Draft 2014 - Long term vs Quick fix

[Verdict]

I know all of us want to compete for the super bowl THIS year and want to see every hole filled. The problem with looking at every year as "do or die" is that it forces your hand to keep guys that seem irreplaceable in the short term, but who hamper us in achieving the ultimate prize on down the road due to bloated contracts or force us to reach to fill the position in the draft.

I don't think we should force any picks AT ALL this year based on need. The team's number one goal out of this draft should be to acquire as many quality players as possible out of this draft class, regardless of position. If we can trade down and pick up a couple of more players out of this draft class, that is even better. If there is no one we want and cant trade back this year, trade for a future pick and acquire more picks next year, in a higher round.

If we are on the clock in the first round and the next Jason Witten is there, select him and move on. If the next Troy Aikman, or Emmitt Smith (the wordsmith) or Michal Irvin is there, pull the trigger.

Stop trying to plug a hole just to say you filled it and then watch the guy underachieve based on draft position. Draft football players who can play and move on. We probably won't go to the super bowl next year using this approach, but the odds are in 2015 our cap will look much healthier, we will have an influx of talent that will stick, the contracts of aging players will start to come off the books, and most importantly .... there will be fewer busts.

 

[17yearsandcounting]

The fact is that the franchise QB is 34 and the coach is on the end of his tether. They are going quick fix all the way.

 

[theSHOW]

This isn't Garretts 1st year so he has no choice.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

I know all of us want to compete for the super bowl THIS year and want to see every hole filled. The problem with looking at every year as "do or die" is that it forces your hand to keep guys that seem irreplaceable in the short term, but who hamper us in achieving the ultimate prize on down the road due to bloated contracts or force us to reach to fill the position in the draft.

I don't think we should force any picks AT ALL this year based on need. The team's number one goal out of this draft should be to acquire as many quality players as possible out of this draft class, regardless of position. If we can trade down and pick up a couple of more players out of this draft class, that is even better. If there is no one we want and cant trade back this year, trade for a future pick and acquire more picks next year, in a higher round.

If we are on the clock in the first round and the next Jason Witten is there, select him and move on. If the next Troy Aikman, or Emmitt Smith (the wordsmith) or Michal Irvin is there, pull the trigger.

Stop trying to plug a hole just to say you filled it and then watch the guy underachieve based on draft position. Draft football players who can play and move on. We probably won't go to the super bowl next year using this approach, but the odds are in 2015 our cap will look much healthier, we will have an influx of talent that will stick, the contracts of aging players will start to come off the books, and most importantly .... there will be fewer busts.

it was amazing for this team to reach 8-8 with the defense we had. we pretty much need help everywhere on the defensive side, I would even venture to say another MLB, as Lee seems injured all the time.

on offense, outside of center and LT, TE, we can draft anyone and they can be helpful. I think Austin is gone, so dez and Williams as 1-2, we might need a 3 with today's offenses.

I always say take best player available outside of positions you are deep at or have no absolute need and then you try to trade down a few spots only....

 

[Cowboy06]

I like long term planning (with success). I like drafting good linemen on both sides of the ball. Good Secondary, good running game. I like at least two speedsters (without bad hammies or hands). I don't believe (I know this is probably a minority view) that you need a great QB when starting a team. Why? By the time you get all of the pieces together your team is too old. I think you can draft in the middle rounds for a QB and if there is a potential great QB there, perhaps you consider it. However, quick fixes are what Jerry likes. It's been 20 years...quick fixes is fool's gold.

 

[xwalker]

Non playoff teams should build with the mindset of peaking the following season (2015) not the current season (2014). This would prevent many bad decisions like franchising Spencer, drafting for need, etc..

This mindset would lead to releasing older players but wouldn't preclude signing young free agents.

 

[theSHOW]

I like long term planning (with success). I like drafting good linemen on both sides of the ball. Good Secondary, good running game. I like at least two speedsters (without bad hammies or hands). I don't believe (I know this is probably a minority view) that you need a great QB when starting a team. Why? By the time you get all of the pieces together your team is too old. I think you can draft in the middle rounds for a QB and if there is a potential great QB there, perhaps you consider it. However, quick fixes are what Jerry likes. It's been 20 years...quick fixes is fool's gold.

