How the Dallas Cowboys GM delivered an unexpected draft result

[CCBoy]

I made no comment on Jerry, the Talent Acquirer. I made an editorial statement of Jerry, the GM and Owner. The culture, chief of which is a lack of accountability, set by those last 2 has resulted in minimal playoff success regardless if of whether the Talent Evaluator has performed.

Regarding the Talent Evaluator role, things have largely been better to even good over the last few years. Personally, I credit Jason for changing Jerry in that. I have no doubt if Camp was the coach, we would’ve been saddled with Johnny Trainwreck. But if you’re going to give Jerry the credit for successes, you’ve got to give him blame for the failures. And in that Randy Gregory and Taco were colossal failures, regardless of whether Gregory comes back and plays at an All-Pro level. You don’t draft a player in today’s NFL with a high 2nd round pick that isn’t likely to be more than marginally productive for the first 4 years. His penchant as a Talent Acquirer to takes high risk moves has hampered this franchise.

First off, in evaluating a draft...one considers time on the field, both in starts and numbers played...while available to be active. Other factors affect active/inactive status. Draft grade is upon how much he plays when available and starts.

You saying that Gregory is not a good selection based upon not being a starter quality or being on the field if having access to a roster spot? That is just wrong, and he was a good draft pick. All players can fall from grace with conduct...all.

Taco was a bust...and still is. Draft grades on him were solid in the league. One bad pick in the past 8, for first round, is actually very high. Care to review percentage of solid picks in the first throughout the NFL for the defensive end position? Give us some stats on that...let's see.

NFL wide success rate for DL taken in the first round, starters: DL (58%); 2nd rd -DL (26%).

Your statement just isn't correct in application...as first and 2nd round picks have been above the league averages.

 

[blueblood70]

While that’s all true, riddle me this, what if those teams had the same GM for the entirety of their drought. Or for just the last 25 years? Not to mention Philly and KC has had waaayyyy more playoff appearances and success during the last 25 years of their drought.

I’m a realist and not one that considers anything less than a SB win is a failure. I realize there is a measure of luck and things just jelling for most teams to win a SB today. But as Gary Player said, “the harder you practice, the luckier you get.” The more a team is in the playoffs, the more chance they will have fortune befall them and they’ll get to the SB and win one. Jerry has failed on that front.

tt doesnt jive so what you wither stick with the same GM or fire 15 and what either way it was a long drought..thats been Jerrys point all along right or wrong he knows that constantly changing coaches and GMs wouldn't make much of difference as the owners all have input in most matters so Jerry cut out the middle man ..

all teams have huge droughts outside of NE theres tangible proof even in the OP and my thread that this is more the norm then fans want to admit.. no way to know if that would have been true or not but at least we are waiting on our 6th in this drought not our first or second..thats real perspective piss and moan all you want the BS narrative that somehow 25years is all there is to blame jerry and like no other team goes through it..ITS SPORTS. Didnt Boston go like 100 years without a MLB title wa sit the Cubs as well, talked about Jinxes??? its how things are championships are more precious and appreciated because how hard they are to acquire..Jerry has 3 in 31 years, took KC 50 years to get back , Reid never won one did he and 15years between appearances and somehow now hes the best thing since sliced bread?

just here in Dallas the TX Rangers have ZERO, Mavs entire existence one, and the Stars ONE.. Jerry 3 Old DC Regime TWO.. look no ones happy its been so long since weve been in an NFCCG or SB but its a headache seeing that posted constantly as if Jerrys alone in Sports..

Looks like Jerrys Winning as he has 3 and the rest of our major sports franchises has 2 combined , just saying PERSPECTIVE..

 

[JustChip]

That is a valid view for fans. Yet this fan, wonders things as: would the availability of a Yetur Gross Matos, DE, Penn St improve the ability for Dallas to come out with a top CB and DE, up front?

Getting a top DE and CB would be an excellent outcome. But I will update add Safety, too.

