Free Agency so far

[Alexander]

They will realize this when we are able to sign all our lineman back.

That is a real consideration. But still, a great OL is only part of the battle. But we cannot think this year in FA.

Overall, I like the Thornton signing. I just would lIke one more piece. Getting Weddle would make this an A+ period for me.

 

[Kolemmitt]

The front office is thinking that last year was just a fluke and it was all due to Romo and Dez being hurt. Jerry has said it himself that he thinks the talent on this team is way better than 4-12, so the plan is to add a guy or two in free agency to responsible contracts and resign most of our own players. Hence, I would anticipate most of our starters are going to be the same from last year to this year.

So that is the gamble.................we shall see if the gamble pays off.

I think Scandrick being hurt was a bigger blow than people give it credit. Think about it...we lost the league leading rusher (that was our fault), our top 5-10 in the league QB, our top 3 in the league receiver played hurt or was missing the whole season, and our top CB was gone all season. I think if the three injured players are back to full strength and we draft the right RB to go with DMac that we can be right back into it.

I think Thornton is a BIG upgrade from Hayden in the run defense. I agree that the pass rush is still a concern. Assuming Hardy does not come back I can see Long or Jason Jones as a vet addition and then the obvious choice is Bosa at #4, but my pet cat is Nassib in the 2nd round. I think we will see an improved Crawford after the shoulder surgery and I think DLaw will be moved to the Weak side and have a monster year. .

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

I think Scandrick being hurt was a bigger blow than people give it credit. Think about it...we lost the league leading rusher (that was our fault), our top 5-10 in the league QB, our top 3 in the league receiver played hurt or was missing the whole season, and our top CB was gone all season. I think if the three injured players are back to full strength and we draft the right RB to go with DMac that we can be right back into it.

I think Thornton is a BIG upgrade from Hayden in the run defense. I agree that the pass rush is still a concern. Assuming Hardy does not come back I can see Long or Jason Jones as a vet addition and then the obvious choice is Bosa at #4, but my pet cat is Nassib in the 2nd round. I think we will see an improved Crawford after the shoulder surgery and I think DLaw will be moved to the Weak side and have a monster year. .

Sure if free agency ends well and the draft, we can be NFC East contenders. Super Bowl contenders, don't see it (my opinion). Too many teams in the NFC that are better overall. (they too will add in free agency and the draft)

 

[Alexander]

Sure if free agency ends well and the draft, we can be NFC East contenders. Super Bowl contenders, don't see it (my opinion). Too many teams in the NFC that are better overall. (they too will add in free agency and the draft)

This is not a Super Bowl contending team. There are too many variables involved with not only the talent, but especially Romo's health. Unless there is a certificate that proves he makes it sixteen games, then this is what we have been. An 8-8 team that takes luck and better coaching to make it further.

The draft provides hope, so does a weak division.

 

[jterrell]

Here's my issue.

The goal of any offseason is to try and improve. And you can do that between FA and the draft. The Thornton signing solves an issue for sure. So that was a nice signing.

But are you really going to be happy with having basically the exact same secondary as last year with maybe a 3rd round DB thrown in there somewhere and hoping Scandrick is healthy? I wouldn't be.

Chris Long would be a nice depth move but who is the pass rusher on this team. Who improves that pass rush? A mid to later round DE isn't going to do that.

This isn't a post to suggest we should have thrown cash around like crazy in FA but it is slightly bizarre that this front office seems to think what we had last year was pretty damn good and there is no reason to try to fix some areas other than thinking they'll kill the draft.

My problem with your problem is this: (lol)

You weren't going to fix the pass rush in free agency.
The best pass rusher available was our own guy. Hardy. And he is the best BY FAR.
The best young talent was Vernon... he of less sacks last year than DLaw. He had less than 1 sacks every 2 games but got paid like a Pro Bowler.
Mario Williams graded out worse on tape than people realize but he was a bnig name so there were cries for him.

And you weren't going to fix CB.
The top CB and pass rushers were franchised. These were guys worth big deals who could have been lead horses.
The available players were and are not that good.
No CB who is better than Orlando Scandrick was available.
So we were once again going to be paying CB1 money for CB2.
And the team wisely did not. They looked for cheaper options and resigned a guy whose got lots of knocks but plenty of upside.

Janoris Jenkins is more reliable than Mo to be sure, but he's probably not a "better" CB on any given play.
STL chose to let him leave. He was a good CB2, much like Brandon Carr that can help but got overpaid mightily.

You don't win in free agency by hitting home runs. The top 5 teams in spend the last decade are avaraging less than .400% in wins.
Teams who do well in free agency draft well, resign their own and cherry pick good values.