Yes, I like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain
I'm not much into health food, I am into champagne
I've got to meet you by tomorrow noon and cut through all this red tape
At a bar called O'Malley's where we'll plan our escape

So I waited with high hopes and she walked in the place
I knew her smile in an instant, I knew the curve of her face
It was my own lovely lady and she said, "Aw, it's you."
Then we laughed for a moment and I said, "I never knew"

If you like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain
If you're not into yoga, if you have half a brain
If you like making love at midnight in the dunes of the cape
Then I'm the love that you've looked for, write to me and escape

 

[jazzcat22]

I think both can be accomplished in this draft. Fill some holes and draft for long term. But fix the defense. If not for the injuries on defense, just two more wins [the Detroit game, GB game], would have won the division. A few players and better health. I see no reason for that possibility again. Not saying go to the SB, but to win the Division. 2015 would then be the year more likely.

 

[daveferr33]

This team suffers from short term thinking. I think this is what Troy Aikman partially meant when he said the team lacks a philosophy.

Its a shame, really. After all, when you have the type of stability at the GM position that we "enjoy," you can do things with an eye to the long-term that might no pay off in the short term.

But our GM seems to do the opposite.

In other words, we have a permanent, long-term GM, who manages the club on a need to win now basis.

 

[rwalters31]

I know all of us want to compete for the super bowl THIS year and want to see every hole filled. The problem with looking at every year as "do or die" is that it forces your hand to keep guys that seem irreplaceable in the short term, but who hamper us in achieving the ultimate prize on down the road due to bloated contracts or force us to reach to fill the position in the draft.

I don't think we should force any picks AT ALL this year based on need. The team's number one goal out of this draft should be to acquire as many quality players as possible out of this draft class, regardless of position. If we can trade down and pick up a couple of more players out of this draft class, that is even better. If there is no one we want and cant trade back this year, trade for a future pick and acquire more picks next year, in a higher round.

If we are on the clock in the first round and the next Jason Witten is there, select him and move on. If the next Troy Aikman, or Emmitt Smith (the wordsmith) or Michal Irvin is there, pull the trigger.

Stop trying to plug a hole just to say you filled it and then watch the guy underachieve based on draft position. Draft football players who can play and move on. We probably won't go to the super bowl next year using this approach, but the odds are in 2015 our cap will look much healthier, we will have an influx of talent that will stick, the contracts of aging players will start to come off the books, and most importantly .... there will be fewer busts.

Man, you can not really take the JJ approach as it has not worked in a LONG time! I have already stated this before, but you only pick best player available when you already have solid roster position players. The DL and OL are the only positions on the Cowboys that will make a significant impact to get us a divisional title (10-6) this year. Any other position players will get us back to 8-8 or less.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

I agree. Just take the BPA regardless of position. You never know who will get injured. Two years ago we had a rash of injuries on the OL, especially the center position. Last year it was the DL and LBs.

I would be very happy if the Cowboys drafted OT Kouanjio in the 1st, WR Beckham/Jarvis Landry in the 2nd, and RB Tre Mason in the 3rd. I envision that trio of players could help us average 3-4 more points per game and allow the Cowboys to hold the ball more on offense which helps the defense. I don't care about need when it comes to the draft. You fill your immediate needs with FA. You fill the future and try to mitigate any unanticipated unknowns with the draft.

We don't have any money for FA this year at the beginning of the FA market. However, if we restructure to the maximum amount available for Romo, Witten, Lee, Carr, Scandrick, and maybe one or two others than we will be cap compliant in early March. We can designate Ware (assuming he won't accept a pay cut to $6M/yr) and Austin June 1st cuts which frees up around $16-18M available after June 1st. So, we would be able to use that money ($16-18M) later in the FA season. Maybe some players will be available after June 1st and maybe they won't be available. Just have to wait and see. Maybe Hatcher won't get the offers that he likes and still be available June 1st when the Cowboys have some money.

We have needs and we may not be able to cover them with FA this year. Sometimes it happens. You don't have to spend the money and can roll it over to the next year or use some of it to sign Dez and Tyron.

1) Draft BPA
2) Don't overpay in FA
3) Don't be afraid to part with aging, non-productive or injury-prone vets with expensive contracts.

