CowboysFanTalk: If Dak walks, what's the plan?

[Vtwin]

many are taking it for granted ( 3 straight years )

Last year was the first season in my fandom that the regular season success meant little to me. The entire season had the dark cloud of yet another playoff embarrassment over it, and sure enough...

A decade of 12 win seasons would mean nothing if you're nothing more than a tackling dummy in the playoffs.

I was around for the "next year's champions" era. This era feels more like "next year's losers".

 

[FoxF]

Does anyone trust the Jones boys to find a QB?

They lucked into Romo as an UDFA thanks to Sean Payton and then Dak (they had a few other QBs rated ahead of him that year and all out of the league). Remember the post Aikman years of Quincy Carter and company? Enter Trey Lance and the poor decision to bring him in while becoming a free agent himself soon.

I agree Dak can only carry this organization so far, but do not see a plan for his replacement other than bringing in a cheaper replacement while they play the draft.

 

[Mikexike]

Lance, sign a vet, draft his replacement? Whatever option you choose, I think all can agree getting into the playoffs could be a struggle for the next year or two...that's the trade-off.

Apparently Media has never heard of a rebuild under a new regime.

 

[KJJ]

So you recommend signing dak to an extension?

I recommend letting him play at least part of the regular season and see how it goes. If he’s playing well and is willing to sign for less than what Jackson got I would extend him. If not then let’s see how we finish in 2024. If we go deep in the playoffs, then I’ll break the bank to keep him. If it’s another early playoff exit or we end up missing the playoffs I’ll let him test free agency. The Cowboys have a dilemma with Dak having all the leverage. He’s going to get paid whether it’s by the Cowboys or someone else. If we move on from him we could be playing musical chairs at QB for years trying to find the next one that gives us a chance. That could lead to some very lean years. We could end up like Washington and a few other teams.

 

[KJJ]

Your plan is even more dumb. Good to know

Your plan is to suck for a top 5 QB. That’s the dumbest plan. Go preach to the players to lay down every week for a QB in the draft that could go bust. Glad you don’t run the team.

 

[pitt33]

It isn’t worth tanking a season for a top 5 QB. We saw several go in the top 10 in April and the odds are most of them won’t pan out. Carolina got worse after drafting Bryce Young with the first overall pick.

The thing is he never should have been drafted #1. Talk about a product of the Alabama system. He’s built like a slot receiver for goodness sake’s.

Carolina GM should be canned.

 

[Reid1boys]

That's what kinda crazy.......everyone, even his hardest critics can't deny he played at an ALl-Pro level during the regular season just can't get it together in the playoffs. Reminds me of when the Bucs fired Tony Dungy not coz he couldn't get them to the post-season but had trouble winning playoff games. Hell, I understand the frustration with Dak, I am too but don't expect damn near automatic playoff participation w/o him.

Yep.....I think part of our problem is our team is the Cowboys. You hear anyone talking about how Allen cant win the big game? Lamar? Tua? Trevor Lawrence? Herbert? Granted, they are younger, but I havent even heard a whisper about that with any of them... why? Because it simply doesnt get the same interest as discussing Dak gets nationwide. So that narrative just grows and grows and grows.

I coached club softball for 20 years. One of the rules that I had for my parents was to never come and talk to me about a tournament, playing time... anything after a weekend tournament ended until WED, 3 days later. This rule served me well. A parent, whose kid sat in multiple games on Sunday was hot and if they wanted to discuss why their kid sat after the tourney, it was likely not going to end well. By wed, they have calmed down, much more rational and we can then discuss.

This applies to Dak. After that GB loss, I was devastated, pissed, and was ready to kick Dak to the curb. A few months goes by and calmer heads prevail. Now start looking at it rationally and ask yourself if you want to start on the journey the Jets have been on for most of my life? And I am 54 years old.

Thats a resounding NO for me. Ill keep Dak.

 

[KJJ]

The thing is he never should have been drafted #1. Talk about a product of the Alabama system. He’s built like a slot receiver for goodness sake’s.

Carolina GM should be canned.

A lot of those QBs are a product of the system and playing for elite college teams. This is one reason many don’t pan out.

 

[Rockport]

Last year was the first season in my fandom that the regular season success meant little to me. The entire season had the dark cloud of yet another playoff embarrassment over it, and sure enough...

A decade of 12 win seasons would mean nothing if you're nothing more than a tackling dummy in the playoffs.

I was around for the "next year's champions" era. This era feels more like "next year's losers".

That’s not smart because you have to succeed to MAKE the playoffs.

 

[JBS]

I recommend letting him play at least part of the regular season and see how it goes. If he’s playing well and is willing to sign for less than what Jackson got I would extend him. If not then let’s see how we finish in 2024. If we go deep in the playoffs, then I’ll break the bank to keep him. If it’s another early playoff exit or we end up missing the playoffs I’ll let him test free agency. The Cowboys have a dilemma with Dak having all the leverage. He’s going to get paid whether it’s by the Cowboys or someone else. If we move on from him we could be playing musical chairs at QB for years trying to find the next one that gives us a chance. That could lead to some very lean years. We could end up like Washington and a few other teams.

