Does our cap situation force us

[rockj7]

To really focus in on our drafting. When you are missing on draft picks like we have in the past ( Been better recently) you have to spend in free agency but we are financially unable to do much so we have to hit a home run in the draft isn't that in a weird way a good thing. Older Cowboy fans before the cap, did we spend alot in free agency for players or did we get our players through drafting and trades, Im a younger Cowboy fan so Im asking about the 90s. I still think about the year we had 12 draft picks not one if Im thinking clearly not 1 is on this team 12 players guys and gals even if we only hit on 6 lets say for the sake of argument we had hit on 1 WR 1OG 1OT 1CB 1FS 1LB we would be at least 1 player deep even if they where solid back ups at positions of need. I didnt put DL because we switched to a 4-3

 

[JBS]

Hitting on 6/12 is just as hard as hitting on 0/12

 

[Alexander]

I do not understand why what you do in free agency should make you work harder or smarter in the draft. That should be a given if you are an intelligent organization.

 

[silver]

You need to string 4 solid drafts in a row to get over he hump with the salary cap. We haven't had that here. We're hit and miss with the draft which has forced us to spend on FA's or extend undeserving vets. The 1st one eats your cap room and the 2nd one robs your team of being hungry.

 

[Nightman]

To really focus in on our drafting. When you are missing on draft picks like we have in the past ( Been better recently) you have to spend in free agency but we are financially unable to do much so we have to hit a home run in the draft isn't that in a weird way a good thing. Older Cowboy fans before the cap, did we spend alot in free agency for players or did we get our players through drafting and trades, Im a younger Cowboy fan so Im asking about the 90s. I still think about the year we had 12 draft picks not one if Im thinking clearly not 1 is on this team 12 players guys and gals even if we only hit on 6 lets say for the sake of argument we had hit on 1 WR 1OG 1OT 1CB 1FS 1LB we would be at least 1 player deep even if they where solid back ups at positions of need. I didnt put DL because we switched to a 4-3

Dallas missed badly on the 2009 Draft, but so did a lot of teams. SEA has 1 player from their 2009 draft, 2nd round pick Max Unger. They wasted the 5th overall pick on Aaron Curry.

 

[rockj7]

Dallas missed badly on the 2009 Draft, but so did a lot of teams. SEA has 1 player from their 2009 draft, 2nd round pick Max Unger. They wasted the 5th overall pick on Aaron Curry.

True

 

[rockj7]

What I was saying regarding free agency is that if you hit in your draft you dont have to spend big to get a Brandon Carr, If you draft well you dont have to sale yourself to a DT who is coming off an injury. Drafting good allows you to let vets go instead of restructuring their contracts.

 

[jazzcat22]

What I was saying regarding free agency is that if you hit in your draft you dont have to spend big to get a Brandon Carr, If you draft well you dont have to sale yourself to a DT who is coming off an injury. Drafting good allows you to let vets go instead of restructuring their contracts.

Yes, draft always best way to go, this team lost sight of that for a long time. but are now getting back to that philosophy. Mostly from being forced to, because on limited cap $$$$.
I also believe Garrett and will McClay has a big part of this new direction.

As for the DT coming off an injury, if you are talking about Melton. To me this is no different than if Ware was kept coming off 2 seasons of declining production and what? 4 different types of injuries. Or Spencer recovering from micro-fracture knee surgery, which is far more to overcome than an ACL. Yes, they are DE's.
But Hatcher had his share of injuries last year too. Give me Melton at 27 coming off a very recoverable knee surgery over a 32 year old one season high production [so far].

But yet there was interest in keeping all 3. Or was there really any interest, only JJ and bandits [I say that in jest] really know. So the interest in Melton is ok with me. Just don't over pay of course.

 

[MonsterD]

To really focus in on our drafting. When you are missing on draft picks like we have in the past ( Been better recently) you have to spend in free agency but we are financially unable to do much so we have to hit a home run in the draft isn't that in a weird way a good thing. Older Cowboy fans before the cap, did we spend alot in free agency for players or did we get our players through drafting and trades, Im a younger Cowboy fan so Im asking about the 90s. I still think about the year we had 12 draft picks not one if Im thinking clearly not 1 is on this team 12 players guys and gals even if we only hit on 6 lets say for the sake of argument we had hit on 1 WR 1OG 1OT 1CB 1FS 1LB we would be at least 1 player deep even if they where solid back ups at positions of need. I didnt put DL because we switched to a 4-3

Hitting on 6 would be something of a miracle. A very good draft is getting 2 starters and 2 backups, anything more is a great draft. 3 starters from a draft is a bonifide win.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

Dallas missed badly on the 2009 Draft, but so did a lot of teams. SEA has 1 player from their 2009 draft, 2nd round pick Max Unger. They wasted the 5th overall pick on Aaron Curry.

Now you did it. You just chased away all the Jerry Jones-haters. They were all ready to pounce and you rained on their parade with fact. A few more posts like this and the JJ-haters may put you on ignore.

