the franchise caliber LT and WR; Smith and Bryant.
Any club would that that young group to start with.
You can arguably add Frederick to that group already.

Dallas needs to draft well but not miraculously.
They dont need elite just about 3/4 solid NFL starters. --which is why a trade down again appeals

As to the cap stuff... they are going to lose 1 guy because of the cap: Hatcher.
They will face tough decisions like most clubs but if you think Oakland, Washington or Miami wouldn't take this roster going into the off-season you are absolutely nuts.

They might take the roster, but I think both Oakland and Miami would not trade salary cap position with us at all.

They can at least buy their way out of their deficiencies if they want to.

We have to draft not only starters, but also depth across the board. And 3 to 4 solid starters out of a single draft is something we have not seen in Dallas since 2005.

 

[jterrell]

They might take the roster, but I think both Oakland and Miami would not trade salary cap position with us at all.

They can at least buy their way out of their deficiencies if they want to.

We have to draft not only starters, but also depth across the board. And 3 to 4 solid starters out of a single draft is something we have not seen in Dallas since 2005.

Both teams certainly have better cap situations than Dallas.
But it is largely because they don't have any talent to pay.

Dallas is not a top 15 team right now.
But they also are not a bottom 10 team.
They have the cap situation of a top 5 team and that is an issue.

I'd certainly rather be Seattle or someone but again to call this the worst situation in football is basically a cry for attention.

Our fan base loves to have public self-mutilation. We just seem to draw those types of fans in.
It is what it is.

We likely finish 8-8 again next year.
Our cap space and middle of the pack draft status indicate that's what's coming.
Our injury history mixed with elite players and lack of depth have placed us in that range for half a decade now.

Cap space is nice but no amount of cap space buys you a team.
You need a lot of solid pieces before cap space matters.
I would love to play Oakland, Miami and Washington every week next year.
We'd darn sure make the playoffs then.

 

[jterrell]

But people seem to think we are the weird ones for thinking like this.

Anytime this off-season hits a lull you are going to have a large vocal portion of the fan base standing at the cliff screaming that they all wanna jump.
The Cowboys have cornered the market on mediocre.
They are smack dab in the middle of the league.
It is hard to be any more average on the balance than 8-8 every year.
But no one buys any subscriptions to talk about how hard some 4 win nobody team has it.

When the Lakers, Cowboys, Yankees struggle that sells.
So the struggle is front page news and blown hilariously out of proportion.
And those fans who need a good cry are going to champion that nonsense and buy those subscriptions right along with the haters.
You can't stop human nature.
It is undefeated.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

This off-season is undoubtedly tough.
You have cap limitations and pick in the middle of every round, not at the top.

But get out of here with it being the toughest or hardest in the league.

Dallas has far more pieces than most spare teams.
Of guys that actually helped last year they lose 1, Jason Hatcher.

Dallas has 4 young plus starters: Sean Lee, Demarco Murray and the franchise caliber LT and WR; Smith and Bryant.
Any club would that that young group to start with.
You can arguably add Frederick to that group already.

Dallas needs to draft well but not miraculously.
They dont need elite just about 3/4 solid NFL starters. --which is why a trade down again appeals

As to the cap stuff... they are going to lose 1 guy because of the cap: Hatcher.
They will face tough decisions like most clubs but if you think Oakland, Washington or Miami wouldn't take this roster going into the off-season you are absolutely nuts.

Don't forget they have a franchise QB who makes them competitive every week.

I do agree that they need to hit on at multiple starters this May; three day-one starting rookies will go a long way in helping the Cowboys this fall.

 

[Alexander]

Our fan base loves to have public self-mutilation. We just seem to draw those types of fans in.
It is what it is.

And this surprises you when our front office has conditioned the fan base to behave this way?

The Joneses are masters at self-destructive decision-making. Any person who can reasonably look at the history of what we do and how we make decisions, especially relative to the cap dollars, know that we are risk-taking fools who rarely think conservatively enough to have level minds.[/quote]

 

[jterrell]

And this surprises you when our front office has conditioned the fan base to behave this way?

