Cowboys Free Agent Wishlist

[Galian Beast]

Here are the players that I would like us to sign and draft.

QB
Johnny Manziel [Potential Trade] - There are two ways I could see us getting him. Either in a trade in which I would want to incorporate Josh Gordon somehow. I'd give the Browns maybe a 3rd or a 4th round pick for both Gordon and Manziel. If he were released, I would pick him up off of waivers and let him sit the next two years. He has flashed ability, and it would be worth bringing him in to see if he can mature and grow under Tony Romo. I think sometimes people forget this guy is still pretty young. I wouldn't write him off entirely yet. I think the key here is that he would be your 3rd guy. You would still want to get one of these other guys. 2 million dollars per year.

Robert Griffin III - As much as people dislike the guy, he also has ability. I don't think he ever got a fair shot in Washington, and in that I don't mean that Washington was unfair to him, he might have been just as responsible for that as anyone else. What I mean was he never got a real opportunity to grow as a QB in one system. Would be a great backup option. 4-5 million dollars per year.

Matt Moore - I think we've all liked this guy for a long time. He is the quintessential backup QB. Should have picked him up when we had the chance. 2.5 million dollars per year.

Kaepernick - If Kaepernick was available, I would certainly want him to be the #2. I'm guessing another team would want to start him though. I would cap out at about 6-7 million dollars per year. Wouldn't get him and Manziel though.

Any of these guys would help prevent us from reaching for a QB in the draft.

Low end total - 4.5 million
High end total - 7 million

RB
Lamar Miller - Miller excels in a ZBS and would do even better with improved blocking in Dallas compared to Miami. With assured carries, Miller could even be a star here. I would definitely get him, and probably even make him the starter over McFadden, who did a good job here this year, but never excelled in the ZBS. If we got Miller, I'd hope we wouldn't need to address RB high in the draft. I don't think Miller will break the bank either, as I think I've seen suggested here already. Probably 4-6 million per year.

Lance Dunbar - I think the front office isn't quite sure what to do with Dunbar. He will probably make a bit of bank on the open market given what he did in the first few games here, but there will be that question mark due to his injury. I'd at least like to see us resign him for one or two years. Miller, McFadden, Dunbar, would make for a good running back corp. Dunbar needs to know that running backs are a dime a dozen, especially with a deep market in the draft. 1.5 million dollars.

Low End Total - 10 million dollars
High End Total - 14.5 million dollars

WR
Alshon Jeffery - Doesn't have the speed I would like to enhance our offense, but does have the playmaking ability and would still require teams to account for him which would help open things up for our offense tremendously, especially if Miller is what we think he could be for us. Would help us with not having to draft a WR high in the draft. Signing him would basically mean forgoing replacing Hardy in free agency. That would be putting a lot of pressure and responsibility on Gregory, who really hasn't shown us that he can deliver. Probably give him 9-11 million per year.

Josh Gordon [Trade] - If we can't get Jeffery, Josh Gordon would be an interesting choice, it would mean we wouldn't have to draft a guy who might take two or three years to develop. We would have a top flight offense with him and Dez on opposite corners and if they could both stay out of trouble and stay healthy. I still think it is possible that the Browns cut ties with both he and Manziel altogether. In which I would offer him a one year prove it deal. His cost would depend mostly on how you get him, but lets say it was equivalent to the 2nd round tender of 2.5 million. We won't be going forward with this scenario anyways.

Scenario A
Low End Total - 19 million
High End Total - 25.5 million

Scenario B
Low End Total - 12.5 million
High End Total - 16.5 million

Safety
Tashaun Gipson - Weddle and Berry are the names most mentioned, but I would actually get Gipson if possible. I'm still not sure I would go after a free safety in free agency when I want Jones to play Free Safety, but if we could get Gipson for a better price than Weddle or Berry, perhaps we could afford to have two Free Safeties out there. He got a 2nd round tender last year that he played on this year. Very young and very talented player. Probably looking at 7-9 million per year.

