Cowboys wanted Demarco back before he went to Titans

[PA Cowboy Fan]

I wish Demarco well. (tear)

He was to us what Randle and DMC could never be. That is a threat at RB that caused opposing defenses to make adjustments... thereby leaving a multitude of other options open for Linehan & crew. Stat that.

Ten years from now we'll probably look back at such a wasted opportunity. Should have kept the gang together. It's time now to find our next great RB.

 

[superonyx]

A week of negotiations is a huge stretch at best.
They obviously discussed what Philly wanted in trade and if DeMarco would restructure.

Again if the deal wasn't better than Tennessee's it wasn't that serious.

Since when does Dallas get outbid if they really want to make the deal?

This is another in a long line of possible RB moves that haven't happened.
What did happen was a cheap deal done for DMC. And that worked out great.
I am guessing whatever deal happens next will also work out great.

That OL is going to insure it.

It didn't work out that great if they had such sellers remorse that they were looking into the possibility of trading with the Eagles for him to come back. Can't you remember the feeling watching this offense last year when the entire city of Dallas was filled with excitement when one Christine Michael came on to the field for a short yardage carry? That's not the feeling a city has when they let the AP Offensive Player of the year walk away and they are happy they replaced him with McFadden.

McFadden played decent no doubt...I like the man. But something real was missing last year. Dez sent out a tweet telling Demarco to come home. Romo sent a tweet with a picture of Demarco and it said "where have you gone Joe Demaggio". These are not signs that it worked out great.

 

[casmith07]

Because he agreed to restructure down to 6.5m a year and only 13m guaranteed. His deal is now less than Lamar Miller or Doug Martin.

29 going on 30 years old. I'd rather draft Zeke Elliott at 4.

 

[Bleu Star]

Ten years from now we'll probably look back at such a wasted opportunity. Should have kept the gang together. It's time now to find our next great RB.

This is what they don't understand. They think we're just beating a dead horse.... Actually, we were so close to running a Trojan horse directly down Super Bowl Street.

 

[percyhoward]

McFadden played decent no doubt...I like the man. But something real was missing last year.

What was missing was a real passing threat. Safeties and LB were lined up (or cheating up) to stop the run, because they knew we didn't have the passing game to be able to attack them and make them pay for it.

In 2014, we kept running until defenses stopped giving us the run, then we kept running anyway when defenders started to play honest -- not because Murray was especially successful running against defenses that were anticipating run (he wasn't), but because of the potential payoff of a big pass play without much risk -- we knew that if we were stuffed on 1st down, we could pass and eventually convert anyway. Our passing game gave us that luxury.

In the first 4 games of 2014, when defenses were still giving us the run, Murray averaged an incredible 6.9 ypc on 1st & 10. Over the next 4 games, the average went down to 5.4 ypc when defenses started to play us honest. By the season's second half, defenses were expecting a 1st down run, and that average went down to 4.3 ypc. Remember, these defenses still had to be aware of our passing threat.

In 2015, McFadden averaged 4.8 ypc on 1st & 10, against defenses that didn't have to respect our passing game at all. What does Murray do in the same situation? Better than he did the year before when we had a passing threat? I'm guessing not.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

I'd rather draft Zeke Elliott at 4.

He would not be my first choice (QB first) but he would be on my top-five list of agreeable options.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

He would not be my first choice (QB first) but he would be on my top-five list of agreeable options.

If we don't get a QB then we have to at least get a star RB.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

This is what they don't understand. They think we're just beating a dead horse.... Actually, we were so close to running a Trojan horse directly down Super Bowl Street.

I know. It's sort of like 2007. I look back at that year as a wasted opportunity. Nobody knew it then but they do now. It'll be the same with 2014.

 

[percyhoward]

I am trying to figure out how Murray prevents Romo from breaking his collarbone.

That was a real gem, wasn't it? Makes Romo's injuries ownership's fault, and at the same time avoids having to consider what Murray would have done with no passing game.

