How good would the 92 Cowboys be if they played in the modern day NFL?

[doomsday9084]

What isn't being discussed here is the salary cap.

More likely than not, a team like the Cowboys couldn't even exist in today's NFL. Players would have started to have to be let go before they really got into their prime. I don't think that an existing good team could do things like add Charles Haley or Deion Sanders as they would just be trying to keep their own guys. The NFL has basically legislated out well rounded team dynasties. Going forward, you are probably only going to see individual player lead dynasties, like Brady/Patriots and even then its going to require elite coaching/management and the QB taking a discount.

 

[Gangsta Spanksta]

The 92 Cowboys when they met the 92 49ers, it was described as two All Star Teams meeting. There isn't a team these days packed so full of talent. And thanks to rules, players were a lot tougher back then too. These days the offense doesn't have to worry about getting mauled like they did then.

 

[Surfguy]

The only thing I remember from the 90s is grunge music. Oh yea...and I went to college.

 

[RomoIsGod]

What isn't being discussed here is the salary cap.

More likely than not, a team like the Cowboys couldn't even exist in today's NFL. Players would have started to have to be let go before they really got into their prime. I don't think that an existing good team could do things like add Charles Haley or Deion Sanders as they would just be trying to keep their own guys. The NFL has basically legislated out well rounded team dynasties. Going forward, you are probably only going to see individual player lead dynasties, like Brady/Patriots and even then its going to require elite coaching/management and the QB taking a discount.

I get that. I'm just saying for 1 year. If that team played now. And they weren't under the salary cap at that point. Put those guys in a time machine and transport them to now and tell them go play now

 

[Cmac]

Outside of Roger Goddell handing out suspensions.......92 Cowboys would be mauling people.

 

[RomoIsGod]

Outside of Roger Goddell handing out suspensions.......92 Cowboys would be mauling people.

Michael Irvin would have a field day. Might be better than Jefferson

 

[RomoIsGod]

The 92 Cowboys when they met the 92 49ers, it was described as two All Star Teams meeting. There isn't a team these days packed so full of talent. And thanks to rules, players were a lot tougher back then too. These days the offense doesn't have to worry about getting mauled like they did then.

I don't even know how that team lost 3 games that season. And next years Cowboys probably go 14-2 if Emmitt didn't held out.

 

[Creeper]

Of course the 1992 Cowboys would be successful today. What made them successful was their confidence, and intelligence. They had that swagger. They were not soft. But the 1992 team was pre-free agency so things were different. Jerry had deep pockets.

Before free agency, any Jimmy Johnson team would be great because he would not allow them to be anything else. But free agency really handcuffed coaches like Jimmy, who liked to swap out players in a never ending quest to be better. Today, cutting players has CAP ramifications that may force teams to keep them. Signing new players clearly has CAP ramifications that prevent teams from improving.

As good as Jimmy was as a HC, he too would have difficulty keeping a dynasty together today.

However, I do believe if Johnson was in charge of the Cowboys he would absolutely be willing to sign big free agents to improve the team. I think the current regime's strategy is theirs alone. If Johnson was in charge I have a feeling we would have a better DL and a better OL.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Cowboys would have crushed everyone. With that defense and Aikman they would have gone 15-2 or better.

 

[DripTooHard]

I don't even know how that team lost 3 games that season. And next years Cowboys probably go 14-2 if Emmitt didn't held out.

15-1 if Leon Lett doesn’t do Leon Lett things on Thanksgiving Day.

 

[bigE79]

Would they still be a juggernaut in the current NFL?

Undefeated

 

[RomoIsGod]

15-1 if Leon Lett doesn’t do Leon Lett things on Thanksgiving Day.

Yah forgot that and I went to that game.

 

[Xeven]

You would need more ambulances on site for the other teams. I’ll leave it right there =).

 

[Gonzomandela01]

Champs!

 

[cowboybish]

That team could win 10 games just by running emmitt smith behind Larry Allen every play.

Larry wasn’t on the team and 92

 

[doomsday9084]

I get that. I'm just saying for 1 year. If that team played now. And they weren't under the salary cap at that point. Put those guys in a time machine and transport them to now and tell them go play now

To answer it that way, I would think that they would be title favorites. Not 17-0 steamroll the league good, but the best team in the NFL. That defense was good and really fast even by today's standards. You just don't see teams that well rounded in today's NFL and again, I blame the salary cap.

Just as a reference, here was Dallas' 1993 secondary: Larry Brown, Kevin Smith, Darren Woodson, Kenny Gant, Thomas Everett, Brock Marion, Bill Bates, James Washington
Defensive tackles: Chad Hennings, Tony Casillas, Leon Lett, Russell Maryland

You just don't see that kind of thing nowadays.

 

[sunalsorises]

I graduated high school n ‘93. For all I remember I could have been smoking a joint with Larry Allen before a Grateful Dead concert. Fair point that he didn’t play in ‘92, though. Do think that team would have won 10 games in this era just by running emmitt behind that line every play.

 

[Flamma]

Cant really project like that.
All the 90s players would be probably be stronger and faster if they were born and raised 30 years later.
its a different world with different training, diet…. and different rules

But it‘s harder, in general, to dominate now because there is so much more overall talent coming in from colleges acrossthe country.
not impossible though

Just my opinion, I think it's safe to compare teams going back as far as the 90s, no earlier. Bigger, faster, stronger, I believe peaked at around that time.

Someone on a different forum questioned whether or not the Bart Starr Packers could have beaten the 90s Cowboys. I said something along the lines of what you said. Because I really think it applies in that case. You can debate who was the better team at the time, just not straight up H2H.

The dude threw a fit. Of course I suggested a score if they actually played to better get my point across.

 

[stuckindc]

That was 93

15-1 if Leon Lett doesn’t do Leon Lett things on Thanksgiving Day.

3

 

[DFWJC]

Just my opinion, I think it's safe to compare teams going back as far as the 90s, no earlier. Bigger, faster, stronger, I believe peaked at around that time.

Someone on a different forum questioned whether or not the Bart Starr Packers could have beaten the 90s Cowboys. I said something along the lines of what you said. Because I really think it applies in that case. You can debate who was the better team at the time, just not straight up H2H.

The dude threw a fit. Of course I suggested a score if they actually played to better get my point across.

I bet the number of NFL players that run sub 4.4 forty times in 2022 is nearly 10 times the number in 1992 (5x at minimum)
Sure, the elite of the elite might be the same, but the across-the-board talent, speed, and strength as much broader now.

And the skill position players...even linebackers...have much better ball skills overall. Not talking very top guys, but on average.
Playing 7 on 7 for so many years probably helped.

I think those same players from 92 would be better now than they were then, but no way to prove it.