Former players-smart low cost buys or progress stoppers?

[Cowboyny]

I identified a few former Cowboys players that remain free agents, would they be smart, low cost buys or become progress stoppers:

Cooper WR-since they failed to draft a capable #2 receivers and have younger prospects still in the developmental stage, makes sense to add Cooper as a bridge player. We know him /Dak worked well with one another in the past.

Gilmore CB-we just don't know when the likes of Diggs and Revel will be fully ready to return. Adding Gilmore would allow the team to bring them back slowly and not rush their return and have any setbacks.

Hankins DT-a good mentor to both Mazi and our younger prospects at the position. Might become more of a progress stopper, but he still remains a good 2 down player.

Kendricks LB-this is all about competition. I'm not a fan of the trade for Murray and believe he is a downgrade at the position. They view it otherwise, but he does strengthen team depth.

None of these players will break the bank and could be released if a player on this roster proves they are better. Adding veteran leadership to such a young roster, makes sense.

 

[baltcowboy]

I identified a few former Cowboys players that remain free agents, would they be smart, low cost buys or become progress stoppers:

Cooper WR-since they failed to draft a capable #2 receivers and have younger prospects still in the developmental stage, makes sense to add Cooper as a bridge player. We know him /Dak worked well with one another in the past.

Gilmore CB-we just don't know when the likes of Diggs and Revel will be fully ready to return. Adding Gilmore would allow the team to bring them back slowly and not rush their return and have any setbacks.

Hankins DT-a good mentor to both Mazi and our younger prospects at the position. Might become more of a progress stopper, but he still remains a good 2 down player.

Kendricks LB-this is all about competition. I'm not a fan of the trade for Murray and believe he is a downgrade at the position. They view it otherwise, but he does strengthen team depth.

None of these players will break the bank and could be released if a player on this roster proves they are better. Adding veteran leadership to such a young roster, makes sense.

None of your players you listed would hurt the team but I don’t think they move the needle either. Cooper and Gilmore would help because the players liked them. I don’t understand your obsession with Kendricks. The Chicago linebacker is taking his place. Murray is playing Overshown’s spot.

 

[Cowboyny]

None of your players you listed would hurt the team but I don’t think they move the needle either. Cooper and Gilmore would help because the players liked them. I don’t understand your obsession with Kendricks. The Chicago linebacker is taking his place. Murray is playing Overshown’s spot.

No Murray is projected to play the MIKE, not the Will

 

[thunderpimp91]

Cooper - I'm not sure whose progress he would really stop. Even if Tolbert were to finally have a true break out season do we expect the Cowboys to extend him past this year? I'd say odds are they let him walk in free agency either way given the financial resources they already have in the position. Mingo has two years left on his deal, but similar situation and why the trade never made sense to me to begin with. If he does develop by the time he is ready its time to either extend or let him walk.

Gilmore - Again I'm not sure whose progress he would actually be stopping. Elam should be forced to earn his role this summer. Diggs sounds unlikely to be ready for the regular season, and even if Revel is ready by week 1 hes still going to be a rookie with a shortened offseason as he rehabs. Nothing at all wrong with bringing these guys on slowly and best case you have too many guys for these spots, but you can always rotate them.

Hankins - To me this one is tougher just because you only have so many roster spots to commit to the 1T and you have multiple young guys that you would like to give looks to. On the other hand Hankins is unlikely to cost much so you can always cut him if a Rodgers or Toia do enough to earn a roster spot....good problem to have.

Kendricks - This is probably the actual progress stopper...I also think he might have been a better fit for a Zimmer defense than a Eberflus one. I would think that Kendricks would steal more snaps from Liufau and Sanborn than he would from Murray. Murray is going to be your coverage backer and at this point in their careers I would rather have a guy like Murray in that role. Only downside is without Kendricks you don't have a true 3 down MLB

 

[jazzcat22]

There are no vet FA players out there right now that is a difference maker.
So yes they would be progress stoppers at this point.

They will go with who they have right now. Need to see what they can and cannot do.

 

[Coogiguy03]

No Murray is projected to play the MIKE, not the Will

what about sanborn

 

[big dog cowboy]

All 4 would be progress stoppers. The Cowboys aren't winning a super bowl this year. Let the kids play and get experience. Coach them up and work with them. Find out if they can play in this league or not.

 

[Sydla]

I identified a few former Cowboys players that remain free agents, would they be smart, low cost buys or become progress stoppers:

Cooper WR-since they failed to draft a capable #2 receivers and have younger prospects still in the developmental stage, makes sense to add Cooper as a bridge player. We know him /Dak worked well with one another in the past.

Gilmore CB-we just don't know when the likes of Diggs and Revel will be fully ready to return. Adding Gilmore would allow the team to bring them back slowly and not rush their return and have any setbacks.

Hankins DT-a good mentor to both Mazi and our younger prospects at the position. Might become more of a progress stopper, but he still remains a good 2 down player.

Kendricks LB-this is all about competition. I'm not a fan of the trade for Murray and believe he is a downgrade at the position. They view it otherwise, but he does strengthen team depth.

None of these players will break the bank and could be released if a player on this roster proves they are better. Adding veteran leadership to such a young roster, makes sense.

