Cowboys have bad timing with Contracts

[Jkyle]

Many fans and pundits criticize the Cowboys for not getting contracts done with their top players and then having to pay top dollar.
Take Cee Dee. Up until last year, he never really demonstrated that he was a Top/Elite Receiver. He doesn't have the freakish athletic ability like Jefferson, Chase, Adams, etc.
He was a very reliable receiver and improved in his catching, but just by the eyeball test, he never demonstrated he was an "Elite" receiver.
Last year, he seemed to reach a new level. At that point, I'm sure CD and his reps knew he would get a nicer contract by playing it out and they were right.
Dak has demonstrated good regular season stats but his well know playoff lack of success is his biggest knock, also the fact that his record against elite teams isn't that impressive. The QB market is what it is. I'm sure the Cowboys get heartburn paying a QB with Dak's track record top of the market.
We are in a quandary with Parsons now because while he has elite DE talent, he hasn't shown that he is able to maintain that throughout the season.
Now, I'm sure the Cowboys have to worried that they will have to pay him $30 million a year knowing that he tends to wear down. Given that he is undersized to play DE and has not shown he can consistently provide/maintain his freakish ability throughout the season, that's a lot of money to knowing the realities. I think they know that he can't maintain his freakish ability for years to come because his abilities will diminish each year just like any other player.
Jerry has become very hesitant/skittish on paying these big contracts after years of doing so and seeing no real success. I'm sure he is jaded due to that and it gives him heartburn being forced to keep doing it.

 

[thunderpimp91]

That's not bad timing it's poor execution by your front office that is completely unwilling to take even the slightest risk.

Take Lamb for example. His stats his first three years....

74/935/5
79/1102/6
107/1359/9

What did we think was going to happen? The guy was already the #1 target for the offense and putting up WR1 numbers. They could have locked him up after year 3 for a significantly smaller number, but elected to go the "prove it" route. Now I'm assuming that Lamb would have been willing to sign a year early, I can't say for sure if that is true or not.

The issue is the Cowboys wont make up their minds on players until their walk year when the price skyrockets. Make a decision on a player a year early and either sign them at a lower rate or trade them while they have multiple controllable years left to net you significant draft value. A failure to evaluate a player after year 3 is not a player issue, but a failure of the front office.

 

[MWH1967]

Meh, just get Prescott to take a smaller piece of the pie and problem solved,.

 

[KJJ]

Jerry waits for too many leaves to fall.

 

[Chasing6]

Many fans and pundits criticize the Cowboys for not getting contracts done with their top players and then having to pay top dollar.
Take Cee Dee. Up until last year, he never really demonstrated that he was a Top/Elite Receiver. He doesn't have the freakish athletic ability like Jefferson, Chase, Adams, etc.
He was a very reliable receiver and improved in his catching, but just by the eyeball test, he never demonstrated he was an "Elite" receiver.
Last year, he seemed to reach a new level. At that point, I'm sure CD and his reps knew he would get a nicer contract by playing it out and they were right.
Dak has demonstrated good regular season stats but his well know playoff lack of success is his biggest knock, also the fact that his record against elite teams isn't that impressive. The QB market is what it is. I'm sure the Cowboys get heartburn paying a QB with Dak's track record top of the market.
We are in a quandary with Parsons now because while he has elite DE talent, he hasn't shown that he is able to maintain that throughout the season.
Now, I'm sure the Cowboys have to worried that they will have to pay him $30 million a year knowing that he tends to wear down. Given that he is undersized to play DE and has not shown he can consistently provide/maintain his freakish ability throughout the season, that's a lot of money to knowing the realities. I think they know that he can't maintain his freakish ability for years to come because his abilities will diminish each year just like any other player.
Jerry has become very hesitant/skittish on paying these big contracts after years of doing so and seeing no real success. I'm sure he is jaded due to that and it gives him heartburn being forced to keep doing it.

No. Cowboys have GM Jethro.

 

[DallasEast]

Take Cee Dee. Up until last year, he never really demonstrated that he was a Top/Elite Receiver. He doesn't have the freakish athletic ability like Jefferson, Chase, Adams, etc.

CeeDee Lamb had demonstrated having freakish athletic ability before getting drafted. Top line speed is what Lamb does not match with Justin Jefferson and J'Marr Chase, although I do not believe he is that much 'slower' compared with Davante Adams.

Plus, it would be difficult for any receiver to showcase their skills as being 'top/elite' when their receiving opportunities do not match the level of 'top/elite'. I have been mentally begging for the offense to let Lamb loose since day one. I was glad when the decision was finally made last season. And my fantasy team was very appreciative of his shackles getting unlocked as well, lol.