 

[CCBoy]

Getting a top DE and CB would be an excellent outcome. But I will update add Safety, too.

One last free agency piece could still be added as well...

 

[JustChip]

First off, in evaluating a draft...one considers time on the field, both in starts and numbers played...while available to be active. Other factors affect active/inactive status. Draft grade is upon how much he plays when available and starts.

You saying that Gregory is not a good selection based upon not being a starter quality or being on the field if having access to a roster spot? That is just wrong, and he was a good draft pick. All players can fall from grace with conduct...all.

Taco was a bust...and still is. Draft grades on him were solid in the league. One bad pick in the past 8, for first round, is actually very high. Care to review percentage of solid picks in the first throughout the NFL for the defensive end position? Give us some stats on that...let's see.

NFL wide success rate for DL taken in the first round, starters: DL (58%); 2nd rd -DL (26%).

Your statement just isn't correct in application...as first and 2nd round picks have been above the league averages.

There are no guarantees for any draft pick. There are hits and misses by even the most acknowledged top talent evaluators. But Randy was a failure by any stretch of the imagination. He failed a freaking substance abuse test during his job interview. You know already the hit/miss ratio is skewed way to the miss side. Would you hire someone to be a bus driver that shows up at their job interview with alcohol on their breath? Of course not. He/she may not ever show up to work drunk, but what does it tell you that they would show up like that at their interview.

Now, full disclosure, I was ok with the Gregory pick. But following up the next year with another huge risk with Jaylon was a mistake.

 

[Diehardblues]

The hesitance that I've had for years in criticizing Jason Garrett is that I believe that he is the one primarily responsible for changing Jerry Jones mindset about the draft and player acquisitions. Prior to Garrett, Jerry was horrible in the draft. After Garrett came on board, there was a marked improvement in the player acquisition strategy. I don't know if that is because Garrett comes from a family background filled with scouting, or he simply understands player acquisition better. But despite Garrett's shortcomings as a coach, I do think he made an overall positive impact on the Jones family's strategy on acquiring players.

It will be interesting to see if the Giants have a turnaround on their draft performance with Garrett in the building. If they do, it will validate my overall impressions about the positive impact Garrett made with the Cowboys. It also goes a long way in explaining why Jerry was so reluctant to terminate the relationship with Garrett.

I am also curious if the Cowboys will maintain their stellar drafting habits over the past decade, or if they will falter. I tend to believe that the Jones family has fundamentally changed in how they view player acquisitions, and that with Stephen Jones fully entrenched, they will maintain their philosophy going into the future. We can hope that a better on-field (both at practice and game time) coach will be able to utilize the talent better than Coach Garrett did. But I'm still hesitant to be too hyper-critical of Garrett, simply because I think he was the catalyst for a positive change in the Cowboys. Too bad he sucked at coaching.

Great analysis!!

And I sense some skepticism about how much Garrett sucked as a coach playing to the Lynch Mob. God help us who supported Garrett if we didn’t think he was so horrid.

I totally agree even as much as I’ve been a huge critic of Jerry that once Jason took over in 2011 our drafts and personnel decisions overall made big improvements and appeared to have more of a plan than previous regimes the last couple decades with exception of Parcells run.

 

[CCBoy]

There are no guarantees for any draft pick. There are hits and misses by even the most acknowledged top talent evaluators. But Randy was a failure by any stretch of the imagination. He failed a freaking substance abuse test during his job interview. You know already the hit/miss ratio is skewed way to the miss side. Would you hire someone to be a bus driver that shows up at their job interview with alcohol on their breath? Of course not. He/she may not ever show up to work drunk, but what does it tell you that they would show up like that at their interview.

Now, full disclosure, I was ok with the Gregory pick. But following up the next year with another huge risk with Jaylon was a mistake.

No, you are stating personal likes and dislikes. The discussion was about valid picks, not failures on the level of being a person. I'm not in that kind of discussion on this thread...the pick was solid by the criteria stated and repeated. He was a starter and played many plays when he was an active member of the Dallas roster.