Yeah, there is no perfect plan. You either keep Dak which is proven at this point that you won’t win. You sign a stop gap qb and go nowhere. Or you suck and try and find a franchise qb. It’s not very complicated. Being afraid to suck is why we haven’t won crap in 30 years.

 

[Creeper]

I have been assured that all we need to do is draft a new QB in the first round and he will be better than Dak Prescott.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Let's review the three franchise QBs under Jerry's ownership
Troy.......drafted by Jimmy ( although he initially didn't trust him ....see Steve Walsh)
Romo.....free agent stroke of luck
Dak........4th a round pick who became a starter by default ( 3-4 failed attempts by Jerry )

Ok so you mean to tell me it's hard to replace Dak?? (speaking in general)

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Ok so you mean to tell me it's hard to replace Dak?? (speaking in general)

No, but finding a QB to get you three straight seasons of 12 wins won't be easy

 

[Coogiguy03]

No, but finding a QB to get you three straight seasons of 12 wins won't be easy

Not every team is going to do that, you can get 9 wins, make the playoffs and have success. I hear ya though

 

[KJJ]

Yeah, there is no perfect plan. You either keep Dak which is proven at this point that you won’t win. You sign a stop gap qb and go nowhere. Or you suck and try and find a franchise qb. It’s not very complicated. Being afraid to suck is why we haven’t won crap in 30 years.

We haven’t won crap in almost 30 years because certain parts of the team, primarily the defense has sucked in the playoffs. There was a long list posted here compiled by one of the networks listing all the QBs that have been drafted the past 20 years and only about 15 became franchise QBs. You can win a SB with a “good” QB if you have a complete team. That’s been proven many times. Dak is a “very good” QB and so was Romo but we haven’t had the complete teams to win crap. Our situation is complicated because we have nothing behind Dak and without a viable QB we’re not going to be a playoff team. Using high first round picks on QBs that don’t pan out, while passing on much better players at other positions can keep you struggling to win 6-8 games every season.

 

[JBS]

We haven’t won crap in almost 30 years because certain parts of the team, primarily the defense has sucked in the playoffs. There was a long list posted here compiled by one of the networks listing all the QBs that have been drafted the past 20 years and only about 15 became franchise QBs. You can win a SB with a “good” QB if you have a complete team. That’s been proven many times. Dak is a “very good” QB and so was Romo but we haven’t had the complete teams to win crap. Our situation is complicated because we have nothing behind Dak and without a viable QB we’re not going to be a playoff team. Using high first round picks on QBs that don’t pan out, while passing on much better players at other positions can keep you struggling to win 6-8 games every season.

Yeah so you draft a bust then you try again. No different than winning nothing for the last 30 years. What you aren’t factoring in, is we have two idiots running this franchise. You need a superhuman qb to overcome those idiots. There’s only 1 realistic way to find that. That’s drafting one very high.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Yeah so you draft a bust then you try again. No different than winning nothing for the last 30 years. What you aren’t factoring in, is we have two idiots running this franchise. You need a superhuman qb to overcome those idiots. There’s only 1 realistic way to find that. That’s drafting one very high.

Yeah man we let Dak go I'm sorry, I won't eat, sleep, go to work, kiss my wife, feed the kids!!! Life will be over!!

 

[Havic]

Lance in 2025 and if he fails we draft the replacement early

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Yep.....I think part of our problem is our team is the Cowboys. You hear anyone talking about how Allen cant win the big game? Lamar? Tua? Trevor Lawrence? Herbert? Granted, they are younger, but I havent even heard a whisper about that with any of them... why? Because it simply doesnt get the same interest as discussing Dak gets nationwide. So that narrative just grows and grows and grows.

I coached club softball for 20 years. One of the rules that I had for my parents was to never come and talk to me about a tournament, playing time... anything after a weekend tournament ended until WED, 3 days later. This rule served me well. A parent, whose kid sat in multiple games on Sunday was hot and if they wanted to discuss why their kid sat after the tourney, it was likely not going to end well. By wed, they have calmed down, much more rational and we can then discuss.

This applies to Dak. After that GB loss, I was devastated, pissed, and was ready to kick Dak to the curb. A few months goes by and calmer heads prevail. Now start looking at it rationally and ask yourself if you want to start on the journey the Jets have been on for most of my life? And I am 54 years old.

Thats a resounding NO for me. Ill keep Dak.

The bottom line is whether you like him or not, we ARE closer to a Super Bowl with him than not. A new QB could set us back a few years at least or pay Dak hoping he can break through......tough call.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Lance, sign a vet, draft his replacement? Whatever option you choose, I think all can agree getting into the playoffs could be a struggle for the next year or two...that's the trade-off.

If the plan is to be competitive in 2025/26, then its a very bad plan.

If you move on from Dak, then the plan should be to take at least two years to get your franchise QB and build a quality roster around him. And that likely means selling off what you can sell off after 2024