Clarence Hill: Just CHILL: No franchise tag for Miles Austin

[dbair1967]

I disagree. What if there's a team like the Baltimore Ravens with the #25 pick in the 1st round? There is not a better WR than Miles Austin at #25. If I were a Ravens fan I would have no problem giving up a low 1st and low 3rd for Miles Austin. Jerry and Stephen are really pushing it right now.

So what if they do? We can still match the offer, and we have a ton of cap space.

They arnt pushing anything. Nobody in this league is smarter at cap management than Stephen Jones either.

 

[TheSport78]

So what if they do? We can still match the offer, and we have a ton of cap space.

They arnt pushing anything. Nobody in this league is smarter at cap management than Stephen Jones either.

What if the Ravens sign Austin to an offer sheet that makes Dallas pay more than they originally wanted to for Austin? Austin may be the hottest restricted free agent in the entire league, so you can bet Austin is on their radar. Do we have a "ton" of cap space? Not sure if you or anyone is comfortable with two WR's combining for around $20 million dollars. That's not good business.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Not sure if you or anyone is comfortable with two WR's combining for around $20 million dollars. That's not good business.

What difference does it make if we pay 2 WR's a total of $20 mil this season?

 

[TheSport78]

What difference does it make if we pay 2 WR's a total of $20 mil this season?

Because it takes away what we could do to upgrade actual positions of need like safety, offensive line and defensive line.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Because it takes away what we could do to upgrade actual positions of need like safety, offensive line and defensive line.

Exactly how?

We can likely only sign one free agent and there is no salary cap this year.

 

[TheSport78]

Exactly how?

We can likely only sign one free agent and there is no salary cap this year.

Dallas should have never been in this position with their WR's in the first place, but the organization bombed on the Roy Williams trade, when they should have been looking to upgrade key positions like offensive line. So now they're at a point where they actually need to sign a hard-working, talented and young WR like Austin. Yeah, it isn't biting us right now because we have a talented team, but this team only has a window for so long, and when lots of money is going into one position, it's going to bite us at other positions sooner of later. (because there will be a new CBA by next year).

 

[big dog cowboy]

Yeah, it isn't biting us right now because we have a talented team, but this team only has a window for so long, and when lots of money is going into one position, it's going to bite us at other positions sooner of later. (because there will be a new CBA by next year).

If Roy Williams doesn't step us this year he will be gone next year so there won't be a problem.

 

[TheSport78]

If Roy Williams doesn't step us this year he will be gone next year so there won't be a problem.

I'm just hoping that if Roy is bad, that it won't dramatically effect the team on the offensive side of the ball. Roy was pretty bad, and we were still the #2 offense in the league. This team needs to win now.

 

[jobberone]

People keep saying this is an uncapped year. But you don't write contracts for one year for the most part. Yes, it happens but it's not the best business and agents/players don't like it. Not enough security.

Signing Austin is complicated as Stephen has already stated. They don't want to sign him to a long contract when there is so much uncertainty about labor relations with the players. No one knows what's going to happen. Do you give guarantees to players for the following year when there could be a lockout? Sure you can write into the contract there are no guarantees if there is a lockout IF you can get the player to sign that contract. This is uncharted territory. If I can see complications then Stephen sees them oh so much more clearly. Everyone is stuck between a rock and a hard place and it's obvious the FO is treading lightly so far.

 

[big dog cowboy]

This team needs to win now.

That is something everyone can agree on.

 

[Skinsmaniac]

Like I said, if somebody offers a really ludicrous contract and we lose him, there's not much that could have been done.

What? There's exactly one thing that could have been done - franchise him. Giving up two #1s would have scared some (maybe all) teams away, and if not you get a better draft pick.

Then you say most GM's wouldnt do it anyway, so if you acknowledge that, why worry about losing him?

Because you only need one GM to do so to lose him.

Its only a problem if they have too many bad contracts and/or just too many really good players.

The point is that cap space isn't an issue this year. Which is why you should franchise him. The only thing you lose is $6 million which is of course a ton of money for you or me, but not as significant for an NFL team without a cap.

That was a long time ago, and he wasnt even "cheap" when it came to all players, there were very few examples of him ever being "cheap"

The fact is, Jerry put the Cowboys in a position to be more at risk of losing Austin in order to save $6 million this year. There were no other considerations - just the money (unless they wanted to save the franchise tag which I think is unlikely).

 

[Skinsmaniac]

People keep saying this is an uncapped year. But you don't write contracts for one year for the most part. Yes, it happens but it's not the best business and agents/players don't like it. Not enough security.

The difference between the franchise tag and transition tag (or whatever it's called they tendered him with) is only relevant to this year - an uncapped year. Whether or not the Cowboys are negotiating with him for a long term deal is irrelevant.

 

[dbair1967]

What? There's exactly one thing that could have been done - franchise him. Giving up two #1s would have scared some (maybe all) teams away, and if not you get a better draft pick.

A team thats going to offer Austin something beyond ludicrous (a stupid team, such as the Skins) would also be the team stupid enough to part with two #1 picks.

Because you only need one GM to do so to lose him.

Like I said, I'm sure there's alot of teams interested. Someone might even make an offer. At that point Jones would just match it.

The point is that cap space isn't an issue this year. Which is why you should franchise him. The only thing you lose is $6 million which is of course a ton of money for you or me, but not as significant for an NFL team without a cap.

If you have 10-12mils of cap space and alot of restricted free agents, 6mils makes a difference.

The fact is, Jerry put the Cowboys in a position to be more at risk of losing Austin in order to save $6 million this year. There were no other considerations - just the money (unless they wanted to save the franchise tag which I think is unlikely)

I guess we'll agree to disagree. I dont see how anyone can sign Austin away from us barring something just stupid, and I seriously doubt anyone is willing to do that.

 

[DallasEast]

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