 

[Bleu Star]

2nd & 10... Dumb play with an empty backfield that is much less likely if Demarco is in that backfield... Demarco commanded that alignment and would have been in there on that 2nd down to (at the very least) protect Romo.

Instead, they go desperate with an empty backfield because, playing the percentages given the RB personnel, there's a higher probability of something positive happening with an extra WR in there vs someone like Randle who couldn't block a lick.

That 2nd & 10 play was "desperation" and it bit us in the collective *****. Again, I maintain that if Demarco was still on the squad last year, he would have been in there and would have stoned #58 right there at the LOS. With an upright Romo and the gang still in tact, we would have been at a minimum 9-7.

Feel free to watch it again. I don't expect to convince the DeMarco haters. But the story tells itself.

Gotta click the link to watch the actual video on YT.

 

[Nightman]

2nd & 10... Dumb play with an empty backfield that is much less likely if Demarco is in that backfield... Demarco commanded that alignment and would have been in there on that 2nd down to (at the very least) protect Romo.

Instead, they go desperate with an empty backfield because, playing the percentages given the RB personnel, there's a higher probability of something positive happening with an extra WR in there vs someone like Randle who couldn't block a lick.

That 2nd & 10 play was "desperation" and it bit us in the collective *****. Again, I maintain that if Demarco was still on the squad last year, he would have been in there and would have stoned #58 right there at the LOS. With an upright Romo and the gang still in tact, we would have been at a minimum 9-7.

Feel free to watch it again. I don't expect to convince the DeMarco haters. But the story tells itself.

Gotta click the link to watch the actual video on YT.

it was like the 3 stooges

Witten, Beasley and Butler all run into each other and then Dunbar swings out of the backfield and heads right to the pile-up. PHI had 2 guys covering 3 and Romo still couldn't get rid of the quick pass.

 

[Bleu Star]

it was like the 3 stooges

Witten, Beasley and Butler all run into each other and then Dunbar swings out of the backfield and heads right to the pile-up. PHI had 2 guys covering 3 and Romo still couldn't get rid of the quick pass.

Dunbar was in the slot. It was just a dumb play. Featuring Dunbar as that extra threat of course.. but the point is with Demarco on the roster that alignment isn't even happening on 2nd & 10.

 

[percyhoward]

That's one play.

Players miss blocks that result in sacks, and sometimes the QB gets hurt. Murray has missed blocks that have resulted in sacks of Romo before, (see pic below) and there's no reason to think this wouldn't have continued if he'd played here in 2015. Just as would happen with any other back. Murray hasn't been one of the league's best pass-blocking RB anyway-- he's about average, according to PFF. Maybe the sacks Murray would have given up in 2015 would have led to an injury -- maybe not. Who knows?

Injuries are part of the game, and I don't believe Murray's presence changes that fact.

 

[Nightman]

That's one play.

Players miss blocks that result in sacks, and sometimes the QB gets hurt. Murray has missed blocks that have resulted in sacks of Romo before, (see pic below) and there's no reason to think this wouldn't have continued if he'd played here in 2015. Just as would happen with any other back. Murray hasn't been one of the league's best pass-blocking RB anyway-- he's about average, according to PFF. Maybe the sacks Murray would have given up in 2015 would have led to an injury -- maybe not. Who knows?

Injuries are part of the game, and I don't believe Murray's presence changes that fact.

So if a Romo injury is inevitable wouldn't they want to limit his throws by rushing the ball 450 times?

Letting the guy walk most capable of accomplishing that is why it was such a bad decision.

 

[Bleu Star]

That's one play.

Yes indeed. One pivotal play that cemented 2015 as yet another season removed from any sniff of a Super Bowl. You and I will never agree on this Demarco thing. I acknowledge that. It's all good. You know where I stand and vice versa. Nothing either of us says will change the other.

