Bargain Free Agent Shopping

[dbair1967]

QB Position
Release Brad Johnson and do not re-sign Brooks Bollinger. Look for a 3rd developmental QB in the lower rounds of the draft. My free agent targets would be Chris Simms or Kyle Boller. If the 49ers cut Alex Smith he goes to the top of the list. I like these guys because they are still young (something to prove) and they have starting experience.

Simms...blah...Alex Smith, no way in hell...the guy cant play....he is a mammoth bust...Boller wouldnt be a bad idea for the right price

Offensive Line
Do not even attempt to re-sign Cory Proctor or Joe Berger. A guy I would take a chance on is Elton Brown from Arizona. He is 6'5", 332, and only 26. He has started at guard and tackle for the Cardinals but isn't starting now. The last time we signed a big ol lineman from Arizona that worked out okay.

the last OL we signed from Arizona had bigtime talent, the one above does not

Defensive Line
Chris Canty is going to be too expensive and Tank Johnson is no longer welcome. Replace them with Shaun Cody (Age 26 -6'4"/310) and Colin Cole (Age 28 -6'1"/328). Cole is a workman type NT and Cody was a big play college player.

Cody's also been a huge disappointment ...dont know anything about Cole

Linebacker
Zach is almost done and Kevin Burnett will most likley be too expensive. Before we just hand the job to Bobby Carpenter (who I'll root for but just don't believe in) why not bring in someone like Dontarrious Thomas (Age 28 - 6'2"/241) to compete with Carpenter and at the least, provide depth.

I think they'll try and keep Burnett

Safety
With their cap hits and lack of production, I can't see both Roy Williams AND Anthony Henry being on the 2009 roster. Cutting either one frees up immediate cap room. I would consider going after one of the following Restricted Free Agents: Jarrad Page (Kansas City) or Dawan Landry(Baltimore). Of course, it all depends what kind of tender they are given by their current team. If Baltimore lets Unrestricted Free Agent Jim Leonhard hit the open market he would be my very first signing.

cant say I would be all that excited abotu Leonhard, he was nothing till this yr and spending money on those types of players rarely works out...doesnt Landry have some sort of major injury?...KC has been putrid on defense for yrs, wouldnt make going after their guys a priority

No star players. If we were to sign a few quality free agents we would be able to go into the draft with almost no holes. We could draft Best Player Available (Arizona's philosophy) at every pick and/or trade to stockpile picks for 2010.

Arizona's philosophy? huh? I'd say our philosophy on the draft is working just fine

We would lose free agents Brooks Bollinger, Cory Proctor, Joe Berger, Chris Canty, Tank Johnson, Kevin Burnett, and Zach Thomas, as well as cap casualties Brad Johnson and either Roy Williams OR Anthony Henry. There should be more than enough cap room to re-sign DeMarcus Ware and still sign 5 or 6 non-big name free agents.

I'm sure we'll sign a couple of mid level or low level free agents, backup QB probably being target #1..the draft is where most of the offseason help this yr is going to come from, along with getting our own guys back healthy

 

[dbair1967]

Cody is a beast. Came from a good program in OU and has had a bit of an injury bug. If he can stay healthy, he can contribute.

that was Dan Cody from OU, he was drafted by Baltimore I think and may not even be in the league right now...Shaun Cody was from USC

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

Leonhard? That guys toast.

I like the idea of solid Montrae Holland type bargain linemen(since we cant draft any) and ILB's.

Then you can focus on a big safety in the draft and acquire depth on the Dline and QB

 

[Biggems]

Olhansky and Dansby will not be bargains. Igor will get a deal similar to Canty and Dansby is going to be a hot commodity.

Fitzpatrick will likely get good money and a shot at a starting job.

Neal is 38. We need an FB who can contribute on special teams.

No, we need a FB who can clear a lane for our RBs to get through and get to the 2nd level, especially Felix.

 

[Biggems]

Leonhard? That guys toast.

I like the idea of solid Montrae Holland type bargain linemen(since we cant draft any) and ILB's.

Then you can focus on a big safety in the draft and acquire depth on the Dline and QB

Draft C/G Eric Wood, G George Bussey, C/G/T Dallas Reynolds

 

[mmohican29]

Leonhard? That guys toast.

I like the idea of solid Montrae Holland type bargain linemen(since we cant draft any) and ILB's.

Then you can focus on a big safety in the draft and acquire depth on the Dline and QB

What NFL season were you watching? Jim Leonhard had a terrific year in almost every conceivable way, playing a major role in a top 3 Defense. He also contributes on ST and PR's at a terrific clip. There's no way Baltimore let's him go- he's a favorite of Harbaugh. He would be a tremendous addition to the Cowboys should he get free somehow.

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

He looks like Roy to me. Bad hips, doesnt play the ball.

Even w/ a good pass rush and Ed Reed covering half the field he never looked great to me.

 

[Longboysfan]

I agree with you that we really don't need to sign any 'big name' players. What we need are what I call the 'lunch box' types. Hungry and wanting to prove something.

Yes. More lunch bucket players for this year.

 

[TNCowboy]

I hope Dallas isn't depending on the draft for a #2 QB for '09. Scott Wright wrote a story a few weeks ago examining the last 15 years of QBs selected in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Out of the 30+ QBs chosen in those rounds, only one - Drew Brees - has really worked out. And Brees was the 32nd pick of the draft.

Most of them have been total busts or guys like Jake Plummer.

Drafting a QB might be a good idea, but it probably does nothing at all to help the position in '09. Dallas will probably sign one of the flawed veterans that are out there.

 

[THUMPER]

I hope Dallas isn't depending on the draft for a #2 QB for '09. Scott Wright wrote a story a few weeks ago examining the last 15 years of QBs selected in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Out of the 30+ QBs chosen in those rounds, only one - Drew Brees - has really worked out. And Brees was the 32nd pick of the draft.

Most of them have been total busts or guys like Jake Plummer.

Drafting a QB might be a good idea, but it probably does nothing at all to help the position in '09. Dallas will probably sign one of the flawed veterans that are out there.

Matt Schaub isn't too bad and he was taken in the 3rd round in 2004.

 

[TNCowboy]

Matt Schaub isn't too bad and he was taken in the 3rd round in 2004.

I think Wright said he was one of only a few who the jury was still out on.

 

[Thick 'N Hearty]

that was Dan Cody from OU, he was drafted by Baltimore I think and may not even be in the league right now...Shaun Cody was from USC

That's right. My bad. Thanks for the correction.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Good list, I like the idea of going after "second tier" instead of the "big names".

Too many guys see Dallas as one big payday and then mail it in for the season. That has got to stop and it stops by going after "players" instead of going after "names".

 

[WoodysGirl]

I think Wright said he was one of only a few who the jury was still out on.

Schaub can't stay healthy, but I think he's been ok when he's played. Had some growing pains, but overall he's been solid.

re the OP: As for Dontarrius Thomas, he's played 4-3 his whole career. I would think they'd go after a guy who's had some experience playing in the 3-4.