The Joneses are masters at self-destructive decision-making. Any person who can reasonably look at the history of what we do and how we make decisions, especially relative to the cap dollars, know that we are risk-taking fools who rarely think conservatively enough to have level minds.

How many fan bases define themselves based on a front office?
The thought Jerry Jones could condition me to anything would be unsettling to say the least.

We are, We are, We are 8-8.
Not exactly exciting but hardly some loser franchise that never sniffs a meaningful December game.
We find a way to lose a meaningful game ever year but at least we are in them.

 

[bysbox1]

I dont see why there cant be massive improvement if this team can by some miracle just stay healthy. Add a few peices in the draft. You have to remember this was a playoff contending team with a bunch of street guys on defense. They were 1 drive from being in the playoffs. IMO you improve the DL play and thats a massive improvement for the defense, but you get that pressure you didnt last yr, and you have more turnovers that we saw at the begining of the yr. Dallas was one of the top defenses in turnovers for the first half of the season.

A more aggressive offensive scheme added with some man defense will do wonders for this team aswell.

This team needs more than a few pieces.

I won't say anything definitive now since it's the offseason and anything can happen in 6 months, but it does not look good.

 

[car351]

Anytime this off-season hits a lull you are going to have a large vocal portion of the fan base standing at the cliff screaming that they all wanna jump.
The Cowboys have cornered the market on mediocre.
They are smack dab in the middle of the league.
It is hard to be any more average on the balance than 8-8 every year.
But no one buys any subscriptions to talk about how hard some 4 win nobody team has it.

When the Lakers, Cowboys, Yankees struggle that sells.
So the struggle is front page news and blown hilariously out of proportion.
And those fans who need a good cry are going to champion that nonsense and buy those subscriptions right along with the haters.
You can't stop human nature.
It is undefeated.

I mean I agree to some extent with your comparison to the other 2 marketing giants of professional sports. It's just that at least those 2 have enjoyed "some" post season success in recent history whereas the Boys have been wallowing for close to 2 decades now.

 

[LatinMind]

This team needs more than a few pieces.

I won't say anything definitive now since it's the offseason and anything can happen in 6 months, but it does not look good.

Dallas needs DL depth. they have young Lbers and very young safeties. If you're going to judge players solely on their rookie yrs then Dallas needs to draft starters every yr. Dallas average age is 26 yrs old. They are very young. the offense other then maybe a WR and some depth at G are set. So the main focal point should be def.

Dallas on the DL age
Ware 31
Selvie 26
Crawford 24
Bass 24
Hayden 28
Rayford 27
Brown 26
wilson 25

In this group I can see Ware, Selvie, Crawford, and Bass as locks. Hayden and Rayford can be replaced with Rookies, so add most likely 2 21,22 yr olds. Other then Ware Extremely young.

LBer

Dallas i can see where some help could be used then again maybe its a product of the DL not protecting the Lbers allowing them big bodies to get to them in that second level. Sean Lee is what makes this defense go. So he needs to stay healthy plain and simple. Maybe some better awareness of his surroundings on the field. He seems to take alot of hits from going back at him while in pursuit. Head on a swivel. Aleast Dallas knows it has a very capable backup in Hollomon. Carter is the wildcard. He is clearly by far the most athletic Lber they have. His struggles in 2013 could be alot of things, but im sure they arent because he is a bust like people on this forum want to say. 1. Carter was asked to cover scat backs and WRs and TEs running them deep patterns, when most teams would by natural instinct run a dime. Thats where Carters struggles came. When he shouldve been off the field. But Dallas had only 3 capable CBs for most of the season. Carr, MO and Scandrick. Then MO got hurt and they had 2 capable CBs for a few weeks until Moore was finally brought back. So Kiffin had more trust in Carter and actually hurt the defense. Carter is fast but he's a fast LINEBACKER. He is not a nickleback. Then thinking what Dallas has its SLBer doing, I cant help but think that Carter might just be better suited to play this spot. Hit the LOS with run support and cover the flat. Thats what he did in the 3-4 and did it very good. Then there is Wilber Hollomon, and Durant. All 3 showed they can play in this defense and showed improvement from the start of the yr to the end. But if Dallas were the draft a Lber high then these 3 would be backups. Probably where they belong.