Low End Total - 26 million
High End Total - 34.5 million


Defensive Tackle
Tony McDaniel - McDaniel would be an instant upgrade over Hayden, period point blank. After the defensive upheaval in Tampa, I doubt he would re-sign there. 1.5 million dollars

Low End Total - 27.5 million
High End Total - 36 million

Middle linebacker
Rolando McClain - I would resign him one more time, and try to see if he can give us a full year. 3 million dollars.

Low End Total - 30.5 million
High End Total - 39 million


You can probably get there by restructuring Dez Bryant and Tyron Smith. I'd like to see Romo and Witten do team friendly pay cuts as well as the high end figure here might be difficult to pull off without their help and honestly, I'd love to see us add in Mario Williams as well, and that might be doable given that those numbers are based on average salaries, not what their 2016 salaries would be.

 

[csirl]

Good well though out post.

Though I have reservations about RG3 and JF. While RG3 is a great athlete, he doesn't have good QB skills. I don't think you can teach the type of skills he needs - you need some inate talent.

JF is a basket case. More talented QBs with similar traits have ended up out of the league very quickly.

I think both will get offers from teams. Will likely be overpaid and will likely fail.

We need to start moving away from risky QB reclamation projects. We've been burnt too often in the past - the various ex-baseball players and Ryan Leaf.

We have the draft position and cap space to be able to shop in the premium QB aisles.

I do agree with your views on Moore - would be a good addition to our roster as a backup.

 

[SHAMSzy]

I appreciate your post and this is not meant towards you specifically, but this board does not give Darren McFadden enough credit for the year he had.

McFadden was 4th in the league in rushing yards (behind AP, Martin, Gurley), 3rd in YPC among the top 25 players in carries (behind Martin, Gurley), and this was without the defense having to worry about Tony Romo and Dez Bryant. I do not believe the team should be in any rush to replace him. I am happy with McFadden/Turbin/Dunbar/Rookie(2nd-4th rounder).

Receiving threats are a huge concern to me. Dynamic playmakers down the field should be a priority for this team with Dez having health issues and Witten aging. Alshon Jeffrey would be nice but would cost a fortune that I would not be willing to pay. I'm really starting to believe that Dallas would be wise to draft Laquon Treadwell.

I like your suggestions at back up QB and agree that the team should not draft a QB it does not believe in. That being said if the scouts believe one of the guys is the real deal and he is available then we should pull the trigger on the QB with the top pick.

 

[therock1982]

time to cut ties with romac,make a run at robinson(Commanders) and brown(titans) 2 linebackers to come In and start alongside lee.making Hitchens a rotational back up to cover all 3spots and keep everyone fresh,plus Wilson to continue developing

 

[dagreat1_87]

great post. i agree with most of what you were saying. I think bringing in rg3, manziel, or cap would be a good thing. I honestly never understand the rg3 hate. Before he got hurt, he looked like he was going to be a major problem for us in our division for the foreseeable future, now everyone says he cant play. I think mentally he just wasn't in the best place. How motivating would it be for him to crush the Commanders twice a year if he could?

 

[Rockport]

Here are the players that I would like us to sign and draft.

QB
Johnny Manziel [Potential Trade] - There are two ways I could see us getting him. Either in a trade in which I would want to incorporate Josh Gordon somehow. I'd give the Browns maybe a 3rd or a 4th round pick for both Gordon and Manziel. If he were released, I would pick him up off of waivers and let him sit the next two years. He has flashed ability, and it would be worth bringing him in to see if he can mature and grow under Tony Romo. I think sometimes people forget this guy is still pretty young. I wouldn't write him off entirely yet. I think the key here is that he would be your 3rd guy. You would still want to get one of these other guys. 2 million dollars per year.