The pick was good, the player failed...the NFL is a tough change for many young players.

Who you holding responsible this draft? Interviews and close inspection is unavailable for all teams? How you judging there? Like/dislike...getting into a bar fight. Naw, a valid pick becomes a starter when on the roster and plays when on the roster. By definition.

If you don't like the player, that's not on the draft pick itself, if it comes later in his career. Team and NFL standards have something to do with that. As to that aspect, things changed this very season as well...no excuses accepted on that issue. Not a draft validation.

Maybe he smoked due to Jason Garrett always clapping, and he had to attempt to related...who knows? But a different topic, although.

 

[CCBoy]

A board question here: Should Dallas trade a next year's pick to move up for a valid wide receiver, in addition to DE, CB, and DT?

 

[kskboys]

First off, in evaluating a draft...one considers time on the field, both in starts and numbers played...while available to be active. Other factors affect active/inactive status. Draft grade is upon how much he plays when available and starts.

You saying that Gregory is not a good selection based upon not being a starter quality or being on the field if having access to a roster spot? That is just wrong, and he was a good draft pick. All players can fall from grace with conduct...all.

Taco was a bust...and still is. Draft grades on him were solid in the league. One bad pick in the past 8, for first round, is actually very high. Care to review percentage of solid picks in the first throughout the NFL for the defensive end position? Give us some stats on that...let's see.

NFL wide success rate for DL taken in the first round, starters: DL (58%); 2nd rd -DL (26%).

Your statement just isn't correct in application...as first and 2nd round picks have been above the league averages.

Taco was a better pick than Gregory. Taking higher rated players who are sliding is a known terrible drafting strategy.

 

[kskboys]

A board question here: Should Dallas trade a next year's pick to move up for a valid wide receiver, in addition to DE, CB, and DT?

Eeek. That would be stupid.

 

[DandyDon52]

the GM job is to build a winner, not draft good lol.
Drafting is just one aspect of the GM position.
The jones boys have learned some things and now do a better job drafting and maybe even in FA, but that is just part of the job.
They did get rid of JG and hired a real coach and let him hire his own staff, so that too is better.
Now have to wait and see if it produces a better more organized winning team.

 

[Typhus]

great, great point. How many draft picks did we waste on tight ends so we could run a 2 tight end offense....which we never ended up doing...

How many late 1sts did we burn trying to replace Haley.

 

[kskboys]

How many late 1sts did we burn trying to replace Haley.

How many high picks have we burned on WR's and CB's.

 

[Big_D]

In theory you think they drafted well, but in reality these numbers mean absolutely nothing without results. How can anyone say Jerry drafted better than other teams when those teams are actually winning? Goes to show that winning involves much more than what happened on draft day.

2019 1st rounder for a vet WR you had to pay 100 million after a year and half
then in the 2nd.. Trysten Hill - a player with issues Safer to stay away but not the Cowboys!
2017 Taco .. Just terrible at drafting Marinelli's type of player .. same in 2019. Fitting the mold that never fits.
2016 RB at 4 - A position that will require a high contract demand. As good as Zeke is, this move ultimately hasn't gotten them over the hump. No long term thought on this one and it's a position you need to find cheaper.
Then we'll throw in an injured Jaylon Smith early in the 2nd on top of that. LOL
2015 Randy Gregory? Were still hoping for the best 5 years later.
2013 Escobar??? Why are you drafting a TE in the 2nd round?? Never mind a complete bust! Just a mind numbing draft pick to begin with.
2012 1st and 2nd for Mo..

I'll give Jerry any 2 he wants from this list. 2 gambles a decade would be high end. But this here is just flat out stupid with his premium draft picks. but again.. no real plan and no results at all.

