News: DMN | Cowboys one of youngest teams in the NFL

[Bluefin]

Cowboys one of youngest teams in the NFL

By SportsDayDFW.com
Published: 16 September 2015 04:28 PM

The Dallas Cowboys are the fourth-youngest team in the NFC, according to NFL's analysis of opening weekend rosters.

The full list by team.

Team Age (Years)
Indianapolis 27.19
Carolina 26.92
Atlanta 26.81
Pittsburgh 26.72
Detroit 26.7
Philadelphia 26.64
NY Jets 26.62
NY Giants 26.57
San Diego 26.53
Oakland 26.47
New Orleans 26.42
Cincinnati 26.32
Baltimore 26.21
Cleveland 26.19
Denver 26.19
Washington 26.19
Buffalo 26.13
Seattle 26.13
Chicago 26.04
Tampa Bay 26
Arizona 25.98
Dallas 25.92
New England 25.91
Tennessee 25.87
Minnesota 25.87
San Francisco 25.87
Houston 25.85
Miami 25.7
Kansas City 25.3
Jacksonville 25.26
Green Bay 25.23
St. Louis 24.96
All NFL Average 26.15

 

[Bluefin]

The Cowboys' oldest players are Tony Romo (35), L.P. LaDouceur (34), and Jason Witten (33). The rest of the team is age 31 or younger.

The roster currently has seven players age 30 or older.

Romo, Frenchy the long snapper, Witten, Brandon Weeden, Jeremy Mincey, Doug Free and Tyler Clutts.

In comparison, the team finished with 10 players age 30 or older last season.

LB James Anderson, DE Anthony Spencer and OT Tony Hills were churned during the off-season.

Weeden, Mincey and Clutts will be unrestricted free agents after this season. All three may be replaced during the off-season, any that return will likely do so on one year deals.

The Cowboys' youngest players are a group of five rookies, all 22-years-old: La'el Collins, Randy Gregory, Byron Jones, Geoff Swain and Damien Wilson. The Cowboys have six additional players who are 23.

Including players on Reserve/PUP (Chaz Green) and Reserve/NFI (Mark Nzeocha), the current roster includes 30 players age 25 or younger.

8 players are currently 25, so they will be off the list next season, though some may leave the team for one reason or another.

They will hopefully be replaced on the list by another strong rookie class next year to keep the youth movement flowing.

 

[burmafrd]

Witten, Romo and Frenchy skew the roster. Take them out and we have the youngest one in the league. BUT of course the fact that our QB is getting up there is serious.

I am NOT looking forward to the Day Tony is gone- unlike in the 60's and 70's we do not have anyone lined up to replace him. Eddie Lebaron was replaced by Dandy and Dandy was replaced by Morton who was good and then we got Roger and then Danny. Virtually seemless for 20+ years. No team in NFL history matched that kind of continual excellent QB play. And we only had a few years from Danny to Troy. Then our luck ran out for 6 years and we got Tony. I have a terrible suspicion we will have another dry spell like that again.

 

[Gameover]

#Jerry

 

[Bluefin]

I have a terrible suspicion we will have another dry spell like that again.

Perhaps.

I doubt any of us like how the Dallas Cowboys all but ignore developing a prospect at eh QB position.

Even if this continues until Tony Romo hands in his retirement papers, which is what many in the media are expecting, the team is much better prepared to handle finding a new starting quarterback than when Troy Aikman was released.

It may not be easy, lots of clubs are trying to find a young passer every year.

But Dallas has a good scouting department and the front office isn't scared of making a big trade.

Jerry Jones hasn't forgotten the post-Aikman years, in fact, that period was one of the motivating factors in the owner/president/GM's infatuation with Johnny Manziel in the 2013 draft.

Hopefully, Romo will remain the starter through at least 2017.

That is, however, just this fan's hope.

It may not happen in the next draft, or the one after that, but it will happen before too long.

The Cowboys will go after a first round QB.

The clock is ticking.

 

[blindzebra]

We are building a team with very few glaring needs so drafting a QB is not really an issue. The only question is do we let the draft come to us or do we go all out for a top of the draft guy? My gut tells me we draft one in round 2 or 3 next year or round one the year after.

 

[DanTanna]

LB James Anderson, DE Anthony Spencer and OT Tony Hills were churned during the off-season.]

