Cowboys RT Doug Free confirms intentions to retire, passes torch to Travis Frederick

[big dog cowboy]

I'm not going to hate on the guy, but it was time. And I'm glad to see that if the organization didn't realize it, he did.

It was time 2-3 years ago. I think, I know that can be dangerous, the Cowboys tried to adress this 2 years when they drafted Green.

 

[SHAMSzy]

I don't get this mind set at all. You blame the player for his contract? A Contract and or Draft slot should not be held against a player. The question is, did the player do everything he could do to be the best player he could be? Did he go out there every day and leave it on the field, if the answer is yes, then what do I care how much money he makes or where he was drafted? Now, if he loafs, doesn't care, etc. then I have a problem with the player, but again, that has nothing to do with his contract. All players try to sign the biggest contract they can, as they should. If you don't like the contract, blame the person that gave it to him, not him for accepting it. Same thing with a draft pick, why hold it against a player because they were drafted in the 1st round, it's not they had any say in it.

Of course he should get paid as much as he can, good for him and his family. His contract was a detriment to my favorite football team compared to his play, therefore I am not fond of him as a player. I usually don't like things that make my team lose.

 

[SportsGuru80]

It was definitely time. His play had slipped.

 

[waldoputty]

Of course he should get paid as much as he can, good for him and his family. His contract was a detriment to my favorite football team compared to his play, therefore I am not fond of him as a player. I usually don't like things that make my team lose.

For $1.5M more AAV, we could have had this:
If you told me that Von Miller would be shut out for 55 minutes of a game, I would have laughed in your face. However, right tackle Jermey Parnell held his own against him on Sunday. The Broncos had zero individual sacks on the day, as Bortles' fumble didn't come from actual Broncos contact. Even with the sack-fumble, the performance by the offensive line was impressive.
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/sport...-plays-the-worst-game-of-his-career/362696849

 

[Deep_Freeze]

Didn't know Free had an Olympic torch.

Must be nice.

 

[Floatyworm]

Twas a good player for us. Had some rocky seasons, but overall zero complaints to get 10 years(mostly starting) out of a 4th round pick.

Mark it down as another player ruined by a position change by the Dallas Cowboys. If he stays @ RG...He probably would still be playing. He just got exposed too often playing out of position.

And yes...I still think we would have taken Martin...and moved him to LG.

 

[Pants]

That seems odd. TWill has been as good as Free relatively speaking.

as I think you noted in a thread somewhere, he played almost every down except for 5 games in 2011 when he was injured...he was solid enough that others couldn't take his spot...TWill? can't get over his lack of production from a #2 WR...he has turned into a 4th option now and sometimes, less than that...a legit #2 WR has more than 40-ish catches per year...and, he doesn't have the gaffs that Williams had...he is a good blocker and he occasionally has the spectacular play, but otherwise, his non-production stacked against a player that played virtually every offensive down is a no-brainer to me

 

[diefree666]

as I think you noted in a thread somewhere, he played almost every down except for 5 games in 2011 when he was injured...he was solid enough that others couldn't take his spot...TWill? can't get over his lack of production from a #2 WR...he has turned into a 4th option now and sometimes, less than that...a legit #2 WR has more than 40-ish catches per year...and, he doesn't have the gaffs that Williams had...he is a good blocker and he occasionally has the spectacular play, but otherwise, his non-production stacked against a player that played virtually every offensive down is a no-brainer to me

the problem with that kind of thinking is epitomized by Hayden, Rod's 'Golden Cock'

 

[xwalker]

as I think you noted in a thread somewhere, he played almost every down except for 5 games in 2011 when he was injured...he was solid enough that others couldn't take his spot...TWill? can't get over his lack of production from a #2 WR...he has turned into a 4th option now and sometimes, less than that...a legit #2 WR has more than 40-ish catches per year...and, he doesn't have the gaffs that Williams had...he is a good blocker and he occasionally has the spectacular play, but otherwise, his non-production stacked against a player that played virtually every offensive down is a no-brainer to me

The Cowboys use Williams in ways that don't maximize his chances. They scheme to make him the #4 receiver. The Cowboys managed fine when Dez missed games in 2016.

Williams has had a couple of mental gaffs, but good grief, Dez has had dozens of them.

In 2014, Free missed 5 regular season games an both playoff games. They didn't miss a beat without him and actually played better.

 

[waldoputty]

the problem with that kind of thinking is epitomized by Hayden, Rod's 'Golden Cock'

for all those who wants the team to act like the patriots, here was their chance...

 

[Risen Star]

He'll always be remembered as a quitter.

 

[ConceptCoop]

...Free got paid to be elite....

No he didn't. He never counted much against the cap.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/dallas-cowboys/doug-free-2419/cash-earnings/

 

[xwalker]

No he didn't. He never counted much against the cap.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/dallas-cowboys/doug-free-2419/cash-earnings/

That does not appear to be accurate. His original big contract was 4-years, 32M with 17M guaranteed (8M per year for a RT).