Talent matters a heck of a lot but in this era of football after QB it is almost always about price per pound.
What are you getting for said player at said price.
Seattle didn't accidently win all those games with huge bargains for Russell and a couple DL. Once they paid them it's been tougher.
See Kaep in SF. Same deal. Lots of guys who are average making peanuts and amazingly you can compete with anyone.
Because you then have money to add average to above average players to fill holes and you can resign your own continuing their development and getting them for their peak years.

Dallas entered free agncy with a bottom 5 spend. They "could" have made moves and improved to about middle of the pack but they were never toucvhign the cash available to Jax, Oak, NYG and some of these teams who went for it.
They have been very calm and effective thus far.
Even stealing Hanna back before he could head to San Diego. --and quietly he was a huge need as blocking TE is key for this offense.
We got the 1T upgrade it never seemed Rod would allow and we've lost next to nothing of meaning yet.

Free agency isn't close to over. This was just round 1 when the players are at their shiniest and priciest.

 

[CherBoyWade]

I think he meant "short-cidered"... as in "They need to get an alcoholic beverage".

Hahaha I'm an idiot, short-sighted*. Never drink and post friends.

 

[kiheikiwi]

So every free agent bar one that had come in, chose to sign somewhere else. - not an upgrade, except Thornton. And he is changing position. Steven and Jerry have said since the season ended, that an upgrade at backup QB was a main priority - fail. CB no upgrade, puts the leverage back in Carr's hands - just like last year. No upgrade at DE, chose to sign else where.
So, now that we can only barging basement hunt, we will not really upgrade anywhere, except a 2 down 1-tech.
If the purpose of free agency is to plug holes so you can take best available in the draft. Again, fail. Now we have to find pass rush, CB, RB, LBers, Safety, DT depth etc, etc, etc
And still their stated # 1 priority is has not been addressed.
Not what I had hoped for at all ...

 

[jazzcat22]

My problem with your problem is this: (lol)

You weren't going to fix the pass rush in free agency.
The best pass rusher available was our own guy. Hardy. And he is the best BY FAR.
The best young talent was Vernon... he of less sacks last year than DLaw. He had less than 1 sacks every 2 games but got paid like a Pro Bowler.
Mario Williams graded out worse on tape than people realize but he was a bnig name so there were cries for him.

And you weren't going to fix CB.
The top CB and pass rushers were franchised. These were guys worth big deals who could have been lead horses.
The available players were and are not that good.
No CB who is better than Orlando Scandrick was available.
So we were once again going to be paying CB1 money for CB2.
And the team wisely did not. They looked for cheaper options and resigned a guy whose got lots of knocks but plenty of upside.

Janoris Jenkins is more reliable than Mo to be sure, but he's probably not a "better" CB on any given play.
STL chose to let him leave. He was a good CB2, much like Brandon Carr that can help but got overpaid mightily.

You don't win in free agency by hitting home runs. The top 5 teams in spend the last decade are avaraging less than .400% in wins.
Teams who do well in free agency draft well, resign their own and cherry pick good values.

Talent matters a heck of a lot but in this era of football after QB it is almost always about price per pound.
What are you getting for said player at said price.
Seattle didn't accidently win all those games with huge bargains for Russell and a couple DL. Once they paid them it's been tougher.
See Kaep in SF. Same deal. Lots of guys who are average making peanuts and amazingly you can compete with anyone.
Because you then have money to add average to above average players to fill holes and you can resign your own continuing their development and getting them for their peak years.

Dallas entered free agncy with a bottom 5 spend. They "could" have made moves and improved to about middle of the pack but they were never toucvhign the cash available to Jax, Oak, NYG and some of these teams who went for it.
They have been very calm and effective thus far.
Even stealing Hanna back before he could head to San Diego. --and quietly he was a huge need as blocking TE is key for this offense.
We got the 1T upgrade it never seemed Rod would allow and we've lost next to nothing of meaning yet.

Free agency isn't close to over. This was just round 1 when the players are at their shiniest and priciest.

Great post!!!

 

[jazzcat22]

So every free agent bar one that had come in, chose to sign somewhere else. - not an upgrade, except Thornton. And he is changing position. Steven and Jerry have said since the season ended, that an upgrade at backup QB was a main priority - fail. CB no upgrade, puts the leverage back in Carr's hands - just like last year. No upgrade at DE, chose to sign else where.
So, now that we can only barging basement hunt, we will not really upgrade anywhere, except a 2 down 1-tech.
If the purpose of free agency is to plug holes so you can take best available in the draft. Again, fail. Now we have to find pass rush, CB, RB, LBers, Safety, DT depth etc, etc, etc
And still their stated # 1 priority is has not been addressed.
Not what I had hoped for at all ...