 

[dckid]

How the Dallas Cowboys GM delivered an unexpected draft result

Does Jerry Jones deserve all the criticism he receives from Dallas Cowboys fans? Life is not always black or white but rather a million shades of gray.

https://thelandryhat.com/2020/04/17/dallas-cowboys-gm-unexpected-draft-result/

Dallas Cowboys Owner, President, and General Manager Jerry Jones is criticized often by fans for the 24 years and counting Super Bowl drought in Big D. This criticism ultimately falls on him as he is the owner and is accountable for all the decisions.

Six franchises have had longer Super Bowl droughts: 49ers (25 years), Washington (28 years), Bears (34 years), Raiders (36 years), Dolphins (46 years), and Jets (51 years). Another twelve teams have never won the Super Bowl: Bengals, Bills, Browns, Cardinals, Chargers, Falcons, Jaguars, Lions, Panthers, Texans, Titans/Oilers, and Vikings. This is not meant to apologize for Jones but rather put it in perspective that the Super Bowl is hard to win.

It becomes much harder to criticize the general manager when you compartmentalize the Cowboys GM role for player transactions only. There are two primary ways in which the general manager acquires players: free agency and the draft. The waiver wire, supplemental draft, and trades also come into play but are used less frequently.

I am a supporter of the Cowboys free agency strategy to use value-driven contracts for veterans to fill roster holes in the second and subsequent free agency waves and avoid signing the splash-free agents to over-valued contracts in the first wave. This strategy has a knock-on benefit of acquiring compensatory draft picks which provide a competitive advantage.


The focus of this post is how Jerry Jones, the General Manager, has deployed his draft capital to acquire players...​

I am sorry but I could not disagree more with this viewpoint.
Personally I don't care about the Niners, Skins, Bears, Raiders, Dolphins... etc, etc.. No do I care about the Bills, Chargers,Bengals Browns.
We as Cowboy fans and as America's team is based on winning and being the crown jewel of the league.
Do you think the Lakers in the NBA, or the Yankees ever say.... Well look at so and so, they haven't won in 10 years? There is an expectation Cowboy fans and ownership should have.
We haven't even sniffed a Championship game since 1996, actually the 1995 season. Think about that for a second! America's team. The one team that has the most fans, the most popular games, highest value. All these things are based on a reputation of winning. The team that had 20 straight winning seasons, 8 SB, 5 wins in 30 years.
Our Front office is a joke. The Niners have gone to two SB's in the past 10 years, if it wasn't for some bad luck they win those two.
No one can defend Jerry the GM.

 

[Big_D]

I am sorry but I could not disagree more with this viewpoint.
Personally I don't care about the Niners, Skins, Bears, Raiders, Dolphins... etc, etc.. No do I care about the Bills, Chargers,Bengals Browns.
We as Cowboy fans and as America's team is based on winning and being the crown jewel of the league.
Do you think the Lakers in the NBA, or the Yankees ever say.... Well look at so and so, they haven't won in 10 years? There is an expectation Cowboy fans and ownership should have.
We haven't even sniffed a Championship game since 1996, actually the 1995 season. Think about that for a second! America's team. The one team that has the most fans, the most popular games, highest value. All these things are based on a reputation of winning. The team that had 20 straight winning seasons, 8 SB, 5 wins in 30 years.
Our Front office is a joke. The Niners have gone to two SB's in the past 10 years, if it wasn't for some bad luck they win those two.
No one can defend Jerry the GM.

At least we're not the Browns. New team slogan. Maddening that people still defend this clown.

 

[dckid]

At least we're not the Browns. New team slogan. Maddening that people still defend this clown.

100% agree. Stockholm syndrome is what Cowboys fan suffer from.
No this is not a shot at Romo, I am sorry, I am in my very early 40’s. The first Cowboy game I remember was 1983 31-30 win over the Skins

At least we're not the Browns. New team slogan. Maddening that people still defend this clown.

Yes thank you. Lowered expectations.
Cowboys Fans have Stockholm Syndrome when it comes to Jerry.