Robert Griffin III - As much as people dislike the guy, he also has ability. I don't think he ever got a fair shot in Washington, and in that I don't mean that Washington was unfair to him, he might have been just as responsible for that as anyone else. What I mean was he never got a real opportunity to grow as a QB in one system. Would be a great backup option. 4-5 million dollars per year.

Matt Moore - I think we've all liked this guy for a long time. He is the quintessential backup QB. Should have picked him up when we had the chance. 2.5 million dollars per year.

Kaepernick - If Kaepernick was available, I would certainly want him to be the #2. I'm guessing another team would want to start him though. I would cap out at about 6-7 million dollars per year. Wouldn't get him and Manziel though.

Any of these guys would help prevent us from reaching for a QB in the draft.

Low end total - 4.5 million
High end total - 7 million

RB
Lamar Miller - Miller excels in a ZBS and would do even better with improved blocking in Dallas compared to Miami. With assured carries, Miller could even be a star here. I would definitely get him, and probably even make him the starter over McFadden, who did a good job here this year, but never excelled in the ZBS. If we got Miller, I'd hope we wouldn't need to address RB high in the draft. I don't think Miller will break the bank either, as I think I've seen suggested here already. Probably 4-6 million per year.

Lance Dunbar - I think the front office isn't quite sure what to do with Dunbar. He will probably make a bit of bank on the open market given what he did in the first few games here, but there will be that question mark due to his injury. I'd at least like to see us resign him for one or two years. Miller, McFadden, Dunbar, would make for a good running back corp. Dunbar needs to know that running backs are a dime a dozen, especially with a deep market in the draft. 1.5 million dollars.

Low End Total - 10 million dollars
High End Total - 14.5 million dollars

WR
Alshon Jeffery - Doesn't have the speed I would like to enhance our offense, but does have the playmaking ability and would still require teams to account for him which would help open things up for our offense tremendously, especially if Miller is what we think he could be for us. Would help us with not having to draft a WR high in the draft. Signing him would basically mean forgoing replacing Hardy in free agency. That would be putting a lot of pressure and responsibility on Gregory, who really hasn't shown us that he can deliver. Probably give him 9-11 million per year.

Josh Gordon [Trade] - If we can't get Jeffery, Josh Gordon would be an interesting choice, it would mean we wouldn't have to draft a guy who might take two or three years to develop. We would have a top flight offense with him and Dez on opposite corners and if they could both stay out of trouble and stay healthy. I still think it is possible that the Browns cut ties with both he and Manziel altogether. In which I would offer him a one year prove it deal. His cost would depend mostly on how you get him, but lets say it was equivalent to the 2nd round tender of 2.5 million. We won't be going forward with this scenario anyways.

Scenario A
Low End Total - 19 million
High End Total - 25.5 million

Scenario B
Low End Total - 12.5 million
High End Total - 16.5 million

Safety
Tashaun Gipson - Weddle and Berry are the names most mentioned, but I would actually get Gipson if possible. I'm still not sure I would go after a free safety in free agency when I want Jones to play Free Safety, but if we could get Gipson for a better price than Weddle or Berry, perhaps we could afford to have two Free Safeties out there. He got a 2nd round tender last year that he played on this year. Very young and very talented player. Probably looking at 7-9 million per year.

Low End Total - 26 million
High End Total - 34.5 million


Defensive Tackle
Tony McDaniel - McDaniel would be an instant upgrade over Hayden, period point blank. After the defensive upheaval in Tampa, I doubt he would re-sign there. 1.5 million dollars

Low End Total - 27.5 million
High End Total - 36 million

Middle linebacker
Rolando McClain - I would resign him one more time, and try to see if he can give us a full year. 3 million dollars.

Low End Total - 30.5 million
High End Total - 39 million

You can probably get there by restructuring Dez Bryant and Tyron Smith. I'd like to see Romo and Witten do team friendly pay cuts as well as the high end figure here might be difficult to pull off without their help and honestly, I'd love to see us add in Mario Williams as well, and that might be doable given that those numbers are based on average salaries, not what their 2016 salaries would be.