Lee 27
Carter 26
Durant 28
Hollomon 23
Wilber 24

Secondary
Dallas could probably use upgrades but money is tied up here so we will just have to live with it. Carr isnt a zone scheme CB but they know that now. I think marinelli emphasized more man to man this yr. Its clear when they did that, Carr was a different player last yr. Kiffin just didnt do that. MO had a rough yr. But he played good after that Broncos 1st half til he was out. Thats the problem too he was out of games. This is a key think for McClay he mentioned. Players need to be available every week. His dad dying and his son being born late in the yr played into him missing some time too. Scandrick is solid. He can play both zone and man, but he doesnt do too good with height. Thats why i dont think he can be a starting CB. Then taller wrs on the outside get at him. He is a beast playing the slot. Moore IMO needs to be on this team. He was Dallas best CB late in the yr. Not their best Cb but he played the best. Church is a safety plain and simple. He isnt going to always be the best guy for passing downs, but he isnt going to lose you games. The other safety spot is debatable. Wilcox has the potential to be the guy they want playing that single high. Its just a matter of him putting in the work in the offseason to improve. Heath showed he could play but he's not ready. He could play in some packages. I wouldnt be mad if Dallas drafted a guy like Terrence Brooks. Dallas already has a Pryor and Dix on this team in Wilcox. Only difference between Wilcox and them is they played at a big school.

Church 26
Wilcox 23
Heath 22
Johnson 24

Alot of people like to say Seattle did this and that, but what people dont realise is these players they havent werent the players they are now when drafted. They developed them. They bloomed into what they are now, and now their rookie deals are up. So they developed them for 2 and 3 yrs to get what they are now. So to hear people praise the seahawks players but want to bypass players like Wilcox and Heath after their rookie yrs make me laugh.

 

[coult44]

Every yr the only people that seem to think this team is ruined are in this forum. Sure people think Jerry makes some bad choices and he wants too much airtime. But so what. Thats been around since he bought the team. Get over it.

Bascially what ur saying is a healthy defense and Romo not missing that last game this team doesnt go into the playoffs?

No, what I'm basically saying is that your way of thinking is why everyone thinks what you say is "weird." You made the comment that when you say things, people think you weird. If you go against facts and 98% of opinion, ALL THE TIME, you put yourself in that category.

It's ok to go against the grain, and have your own way of thinking. But when it's completely opposite ALL the time from what most are saying, you have to admit, your arguing for the sake of arguing.

Now to your point this time. Do I think Romo and a healthy defense gets us into the playoffs? Hard to say. That's a lot of 'ifs"... Our defense is never healthy. Sean Lee, our supposed defensive leader, hasn't played in important games since high school. He's hurt every year during crunch time. So don't count on him to be healthy at the end of any year. Ware is past his prime and will be hurt every year from now on. Who knows if Spencer will play again on this team. Other than Hatcher, Carr and Orlando, there's nobody else who matters. Everyone of our defensive starters who were hurt, are no better than the backups.

Kyle Orton played as well as most would have played. Tony hasn't proved EVER, that he would take us any further in the playoffs. He's played with some good defenses. Oh, but then it was the lack of WR's, or OL, or RB's. So I guess I just answered the question. NO, I don't think we would have got into the playoffs with Tony or our healthy defense. Even if we did, we were gonna get smoked by whomever we played. Coaching and talent would have prevented us from doing anything. Just as it will this year most likely....We need 7-8 new starters on defense to be a real contender. With the money we have available, and the way we draft, we will go into next season upgrading only 2 perhaps 3 of those positions.