Free vs Leary

[Galian Beast]

Pros for Free
1. Under contract for 3 more years
2. La'el hasn't played on the right side before
3. Romo has said he is the least worried about the right tackle position and most worried about pressure up the middle

Cons for Free
1. Word out there that because of his injury he won't be ready for training camp
2. Injured twice last year missing significant time
3. 31 years old
4. Currently more expensive than Leary
5. Potential liability

Pros for Leary
1. 25 years old
2. Upside
3. Easier to hide a guard in a scheme than a tackle

Cons for Leary
1. Knee
2. La'el has played left guard before
3. La'el will probably be a more dominant guard than tackle
4. Free agent after this season
5. Romo is worried most about pressure up the middle

 

[tm1119]

I don't think it's really close if Free is healthy. And I'm not even talking about talent or ability, I think it's become pretty clear that the organization likes Free and he isn't going anywhere. They've had multiple opportunities to get rid of him and he just sticks around. Free will be the starting RT for minimum this year as long as he's healthy.

that came across a little more negative towards Free than I intended. I think we are perfectly fine with him at RT for the record.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Pros for Free
1. Under contract for 3 more years
2. La'el hasn't played on the right side before
3. Romo has said he is the least worried about the right tackle position and most worried about pressure up the middle

Cons for Free
1. Word out there that because of his injury he won't be ready for training camp
2. Injured twice last year missing significant time
3. 31 years old
4. Currently more expensive than Leary
5. Potential liability

Pros for Leary
1. 25 years old
2. Upside
3. Easier to hide a guard in a scheme than a tackle

Cons for Leary
1. Knee
2. La'el has played left guard before
3. La'el will probably be a more dominant guard than tackle
4. Free agent after this season
5. Romo is worried most about pressure up the middle

Free is signed for several years, so it makes all the sense in the world for him to be at Leary's spot. Leary will be gone after this season.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Throw Collins at guard and never look back.

 

[CATCH17]

Free is signed for several years, so it makes all the sense in the world for him to be at Leary's spot. Leary will be gone after this season.

Not necessarily.

LEary has a bad knee and is restricted.


A smart business move for him may be to sign here and be a backup. He could possibly collect a lot more pay checks in the long run.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I haven't reviewed Collins play, but if possible. The ideal situation IMO is for Collins to play RT and keep Leary. Free is 31 and Leary is 25. Leary is a powerful run blocker (way more powerful than Free) and he does an adequate job at guard, not to mention guards are easier to replace than tackles. We will be replacing a tackle sooner or later since Free is 31. I would rather replace him with a young gun like Collins if he can and keep the 25 year old bull in a china closet.

Besides, we can keep Free for the next two years relatively cheap and then let him go in year three with only a $1.5M cap hit. Cutting him now it (based on Spotrac) would cost $6M in dead money and $3M next year.

If we keep him this year and cut him next year ($5.5M cap hit in year 2), then his dead money is only $3M. (cheaper to cut him after next year)

Leary is only $585k this year and a restricted FA next year. If Collins can play RT, this is a no-brainer to me. Collins -> RT and when you cut Free, his salary goes to Collins when you resign Collins after 2-3 years.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Not necessarily.

LEary has a bad knee and is restricted.


A smart business move for him may be to sign here and be a backup. He could possibly collect a lot more pay checks in the long run.

He does not have a bad knee. It is a degenerative condition; it could go at any time.

Having said that, let him compete with Collins and may the best man win. The o-line will be better off either way.

 

[gimmesix]

Cons for Free
4. Currently more expensive than Leary

Cons for Leary
4. Free agent after this season

If Collins were to replace Free, it would put a $3 million starter on the bench, plus Dallas would not be able to cut or trade Free without it costing them $6 million ($4,5 million bonus and $1.5 million guaranteed base) against the cap.

If Dallas cuts or trades Free next year, it would save $1 million ($3 million bonus, $4 million base) against the cap. If it happened in 2017, the savings would be $3.5 million.

If Collins replaces Leary, it would put a $585,000 starter on the bench. However, Dallas can cut or trade Leary without any cap hit, and he's a restricted FA next year, Giving him just a second-round tender would cost Dallas around $3 million next year.

Dallas says it will put the best five on the field. The only way it can really justify Free not being one of them is if he is injured. He's not getting paid backup money and it's cost-prohibitive to cut him this year.

 

[Doomsday101]

If Collins were to replace Free, it would put a $3 million starter on the bench, plus Dallas would not be able to cut or trade Free without it costing them $6 million ($4,5 million bonus and $1.5 million guaranteed base) against the cap.

