DC.COM Blog: How Should The Cowboys Treat RFA Spears?

[Randy White]

or slightly more because he's better than Igor.

He's not better than Igor.

 

[Seven]

he'll see the $42 million over six years Chris Canty got from the Giants last year

HOLY................!!! That is absolutely insane.

 

[Randy White]

I'd make a first offer of 15 mil, 4 years or just under Igor.

I wouldn't go that far. He's an average to solid player at best. I'd rather use most of that money to resign Hatcher and Bowen to extensions, solidifying the depth for the next 3 to 4 years.

I am sure he'll ask 20 mil and we meet somewhere in the middle or we just wait another year and Spears can play for a 2nd round tender.

That would be as far as I'd go, and hope that some team makes him an offer so I wouldn't match it and take the pick.

Draft a a rookie or two AND/OR a relatively young DE who was cut from another team. Another Igor, although not quite as expensive, for example.

We also have Dixon who should compete for a roster spot, if not more, in this training camp.

 

[jobberone]

Depends on how they feel about Bowen and Hatcher. Bowen looks like an upgrade to me although we don't see film.

Towards the end of the year Wade mentioned that Hatcher had come on and had been injured much of the year. I had wondered why he wasn't getting the snaps he had gotten previously and when he did wasn't the player he had been. I think we will see a different Hatcher next year.

If they think Bowen and Hatcher can play ever down then I'd get the goody out of Spears this year then either sign him to backup pay or let him walk. He's proven to be reliable in the run but not a load in the passing game. Is he a hindrance to seeing what Bowen and Hatcher can do??

 

[gimmesix]

I think we can get better production.

2nd round Tender.

We have no one on the roster (that we've seen) who can replace what he gives us on first and second down. There is a reason why he starts and Bowen and Hatcher come in mostly on passing downs, and you can see that by looking at the success of the run defense.

Now, that being said, I think we should be looking for a player who can be both of those things, run stopper and pass rusher, but in no way should kick Spears to the curb while we look.

Give him a first-round tender, which he deserves as a starter and should keep other teams away from him, and work from there.

 

[Randy White]

We have no one on the roster (that we've seen) who can replace what he gives us on first and second down..

Bowen can and would.

But you're acting as if what he's giving us on first and second down is some type of hard to replace production that deserves a 1st round tender. At best, he's been a solid player. At best. The Cowboys could put Bowen in that spot and not miss a beat if they had to. Why haven't they done it ? Simple, because they didn't have to, but just because they didn't " have to " doesn't mean they can't.

Spears is not worth much more than a back up 3-4 DE is worth. I'd give him the 2nd round tender and hope some team bites and bring him back only at that price with the idea of developing somebody better for long term. There's absolutely no reason to give him a long term contract for anything anywhere near Igor or even Jay Ratliff's contract ( which is much less than Igor's and is a peanuts compared to what he's worth ).

Sign Hatcher and Bowen for 4 years at 1.5 to 2 mills each, get somebody in the draft, bring in somebody from free agency ( preferably somebody who's been cut ) and allow them, along with Dixon, Hatcher and Bowen to fight for a starting spot.

 

[NeonNinja]

or slightly more because he's better than Igor.

He's not better.

 

[gimmesix]

Bowen can and would.

But you're acting as if what he's giving us on first and second down is some type of hard to replace production that deserves a 1st round tender. At best, he's been a solid player. At best. The Cowboys could put Bowen in that spot and not miss a beat if they had to. Why haven't they done it ? Simple, because they didn't have to, but just because they didn't " have to " doesn't mean they can't.

No, they haven't put Bowen in on first and second down because Bowen is not a stout run defender. Bowen is good at getting penetration and making plays with his quickness, but he's not consistent at holding the point of attack.

Spears is severely underestimated (by some) for what he brings to the run defense. He has improved to the point where he rarely gets blown off the ball, which allows the linebackers to flow to the ball and make plays.

He's a valuable asset to this team, in that we do not have anyone on the roster currently that we know can handle Spears' role. Until we do, we need to make sure we retain him.

A first-round tender will do the job, and if we find someone who can provide Spears' stout run defense AND a consistent pass rush, then we can rescind the offer (since it's doubtful Spears would sign it before close to the draft).

