Bill Barnwell offseason report cards on Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Philly, Washington

[Qbert]

Dallas Cowboys
What went right

They didn't do anything spectacular and pocketed a bunch of compensatory selections. Given owner Jerry Jones' history, it's always a relief to see the Cowboys have a relatively quiet offseason while avoiding going after players whose names (and salaries) might outstrip their performances. The Cowboys did not consummate their long-standing interest in running back Adrian Peterson, instead allowing the would-be backup to Ezekiel Elliott to head farther south to New Orleans. They re-signed Terrance Williams and Jason Witten in lieu of finding a sexier second weapon in the passing game for quarterback Dak Prescott. They operated like a team in sound shape, which they are.

The Cowboys might very well sign a veteran or two now that the additions won't affect Dallas' standing in the compensatory process. Per the projections at overthecap.com, coach Jason Garrett's team appears set to pocket the maximum of four compensatory picks, including picks in the fourth and sixth rounds to go with a pair of fifth-rounders. If we treat those picks like the average compensatory selections from each of those rounds, the Cowboys are grabbing 6.4 points of draft capital, per Chase Stuart's chart, which is roughly equivalent to the 84th pick in the draft.
They found help for their pass rush. Rod Marinelli has been manufacturing a pass rush out of sheer will the past couple of seasons; the Cowboys sacked Aaron Rodgers three times during their 34-31 loss to the Packers in the playoffs, but it's telling that all three sacks came from defensive backs. At the very least, Dallas needed to try to give Marinelli a pass-rusher with some sort of pedigree to rotate in on the edge, and Jones committed his first-round pick toward an upgrade by drafting Taco Charlton out of Michigan with the 28th selection. Marinelli has a well-earned reputation of getting the most out of defensive linemen who have been anonymous elsewhere within the league; here's his chance to work with a first-round talent. Dallas also spent four draft picks on defensive backs, which will be crucial, given that it lost four of its top six defensive backs from last season's depth chart to free agency.
What went wrong
The Cowboys publicly overplayed their Tony Romo hand. The most likely scenario for the Cowboys and Romo was always that they would end up dumping him after June 1 to spread the $19.6 million cap hit from his release over two seasons, but they turned the negotiations into a farce. Few players have been dangled more publicly in the media than Romo was during February and March, with the Cowboys alternately telling reporters that they would release Romo and insisting that they never had any plans to cut him and would trade him only for a pick. The whole ordeal did nobody any favors.
They didn't draft anybody along the offensive line. The Cowboys possessed the deepest offensive line in football last season, but that depth took a major hit this offseason, when right tackle Doug Free retired and guard Ronald Leary left for the Broncos in free agency. Dallas responded with modest measures. It signed a pair of frustrating players in former Cardinals bust Jonathan Cooper and former Panthers tackle Byron Bell but otherwise left the position untouched. The Cowboys will consider moving left guard La'el Collins to right tackle, but he hasn't been consistent on the interior, and that would open up another hole at Collins' old spot. This wasn't a great draft for offensive linemen, but it probably wouldn't have hurt Dallas to use a mid-round pick on one.

What's next?

Sign a veteran or two on defense. The Cowboys should be thinking about veteran help, either along the defensive line or in the secondary, particularly at cornerback. They could opt for a big name such as Dwight Freeney, Paul Kruger or Elvis Dumervil to provide competition in camp and push for a meaningful pass-rushing role if he makes the team.

Grade: C+
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/pag...nts-philadelphia-eagles-washington-Commanders

 

[haleyrules]

Sounds about right. The club will miss both Leary and Free. The Cowboys are in good shape. May have a slow start but should finish strong.

 

[LeonDixson]

If mishandling the Romo situation was our worst off-season mistake, I can live with that. As far as spending a mid-round pick on an OL, I wouldn't have been willing to give up Lewis, Switzer or Woods for any OL that was there.

 

[gmoney112]

C+, yeah okay.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Sounds about right. The club will miss both Leary and Free. The Cowboys are in good shape. May have a slow start but should finish strong.

Miss Free's experience and leadership only. Won't miss his play on the field.

 

[Alexander]

I don't necessarily disagree with the grade given to the Cowboys, but they viewed Free's retirement as a bigger negative than it could be. Yes, I think a lot of people believe he is trash, but he was a glue player on the OL and was not nearly as horrific as fans believe. But Collins could be an improvement and I fail to see how he could be a downgrade. But yet they got dinged for not drafting an OL in a horrible OL draft. Makes zero sense.