SMH fans and there Madden upbringing. Hardy was a cancer in the locker room and you want to sign Gordon?

 

[noshame]

I think I'd go JF, Moore, and the #1 pick on a QB, that's a lot, but hey, I don't mind wasting a roster spot and carrying 4 QBs for a year. We we've wasted plenty carrying dead DL for years... After one season we will know who are the best 2 QBs, and maybe snag up a few picks or players for the others.

I'm not using any effort on the rest of the offense until we have a QB who can go down field and back the defenses off, a play caller who has some savvy, a offense that at least half the league hasn't decoded. If you make those adjustments and with this OL you become a top 5 offense.

Spend the rest of your cash/ draft on defense, take the play calls away from Rod, and in 2 years that side of the ball is becomes great.

Next year we fight for the division, year after make some noise in the play-offs, year 3 we're there.

hop on folks, the train is leaving the station soon.

 

[Alexander]

I honestly never understand the rg3 hate. Before he got hurt, he looked like he was going to be a major problem for us in our division for the foreseeable future, now everyone says he cant play?

You obviously missed his mediocre 2014 with a 4 TD-6 INT ratio in seven games when he passed over 270 yards just once. And of course the fact he was not even a remote consideration even being the backup for the Commanders after losing the starting job in preseason. This is especially after Cousins struggled in his first six starts this year.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I nearly forgot all about Josh Gordon. Is he anywhere near coming back to the league?

 

[ccb04]

If attempting to trade for a QB, I prefer Mike Glennon. Would also prefer Glennon to any free agent option as well.

Greg Cosell on Glennon: I was surprised nobody swung a trade for Glennon this offseason. NFL Films senior producer Greg Cosell called him "far more advanced" than Robert Griffin III, saying "they shouldn't even be in the same discussion." Glennon played behind one of the NFL's worst lines last year and it showed, but his 18 career starts include moments of genuine promise.

If Jones is the future at FS & they're shopping for a running mate...SS George Iloka may be a good fit if he hits the market. I do like Gipson as well, and adding him could allow Jones to continue playing a more versatile role. But if wanting Jones to move to FS full-time...I wonder if they simply let Church & Wilcox compete for the SS spot? Not what I want to see...but hard to say.

Personally wouldn't want anything to do with Gordon. Love his talent...not his troubles. Also don't think they need that noise around Dez. Marvin Jones is among the potential free agent WR's that's intriguing, though I think the Bengals may try to hang onto him and let Sanu depart. I think Jeffery stays in Chicago.

One DT I like that is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent, is Jaye Howard. There has been extension talks with the Chiefs already though, but they also have other UFA's like Berry, Sean Smith, Johnson, etc. They also gave DE Bailey an extension, and have Poe at NT.

Ian Williams would be another 1-tech candidate...but the 49'ers will reportedly be approximately $40 million under the cap, and Williams is a team captain & an important cog on their DL. Think he stays put.

I like Miller...but it would depend on the price. As mentioned, there's a deeper market in the draft.

 

[Alexander]

Safety
Tashaun Gipson - Weddle and Berry are the names most mentioned, but I would actually get Gipson if possible. I'm still not sure I would go after a free safety in free agency when I want Jones to play Free Safety, but if we could get Gipson for a better price than Weddle or Berry, perhaps we could afford to have two Free Safeties out there. He got a 2nd round tender last year that he played on this year. Very young and very talented player. Probably looking at 7-9 million per year.

Gipson will likely be highly sought after being so young, players like him usually end of getting huge deals. Berry isn't going anywhere.

I prefer a veteran safety, as we need someone who can communicate in that backfield and keep everyone on the same page. These mental breakdowns are painful to watch happen year after year after year. I know people are scared Weddle is at the end of the line, but even 75% of what he has been is much better than anything we have got since Woodson. Rashad Johnson is a little unheralded and could be modestly priced.

