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3:48 PM Fri, Mar 05, 2010 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Todd Archer/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips
There's panic in the streets. It's the first day of free agency and the Cowboys have done, gulp, nothing.
No signings. No visits. And from the sounds of it, not really any calls either.
My gosh, what are they doing? This doesn't jibe with what Jerry Jones said last week at the NFL Scouting Combine when he wanted his players nervous, that there would be 10-11 new faces in 2010, that they cannot be complacent.
Maybe that nervousness Jones talked about was in regards to the inactivity on Day One.
Julius Peppers is gone to Chicago. The New York Giants are looking at safety Antrel Rolle and some others. Washington hasn't made the big splash but the Commanders have kept their own players. Philadelphia has done the same.
Meanwhile, crickets from Valley Ranch.
How in the world can the Cowboys get better in 2010?
Calm down, re-watch that "4th and Long" episode from last year, crack open a fine Merlot and ... chill.
While there is a perception out there that Jerry Jones has spent wildly in the past and will spend wildly if there is no salary cap, it's not necessarily true. We just finished an on-line series in which the top-five best free-agent signings since 1993 were (in reverse order): Terrell Owens, Ray Donaldson, Leonard Davis, La'Roi Glover and Deion Sanders. We had a guard - two years, $1.6 million in 1995 - at No. 4.
The Cowboys have hardly been big, big spenders in free agency, especially early, although 2005 is the exception when they added Anthony Henry, Jason Ferguson and Marco Rivera on the first day of the open market for signing bonuses totaling $29 million.
Last year, they waited five days to sign defensive end Igor Olshansky and nine days to sign safety Gerald Sensabaugh. In 2008, they did not sign one unrestricted free agent. In 2007, they signed Davis and that came a few days into the signing period after he visited Washington, too. Ken Hamlin didn't sign that year until March 23.
In 2006 Kyle Kosier was the first unrestricted free agent to sign and that came March 11. Akin Ayodele came two days later.
Don't fret the inactivity.
The Cowboys don't have a need that requires them to get into the large money games for players like Peppers, Rolle, Karlos Dansby, Nate Burleson and Kyle Vanden Bosch.
They will sit back and wait for a guy that appeals to them and make a move.
Here's a look at the UFA signings from 2005-09 and when those players signed:
2005
Anthony Henry - March 3
Jason Ferguson - March 3
Marco Rivera - March 3
2006
Akin Ayodele - March 13
Rocky Boiman - March 20
Jason Fabini - March 18
Ryan Hannam - March 18
Kyle Kosier - March 11
Mike Vanderjagt - March 23
2007
Leonard Davis - March 5
Ken Hamlin - March 23
2008
NONE
2009
Igor Olshansky - March 6
Gerald Sensabaugh - March 10
Todd Archer/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips
There's panic in the streets. It's the first day of free agency and the Cowboys have done, gulp, nothing.
No signings. No visits. And from the sounds of it, not really any calls either.
My gosh, what are they doing? This doesn't jibe with what Jerry Jones said last week at the NFL Scouting Combine when he wanted his players nervous, that there would be 10-11 new faces in 2010, that they cannot be complacent.
Maybe that nervousness Jones talked about was in regards to the inactivity on Day One.
Julius Peppers is gone to Chicago. The New York Giants are looking at safety Antrel Rolle and some others. Washington hasn't made the big splash but the Commanders have kept their own players. Philadelphia has done the same.
Meanwhile, crickets from Valley Ranch.
How in the world can the Cowboys get better in 2010?
Calm down, re-watch that "4th and Long" episode from last year, crack open a fine Merlot and ... chill.
While there is a perception out there that Jerry Jones has spent wildly in the past and will spend wildly if there is no salary cap, it's not necessarily true. We just finished an on-line series in which the top-five best free-agent signings since 1993 were (in reverse order): Terrell Owens, Ray Donaldson, Leonard Davis, La'Roi Glover and Deion Sanders. We had a guard - two years, $1.6 million in 1995 - at No. 4.
The Cowboys have hardly been big, big spenders in free agency, especially early, although 2005 is the exception when they added Anthony Henry, Jason Ferguson and Marco Rivera on the first day of the open market for signing bonuses totaling $29 million.
Last year, they waited five days to sign defensive end Igor Olshansky and nine days to sign safety Gerald Sensabaugh. In 2008, they did not sign one unrestricted free agent. In 2007, they signed Davis and that came a few days into the signing period after he visited Washington, too. Ken Hamlin didn't sign that year until March 23.
In 2006 Kyle Kosier was the first unrestricted free agent to sign and that came March 11. Akin Ayodele came two days later.
Don't fret the inactivity.
The Cowboys don't have a need that requires them to get into the large money games for players like Peppers, Rolle, Karlos Dansby, Nate Burleson and Kyle Vanden Bosch.
They will sit back and wait for a guy that appeals to them and make a move.
Here's a look at the UFA signings from 2005-09 and when those players signed:
2005
Anthony Henry - March 3
Jason Ferguson - March 3
Marco Rivera - March 3
2006
Akin Ayodele - March 13
Rocky Boiman - March 20
Jason Fabini - March 18
Ryan Hannam - March 18
Kyle Kosier - March 11
Mike Vanderjagt - March 23
2007
Leonard Davis - March 5
Ken Hamlin - March 23
2008
NONE
2009
Igor Olshansky - March 6
Gerald Sensabaugh - March 10
