Going for the kill shot while you are in the window

[skinsscalper]

I dont quite agree with this.
Denver bought in Manning and Ware, and possibly other guys to win.
The Giants rebuilt their DL in FA in one year.

I doubt most of our players are boy scouts.
RKG is nice, but most importantly we just need to avoid the real troublemakers.
NE had their star TE go to jail for quite a while.

There is a misconception about what RKG actually means and I assure you the "boy scout" angle has a lot less to do with it than many people think. Garrett has re-iterated it several times but I'll re-cap. RKG literally means that football is the most important thing to these guys. That's why the scouting department takes a well focused look at guys that are team leaders/captains. They are willing to overlook certain transgressions (on and off the field) and focus on attributes that translate to on the field success.

To your point, yes, Denver made some off-season moves that worked o for them. For every Denver team that made that philosophy work, there are ten others that used that same philosophy and it blew up in their face in less than two years.

New York, whom you mentioned, will have to blow that whole thing up in short order due to the money that they spent (a whopping 200m). In the meantime, their offensive line is a joke and they rank last in rushing due to the fact that they completely blew their load on defense. At some point it will cost them either the core of their football team or an ***-load of dead money strapping their hands and hopes of digging out of that one season FA splurge.

Here's another team that used the same FA philosophy that you're a proponent of: the Jacksonville Jaguars. How's that working out, so far? Or should we re-visit a team that used that philosophy consistently for the better part of the past two decades: the Washington Commanders. Not until the Commanders abandon that philosophy did they actually become a solidly built team that appears (as it looks now) to contend for the long haul.

One factor that is far too often overlooked in the UFA route is team chemistry and, to be honest, I think it's a major factor in why that route so often blows up in the face of teams that over-employ it. We need to look no farther than Greg Hardy. Great talent? Yep. High priced FA? Yep. Team player/leader? Nope. Diametrically opposite, in fact. Ditto for Mario Williams, Suh, etc. In fact are Suh or Williams worth even 1/3 of the money they're being paid? To date: nope. Ditto for Vernon in New York.

You need to look no farther than our 9-1 record to see that what we are doing is working. No need to shift gears and upset the apple cart for a flash in the pan that may or may not work out. Keep any eye for a solid signing in FA? Sure. Jeopardize the ability to re-sign some of our own solid guys re: Martin/Collins to blow our load on an overpriced "maybe" (or bunch of maybes) in one off-season of "lose your ******* mind"? Nope. Not a fan.

 

[Nightman]

You need to look no farther than our 9-1 record to see that what we are doing is working. No need to shift gears and upset the apple cart for a flash in the pan that may or may not work out. Keep any eye for a solid signing in FA? Sure. Jeopardize the ability to re-sign some of our own solid guys re: Martin/Collins to blow our load on an overpriced "maybe" (or bunch of maybes) in one off-season of "lose your ******* mind"? Nope. Not a fan.

Counterpoint is we had the same philosophy last year when we were 4-12.....a high draft pick.....a last place schedule and a miracle QB have us sitting pretty but I wouldn't start writing how to manuals yet......good talk

 

[waldoputty]

There is a misconception about what RKG actually means and I assure you the "boy scout" angle has a lot less to do with it than many people think. Garrett has re-iterated it several times but I'll re-cap. RKG literally means that football is the most important thing to these guys. That's why the scouting department takes a well focused look at guys that are team leaders/captains. They are willing to overlook certain transgressions (on and off the field) and focus on attributes that translate to on the field success.

To your point, yes, Denver made some off-season moves that worked o for them. For every Denver team that made that philosophy work, there are ten others that used that same philosophy and it blew up in their face in less than two years.

New York, whom you mentioned, will have to blow that whole thing up in short order due to the money that they spent (a whopping 200m). In the meantime, their offensive line is a joke and they rank last in rushing due to the fact that they completely blew their load on defense. At some point it will cost them either the core of their football team or an ***-load of dead money strapping their hands and hopes of digging out of that one season FA splurge.

Here's another team that used the same FA philosophy that you're a proponent of: the Jacksonville Jaguars. How's that working out, so far? Or should we re-visit a team that used that philosophy consistently for the better part of the past two decades: the Washington Commanders. Not until the Commanders abandon that philosophy did they actually become a solidly built team that appears (as it looks now) to contend for the long haul.

