Ever'tins gonna be aw-right

erod

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The green flag on free agency just waved, and our engine died first punch to the floor. What a desperate feeling when seemingly everyone is at the dance with your best girl, and you're grounded. The clarity, and reality, of watching chickens come home to roost...

But now's a good time to just relax.

Free agency can be fun for sure. It's like the draft, only you don't have to wait your turn. I understand how women feel on Black Friday, when the shop owner unlocks the door. No-holds-barred chaos and gluttony ensues unrestrained.

For some, that is. Not us. Not here. And that's OK.

Jerry is out planting petunias, while his kids are at a jump house somewhere for Garrett's boy's birthday party. Meanwhile back at Valley Ranch, Will McClay sits idly watching the piggy bank and cutting coupons. He with the short stack has to watch and wait.

Friends, it's gonna be alright. The answers to our ills don't lie in underperforming castoffs and cap-cut victims.

Our future rests simply and immediately on the health of Tony Romo, and Dallas' ability to draft. Both show signs of hope, as Romo is feeling better and McClay seems to have a pretty good grip on the personnel reins.

Notice how the good teams are staying pretty quiet, except for Denver. I sense an enormous desperation there because Peyton has a foot out the door in Canton already and seems semi-ready to call it a career. Seattle exposed him, and showed him that a second championship is not likely in the cards. Vast overpayments for Ware and Talib signal that the Broncos know they are a Peyton departure from being the Jacksonville Jaguars soon.

Pretty quiet in San Fran and Seattle. Same for New England, other than a dig at Rex Ryan with the Revis acquisition. Baltimore is laying low, as are teams of potential in Green Bay, Kansas City, Houston, Carolina, Arizona, Atlanta, and Cincinnati. New Orleans is shedding layers like an onion and has their fanbase taking to the streets with pitchforks. Most teams know this is not how you win.

The Commanders and Raiders typically are the teams grab March headlines, then disappear in the fall. The Jaguars and Dolphins have done the same lately. Philly tried it two years ago and imploded. Detroit's done it to no avail. Remember the Commanders with Bruce Smith and Deion, and Haynesworth later?

'Tis true that Dallas needs probably one decent name on the defensive line before the draft gets here. Another 2-3 high picks will help there, too, but let us remember this roster is far from depleted. It does need a pass rush, no doubt, which makes the evacuations more nerve-racking.

Mincey and McClain don't tickle our fancies, but they are far better than the Nevises, Rayfords, and Irvins of last year. Dallas is not done, but I don't expect a lot of wow from here. Maybe they'll surprise us.

History says that very few of these "name" signings will benefit the teams they're going to, and those teams will be gnawing at themselves for making those signings in the first place. Cap hits loom big for almost every one of them. Denver just lost most of an already bad offensive line, plus their running back and Decker.

Good teams don't really participate in the madness. They sign ONE key free agent, and sprinkle in a few worker bees as insurance, too. The rest is done through shrewd drafting and coaching what they've got.

So I share your anxiety and mild depression, but it is important to remember, the games don't start until September.
 

AsthmaField

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Mincey and McClain don't tickle our fancies, but they are far better than the Nevises, Rayfords, and Irvins of last year.

I don't have nearly enough time to dedicate to such a well thought out post (I'm on my lunch break), but I had to mention this part because I was thinking the same thing last night. They might not be the big names that so many crave, but they are light-years better than some of the garbage that we had *starting* last year.

If we can manage a couple of good picks on the DL in the draft, we should be considerably better than last year up front. Considerably better than when we had Ware for $12 mil.
 

noshame

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Good thoughts, although the eagles grabbing Sproles kinda sucked.
 

Kaiser

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Great OP, I totally agree. Everyone is obviously focused on the DL but the team already has the solid depth Marinelli wants and can easily add a Melton or Hatcher, plus a couple of top draft picks to the group to make it exactly the kind of unit Marinelli wants - and he deserves the benefit of the doubt.

I posted this in another thread but if you look at our OL exactly 12 months ago today, Free was disaster who should be cut, Ron Leary was a non-issue practice squad player and our starting center was Costa. Bern was our second best lineman on March 13, 2013. OLine was our best unit last year, there is still plenty of time to add what we need.

Another thing to think about is that Ware signing a half hour after being cut shows what a sham the rules are about contact between teams and agents prior to FA. The team had a plan in place when they cut Ware, its a plan Marinelli was on board with and its very likely a plan that had the Cowboys talking to Ware's replacement at the same time Ware was talking to Denver about his next contract.
 

ceerrece

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True, but i think we are very frustrate in some way, because we are used to see Dallas as a protagonist in free agency.... and because we are Cowboys fans, we love drama, jajaja(laughs in spanish).
 

daveferr33

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I'm not frustrated; its what I expected.

But perhaps that's because I believe the salary cap is a real thing.
 

erod

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I'm not frustrated; its what I expected.

But perhaps that's because I believe the salary cap is a real thing.

It's both real and mythological. Jerry could sign five big-name guys, but he'd have to restructure the whole team to do so.

I love big news, but that is not the longterm answer. A hugely successful draft day and a healthy roster next year is key.
 

cowboy_ron

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Good thoughts, although the eagles grabbing Sproles kinda sucked.

I'm amazed at all of the teabagging of the mighty eagles over trading for a 31 yr RB in his declining productive years that was going to be released anyway.....I tell ya those amazing eagles are the life of the party every year
 

erod

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I'm amazed at all of the teabagging of the mighty eagles over trading for a 31 yr RB in his declining productive years that was going to be released anyway.....I tell ya those amazing eagles are the life of the party every year

I think it was a decent signing, but what about Bryce Brown?

I think Kelly has concerns about McCoy's durability.
 

morasp

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NE Signed Revis to replace Talib because they needed a shut down corner for their defense. I'm not worried as long as we get the 3 technique that we need to make this defense go.
 

Fletch

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I don't have nearly enough time to dedicate to such a well thought out post (I'm on my lunch break), but I had to mention this part because I was thinking the same thing last night. They might not be the big names that so many crave, but they are light-years better than some of the garbage that we had *starting* last year.

If we can manage a couple of good picks on the DL in the draft, we should be considerably better than last year up front. Considerably better than when we had Ware for $12 mil.

Allow me to follow up to the OP and yours--Marinelli is now the big dog coordinator. We all witnessed first-hand what he was capable of doing with guys coming off the streets... Golden Cock, etc. I'm thinking Marinelli had a ton to say after breaking down film in what he wanted in the way of FA-that we could afford at this time. Make no mistake, we upgraded whether you know the guys or not. I suspect we'll get to the QB a good bit more than we did last year. Add to that... we are not done. More FA to come along with the draft which will most likely be trench-heavy on the D-line.
 

noshame

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I'm amazed at all of the teabagging of the mighty eagles over trading for a 31 yr RB in his declining productive years that was going to be released anyway.....I tell ya those amazing eagles are the life of the party every year

Cowboy Ron...you can't fix stupid. Unfortunately you can still opine.
 

BrAinPaiNt

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Singing Bob Marley in my head due thread title... And that is a good thing so you get a like.
 
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