Five Free Agents the Dallas Cowboys Need to Bring Back

[ShiningStar]

Dallas needs to cut and cut big. We arent doing the playoffs next year, so dont get excited like we have a chance. Do your overhauling now. Should have started with the HC and down, but thats not happening. Lets see if we can get the cuts we desepately need. Starting with most on the defense.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Waters is still a decent player, but he costs a lot and doesn't like to go to training camp. His play will continue to drop off due to his age and he won't heal as fast as he used to. I am not adamantly opposed to him coming back, but only as a last resort, stop gap measure. I would love to see us trade back in the first or second round and get another pick to use on a guard.

I'm okay with this but only if an impact DT is not available at 16/17. I want a guard/tackle in the 2nd round that will battle for a starting spot and become a solid backup if he loses.

I see Waters only as insurance so having him come to camp would not be that important to me. At this point, I see Mac and Leary as the starting guards unless a rookie can come in and put either on the bench.

 

[TTexasTT]

lol How can anyone who has ever watched a football game not think that Hatcher is important?

Please tell me more about how the best player on the defense isnt really important... Atleast Dallas is deep on the D-line.

 

[ShiningStar]

lol How can anyone who has ever watched a football game not think that Hatcher is important?

Please tell me more about how the best player on the defense isnt really important... Atleast Dallas is deep on the D-line.

the same people that screamed we would miss Spencer and i said Spencer who and another season has come and gone and Spencer did not make a difference in 8-8. So yes, Hatcher being told to walk isnt going to make a difference either.

 

[TTexasTT]

the same people that screamed we would miss Spencer and i said Spencer who and another season has come and gone and Spencer did not make a difference in 8-8. So yes, Hatcher being told to walk isnt going to make a difference either.

Yes, Hatcher and Spencer are the dame person.

Also, please stop saying "we". I doubt your on the roster... and you absolutely dont speak for me.

 

[ShiningStar]

Yes, Hatcher and Spencer are the dame person.

Also, please stop saying "we". I doubt your on the roster... and you absolutely dont speak for me.

did we miss Spencer? was he the difference between a win here or there? Clearly not. So what would you do if Hatcher was gone. notihng because no one would notice. Same as with a hurt Ware.

 

[burmafrd]

waters yes. Both for play and leadership; and for coaching. It seemed from what he was saying last year that he might be thinking about becoming a position coach. Like Leon Lett has become for us. Which would be great.

 

[xwalker]

lol How can anyone who has ever watched a football game not think that Hatcher is important?

Please tell me more about how the best player on the defense isnt really important... Atleast Dallas is deep on the D-line.

The Cowboys need to focus on building a team, not on patching it with older stopgap veterans.

Hatcher is a free agent. There is a long list of free agent DLinemen and many of them are under 28. Just because Hatcher played 1 year in the Cowboys current defensive scheme, does not automatically make him the best free agent option.

 

[TTexasTT]

The Cowboys need to focus on building a team, not on patching it with older stopgap veterans.

Hatcher is a free agent. There is a long list of free agent DLinemen and many of them are under 28. Just because Hatcher played 1 year in the Cowboys current defensive scheme, does not automatically make him the best free agent option.

Long list of better free agents? Id like to see that long list.

 

[xwalker]

Long list of better free agents? Id like to see that long list.

The Cowboys decided they "must" keep Spencer last year. This caused them to pay him 10.6M while the Seahawks got Cliff Avril for a 6M cap hit and Michael Bennett for a 4.8M cap hit. They combined for 16.5 sacks despite not being starters.

 

[TTexasTT]

The Cowboys decided they "must" keep Spencer last year. This caused them to pay him 10.6M while the Seahawks got Cliff Avril for a 6M cap hit and Michael Bennett for a 4.8M cap hit. They combined for 16.5 sacks despite not being starters.

Umm, where is that long list you were talking about?

 

[Alexander]

Sims is a football player.

Yes. He wears a helmet and plays on Sunday.

 

[Alexander]

Umm, where is that long list you were talking about?

Xwalker, you better get him his list right away.

 

[xwalker]

Umm, where is that long list you were talking about?

Long list of better free agents? Id like to see that long list.

The Cowboys need to focus on building a team, not on patching it with older stopgap veterans.

Hatcher is a free agent. There is a long list of free agent DLinemen and many of them are under 28. Just because Hatcher played 1 year in the Cowboys current defensive scheme, does not automatically make him the best free agent option.

I didn't say there was a long list of better players at the same position. There might be, but that's not what I said.