One factor that is far too often overlooked in the UFA route is team chemistry and, to be honest, I think it's a major factor in why that route so often blows up in the face of teams that over-employ it. We need to look no farther than Greg Hardy. Great talent? Yep. High priced FA? Yep. Team player/leader? Nope. Diametrically opposite, in fact. Ditto for Mario Williams, Suh, etc. In fact are Suh or Williams worth even 1/3 of the money they're being paid? To date: nope. Ditto for Vernon in New York.

You need to look no farther than our 9-1 record to see that what we are doing is working. No need to shift gears and upset the apple cart for a flash in the pan that may or may not work out. Keep any eye for a solid signing in FA? Sure. Jeopardize the ability to re-sign some of our own solid guys re: Martin/Collins to blow our load on an overpriced "maybe" (or bunch of maybes) in one off-season of "lose your ******* mind"? Nope. Not a fan.

Now I learned what RKG means lol
I can buy that.
So Dez is RKG in this definition.
I agree team chemistry is critical for success.
IMO, the star FAs should be bought only after the foundation is laid by the draft.

Yes, for every Denver there are the Jacksonville's.
But I question what Jacksonville was doing when their team was not ready for the major push in FA.
Regarding the Giants, they should not have a cap issue in the same way that we can splurge without going into cap hell.

In my view, the Cowboys' foundation was built correctly by Garrett's patient approach, we are in a position to reap the rewards.
We are only 1-2 stars away from being the best team in the NFL.

I am not advocating bringing in some criminals or really bad teammate (e.g. Hardy).
For example, a strength of NE is that they can bring in troublemakers (e.g. Moss) and still maintain the chemistry.

What I am advocating right now is:
1. Resign all our own FAs that make sense such as the CBs, SSs and DT. For me that also includes Romo and Leary because we can afford it.
2. Sign 1-2 FAs - preferably DE and perhaps best available WR or CB FA to push us over the top.

In a few years after my proposed 1-2 down-years, the improved draft position will have allowed us hopefully to reload a top WR and top RB in the draft, as well as a few other pieces.
At which point, our new window will hopefully start again and bring in the FAs.

 

[waldoputty]

Counterpoint is we had the same philosophy last year when we were 4-12.....a high draft pick.....a last place schedule and a miracle QB have us sitting pretty but I wouldn't start writing how to manuals yet......good talk

No question about it, we lucked out on the QB.
We would still be in the wilderness if not for our luck.
Due to Romo's health issues, I was actually suggesting a FA QB who is not as good as Dak.

 

[skinsscalper]

Now I learned what RKG means lol
I can buy that.
So Dez is RKG in this definition.
I agree team chemistry is critical for success.
IMO, the star FAs should be bought only after the foundation is laid by the draft.

Yes, for every Denver there are the Jacksonville's.
But I question what Jacksonville was doing when their team was not ready for the major push in FA.
Regarding the Giants, they should not have a cap issue in the same way that we can splurge without going into cap hell.

In my view, the Cowboys' foundation was built correctly by Garrett's patient approach, we are in a position to reap the rewards.
We are only 1-2 stars away from being the best team in the NFL.

I am not advocating bringing in some criminals or really bad teammate (e.g. Hardy).
For example, a strength of NE is that they can bring in troublemakers (e.g. Moss) and still maintain the chemistry.

What I am advocating right now is:
1. Resign all our own FAs that make sense such as the CBs, SSs and DT. For me that also includes Romo and Leary because we can afford it.
2. Sign 1-2 FAs - preferably DE and perhaps best available WR or CB FA to push us over the top.

In a few years after my proposed 1-2 down-years, the improved draft position will have allowed us hopefully to reload a top WR and top RB in the draft, as well as a few other pieces.
At which point, our new window will hopefully start again.

Absolutely Dez is an RKG. So is Moss. Ditto for Ray Lewis (accessory to murder regardless of his lawyers handy work), Steve Smith Sr., etc.

I also, to an extent, disagree that we are 1-2 stars from being the best team in the league. Now, the story hasn't been completely written yet so to come to a firm conclusion on any of this would be pure speculation but I'll go ahead and use the information that I have available to me (don't look now) and tell you that we already ARE the best team in the league (to this point). The challenges come week to week to week and the entire league (hell, our own fans) waits with baited breath for us to fall on our faces. And week after week they point to the "next week" for the hammer to finally drop. Hell you've got 90% of the fans, league wide, hoping on a weekly basis for us to lose OUR SECOND GAME OF THE SEASON. We are heading into week #12 and they're still waiting and stewing.

