Signed by Cowboys Dunbar re-signs ** One Year $1.75M **

[ErikWilliamsHeadSlap]

Lol, what? The guy's pretty much a swiss army knife on the field. I suppose you're saying the one dimension he's got is in pass receiving? He's also a decent runner between the tackles for his size. He's a passable blocker (again, only for his size). He's a weapon on screens and on dump offs. He can legitimately run downfield routes. He catches balls over his shoulder for crying out loud. And he returns kicks on special teams.

He can catch and gets great YAC. We don't use him to run the ball and we don't ask him to stay in and block on passing downs a whole lot. If he was good at everything he'd be getting a lot more money. He is on the team for one thing.

 

[Alexander]

Agreed. Don't understand the Dunbar hate. He's a very good offensive playmaker.

Once again.

The term "playmaker" seems to have lost its significance.

Mainly because what he did last year was a new and unique role that was a little bit of a novelty.

I used to see this in the past.

2003 - That Aveion Cason is a playmaker!
2002 - That Michael Wiley is a playmaker!

 

[MRV52]

Okay we signed one scrub who is the other? Thursday is nearly over.

 

[mattjames2010]

Dunbar had no game with more than two carries and had only five total in three games. Lewis had no game where he carried the ball less than four times.

And this is in the Patriot offense, which I really really hope for your sake that you recognize, is different from Dallas' offense.

All in all, Lewis played significantly more snaps in comparison. Which is yet another thing I regret having to explain to you.

Dunbar is a "scatback", a 3rd down back in Linehan's design. Lewis is a back who plays in the Patriots system, which changes from week to week and has no clear pecking order.

Haha, so that's it now? Bahaha, let's forget the fact that this guy had 21 catches in 3 games and 200 yards receiving. Let's continue to change the argument, you wanted a back used like Dunbar that doesn't play ST, I gave you that back. Now it's "Well, Lewis ran the ball more in his 9 games compared to Dunbar's 3 last year"

Unreal to me. Keep trying, maybe you'll find your way out of your bad initial argument eventually.

 

[Alexander]

Let's continue to change the argument, you wanted a back used like Dunbar that doesn't play ST, I gave you that back.

You gave me New England which if you think it is the same, it shows you have zero idea what you are talking about.

 

[Stash]

And the bad news continues...

 

[Daillest88]

When healthy he was a huge part of the offense last year and is a nice weapon
And You never know, he may never have another injury in his career

He was great for us. He's just injured too much and I just believe Lucky can do the job better, as an overall player he seemed to get more comfortable as the season went on.

 

[KingintheNorth]

Go ahead and tell me the risks of signing an RB to a one year cheap contract worth complaining about? Go ahead. Do you think this will keep us from drafting an RB? signing another FA RB? Give me the list of third string RBs in this league that see the playing time Dunbar does?

You didn't even think about this, you went straight to complaining.

I didn't want him back before we re-signed him. And why is it complaining? It's being critical. Are you blindly cheerleading? Bringing back Dunbar and players like him is part of a much bigger problem. This team is completely mediocre the past 20 plus years and completely mediocre under Garrett's watch. We are below average when it comes to truly contending with no championship game appearance in 21 years.

Your argument will hold true if they go out and get more RB's who will actually compete with Dunbar, get him to raise his level of performance OR beat him out. Recent history suggests we won't.

 

[mattjames2010]

You gave me New England which if you think it is the same, it shows you have zero idea what you are talking about.

Your initial point: Find a back that is similar to Lance Dunbar that doesn't play special teams, Lewis is that player. You can't get out of this one man, all you can do is continue to change your initial argument and move the goal post.

I didn't give you "New England", I gave you a single player. Lewis is a scatback, Dunbar is a scatback. Scheme doesn't matter here, they are both similar backs and are effective in the passing game.

 

[Alexander]

Your argument will hold true if they go out and get more RB's who will actually compete with Dunbar, get him to raise his level of performance OR beat him out. Recent history suggests we won't.

If his injury prognosis holds true, he will probably sit out a few weeks of camp, whatever undrafted pitiful soul we bring in will be working. Then it will come to the end of the process and a salary hit decides things. Could easily happen.

Now, I agree to retract a ton of "hate", if this is a pure incentive deal for what is, unquestionably, a player that is not dependable.

 

[plymkr]

Disagree, in that Dunbar's position isn't a true backup RB. He plays a position that is unique in Linehan's offense, and there is nobody in the Dallas RB stable that possesses Dunbar's specific skill set. In fact, there are only 3-4 in the entire NFL (Reggie Bush and Darren Sproles come to mind). If there was another RB on the roster like him, or if there was one abailable in the draft or FA who also had the potential to surpass him, then you could call him a progress stopper. Until thden, just whose progres is he stopping?