Corner is the real FA area I would look at. I know Trumaine Johnson is everyone's choice at the moment but there are others I would like to see considered. Casey Heyward is someone that I would like to have, but he might be extremely pricey. Brandon Boykin was barely used in Pittsburgh and could shake loose. Coty Sensabaugh would be another. I think coming out of FA with another veteran body out there will make it less pressing to have to spend one or more choices on a rookie corner that will need to develop.

Tight end is another place to look if we let Hanna go. Rhett Ellison would be my choice there. Seems ready to break out.

 

[Alexander]

If attempting to trade for a QB, I prefer Mike Glennon. Would also prefer Glennon to any free agent option as well.

Fits the ugly ginger profile Garrett seems to prefer.

https://encrypted-tbn1.***NOT-ALLOWED***/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRcnMue6VUEhkUJuxz1FRuQz2OkWGxSxhA5vz_w7vt2LvCcngAoMw

I will reluctantly support this.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Gipson will likely be highly sought after being so young, players like him usually end of getting huge deals. Berry isn't going anywhere.

I prefer a veteran safety, as we need someone who can communicate in that backfield and keep everyone on the same page. These mental breakdowns are painful to watch happen year after year after year. I know people are scared Weddle is at the end of the line, but even 75% of what he has been is much better than anything we have got since Woodson. Rashad Johnson is a little unheralded and could be modestly priced.

Corner is the real FA area I would look at. I know Trumaine Johnson is everyone's choice at the moment but there are others I would like to see considered. Casey Heyward is someone that I would like to have, but he might be extremely pricey. Brandon Boykin was barely used in Pittsburgh and could shake loose. Coty Sensabaugh would be another. I think coming out of FA with another veteran body out there will make it less pressing to have to spend one or more choices on a rookie corner that will need to develop.

Tight end is another place to look if we let Hanna go. Rhett Ellison would be my choice there. Seems ready to break out.

I agree on the veteran safety; Thomas Everett made a huge difference in the Cowboys secondary in the early 90s after the Steelers traded him to Dallas. Of course he (potential safety FA) must not be too old to where he can't play.

I like Gipson, though, and would love to see a DT signed who can actually pressure the passer and command double-teams.

 

[Alexander]

I like Gipson, though, and would love to see a DT signed who can actually pressure the passer and command double-teams.

Terrell McClain is coming back. Maybe this will finally be the year he takes over the NFL.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Terrell McClain is coming back. Maybe this will finally be the year he takes over the NFL.

Die Hard X?

 

[big dog cowboy]

Here are the players that I would like us to sign and draft.

QB
Johnny Manziel [Potential Trade]

Love your posts GB but honestly I couldn't read any more than that.

No only do we say no to JF we sure as hell aren't trading for him.

 

[therock1982]

what's the guys name from Philly ,plays opposite fletcher cox,always impresses when we play them,be a good move,at 27 still plenty of playing time left n automatically weakens a division rival

I agree on the veteran safety; Thomas Everett made a huge difference in the Cowboys secondary in the early 90s after the Steelers traded him to Dallas. Of course he (potential safety FA) must not be too old to where he can't play.

I like Gipson, though, and would love to see a DT signed who can actually pressure the passer and command double-teams.

 

[Alexander]

what's the guys name from Philly ,plays opposite fletcher cox,always impresses when we play them,be a good move,at 27 still plenty of playing time left n automatically weakens a division rival

Cedric Thornton?

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Cedric Thornton?

Sounds right. He is a DE, though.

 

[Oh_Canada]

Terrell McClain is coming back. Maybe this will finally be the year he takes over the NFL.

I see what you are doing here, but the team did miss McClain went he went down. Problem is-he is always down.

As for the original post, Josh Gordon is less reliable than a VW emissions report-not sure why you want him. Personally a guy like Marvin Jones is a perfect compliment to Bryant-fast, good hands and reliable.

Give me him, Weddle and a lb like Bradham and call it a day.