Welcome to same time as last year...we don't make the panic jerk moves that most fans want, they panic. By the time the draft ended, going into TC, all looked very well, with the exception of who would emerge as the top RB.
It took a while, after the Randle experiment, but DMC came out pretty decent. It's just other major derailments happened. We know what those were.

Well, Carr doesn't have leverage at all. The Cowboys do. Don't think they will bow down to pay Carr. Last year it was not cost effective to release Carr. This year it is. There are options at CB still.
I do not look at the 4-12 record and say we will suck, it is basically the same team as the 12-4 season, but with better players from last years draft. That will be improved more with this years draft.

DE seems to be the biggest issue right now, but it's not over yet. Panic, no not time for that. Not even close. Would we all feel better if it was addressed, yes. However given the history of most posters, No matter who is brought in, or signed, there will be a lot of whining and negativity toward the player and the FO....get ready for it...LOL....

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Here's my issue.

The goal of any offseason is to try and improve. And you can do that between FA and the draft. The Thornton signing solves an issue for sure. So that was a nice signing.

But are you really going to be happy with having basically the exact same secondary as last year with maybe a 3rd round DB thrown in there somewhere and hoping Scandrick is healthy? I wouldn't be.

Chris Long would be a nice depth move but who is the pass rusher on this team. Who improves that pass rush? A mid to later round DE isn't going to do that.

This isn't a post to suggest we should have thrown cash around like crazy in FA but it is slightly bizarre that this front office seems to think what we had last year was pretty damn good and there is no reason to try to fix some areas other than thinking they'll kill the draft.

Good post!

I would have expected at least a DT, a CB, and a LB signed to upgrade positions of weakness. That did work. Now the focus has to be on drafting players who improve the talent level.

I do disagree with you, though, that starting DEs cannot be found in the later rounds. They can be found. The challenge is, can the Cowboys find them. Will McClay is supposed to make a difference; so far he has not. This has to be a solid draft for him.

 

[Junglist]

Jerry has said it himself that he thinks the talent on this team is way better than 4-12....

8-8 is way better than 4-12, so he's right. Unfortunately, i can't see us doing better because the front office (and many fans) completely overrate the talent every year.

 

[kiheikiwi]

Good post!

I would have expected at least a DT, a CB, and a LB signed to upgrade positions of weakness. That did work. Now the focus has to be on drafting players who improve the talent level.

I do disagree with you, though, that starting DEs cannot be found in the later rounds. They can be found. The challenge is, can the Cowboys find them. Will McClay is supposed to make a difference; so far he has not. This has to be a solid draft for him.

Are you talking about Wilber and Claiborne being the upgrades this off-season ? Thornton - maybe/yes. But he is changing from a 3/4 end to 1-tech. A good move, but not a great move. Plugging holes with our own players gets us status quo, not an upgrade.
Now I do agree, it's not over and players can and will be plugged in before the draft. And no matter what they do at # 4, it's the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th rounder's (high picks in each round) that have me optimistic.
As I said in another thread, I do believe this FO is trying. Their plan just hasn't worked out very well so far. And Dallas is not a destination players strive for anymore. So low balling every body and assuming they want to play here is no longer valid.
I like the idea of bringing in another very well respected scout to the brain trust - another strong voice in the meeting and draft rooms, so that does give me hope.

 

[DBOY3141]

Are you talking about Wilber and Claiborne being the upgrades this off-season ? Thornton - maybe/yes. But he is changing from a 3/4 end to 1-tech. A good move, but not a great move. Plugging holes with our own players gets us status quo, not an upgrade.
Now I do agree, it's not over and players can and will be plugged in before the draft. And no matter what they do at # 4, it's the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th rounder's (high picks in each round) that have me optimistic.
As I said in another thread, I do believe this FO is trying. Their plan just hasn't worked out very well so far. And Dallas is not a destination players strive for anymore. So low balling every body and assuming they want to play here is no longer valid.
I like the idea of bringing in another very well respected scout to the brain trust - another strong voice in the meeting and draft rooms, so that does give me hope.

Low balling is an assumption. No one knows what we have offered FA's that went elsewhere. It could have been the same or higher for players like Weddle, Long, Moore and Carroll and they chose the other team.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Are you talking about Wilber and Claiborne being the upgrades this off-season ? Thornton - maybe/yes. But he is changing from a 3/4 end to 1-tech. A good move, but not a great move. Plugging holes with our own players gets us status quo, not an upgrade.
Now I do agree, it's not over and players can and will be plugged in before the draft. And no matter what they do at # 4, it's the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th rounder's (high picks in each round) that have me optimistic.
As I said in another thread, I do believe this FO is trying. Their plan just hasn't worked out very well so far. And Dallas is not a destination players strive for anymore. So low balling every body and assuming they want to play here is no longer valid.
I like the idea of bringing in another very well respected scout to the brain trust - another strong voice in the meeting and draft rooms, so that does give me hope.