What I propose is that we continue to draft solidly and not depend on high draft position to "re-load". Prescott, Collins, and Brown were drafted WAY below the 32nd pick in the draft (my preferred position). We have yet to even see the potential of Smith, Tapper, or Frazier (also way below the 32nd pick).

Now, I don't completely disregard your approach, to be honest. I DO think that you can improve your team in FA. As bk, said earlier in the thread it's about making smart moves in FA. That doesn't completely eliminate higher profile players but there's one absolute when it comes to FA and it's as solid as death and taxes: you WILL overpay. After that, you can only hope that they come close to producing commensurate to their paycheck. Far too often, they don't.

 

[skinsscalper]

Counterpoint is we had the same philosophy last year when we were 4-12.....a high draft pick.....a last place schedule and a miracle QB have us sitting pretty but I wouldn't start writing how to manuals yet......good talk

That's fair but, if we're being intellectually honest, that 4-12 result had little to do with our team building philosophy. An argument could be made that we crapped the bed re: back up QB but, other than that the overall philosophy didn't change much from last year to this one.

 

[skinsscalper]

No question about it, we lucked out on the QB.
We would still be in the wilderness if not for our luck.
Due to Romo's health issues, I was actually suggesting a FA QB who is not as good as Dak.

We all were, brother. And, not to rub any noses in the argument BUT the drafted guy was the better guy. FA rarely solves everything, my friend.

Draft solid (and lucky sometimes).

 

[waldoputty]

Absolutely Dez is an RKG. So is Moss. Ditto for Ray Lewis (accessory to murder regardless of his lawyers handy work), Steve Smith Sr., etc.

I also, to an extent, disagree that we are 1-2 stars from being the best team in the league. Now, the story hasn't been completely written yet so to come to a firm conclusion on any of this would be pure speculation but I'll go ahead and use the information that I have available to me (don't look now) and tell you that we already ARE the best team in the league (to this point). The challenges come week to week to week and the entire league (hell, our own fans) waits with baited breath for us to fall on our faces. And week after week they point to the "next week" for the hammer to finally drop. Hell you've got 90% of the fans, league wide, hoping on a weekly basis for us to lose OUR SECOND GAME OF THE SEASON. We are heading into week #12 and they're still waiting and stewing.

What I propose is that we continue to draft solidly and not depend on high draft position to "re-load". Prescott, Collins, and Brown were drafted WAY below the 32nd pick in the draft (my preferred position). We have yet to even see the potential of Smith, Tapper, or Frazier (also way below the 32nd pick).

Now, I don't completely disregard your approach, to be honest. I DO think that you can improve your team in FA. As bk, said earlier in the thread it's about making smart moves in FA. That doesn't completely eliminate higher profile players but there's one absolute when it comes to FA and it's as solid as death and taxes: you WILL overpay. After that, you can only hope that they come close to producing commensurate to their paycheck. Far too often, they don't.

Well we may just have to agree to disagree.

Between Seattle, Patriots and Cowboys, I think any of the three can beat the other two in a game.
So we may be ~even with them, but I would like to be definitively a level above them.
To me, that means a star DE and perhaps one more star such as a CB that will serve as the cherry on top.

The salary cap is another issue.
I dont see why we do not leverage this unique point in the history of the league in salary cap.
This allows us to sign most of our FA and add the 2 stars, and then simply take advantage the escape hatch that is Romo/Witten as well as the $10M/year rise.
We may never have this good a chance again, especially with Tom Brady at age 39 and their defense no longer a big strength.
Furthermore, Seattle is very good as a well-coached team of good players without major holes, but also lack strengths on the order of Zeke and our OL.
Even if they were to add a star, the marginal improvement of a star over a good player is only incremental.
I suppose they can add a star RB, but there may be no star FA WR available.
Furthermore, star RBs may only be available in the draft, which lacks someone multidimensional like Zeke.

On the other hand, if we add a star DE which can only be guaranteed by FA, we would upgrade from a major weakness to a strength. At which point, our team, with the incredible strength in RB and OL, has just eliminated its only weakness.
To me, that takes us a step above Seattle and perhaps half a step above Patriots and the aging Brady.