 

[xwalker]

To really focus in on our drafting. When you are missing on draft picks like we have in the past ( Been better recently) you have to spend in free agency but we are financially unable to do much so we have to hit a home run in the draft isn't that in a weird way a good thing. Older Cowboy fans before the cap, did we spend alot in free agency for players or did we get our players through drafting and trades, Im a younger Cowboy fan so Im asking about the 90s. I still think about the year we had 12 draft picks not one if Im thinking clearly not 1 is on this team 12 players guys and gals even if we only hit on 6 lets say for the sake of argument we had hit on 1 WR 1OG 1OT 1CB 1FS 1LB we would be at least 1 player deep even if they where solid back ups at positions of need. I didnt put DL because we switched to a 4-3

The draft should always be the top focus.

The Cowboys could do anything that they want under the 2014 salary cap; however, they are making a good decision to be conservative because it appears that they finally realize that they are not 1 or 2 big money players away from contenting for a Super Bowl.

But just to be clear, they could free up about 23.5M in cap space if they really wanted to sign some free agents. They can sign a player to a 50M contract with a cap hit of 3.2M for the 1st year. That means that they could sign 7 free agents to 50M contracts and fit it within the 2014 salary cap.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I do not understand why what you do in free agency should make you work harder or smarter in the draft. That should be a given if you are an intelligent organization.

Fully agree.

 

[visionary]

Dallas missed badly on the 2009 Draft, but so did a lot of teams. SEA has 1 player from their 2009 draft, 2nd round pick Max Unger. They wasted the 5th overall pick on Aaron Curry.

here is the problem though

after that debacle, seattle fired their Gm and hired a new guy named john schneider who has them winning a SB and contending

after that debacle we have the same sorry brain trust picking in the draft for us this year

there is little reason to trust them given their history

 

[Nightman]

here is the problem though

after that debacle, seattle fired their Gm and hired a new guy named john schneider who has them winning a SB and contending

after that debacle we have the same sorry brain trust picking in the draft for us this year

there is little reason to trust them given their history

That's not true. We also fired our coach and brought in new guys for the draft and that makeover isn't complete. We have had much better drafts since then as well.

SEA also traded a 1st and 3rd for a WR and gave him a 6/64m contract, sound familiar. This after signing Sydney Rice to a big FA contract, Zack Miller to a huge deal for a TE and drafting a RB in round 2 last year,even though they have Lynch and Turbin. The got lucky with Wilson and Sherman but they aren't anywhere near perfect.

 

[Stash]

That's not true. We also fired our coach and brought in new guys for the draft and that makeover isn't complete. We have had much better drafts since then as well.

SEA also traded a 1st and 3rd for a WR and gave him a 6/64m contract, sound familiar. This after signing Sydney Rice to a big FA contract, Zack Miller to a huge deal for a TE and drafting a RB in round 2 last year,even though they have Lynch and Turbin. The got lucky with Wilson and Sherman but they aren't anywhere near perfect.

A lot closer than anything led by Jerry Jones.

And that one guy the Seahawks did get was the one the Cowboys wanted but sat on their hands waiting for.

Nobody can look at the Cowboys' drafts since and realistically try to make a case that they've been even close to as successful as Seattle's have.

 

[Seven]

Now you did it. You just chased away all the Jerry Jones-haters. They were all ready to pounce and you rained on their parade with fact. A few more posts like this and the JJ-haters may put you on ignore.

Pssst...hate jerry or not, who gives two-***** what Seattle does.

 

[erod]

The draft is the lifeblood of any NFL team. Always has been, always will be.

 

[Wood]

To really focus in on our drafting. When you are missing on draft picks like we have in the past ( Been better recently) you have to spend in free agency but we are financially unable to do much so we have to hit a home run in the draft isn't that in a weird way a good thing. Older Cowboy fans before the cap, did we spend alot in free agency for players or did we get our players through drafting and trades, Im a younger Cowboy fan so Im asking about the 90s. I still think about the year we had 12 draft picks not one if Im thinking clearly not 1 is on this team 12 players guys and gals even if we only hit on 6 lets say for the sake of argument we had hit on 1 WR 1OG 1OT 1CB 1FS 1LB we would be at least 1 player deep even if they where solid back ups at positions of need. I didnt put DL because we switched to a 4-3

you hit nail on head. Most of Dallas problems lie in number of misses in their drafts. Its compounded by poor FA signing or over-paying current players. You can't be weak across the board and expect success. The only thing I see that Dallas does better than rivals is get productive undrafted FA.

 

[coult44]

Dallas missed badly on the 2009 Draft, but so did a lot of teams. SEA has 1 player from their 2009 draft, 2nd round pick Max Unger. They wasted the 5th overall pick on Aaron Curry.

I see people here all the time say Seattle doesn't do a lot in free agency, they don't draft well, Pete Carroll isn't that good, Wilson isn't a top QB, they don't have any WR's. Etc.etc.etc. If all of that is the case, what do they do that has had them in two SB's in 7 years?

 

[Bullflop]

Our cap situation may, indeed, force us to be more DEPENDENT upon the draft, However, our FOCUS on the draft should always be as close to 100% as humanly possible, regardless of our cap situation. Having a stable cap situation is preferable, no matter what the level of a team's focus may be. Some teams are better at drafting than others. Those who draft intelligently will always have an advantage over those who dont. I wouldn't recommend that any team get into cap hell just to focus better on draft day.