And what exactly got the Eagles a B-? I liked the Barnett pick and the trade for Jernigan. But they whiffed badly in having a cohesive draft that attacked the glaring weaknesses they had last year, which were weapons for Wentz and corner. I think Rasul Douglas will be okay, and even Gibson gives them some speed. They took Hollins way too high and got what at best will be a special teams player who happens to play WR. I know the idea is nice to pretend Alshon Jeffery is a gamebreaking weapon, but he simply is unreliable and is one of his typical soft tissue injuries away from the Eagles being right back where they were last year. I also think people forgot Torrey Smith is simply not very good. Patrick Robinson for Leodis McKelvin is basically like Nolan Carroll for Brandon Carr, maybe not even that. And while Pumphrey seems exciting, I don't see him taking snaps away from Sproles on offense and he is hardly a polished returner. The Eagles could have killed it in their draft and they simply missed the mark from what I can see.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

And no mention adding last year's draftees Jaylon Smith and Charles Tapper to this years team. Having them along with this years draft class. Smith should be ready to go for camp and Tapper will be a big help with his speed. Mickey said on Talkin Cowboys Tapper was in the running for a starting DE spot before he got injured. I give the Cowboys offseason an A-. The A+ would have been if we got something for Tony.

 

[Macnalty]

I don't necessarily disagree with the grade given to the Cowboys, but they viewed Free's retirement as a bigger negative than it could be. Yes, I think a lot of people believe he is trash, but he was a glue player on the OL and was not nearly as horrific as fans believe. But Collins could be an improvement and I fail to see how he could be a downgrade. But yet they got dinged for not drafting an OL in a horrible OL draft. Makes zero sense.

And what exactly got the Eagles a B-? I liked the Barnett pick and the trade for Jernigan. But they whiffed badly in having a cohesive draft that attacked the glaring weaknesses they had last year, which were weapons for Wentz and corner. I think Rasul Douglas will be okay, and even Gibson gives them some speed. They took Hollins way too high and got what at best will be a special teams player who happens to play WR. I know the idea is nice to pretend Alshon Jeffery is a gamebreaking weapon, but he simply is unreliable and is one of his typical soft tissue injuries away from the Eagles being right back where they were last year. I also think people forgot Torrey Smith is simply not very good. Patrick Robinson for Leodis McKelvin is basically like Nolan Carroll for Brandon Carr, maybe not even that. And while Pumphrey seems exciting, I don't see him taking snaps away from Sproles on offense and he is hardly a polished returner. The Eagles could have killed it in their draft and they simply missed the mark from what I can see.

I agree the eagles got a lot of shiny talent pieces and we got mostly tonka toys from 2017 FA and draft.

 

[Carson]

And no mention adding last year's draftees Jaylon Smith and Charles Tapper to this years team. Having them along with this years draft class. Smith should be ready to go for camp and Tapper will be a big help with his speed. Mickey said on Talkin Cowboys Tapper was in the running for a starting DE spot before he got injured. I give the Cowboys offseason an A-. The A+ would have been if we got something for Tony.

Good post. Also everything I read now, acts like Claiborne, Carr and Church were all Mel Blount, Deion Sanders and Ronnie Lott in their prime! How can we ever replace them?

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

"Sign a veteran or two on defense. The Cowboys should be thinking about veteran help, either along the defensive line or in the secondary, particularly at cornerback."

We have 2 vets at CB with Scandrick and Carroll. Add those 2 along with Anthony Brown, and rookies Awuzie, Lewis, and White. That's 6 right there. Prob only 5 make the team. So what so called vet unsigned cb out there is a better option than the 6 we have right now?

 

[Daillest88]

I agree the eagles got a lot of shiny talent pieces and we got mostly tonka toys from 2017 FA and draft.

They also drafted a player (Rasul Douglas) who doesn't fit there scheme.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Now I know why we got the C+ grade.

From Bill Barnwell's wiki page.....
"He is a fan of the New York Giants."

 

[Alexander]

"Sign a veteran or two on defense. The Cowboys should be thinking about veteran help, either along the defensive line or in the secondary, particularly at cornerback."