 

[KingintheNorth]

It's not "bad timing,"

It's ineptness and inadequacy. It's nepotism and ego.

We literally have a chemicial engineer born into wealth and a restaurant worker running the cap.

 

[JoeKing]

CeeDee Lamb, in 2023, was the beneficiary of a flailing running attack. What else will they do with the ball, other than throw it more? The running game needs to pick it up in production. CeeDee's stats will decline if the running game picks up, but the offensive production will increase. So I agree with the FO if paying Lamb is not a priority. Get the running game fixed!

 

[Nova]

CeeDee Lamb had demonstrated having freakish athletic ability before getting drafted. Top line speed is what Lamb does not match with Justin Jefferson and J'Marr Chase, although I do not believe he is that much 'slower' compared with Davante Adams.

Plus, it would be difficult for any receiver to showcase their skills as being 'top/elite' when their receiving opportunities do not match the level of 'top/elite'. I have been mentally begging for the offense to let Lamb loose since day one. I was glad when the decision was finally made last season. And my fantasy team was very appreciative of his shackles getting unlocked as well, lol.

I was going to say this.

Jefferson has never been viewed as freak athlete. In fact, everyone tried to call him a slot receiver.

Turns out he's maybe the best route runner we've seen in the last 15 or so years-- save for maybe Adams.

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

The GM/Owner created this problem. It didn't just fall out of the sky.

 

[fivetwos]

Well hopefully the price is almost high enough for Jerry to buy in.

I sit here and wonder how Jerry did so well in business yet is so awful at this, then realize the kid is the one running it all.

 

[Coogiguy03]

That's not bad timing it's poor execution by your front office that is completely unwilling to take even the slightest risk.

Take Lamb for example. His stats his first three years....

74/935/5
79/1102/6
107/1359/9

What did we think was going to happen? The guy was already the #1 target for the offense and putting up WR1 numbers. They could have locked him up after year 3 for a significantly smaller number, but elected to go the "prove it" route. Now I'm assuming that Lamb would have been willing to sign a year early, I can't say for sure if that is true or not.

The issue is the Cowboys wont make up their minds on players until their walk year when the price skyrockets. Make a decision on a player a year early and either sign them at a lower rate or trade them while they have multiple controllable years left to net you significant draft value. A failure to evaluate a player after year 3 is not a player issue, but a failure of the front office.

Agreed BUT once again doing it early, what stops him from sitting out a few years into the contract because he's being underpaid

 

[Coogiguy03]

Jerry waits for too many leaves to fall.

And then spends all the leaves on the trees to record setting deals

 

[Coogiguy03]

CeeDee Lamb had demonstrated having freakish athletic ability before getting drafted. Top line speed is what Lamb does not match with Justin Jefferson and J'Marr Chase, although I do not believe he is that much 'slower' compared with Davante Adams.

Plus, it would be difficult for any receiver to showcase their skills as being 'top/elite' when their receiving opportunities do not match the level of 'top/elite'. I have been mentally begging for the offense to let Lamb loose since day one. I was glad when the decision was finally made last season. And my fantasy team was very appreciative of his shackles getting unlocked as well, lol.

Sucks they had to have a meeting during the season to have this happen

 

[Chasing6]

And then spends all the leaves on the trees to record setting deals

GM Jethro likes raking in the dead leaves on a 1 year minimum contract.

 

[Coogiguy03]

GM Jethro likes raking in the dead leaves on a 1 year minimum contract.

Yeah but he does all this tough stance only to cave in

 

[thunderpimp91]

Agreed BUT once again doing it early, what stops him from sitting out a few years into the contract because he's being underpaid

Signing a guy a year late, what stops them from holding out after a couple years? If a player is going to hold out when they signed their contract wont really effect that. It may effect when they hold out, but most likely not if they will or wont.

To me if a player sits out then a player sits out. Either a team can meet the contract demands, trade them, or let them sit.

If a player holds out they wont get paid and they wont get credit for a year of their contract. I'm not completely against guys holding out on occasion, but the teams hold so much leverage if they choose to take it. The issue with holdouts is teams rarely use the leverage they have.

 

[Teague31]

Bad timing. Lmao

 

[Rockport]

Agreed BUT once again doing it early, what stops him from sitting out a few years into the contract because he's being underpaid

When was the last time a player sat out 1 year much less a couple?

 

[KingintheNorth]

When was the last time a player sat out 1 year much less a couple?

Agreed and well said. When something has not happened in a long time it means it is no longer relevant when making decisions or judging value today.



I don't know, like winning a Super Bowl in the last 28 years…