I said that there were better options for the Cowboys.

When you pay money to a free agent like Hatcher, you're not just considering his exact position, but how it affects the entire roster.

The Cowboys are likely to need another year to patch all of the issues that they had this past season. By the following season they could have built a really good defense, but by then Hatcher will be 33/34; whereas, a free agent like Linval Joseph is currently only 25.

Hatcher is going to want a multi-year contract. He's already said "I don't wanna hear no talk about age, I deserve a big contract". It would be stupid to give a 4 year contract to a 32 year old DLineman that already has injury concerns.

 

[TTexasTT]

I didn't say there was a long list of better players at the same position. There might be, but that's not what I said.

I said that there were better options for the Cowboys.

When you pay money to a free agent like Hatcher, you're not just considering his exact position, but how it affects the entire roster.

The Cowboys are likely to need another year to patch all of the issues that they had this past season. By the following season they could have built a really good defense, but by then Hatcher will be 33/34; whereas, a free agent like Linval Joseph is currently only 25.

Hatcher is going to want a multi-year contract. He's already said "I don't wanna hear no talk about age, I deserve a big contract". It would be stupid to give a 4 year contract to a 32 year old DLineman that already has injury concerns.

I get what youre saying. You seem to have more of the rebuild mindset. Im still hanging in there with lets try and fix up what we got.

Hatcher really has Dallas by the .... He knows we cant afford to lose him, but cant afford to pay him.

 

[wileedog]

I get what youre saying. You seem to have more of the rebuild mindset. Im still hanging in there with lets try and fix up what we got.

Hatcher really has Dallas by the .... He knows we cant afford to lose him, but cant afford to pay him.

Forget rebuilding, he is going to be 32 entering next season. You are going to be paying top dollars for his decline years.

Plus he has only had one season with over 4.5 sacks (coincidentally, his walk year, how about that) and disappeared down the stretch when teams realized they didn't need to double Ware anymore and shifted the double teams to him.

A DT with 11 sacks is going to command real $$, I don't think we are the team that should be gambling that a 31 year old's best season wasn't a contract year fluke.

 

[xwalker]

I get what youre saying. You seem to have more of the rebuild mindset. Im still hanging in there with lets try and fix up what we got.

Hatcher really has Dallas by the .... He knows we cant afford to lose him, but cant afford to pay him.

Besides free agency, their 1st round pick is most likely to be DLineman with a high probability of it being a 3-tech DT. Combine that with Crawford and Bass possibly competing at that position and they're not dependent on Hatcher, IMO. They could also get a mid-tier free agent that might be really good in Marinelli's DL scheme. Mike Neal from the Packers is 6-3, 295 but they have him playing both OLB and 3-4 DE. He seems like a guy that would be a good fit in Marinelli's 4-3 DL scheme. He could make the same jump in productivity that Hatcher did when moving from 3-4 DE to 3-tech DT in the 4-3.

 

[TTexasTT]

Forget rebuilding, he is going to be 32 entering next season. You are going to be paying top dollars for his decline years.

Plus he has only had one season with over 4.5 sacks (coincidentally, his walk year, how about that) and disappeared down the stretch when teams realized they didn't need to double Ware anymore and shifted the double teams to him.

A DT with 11 sacks is going to command real $$, I don't think we are the team that should be gambling that a 31 year old's best season wasn't a contract year fluke.

Agreed, but on the other side of the coin, I dont think Dallas, with its history making terrible defense is in a position to let what may be the best player walk.

Obviously, being a Cowboy fan we know how this plays out.
They let him walk- He stays in beast mode for his new team with career highs.
They sign him- He goes back into his shell or tears his ACL in Preseason.

 

[wileedog]

Agreed, but on the other side of the coin, I dont think Dallas, with its history making terrible defense is in a position to let what may be the best player walk.

Well there's the rub. Nobody at this time last year was calling Hatcher "our best player," and I'm not as ready as you are to crown him that based on one season.. Throw in the inevitable decline over the next couple of years (its not like he is going to sign a 1 or 2 year contract) and I don't there is value in making a real play for him.

Obviously, being a Cowboy fan we know how this plays out.
They let him walk- He stays in beast mode for his new team with career highs.
They sign him- He goes back into his shell or tears his ACL in Preseason.

Better a year early than a year late. For once I would like us to err on the side that doesn't have us paying $10M to guys in the tub.

Although with Jerry's history I suppose I should be ready for the inevitable 6 year extension.

 

[MinnesotaCowboy]

No to Hatcher.......too old.................same for Waters!