It depends.

If there is a player that is actually quite good being blocked by a vet, that's one thing. But in your example, Cooper isn't somehow blocking Mingo or Tolbert. And Hankins isn't blocking Smith (although I think Hankins is likely washed at this point whereas Cooper might still have a bit left in the tank).

 

[StarOfGlory]

Wouldn’t mind having Cooper back. Give Dak two legit WR’s behind a building o-line and let’s see how far the offense can take this team. If our run D is like last year’s we’re going to need to score 27 a game to be competitive.

 

[baltcowboy]

No Murray is projected to play the MIKE, not the Will

We won’t really know until training camp. The defense will be much different from last season. Eberflus loves to rush 4 and leave 7 in the secondary. We now have the pass rush to do that. Micah, Fowler, Ezi, and Sam would be frightening on 3rd and long.

 

[Aven8]

Right now I only see Allen and Coop as being far better than Tolbert. Maybe Mingo and Flournoy spawn finally? Let’s pray for it

 

[Cowboyny]

Cooper - I'm not sure whose progress he would really stop. Even if Tolbert were to finally have a true break out season do we expect the Cowboys to extend him past this year? I'd say odds are they let him walk in free agency either way given the financial resources they already have in the position. Mingo has two years left on his deal, but similar situation and why the trade never made sense to me to begin with. If he does develop by the time he is ready its time to either extend or let him walk.

Gilmore - Again I'm not sure whose progress he would actually be stopping. Elam should be forced to earn his role this summer. Diggs sounds unlikely to be ready for the regular season, and even if Revel is ready by week 1 hes still going to be a rookie with a shortened offseason as he rehabs. Nothing at all wrong with bringing these guys on slowly and best case you have too many guys for these spots, but you can always rotate them.

Hankins - To me this one is tougher just because you only have so many roster spots to commit to the 1T and you have multiple young guys that you would like to give looks to. On the other hand Hankins is unlikely to cost much so you can always cut him if a Rodgers or Toia do enough to earn a roster spot....good problem to have.

Kendricks - This is probably the actual progress stopper...I also think he might have been a better fit for a Zimmer defense than a Eberflus one. I would think that Kendricks would steal more snaps from Liufau and Sanborn than he would from Murray. Murray is going to be your coverage backer and at this point in their careers I would rather have a guy like Murray in that role. Only downside is without Kendricks you don't have a true 3 down MLB

Agree on the bottom two, probably more progresses stoppers, but would be on board with both Cooper/Gilmore.

 

[Cowboyny]

what about sanborn

He is penciled in as a the Will.

 

[Aven8]

He is penciled in as a the Will.

Mazi and the UCLA kid are going to have to keep these dudes clean for it to work.

 

[EPL0c0]

Need is need. If a veteran can have a more immediate impact than waiting for a younger guy, get the veteran.

Filling a need isn't going to stop development. Guys can keep working, keep hustling, keep developing.

Going into a season with a lesser-quality product because you don't want to slow a player's progress means wasting another year of the talent/progress others have made

 

[McKDaddy]

I'm not a fan of the trade for Murray and believe he is a downgrade at the position.

I know time slips by and maybe this is longer than I realize but I was watching a Titans game & Murray(I'm 99% sure) was blowing up every running play. Inside, outside, didn't matter. I was thinking if we had a linebacker on our team who could\would do this, we'd be a lot better against the run.

So, I have hopes that he is an upgrade unless I have completely mixed up players or that was longer ago than I think.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Agree on the bottom two, probably more progresses stoppers, but would be on board with both Cooper/Gilmore.

Yeah I would agree with that. I dont think Cooper or Gilmore will really stop anyones progress.

 

[Cowboyny]

Need is need. If a veteran can have a more immediate impact than waiting for a younger guy, get the veteran.

Filling a need isn't going to stop development. Guys can keep working, keep hustling, keep developing.

Going into a season with a lesser-quality product because you don't want to slow a player's progress means wasting another year of the talent/progress others have made

Veteran mentorship also is important to show them how to work and be a professional.

 

[Cowboyny]

I know time slips by and maybe this is longer than I realize but I was watching a Titans game & Murray(I'm 99% sure) was blowing up every running play. Inside, outside, didn't matter. I was thinking if we had a linebacker on our team who could\would do this, we'd be a lot better against the run.

So, I have hopes that he is an upgrade unless I have completely mixed up players or that was longer ago than I think.

Reportedly he really struggles with below average instincts, slow to read/react.

 

[75boyz]

Need is need. If a veteran can have a more immediate impact than waiting for a younger guy, get the veteran.

Filling a need isn't going to stop development. Guys can keep working, keep hustling, keep developing.

Going into a season with a lesser-quality product because you don't want to slow a player's progress means wasting another year of the talent/progress others have made

Preach.
There is no time for developmental growing pains and learning g curves with the current injury status at the QB position and the cap deflating contracts of Dak, CD and soon to be Micah.

While you wait on development, Dak is hurt again because Guyton sucked again and they get run defense raped again because Mazi sucked again.
There is zero time left for development. Not if you want to wing games.
Zero.