We have 2 vets at CB with Scandrick and Carroll. Add those 2 along with Anthony Brown, and rookies Awuzie, Lewis, and White. That's 6 right there. Prob only 5 make the team. So what so called vet unsigned cb out there is a better option than the 6 we have right now?

McCourty would have been, but the Browns got him.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Poor grading system by Barnwell. He's basing his grades off of 'making splashes' in the offseason which almost never meet their ROI, much less exceed it. Thus, his grading system is based on something that doesn't equate to success in the NFL. To his defense, I don't know how one could grade a compelling offseason article because the teams that pay good money for FA's are likely to fail and the teams that stay (which is a dull way of going about the offseason) are more likely to succeed.

Furthermore, poor teams are likely to make more FA moves. Why? Because they need to overhaul the roster in order to compete. Conversely, good teams are less likely to make FA moves.

He could use the Patriots as the example of a good team that changes around the roster, but until they get some real competition from the other AFC East teams (which are continually horrendous) and/or don't have Tom Brady...it's hard to really say that their roster moves are paying dividends. It would be like saying that Tiger Woods changing drivers every year during his prime was the smart move that played into his success.

Conversely, I would be certain that somebody like Barnwell would give the Falcons a high offseason grade back in 2011 when they traded way up to get Julio Jones. That trade is often incorrectly graded because Jones played so well early on and the Falcons were a good team early in Jones' career. But, the Falcons were already a good team before Jones and that trade decimated their defense over the next 5 seasons and they ended up missing too many postseason appearances due to a defense that went from pretty good to putrid. Of course, the Falcons almost winning the SB makes the Jones trade look like a smart one, but you're better off repeatedly making the playoffs than trying to get that one big year where you win the SB.

I do have concerns about the O-Line because of the health. I think a healthy Chaz Green is about on par with Free. Free would likely be the better run blocker, but Green the better pass protector. However, with Green not healthy that means a big move for La'el Collins from LG to RT. And we have seen nothing from Cooper that would lead us to believe he can play at LG. Furthermore, that also relies on Tyron (who had a gimpy back last season), Fred and Martin also staying healthy.





YR

 

[Alexander]

Now I know why we got the C+ grade.

From Bill Barnwell's wiki page.....
"He is a fan of the New York Giants."

And the Giants got a C- and completely whiffed in the offseason with their approach to their bad OL. Let's draft a WR to play TE. Real smart.

 

[John813]

Don't think it's a bad grade.

C+ is above average. We don't do much in FA, and let some average talent go in the secondary and let a good guard walk for $.
They guys we drafted could be better, but no guarantees how well they'll play this year.
Still have potentially two question marks on the offensive line going into TC/PS

From an outsiders perspective, we didn't really do that much this offseason, and it's not we had to. These offseason articles are nothing more than grading the big name signings/top draft picks. We didn't have any, so we get a C+.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Don't think it's a bad grade.

C+ is above average. We don't do much in FA, and let some average talent go in the secondary and let a good guard walk for $.
They guys we drafted could be better, but no guarantees how well they'll play this year.
Still have potentially two question marks on the offensive line going into TC/PS

From an outsiders perspective, we didn't really do that much this offseason, and it's not we had to. These offseason articles are nothing more than grading the big name signings/top draft picks. We didn't have any, so we get a C+.

He could at least have mentioned the Jaylon Smith and Charles Tapper additions to the team. Which should have pushed us into the B range.

 

[Alexander]

From an outsiders perspective, we didn't really do that much this offseason, and it's not we had to.

But we have "extra draft picks" that make it like an A+. Why can't these outsiders see that?

 

[John813]

He could at least have mentioned the Jaylon Smith and Charles Tapper additions to the team. Which should have pushed us into the B range.

They were added last year.
Sure, they were injured all of last year, but technically have a year under their belt with the Cowboys.

Did he do that for other teams? If so you may have a point, but they weren't 2017 offseason acquisitions.

 

[diefree666]

Not mentioning Jaylon pretty much makes his whole article incomplete. Tapper as well. He certainly over rates the loss of Free who by the end of last season was a horrific turnstyle as regards pass blocking. Anyone trying to disagree with that needs to be reminded that Free was the THIRD WORST TACKLE IN THE NFL as regards SACKS and PRESSURES last year.