I'm no longer butthurt about the decision to push him away last year. The FO obviously had a plan right? RANDLE? Anyway... Realistically, bringing Demarco back now is not as meaningful as it would have been last year. He's one year closer to 30 and we need to get younger there. That said, our offense flourishes when it has the balance it once had just two seasons ago. We need to bring in a RB who will restore that balance and compel opposing teams to game plan specifically against the threat.

 

[percyhoward]

So if a Romo injury is inevitable wouldn't they want to limit his throws by rushing the ball 450 times?

An argument for running the ball 450 times doesn't necessarily get twisted into an argument for paying Murray anyway, but the real question is, how does Murray perform without a passing game?

 

[percyhoward]

RANDLE?

That was stupid, but the focus needs to be on the QB.

 

[Bleu Star]

That was stupid, but the focus needs to be on the QB.

Yeah. Goff, Wentz or bust...

 

[DandyDon52]

DeMarco Murray will officially be a member of the Tennessee Titans tomorrow. Pro Football Talk is reporting that his new contract is worth $12.5 million guaranteed over 4 years. The deal could be worth as much as $33 million if he hits all of his incentives. Here is how it breaks down per PFT:

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the revised four-year deal has a base value of $25.5 million, with $12.5 million guaranteed. Of that amount, $6 million is fully guaranteed in 2016, and $3 million is fully guaranteed in 2017. The remaining $3.25 million is guaranteed money is guaranteed for injury only at signing, and it converts to a full guarantee on the fifth day of the 2017 league year. So it is basically a 2-year deal worth $9 million. If the Titans want to cut him after 2017 it would only cost them $3.25 million in dead money. That is an excellent contract by Jon Robinson. The cap flexibility the team has allows them to front-load the deal and minimize the risk on the back-end. That is called win, win, win.
It was also announced tonight that the team will sign Ben Jones tomorrow. Two of the biggest things the Titans needed to do in free agency- upgrade the running back position and upgrade the offensive line- have been at least partially accomplished. Things are looking up!

• DeMarco Murray Trade: Titans and Eagles swapping 4th round picks

I cant find any details on what cowboys offered the eagles, but as you can see, Tenn only had
to swap 4th round picks, which isnt bad, and murrays contract was reworked.
It is now 6 mil a year instead of 8, and still has 9 mil G .
the odd thing is the cowboys final offer last year was 6 mil a year and 12 mil G for 4 years.

So it seems cowboys did not still want to pay him 6 mil a year?
and Murray is now making what he would have had he signed with cowboys last year.

So it seems both parties screwed up , not just once but twice !

Dallas probably only offered 4 mil a year and 6G lol.
I dont know why they would even bother trying if your going to go cheapo again.

And it seems to me that philly no longer is liable for the G money, it is Tenn ??
If phil still is paying the 9 mil G then Tenn got a great deal.

 

[DandyDon52]

Geoff Mosher of 97.5 in Philadelphia is reporting that the Titans swapped 4th round picks with the Eagles in exchange for DeMarco Murray. If true, that means the Titans move from pick 97 (2nd pick of 4th round) to pick 110 (15th pick in 4th round).* I would say that is a steal, but I don't think steal is a strong enough word. Jon Robinson upgraded the running back position astronomically without even giving up a pick. All he did was move down 13 spots.

The only question I have left is where has Jon Robinson been all of our lives?? This is officially a trade that has no downside. A lot of people are knocking the Titans because Murray didn't look good last year. I believe that was a result of being in the wrong system, but even if it wasn't and Murray truly is done, all Robinson gave up was 13 spots in the 4th round. That is HUGE!!!!1

We will have a DeMarco Murray approval poll up later today.

*Current numbers before compensatory picks have been announced.

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so this seems to indicate Tenn is not paying Murrays salary in 2016 ??
It would seem murray is playing for the 6 mil G that phil is paying, with 3 more in 2017.
Then he would get incentives for 2016 from Tenn if he does good in 2016.

Or Tenn thinks the 12 mil G is not a big deal.
I would love to know what cowboys offered if anyone can find out,