Heck no to your question in bold. I mentioned at the start of free agency I would have loved to see guys like Hayden, Wilcox, Claiborne and Wilber pushed off the roster. Alas, it is not going to happen (for all those guys to be gone) unless Dallas does an amazing job of drafting in April.

 

[JoeBoBBY]

My problem with your problem is this: (lol)

You weren't going to fix the pass rush in free agency.
The best pass rusher available was our own guy. Hardy. And he is the best BY FAR.
The best young talent was Vernon... he of less sacks last year than DLaw. He had less than 1 sacks every 2 games but got paid like a Pro Bowler.
Mario Williams graded out worse on tape than people realize but he was a bnig name so there were cries for him.

And you weren't going to fix CB.
The top CB and pass rushers were franchised. These were guys worth big deals who could have been lead horses.
The available players were and are not that good.
No CB who is better than Orlando Scandrick was available.
So we were once again going to be paying CB1 money for CB2.
And the team wisely did not. They looked for cheaper options and resigned a guy whose got lots of knocks but plenty of upside.

Janoris Jenkins is more reliable than Mo to be sure, but he's probably not a "better" CB on any given play.
STL chose to let him leave. He was a good CB2, much like Brandon Carr that can help but got overpaid mightily.

You don't win in free agency by hitting home runs. The top 5 teams in spend the last decade are avaraging less than .400% in wins.
Teams who do well in free agency draft well, resign their own and cherry pick good values.

Talent matters a heck of a lot but in this era of football after QB it is almost always about price per pound.
What are you getting for said player at said price.
Seattle didn't accidently win all those games with huge bargains for Russell and a couple DL. Once they paid them it's been tougher.
See Kaep in SF. Same deal. Lots of guys who are average making peanuts and amazingly you can compete with anyone.
Because you then have money to add average to above average players to fill holes and you can resign your own continuing their development and getting them for their peak years.

Dallas entered free agncy with a bottom 5 spend. They "could" have made moves and improved to about middle of the pack but they were never toucvhign the cash available to Jax, Oak, NYG and some of these teams who went for it.
They have been very calm and effective thus far.
Even stealing Hanna back before he could head to San Diego. --and quietly he was a huge need as blocking TE is key for this offense.
We got the 1T upgrade it never seemed Rod would allow and we've lost next to nothing of meaning yet.

Free agency isn't close to over. This was just round 1 when the players are at their shiniest and priciest.

I agree 100%. I would also add, coaching/scheme and culture, in todays NFL, is more important then the difference between Scandrick and Jenkins......

 

[birdwells1]

My problem with your problem is this: (lol)


Dallas entered free agncy with a bottom 5 spend. They "could" have made moves and improved to about middle of the pack but they were never toucvhign the cash available to Jax, Oak, NYG and some of these teams who went for it.
They have been very calm and effective thus far.
Even stealing Hanna back before he could head to San Diego. --and quietly he was a huge need as blocking TE is key for this offense.
We got the 1T upgrade it never seemed Rod would allow and we've lost next to nothing of meaning yet.

Free agency isn't close to over. This was just round 1 when the players are at their shiniest and priciest.

Effective? I think that the Patriots have been effective, Dallas just wants to look like they know what they're doing without actually knowing. So how did we "steal" Hanna at 3 mill a season for a te that caught a total of 9 passes last year? I think as long as Witten's here any serious money spent on a te will be wasted. If blocking is so important then put your swing tackle out there because blocking is what they do best.

 

[jazzcat22]

Effective? I think that the Patriots have been effective, Dallas just wants to look like they know what they're doing without actually knowing. So how did we "steal" Hanna at 3 mill a season for a te that caught a total of 9 passes last year? I think as long as Witten's here any serious money spent on a te will be wasted. If blocking is so important then put your swing tackle out there because blocking is what they do best.

How,have the Cheatriots been effective....they traded away a young DE, replaced him with an aging DE. They got an OL and a draft pick. But was it worth it, maybe. They traded for Marty B...well, we will see how that works out too.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

We currently only have two DEs on the current roster who aren't suspended.

 

[birdwells1]

How,have the Cheatriots been effective....they traded away a young DE, replaced him with an aging DE. They got an OL and a draft pick. But was it worth it, maybe. They traded for Marty B...well, we will see how that works out too.

They have an elite but old qb, the time is now so they traded a de that just got busted for drugs and is in the last year of his contract for a former first round guard (to protect brady) and a second round draft pick.
Then they got one of the top 7 te in the game to pair along with the best in the game. If I was a patriot fan I'd be feeling pretty good about those moves.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

what in the world is "short-sided"?

Thank you, I saw that and was like *** is he talking about?