Cowboys place Non-exclusive Franchise Tag on Pickens

[big dog cowboy]

Imagine if they manage to move down a little bit from both 12 and 20 and then have two 1sts as well as multiple 2nd and 3rd round picks.

If we were 3-4 players away I would say no. Clearly the Cowboys need all they can get.

Having 5-6 players on day 1 and day 2 would be incredible. Add in some FA additions = legit defense.

 

[conner01]

Clark is average and our defense got worse. Stop it. Top picks? We gave the Jets are best pick next season. We literally have to cheer for the Packers next season.

Clark is far from avg. that’s the argument people made about Lewis last year. It was wrong. Clark is perfect for what Parker want to do

 

[baltcowboy]

We do? I don't see any.

CeeDee.

 

[baltcowboy]

Clark is far from avg. that’s the argument people made about Lewis last year. It was wrong. Clark is perfect for what Parker want to do

Bro the Packers didn’t miss Clark, he was a JAG for the worst defense in football. Lewis wouldn’t have done a thing for us. He was on the team the season before and the defense was terrible. Lewis was overpaid by the Jaguars and did nothing for their playoff run because of his injury. Could you imagine paying Bland and Lewis with both being lost for the season. You can draft a Lewis type in the 4th/5th round.

 

[charron]

Perfect this is exactly what they should do. I like him at the right price but if I can turn him into 2 starters that is even better.

 

[big dog cowboy]

CeeDee.

He is a diva WR???

 

[McKDaddy]

Clark is a solid NT at a position where players usually can remain solid into their mid 30s.

I don't believe having a top-flight receiving corps and a strong defense have to be mutually exclusive. I think our fans have come to expect that because of how the Joneses do business.

Agree that you can possibly have both. Did either SB teams have two #1 WR's?

Way more SB winners have strong defense than have multiple top tier WR's. Certainly not two that have already gotten paid. Give me the SB caliber D first.

 

[McKDaddy]

Bro the Packers didn’t miss Clark, he was a JAG for the worst defense in football. Lewis wouldn’t have done a thing for us. He was on the team the season before and the defense was terrible. Lewis was overpaid by the Jaguars and did nothing for their playoff run because of his injury. Could you imagine paying Bland and Lewis with both being lost for the season. You can draft a Lewis type in the 4th/5th round.

You are painting with a very wide brush & questionable paint.

 

[baltcowboy]

He is a diva WR???

CeeDee is prettier then my daughter and has more bling on him then the queen of Eng.

 

[baltcowboy]

You are painting with a very wide brush & questionable paint.

Facts are questionable? I have not heard one Packer fan or talking head say wow, the Packer really miss Clark. He would have won that Chicago playoff game. Lewis contract was an overpay. He didn’t make it half a season. Jerry saying stuff in the media doesn’t change that fact.

 

[gimmesix]

Agree that you can possibly have both. Did either SB teams have two #1 WR's?

Way more SB winners have strong defense than have multiple top tier WR's. Certainly not two that have already gotten paid. Give me the SB caliber D first.

The Seahawks had one of the top wideouts in the game this year, Smith-Njigba, but still scooped up Cooper Kupp for $15 million per year at the start of the season. Granted, Njigba isn't costing Seattle a lot yet.

Philly last year had both Brown and Smith on pricey contracts. Smith's APY was $25 million when he signed his new deal in 2024. AJ Brown's was $32 million. That would be similar to what we're paying Lamb and Pickens now and certainly didn't keep the Eagles from building a top defense and winning a Super Bowl.

 

[KingCorcoran]

The Seahawks had one of the top wideouts in the game this year, Smith-Njigba, but still scooped up Cooper Kupp for $15 million per year at the start of the season. Granted, Njigba isn't costing Seattle a lot yet.

Philly last year had both Brown and Smith on pricey contracts. Smith's APY was $25 million when he signed his new deal in 2024. AJ Brown's was $32 million. That would be similar to what we're paying Lamb and Pickens now and certainly didn't keep the Eagles from building a top defense and winning a Super Bowl.

Smith’s $25 million per season deal starts in a few weeks. Philly was not paying him on the deal last season.

 

[gimmesix]

Smith’s $25 million per season deal starts in a few weeks. Philly was not paying him on the deal last season.

Over the Cap says he signed a three-year, $75 million extension in April 2024. The Eagles rolled his fifth-year option into the deal ... but most deals are done in a way so that the first year of the hit is lower. Often the second year, too. Lamb's hit was $8.7 million in 2024 and $15 million in 2025. Smith's was $8.7 million in 2024 and $7.5 million in 2025. So neither player got their per-season average.

This year, Lamb was due $38 million, but we've announced a restructure with his $25 million base, but I assume we'll turn almost all of that into bonus and get his cap down into the teens again.

 

[McKDaddy]

Facts are questionable? I have not heard one Packer fan or talking head say wow, the Packer really miss Clark. He would have won that Chicago playoff game. Lewis contract was an overpay. He didn’t make it half a season. Jerry saying stuff in the media doesn’t change that fact.

You calling players like Clark & Lewis JAG's is far from factual. JAG's are folks at the bottom end of the roster. These guys have been significantly above average their entire career.

What does getting hurt have to do with the talent level of a player?

 

[McKDaddy]

The Seahawks had one of the top wideouts in the game this year, Smith-Njigba, but still scooped up Cooper Kupp for $15 million per year at the start of the season. Granted, Njigba isn't costing Seattle a lot yet.

Philly last year had both Brown and Smith on pricey contracts. Smith's APY was $25 million when he signed his new deal in 2024. AJ Brown's was $32 million. That would be similar to what we're paying Lamb and Pickens now and certainly didn't keep the Eagles from building a top defense and winning a Super Bowl.

But Kupp is no longer a #1. A solid player yes, but that isn't the criteria.

 

[gimmesix]

But Kupp is no longer a #1. A solid player yes, but that isn't the criteria.

Understood. There may not have been any this year, but that doesn't establish a pattern. A lot of fans want to look at the latest Super Bowl teams for how to build a team, but they have been built all kinds of ways. Needless to say, having a top 5/top10 defense is a major factor. I don't think there's enough evidence concerning two top receivers either way you go.

You'd have to go back and figure out if there is a correlation. I mean, I already mentioned Philly having Brown and Smith. The previous year, San Fran had Aiyuk and Samuel. The year before that, Brown and Smith again. The year before that, the Bengals had Chase and Higgins. The year before that, the Bucs had Evans and Godwin.

During those years, some of the Super Bowl teams only had one top receiver, and then solid players like Kupp was. So there's no clear pattern on that.

 

[baltcowboy]

You calling players like Clark & Lewis JAG's is far from factual. JAG's are folks at the bottom end of the roster. These guys have been significantly above average their entire career.

What does getting hurt have to do with the talent level of a player?

Availability…… Lewis has always been an injury risk. You don’t pay for 30 year old players with injury history.

 

[McKDaddy]

Availability…… Lewis has always been an injury risk. You don’t pay for 30 year old players with injury history.

that's a different contention than just labeling him a JAG though

 

[baltcowboy]

that's a different contention than just labeling him a JAG though

Clark and Lewis are solid pros but the Cowboys need elite players around them. I don’t think you pay solid pros.

 

[Shannon1]

David will find the team then he will bring the deal back to the Cowboys. Then the Cowboys will either agree to the same contract or make the a trade with the said team. Obviously it won’t be for two ones but a deal could be made. I don’t think Pickens is playing on a one year tag.

No way I let him go for just 1 one has to be 2 1s or nothing