Little known fact about Tony Hills:
He was the last Longhorn OL that was drafted, 7 years ago in 2008. He was part of the 2003 recruiting class. Was an awesome TE coming out of High School - rated the #1 player in Texas that year. Injuries really hurt his college career. He's really hung in there.

 

[Bluefin]

Witten, Romo and Frenchy skew the roster.

Something I do every season is look at the roster status of the older players and how likely they are to return the following season.

This list includes every player that will be age 26 before the 2016 off-season begins.

-----

1. QB Tony Romo - 35 - under contract through 2019, franchise QB, roster lock

2. LS L.P LaDouceur - 34 - under contract through 2017, franchise LS, roster lock

3. TE Jason Witten - 33 - under contract through 2017, franchise TE, Romo's BFF, roster lock

4. QB Brandon Weeden - 31 (32 in Oct) - free agent, #2 QB, doubtful re-sign

5. DE Jeremy Mincey - 31 (32 in Dec) - free agent, starting RDE, will become a reserve player when Greg Hardy returns, questionable re-sign

6. OT Doug Free - 31- under contract through 2017 - starting RT, should return next year unless wheels come off, virtual roster lock

7. FB Tyler Clutts - 30 (31 in Nov) - free agent, starting FB, team needs to upgrade, could get minimum 1 year contract offer, questionable re-sign

8. OG Mackenzy Bernadeau - 29 - free agent, game day reserve G/C, questionable re-sign

9. DT Nick Hayden - 29 - free agent, starting NT, could get minimum 1 year contract offer, questionable re-sign

10. CB Brandon Carr - 29 - under contract through 2017, starting LCB, playing to prove worthy of $9.1M salary next season, questionable release

11. Sean Lee - 29 - under contract through 2019, franchise LB, roster lock

12. CB Orlando Scandrick - 28 - under contract through 2018, starting RCB & Nickel CB, on IR this season, roster lock

13. RB Darren McFadden - 28 - under contract through 2016, RBBC, likely roster lock

14. K Dan Bailey - 27 - under contract through 2020, franchise kicker, roster lock

15. SS Barry Church - 27 - under contract through 2016, starting SS, roster lock

16. ST Danny McCray - 27 - free agent, special teams player, doubtful re-sign

17. DT Terrell McClain - 27 - under contract though 2016, reserve NT/UT, roster lock

18. DE Greg Hardy -27 - free agent, starting RDE currently serving 4 game suspension, questionable re-sign

19. OT Darrion Weems - 27 - exclusive rights free agent, just released, expected to re-sign on practice squad, questionable re-sign

20. DT Jack Crawford - 27 - free agent, reserve under tackle, questionable re-sign

21. WR Dez Bryant - 26 (27 in Nov) - under contract through 2019 - franchise WR, roster lock

22. LB Andrew Gachkar - 26 (27 in Nov) - under contract through 2016, reserve LB, special teamer, roster lock

23. WR Cole Beasley - 26 - under contract through 2018, slot receiver, very QB friendly, roster lock

24. LB Kyle Wilber - 26 - free agent, mainly reserve LB, core special teamer, unlikely re-sign

25. LG Ronald Leary - 26 - restricted free agent, starting RG, should get tendered at 2nd round level, roster lock

26. QB Kellen Moore - 26 - free agent, practice squad QB, likely re-sign to futures contract

27. LB Rolando McClain - 26 - free agent, starting MLB currently serving 4 game suspension, questionable re-sign

28. TE James Hanna - 26 - free agent, reserve TE, core special teamer, unlikely re-sign

29. P Chris Jones - 26 - under contract through 2017, also holds for kicks, likely roster lock

30. WR Terrance Williams - 26 this Friday - under contract through 2016, starting wideout, roster lock

31. DT Tyrone Crawford - 25 (26 in Nov) - under contract through 2020, starting under tackle, roster lock

32. RB Lance Dunbar - 25 (26 in Jan) - free agent, reserve RB, special teams player, probable re-sign

33. CB Morris Claiborne - 25 (26 in Feb) - free agent, starting RCB with Scandrick injured, questionable re-sign

34. WR Rodney Smith - 25 (26 in March) - free agent, practice squad WR, questionable re-sign to futures contract

35. CB Corey White - 25 (26 in May) - free agent, reserve CB/S, questionable re-sign

-----

I've got 16 of these players as 50/50 or worse to be with the team next season.

I'd like to go ahead and get a couple of these guys extended if they are in our long term plans, but that may or may not be in the works.