On July 26, 2011, the Cowboys avoided him testing the free agent market and rewarded him with a four-year, $32 million contract, with $17 million guaranteed.[3] After his play regressed, the team decided to move him back to right tackle, exchanging positions with Tyron Smith in 2012. He was still seen as a liability even with the change, so the team gave more playing time to Jermey Parnell in the final four games of the season.

After having to share his playing time and giving up 7 sacks, 5 holding penalties and 7 false starts, he accepted a reduced salary in order to avoid being waived before the start of the 2013 season.[4]

In 2014, he was a starter in what was arguably considered the best offensive line in the league and also emerged as the unit's leader.[5] In October, he suffered a sprained right foot in the last minutes of the Week 6 win against the Seattle Seahawks, causing him to miss 3 games. He also missed the team's last four games (including 2 in the playoffs) with a left ankle stress fracture, that led him to have offseason surgery.

On March 7, 2015, Free re-signed with the Cowboys on a three-year, $15 million contract.[6] He started all 16 games and although he was a solid contributor at right tackle, he led the team in penalties (9).

On March 11, 2017, Free announced his retirement from the NFL after 10 seasons.[7][8]

 

[zrinkill]

Thank you Doug Free ........ you have a lot more class than many of these kitty cats taking shots at you as you go.

 

[diefree666]

That does not appear to be accurate. His original big contract was 4-years, 32M with 17M guaranteed (8M per year for a RT).


On July 26, 2011, the Cowboys avoided him testing the free agent market and rewarded him with a four-year, $32 million contract, with $17 million guaranteed.[3] After his play regressed, the team decided to move him back to right tackle, exchanging positions with Tyron Smith in 2012. He was still seen as a liability even with the change, so the team gave more playing time to Jermey Parnell in the final four games of the season.

After having to share his playing time and giving up 7 sacks, 5 holding penalties and 7 false starts, he accepted a reduced salary in order to avoid being waived before the start of the 2013 season.[4]


In 2014, he was a starter in what was arguably considered the best offensive line in the league and also emerged as the unit's leader.[5] In October, he suffered a sprained right foot in the last minutes of the Week 6 win against the Seattle Seahawks, causing him to miss 3 games. He also missed the team's last four games (including 2 in the playoffs) with a left ankle stress fracture, that led him to have offseason surgery.

On March 7, 2015, Free re-signed with the Cowboys on a three-year, $15 million contract.[6] He started all 16 games and although he was a solid contributor at right tackle, he led the team in penalties (9).

On March 11, 2017, Free announced his retirement from the NFL after 10 seasons.[7][8]

So his last two years he was costing us $5 million a year?

 

[skinsscalper]

I disagree.

Carr and Free got paid to be elite at their position and they were average to below average. Can't compare them with Heath because Heath isn't paid like them. If you want to praise a guy like T Will who is making 2 mil a year for solid contributions I hear you, but Carr was making 10 mil/yr and Free was at 8 mil/yr. In the current NFL Free would be the second highest paid RT and Carr would be a top 10 CB.

Players like them on contracts like those are what will prevent us from winning the Super Bowl.

When you blame a player for the money that the TEAM paid him, you're starting your argument from the idiot's side of the table.

 

[xwalker]

So his last two years he was costing us $5 million a year?

Yes, they cut him 2 years ago and then he signed a reduced contract for 5M per.

 

[waldoputty]

Thank you Doug Free ........ you have a lot more class than many of these kitty cats taking shots at you as you go.

yes he showed lots of class going all the way to the bank.
for all those who want to save salary cap, well they blow all the cap on free - the piece of garbage

 

[waldoputty]

So his last two years he was costing us $5 million a year?

think his cap hit was $7.5M in 2017 of which $5M was base salary.
for less than $1.2M more, we could have kept parnell - and the RT position would have been secured.

 

[negativecreep]

Cowboys RT Doug Free confirms intentions to retire, passes torch to Travis Frederick

Bryant Crews

Before Tony Romo stole the spotlight with his exodus from his NFL playing career, Doug Free was the first Dallas Cowboy to announce his retirement this offseason. On Monday, the former Cowboys starting right tackle made a public statement on his retirement, confirming those intentions with 105.3 The Fan.




Free played 10 seasons for the Cowboys after being selected out of Northern Illinois University in the fourth round of the 2007 draft.

Since 2010, Doug Free started every Cowboys game he was active for, making 107 regular-season starts. He missed five games in 2011 with an injury. He has been recognized as a leader of the offensive line group for over half a decade, as the club rebuilt the unit following the era of Flozell Adams and Leonard Davis.

Read more: http://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/201...haz-green-tennessee-titans-carolina-panthers/

Have a great rest of your life, one of the better 4th rounders we have had, he takes so much heat here but I'm gonna miss him and so is our O Line. Thanks Doug.