Free question

[waldoputty]

I've stated my preference several times in other threads for keeping Leary, cutting Free and letting Collins and Green compete to play tackle, but it just isn't going to happen.

The Cowboys front office likes Free. The fact that despite his flaws we have arguably the best line in the league gives them no incentive to make a change. However, this is the last year of Free's contract and he will be 34 in 2018, so maybe the team will seek a young replacement then. (Green showed signs of being able to do it but has yet to prove that he can stay healthy.)

All the handwringing over Free is just wasted effort at this point. That's why I prefer to concentrate on areas where the team either has to do something (cornerback, receiver) or where the team definitely needs to do something because it has to be a priority (defensive end).

It makes sense to play Collins at his best position and sign a better RT.

It is Free last year, so there is minimal dead money at this point.
Save $5M in cap and use it to get a decent RT.
For example, $50M 5 year $10M AAV contract with $15M guaranteed:

---------------------2017-----2018------2019------2020------2021
base--------------$1M-------$1M-- ---$1M-------$8.5M-----$8.5M
signing bonus--$3M-------$3M------$3M--------$3M-------$3M
year 2 restruct---------------$1.9M---$1.9M-----$1.9M-----$1.9M
year 3 restruct---------------------------$2.5M----$2.5M------$2.5M
Totals:-------------$4M-------$5.9M----8.4M------$15.9M---$15.9M

This will save $1M for 2017 cap. Year 2 cap is reasonable. Year 4 and 5 caps would probably mean restructure or release to save $8.5M per year with dead money of $7.4M for 2 years.

 

[waldoputty]

I've stated my preference several times in other threads for keeping Leary, cutting Free and letting Collins and Green compete to play tackle, but it just isn't going to happen.

The Cowboys front office likes Free. The fact that despite his flaws we have arguably the best line in the league gives them no incentive to make a change. However, this is the last year of Free's contract and he will be 34 in 2018, so maybe the team will seek a young replacement then. (Green showed signs of being able to do it but has yet to prove that he can stay healthy.)

All the handwringing over Free is just wasted effort at this point. That's why I prefer to concentrate on areas where the team either has to do something (cornerback, receiver) or where the team definitely needs to do something because it has to be a priority (defensive end).

The primary reason I entered this thread was to dispute Free being responsible for Romo's injuries, because that just isn't true. It also isn't true that he's responsible for a majority of Dak's fumbles. He's a so-so lineman that the Cowboys seem to be satisfied with as a starter.

Doug Free is the single biggest disaster on the offense - directly causing ~40% of all of Dak's turnovers.

Dak had 4 lost fumbles in 2016 (Packers, Vikings, Steelers and Bengals). Free was directly responsible for 3 of the 4 lost fumbles. His man also caused the 4th fumble though another passrusher flushed Dak first.

Here are the videos for 3 of Dak's fumbles and Free's starring role in DIRECTLY causing the fumbles:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-g
http://www.vikings.com/media-vault/...e-Fumble/1230b3ae-f2a9-44be-961f-d3609267e7ab


Furthermore he is the 3rd worst in NFL for OL pressures allowed and OL sacks allowed.

Gil Brandt

✔@Gil_Brandt

Most OL pressures allowed:

Pasztor 38
C.Clark 38
Free 32
D.Smith 31
Remmers 30
Ogbuehi 29
Bushrod 29
Mills 29
Reiff 29
Villanueva 29

10:10 AM - 15 Dec 2016

Most OL sacks allowed:

Barksdale 10.5
Havenstein 9
Free 8
Sambrailo 8
Clemmings 7.5
Mills 7.5
Pasztor 7.5
Remmers 7.5