The list I did late last season had 33 players on it and 15 of them are no longer wearing the star, so we will likely see similar results this off-season.

 

[dallasdave]

Something I do every season is look at the roster status of the older players and how likely they are to return the following season.

This list includes every player that will be age 26 before the 2016 off-season begins.

-----

1. QB Tony Romo - 35 - under contract through 2019, franchise QB, roster lock

2. LS L.P LaDouceur - 34 - under contract through 2017, franchise LS, roster lock

3. TE Jason Witten - 33 - under contract through 2017, franchise TE, Romo's BFF, roster lock

4. QB Brandon Weeden - 31 (32 in Oct) - free agent, #2 QB, doubtful re-sign

5. DE Jeremy Mincey - 31 (32 in Dec) - free agent, starting RDE, will become a reserve player when Greg Hardy returns, questionable re-sign

6. OT Doug Free - 31- under contract through 2017 - starting RT, should return next year unless wheels come off, virtual roster lock

7. FB Tyler Clutts - 30 (31 in Nov) - free agent, starting FB, team needs to upgrade, could get minimum 1 year contract offer, questionable re-sign

8. OG Mackenzy Bernadeau - 29 - free agent, game day reserve G/C, questionable re-sign

9. DT Nick Hayden - 29 - free agent, starting NT, could get minimum 1 year contract offer, questionable re-sign

10. CB Brandon Carr - 29 - under contract through 2017, starting LCB, playing to prove worthy of $9.1M salary next season, questionable release

11. Sean Lee - 29 - under contract through 2019, franchise LB, roster lock

12. CB Orlando Scandrick - 28 - under contract through 2018, starting RCB & Nickel CB, on IR this season, roster lock

13. RB Darren McFadden - 28 - under contract through 2016, RBBC, likely roster lock

14. K Dan Bailey - 27 - under contract through 2020, franchise kicker, roster lock

15. SS Barry Church - 27 - under contract through 2016, starting SS, roster lock

16. ST Danny McCray - 27 - free agent, special teams player, doubtful re-sign

17. DT Terrell McClain - 27 - under contract though 2016, reserve NT/UT, roster lock
18. DE Greg Hardy -27 - free agent, starting RDE currently serving 4 game suspension, questionable re-sign

19. OT Darrion Weems - 27 - exclusive rights free agent, just released, expected to re-sign on practice squad, questionable re-sign

20. DT Jack Crawford - 27 - free agent, reserve under tackle, questionable re-sign

21. WR Dez Bryant - 26 (27 in Nov) - under contract through 2019 - franchise WR, roster lock

22. LB Andrew Gachkar - 26 (27 in Nov) - under contract through 2016, reserve LB, special teamer, roster lock

23. WR Cole Beasley - 26 - under contract through 2018, slot receiver, very QB friendly, roster lock

24. LB Kyle Wilber - 26 - free agent, mainly reserve LB, core special teamer, unlikely re-sign

25. LG Ronald Leary - 26 - restricted free agent, starting RG, should get tendered at 2nd round level, roster lock

26. QB Kellen Moore - 26 - free agent, practice squad QB, likely re-sign to futures contract
27. LB Rolando McClain - 26 - free agent, starting MLB currently serving 4 game suspension, questionable re-sign

28. TE James Hanna - 26 - free agent, reserve TE, core special teamer, unlikely re-sign

29. P Chris Jones - 26 - under contract through 2017, also holds for kicks, likely roster lock

30. WR Terrance Williams - 26 this Friday - under contract through 2016, starting wideout, roster lock

31. DT Tyrone Crawford - 25 (26 in Nov) - under contract through 2020, starting under tackle, roster lock

32. RB Lance Dunbar - 25 (26 in Jan) - free agent, reserve RB, special teams player, probable re-sign
33. CB Morris Claiborne - 25 (26 in Feb) - free agent, starting RCB with Scandrick injured, questionable re-sign

34. WR Rodney Smith - 25 (26 in March) - free agent, practice squad WR, questionable re-sign to futures contract

35. CB Corey White - 25 (26 in May) - free agent, reserve CB/S, questionable re-sign

-----

I've got 16 of these players as 50/50 or worse to be with the team next season.

I'd like to go ahead and get a couple of these guys extended if they are in our long term plans, but that may or may not be in the works.

The list I did late last season had 33 players on it and 15 of them are no longer wearing the star, so we will likely see similar results this off-season.

Wow-that's good stuff !!