I agree, I think this is a bigger deal than the media will give us credit for. Dunbar is one of those "you don't really notice him until he's gone" type guys. Just watch the Falcons game from last year. Weeden moved the ball well until Dunbar went out. Then the offense was basically shut done the rest of the season. Dunbar going down last year is one of the bigger blows on the injury front. I'm glad he'll be back.

 

[mattjames2010]

I didn't want him back before we re-signed him. And why is it complaining? It's being critical. Are you blindly cheerleading? Bringing back Dunbar and players like him is part of a much bigger problem. This team is completely mediocre the past 20 plus years and completely mediocre under Garrett's watch. We are below average when it comes to truly contending with no championship game appearance in 21 years.

Your argument will hold true if they go out and get more RB's who will actually compete with Dunbar, get him to raise his level of performance OR beat him out. Recent history suggests we won't.

We bring in RBs EVERY YEAR after the draft to compete for the third string spot. "Part of a much bigger problem" - Signing a player to a one year, little job security, deal is part of a bigger problem?

What is the risk of this deal with Dunbar? Locker room going to fall apart? Going to keep a scrub RB off the roster? If you're going to "criticize" at least put forth a little more effort.

 

[Wood]

you would think Cowboys are coming off Super Bowl victory and just trying to lock up their own that are obviously superior to rest of league.

 

[stilltheguru88]

This better be the best draft ever. Seriously

 

[Denim Chicken]

I think the Dunbar role--a quick back that can catch passes out of the backfield or line up as a WR--is more valuable to this offense than Dunbar himself. I thought we would have Trey Williams serve that role last year after Dunbar went down, as they seem to have similar skill sets.

I suppose there is something to be said about him knowing the playbook, so I'm glad he's back. The role was working early in the season, no reason it won't continue to work if he's healthy.

 

[Alexander]

Your initial point: Find a back that is similar to Lance Dunbar that doesn't play special teams, Lewis is that player. You can't get out of this one man, all you can do is continue to change your initial argument and move the goal post..

No, you appear to have a real struggle understanding Dion Lewis and his role. He was not the third back behind two others.

He started the opener, carried the ball 15 times, caught 4.

Started every game thereafter.

But yet, somehow, you think they are the same.

Can you at least try to keep up and not embarrass yourself?

Do you even know what "move the goal post" means?

You were still in the locker room trying to get your jock on when this "debate" started.

 

[KingintheNorth]

We bring in RBs EVERY YEAR after the draft to compete for the third string spot. "Part of a much bigger problem" - Signing a player to a one year, little job security, deal is part of a bigger problem?

What is the risk of this deal with Dunbar? Locker room going to fall apart? Going to keep a scrub RB off the roster? If you're going to "criticize" at least put forth a little more effort.

To me, it's rewarding mediocrity. The guy also had some of the most careless fumbles and probably made the dumbest decision on a kick return I've ever seen, which ended him. I just don't think he improves our ball club and bringing him back gives the team this false hope that RB is not an issue. We basically have two RB's right now who have missed a huge chunk of their careers. This team worked best, despite a horrid defense, when they ran the ball consistently behind an amazing offensive line. To me, it's an important position to address. We only seem interested in deals. I want improvement.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

Any RB we draft.. He can't stay healthy at all. And it's a waste of money.

Absolutely. Tyler Ervin could be selected in the middle rounds and be superior and gosh, look there, able to stay healthy.

And if we draft a RB and he fills the same role as Dunbar, we can release him, no? Even if it is fully guaranteed, which I doubt, we're talking about less than a 2 million dollar hit. May even be able to trade him for a conditional 7th

 

[Alexander]

I think the Dunbar role--a quick back that can catch passes out of the backfield or line up as a WR--is more valuable to this offense than Dunbar himself. I thought we would have Trey Williams serve that role last year after Dunbar went down, as they seem to have similar skill sets.

I suppose there is something to be said about him knowing the playbook, so I'm glad he's back. The role was working early in the season, no reason it won't continue to work if he's healthy.

That is a fair assessment.

Linehan fell back on that last year mainly because they did not trust the run game and more specifically, Randle and McFadden.

That was part of the offensive design.

Then Romo goes down, and the checkdowns and short passing game get even more important.

Hence, the "miracle" of Dunbar. And his amazing playmaking abilities.

 

[KingintheNorth]

Also, when did Free Agency become about signing guys we can easily cut?

It should be about improvement. Always improvement.