 

[Wolfpack]

You can't build long term when your GM has no long term plan. He changes plans each day depending who he had drinks with the night before. Kinda like changing defensive schemes every other year, your players are always a scheme behind or two.

 

[dcstands4]

I know all of us want to compete for the super bowl THIS year and want to see every hole filled. The problem with looking at every year as "do or die" is that it forces your hand to keep guys that seem irreplaceable in the short term, but who hamper us in achieving the ultimate prize on down the road due to bloated contracts or force us to reach to fill the position in the draft.

I don't think we should force any picks AT ALL this year based on need. The team's number one goal out of this draft should be to acquire as many quality players as possible out of this draft class, regardless of position. If we can trade down and pick up a couple of more players out of this draft class, that is even better. If there is no one we want and cant trade back this year, trade for a future pick and acquire more picks next year, in a higher round.

If we are on the clock in the first round and the next Jason Witten is there, select him and move on. If the next Troy Aikman, or Emmitt Smith (the wordsmith) or Michal Irvin is there, pull the trigger.

Stop trying to plug a hole just to say you filled it and then watch the guy underachieve based on draft position. Draft football players who can play and move on. We probably won't go to the super bowl next year using this approach, but the odds are in 2015 our cap will look much healthier, we will have an influx of talent that will stick, the contracts of aging players will start to come off the books, and most importantly .... there will be fewer busts.

I agree with the thought of this post how5 everyone has the draft best player avaliable process (except Oakland and the Browns) but the thing that seemed to be the achilles heel of the team will be an asset in a few years; the salary-cap. Us being over will make us stick to the draft instead of going for free agents and signing people to crazy contracts. In Arizona ' s Dennis green era and Shannhan era in dc I predicted 3 year's before they got to the playoffs they did it. It should only take a team 3 year's of drafting to get to the post season. But in our case it doesn't work because we expect super bowl instead of playoffs and we make stupid moves. If we can have 3 year's of no free agents (at least none over 30 million) we can get to the post season. And hopefully stay there. One year down 2 more to go.

 

[Risen Star]

This is what a GM is for. To see the big picture. To have an actual plan. We don't have that in Dallas.

The draft is never about the quick fix. If you go in with that mindset, you'll have a bad draft class.

The way to fix this team is to blow it up and begin a real rebuild. With no worry about what it means for 2014. If you have a clue, you know we don't have a chance to win anything in 2014 anyway.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I look at the draft as a long-term fix.

I look at free agency as a short-term fix.

The team has some talent. It desperately needs to sign a couple of productive FA defensive linemen to ease the burden of needing to draft defensive lineman that have to start from day 1.

 

[Risen Star]

I look at the draft as a long-term fix.

I look at free agency as a short-term fix.

The team has some talent. It desperately needs to sign a couple of productive FA defensive linemen to ease the burden of needing to draft defensive lineman that have to start from day 1.

Every team has some talent. The Cowboys lack a lot of talent on the defensive side of the ball and also lack the funds to do anything about it.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I look at the draft as a long-term fix.

I look at free agency as a short-term fix.

Stop making so damn much sense.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Every team has some talent. The Cowboys lack a lot of talent on the defensive side of the ball and also lack the funds to do anything about it.

Granted that cap space is at a premium but as xwalker and others have pointed out, some cap space can be found... now will the Cowboys pursue a couple FA defensive linemen? We'll see.

 

[Aven8]

I'm not sure I agree with the quick fix draft process. When we had Wade he would never let the young guys on the field.

I also don't believe you find quick fixes by going to the small schools, for safeties and LB's, etc. What did our DB coach last year say about Wilcox? He was green and raw?

IMO we need a shake up in the scouting department. Jerry's here to say, but he could at least shake it up. I'm sick and tired of getting "projects", and trying to find the diamonds in the rough. I'm also sick of thinking we beat the system with injured players that fall, like we are tricking the rest of the league. Our scouts try to get too cute too often for my taste. If your philosophy is to play now, then go after big time conference school players that play major football.

 

[xwalker]

Non playoff teams should build with the mindset of peaking the following season (2015) not the current season (2014). This would prevent many bad decisions like franchising Spencer, drafting for need, etc..

This mindset would lead to releasing older players but wouldn't preclude signing young free agents.

The one exception that I would always make to this concept is on the OLine. You have to protect the QB and should strive to have a good OL every season, regardless of other team needs.