If Dallas cuts or trades Free next year (the second year of his contract, it would save $1 million ($3 million bonus, $4 million base) against the cap. If it happened in 2017, the savings would be $3.5 million.

If Collins replaces Leary, it would put a $585,000 starter on the bench. However, Dallas can cut or trade Leary without any cap hit, and he's a restricted FA next year, Giving him just a second-round tender would cost Dallas around $3 million next year.

I agree but willing to see how they all perform. If as a group they are more effective with Collins at RT then play him there if the line play is better with him at guard play him there. 3 mill vs putting the best group out there to win a SB in my view is more important.

 

[xwalker]

If Collins were to replace Free, it would put a $3 million starter on the bench, plus Dallas would not be able to cut or trade Free without it costing them $6 million ($4,5 million bonus and $1.5 million guaranteed base) against the cap.

If Dallas cuts or trades Free next year, it would save $1 million ($3 million bonus, $4 million base) against the cap. If it happened in 2017, the savings would be $3.5 million.

If Collins replaces Leary, it would put a $585,000 starter on the bench. However, Dallas can cut or trade Leary without any cap hit, and he's a restricted FA next year, Giving him just a second-round tender would cost Dallas around $3 million next year.

Dallas says it will put the best five on the field. The only way it can really justify Free not being one of them is if he is injured. He's not getting paid backup money and it's cost-prohibitive to cut him this year.

If Free were traded, the 1.5M base would go with him. If he were traded after June 1st, it would be a 1.5M cap hit in 2015 and a 3M cap hit in 2016.

 

[gimmesix]

If Free were traded, the 1.5M base would go with him. If he were traded after June 1st, it would be a 1.5M cap hit in 2015 and a 3M cap hit in 2016.

OK. I thought if it was guaranteed, we had to take a cap hit for it.

 

[Galian Beast]

If Free were traded, the 1.5M base would go with him. If he were traded after June 1st, it would be a 1.5M cap hit in 2015 and a 3M cap hit in 2016.

From what I understand trades do not work like June 1st cuts, they work like releases prior to june 1st.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Also La'el is probably no going to want to be a guard for his 2nd contract

 

[Galian Beast]

6 million dollars of free's contract was guaranteed as well.

Trading or cutting him now would result in 6 million dollar cap hit.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I haven't reviewed Collins play, but if possible. The ideal situation IMO is for Collins to play RT and keep Leary. Free is 31 and Leary is 25. Leary is a powerful run blocker (way more powerful than Free) and he does an adequate job at guard, not to mention guards are easier to replace than tackles. We will be replacing a tackle sooner or later since Free is 31. I would rather replace him with a young gun like Collins if he can and keep the 25 year old bull in a china closet.

Besides, we can keep Free for the next two years relatively cheap and then let him go in year three with only a $1.5M cap hit. Cutting him now it (based on Spotrac) would cost $6M in dead money and $3M next year.

If we keep him this year and cut him next year ($5.5M cap hit in year 2), then his dead money is only $3M. (cheaper to cut him after next year)

Leary is only $585k this year and a restricted FA next year. If Collins can play RT, this is a no-brainer to me. Collins -> RT and when you cut Free, his salary goes to Collins when you resign Collins after 2-3 years.

I never saw Leary as anything special. And he has the knee issue. Free is signed for several years so he isnt going anywhere.

 

[The Quest for Six]

2015 starting offensive line...Smith, Collins, Fredricks, Martin, Free...let the butt kicking commence!!

 

[xwalker]

6 million dollars of free's contract was guaranteed as well.

Trading or cutting him now would result in 6 million dollar cap hit.

No, it is only a 4.5M hit. The 1.5 in guaranteed base salary would go to the new team.

 

[xwalker]

OK. I thought if it was guaranteed, we had to take a cap hit for it.

No, the new team would be paying the base salary. The cap hit goes to the team that is actually paying out the money.

That is for a trade. If he was cut, then it's a different story. If cut the new team could pay in the minimum and the Cowboys would take the hit for the difference between what the new teams pays him and the 1.5M guaranteed base.

 

[Galian Beast]

No, it is only a 4.5M hit. The 1.5 in guaranteed base salary would go to the new team.

That's a good point. The rest of the cap hit would still hit in 2015 though.

 

[xwalker]

That's a good point. The rest of the cap hit would still hit in 2015 though.

That is incorrect. If you look at the Patriots, they have a 4M cap hit of dead-money for Mankins in 2015. He was traded in Aug 2014.