We do not need to downgrade our run defense by letting Spears go without having someone just as good against the run as he is. Bowen is not. Hatcher is not. And unless Dixon has transformed since the last preseason, he is not. (In fact, if you want to watch Bowen and Hatcher's struggles as first- and second-down run defenders, go back and watch last summer's preseason games when they were the ends for the second-team defense.)

 

[Rampage]

He's not better than Igor.

He's not better.

ok Bob agreed to disagree and that was that. can you explain why you guys feel this way? Spears is just as good against the run as Igor imo and provides a lot more pass rush than Igor cause Igor doesn't provide any imo.

 

[Randy White]

No, they haven't put Bowen in on first and second down because Bowen is not a stout run defender. Bowen is good at getting penetration and making plays with his quickness, but he's not consistent at holding the point of attack.

When ( which games ) have the Cowboys started Bowen and determined that he's not a solid run defender or that he could not handle Spear's role ?

Let's be honest here, Spears is NOT a " stout " run defender. He's a solid player who's actually underachieved compared to the price that was paid for him, but he's been servicible

 

[Randy White]

ok Bob agreed to disagree and that was that. can you explain why you guys feel this way? Spears is just as good against the run as Igor imo and provides a lot more pass rush than Igor cause Igor doesn't provide any imo.

Igor is a better run defender than Spears. Remember that this past season was, by far, the best season Spears has had in his career while Igor has been playing, pretty much, this same way all throught his ( until he fell out of favor after Philips left SD ). I don' t trust players who have their best season in contract years, particularly when the other 4 ( or 5 ? ) were mediocre.

I'll even venture to say that bringing in Igor to solidify that side of the field against the run, along with the usual dominating season from Ratt in the middle, allowed Spears to improve his game this much. When Canty was here, he was the 2nd best D-lineman on the field ( behind Ratt ), that's undisputable. Almost everyone would agree today that Igor was an overwhelming improvement over Canty, especially against the run, this year.

Remember that right up until this year, there were many people in favor of moving Spears inside to NG to see if it could generate some production from him because he was seldom heard from during the season.

 

[Seven]

ok Bob agreed to disagree and that was that. can you explain why you guys feel this way? Spears is just as good against the run as Igor imo and provides a lot more pass rush than Igor cause Igor doesn't provide any imo.

I agree. Spears has been very good at what his position requires. Who ran on us? Too many want the highlights. It's not a highlight position.

 

[Eskimo]

Spears is a good player - a rotational guy at 3-4 DE. He can also play a bit at NT if called in to duty. I would offer him the same contract as Igor - no reason to bruise either guy's feelings as they are about equal players with Macus is the better pass rusher and Igor better against the run.

You could argue Igor is a bit better overall, but the difference is so small I wouldn't sweat over it too much. 4-5 years is the most I would offer given his knee issues.

 

[RealCowboyfan]

If the Cowboys can I would replace him with Ratliff and try to draft Terrance "Mountain" Cody as the Nose Tackle or sign Wilfork.

 

[SDogo]

Jared Ordick would be a fine replacement.

 

[Eskimo]

If the Cowboys can I would replace him with Ratliff and try to draft Terrance "Mountain" Cody as the Nose Tackle or sign Wilfork.

Isn't this guy at risk of eating himself out of a career? If he can't show up motivated to be in shape at the Combine, case closed. I wouldn't bother with him.

If Wilfork became available, then I would consider using that one extra pick from someone else's roster - but the Pats will franchise him anyways.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Jared Ordick would be a fine replacement.

or Arthur Jones

 

[Four]

parcells can have him back.

 

[Eskimo]

Jared Ordick would be a fine replacement.

Not sure you spend a first round pick when you may not be getting a better player than the veteran starter who you could simply re-sign. Unless you think Ordick is an almost sure thing Pro Bowler, there is no point at spending this pick on a non-glory position where we still have some decent depth even if Spears leaves.

Our OL is both old and rapidly declining and has only backup who is deinitely ready to start (Free). Some might say that number could be stretched to two (Brewster, Free)

I think two of the top 3 picks should be on the OL and we may need to bring in a vet FA to shore up the line.

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

or Arthur Jones

Youre not worried about the injuries?