 

[eromeopolk]

How the Dallas Cowboys GM delivered an unexpected draft result

Does Jerry Jones deserve all the criticism he receives from Dallas Cowboys fans? Life is not always black or white but rather a million shades of gray.

https://thelandryhat.com/2020/04/17/dallas-cowboys-gm-unexpected-draft-result/

Dallas Cowboys Owner, President, and General Manager Jerry Jones is criticized often by fans for the 24 years and counting Super Bowl drought in Big D. This criticism ultimately falls on him as he is the owner and is accountable for all the decisions.

Six franchises have had longer Super Bowl droughts: 49ers (25 years), Washington (28 years), Bears (34 years), Raiders (36 years), Dolphins (46 years), and Jets (51 years). Another twelve teams have never won the Super Bowl: Bengals, Bills, Browns, Cardinals, Chargers, Falcons, Jaguars, Lions, Panthers, Texans, Titans/Oilers, and Vikings. This is not meant to apologize for Jones but rather put it in perspective that the Super Bowl is hard to win.

It becomes much harder to criticize the general manager when you compartmentalize the Cowboys GM role for player transactions only. There are two primary ways in which the general manager acquires players: free agency and the draft. The waiver wire, supplemental draft, and trades also come into play but are used less frequently.

I am a supporter of the Cowboys free agency strategy to use value-driven contracts for veterans to fill roster holes in the second and subsequent free agency waves and avoid signing the splash-free agents to over-valued contracts in the first wave. This strategy has a knock-on benefit of acquiring compensatory draft picks which provide a competitive advantage.


The focus of this post is how Jerry Jones, the General Manager, has deployed his draft capital to acquire players...​

They are the Dallas Cowboys....AMERICA'S TEAM!

Jerry has messed up more drafts by either drafting bad, having a bad coach coach drafted players, or mess up the Coach and the draft picks.

His first draft without Johnson/Ackles/Wooten started with Shante Carver who when Switzer woke up from his nap started grabbing on Carver arms to see if he had any weight to him. He realized he did not and went back to sleep. After that pick the last scout hired by Jimmy Johnson, Tom Ciskowski, is losing his mind in the draft room to draft a small school OL that Jimmy Johnson told him to keep an eye on and focus after he got the report from Ciskowski. Jerry finally relents to Ciskowski who is now in a argument with his new boss Larry Lacewell to let Jerry make the decision. By shear Ciskowski persistence Jerry selects the small school OL with a reported bad shoulder...LARRY ALLEN. Jerry then goes back to the Larry Lacewell draft board and selects what Charles Haley called a "Big Mulligan" (golf term for do over extra stroke after a bad shot) in George Hegamin.

That was the first of many Dumbo GM drafts 1995-2002 until Parcells and Ireland put things back in order. Then Jerry runs off Parcells who he only hired to get his stadium (he said it I didn't), and had the drafts of 2007-2013 with the wonderfully awful 2009 draft. 2013 the war room goes into craziness when they leave off the draft board trading down for a 3rd round pick that was not in the plans. Enter the organizer and compromiser Will McClay. After 20014-16 leads to some stability (passing on Johnny Football) Jerry goes back to Dumbo GM with the Grumpy Old Men remake drafting Charlton and Hill to please he and Rob Marinelli.

So even when he gets it right on the draft board Jerry messes it up without a strong HC and VP of Player Personnel. Pass on Randy Moss, trades down and drafts worthless back ups 1995, 1996, 2009, trades up and down in the 1st round for back up RB and CB 2008, drafts Darrin Smith, Ron Stone, Randall Godfrey, Omar Studimire, Kevin Burnett, Marcus Spears, Chris Canty, Anthony Fasano, Nick Folk, Martellus Bennett, Dez Bryant, Dewayne Harris, Bruce Carter, Mo Claiborne, Terrence Mitchell, Anthony Hitchens, Damien Wilson, Bo Scarbrough, and Taco Charlton all walk from the team.

He tries to get a deal with previous injured (unavailable players) or suspension (unreliable players) players for risk reward that leads to mostly no rewards. Waiting for the Sean Lee and Randy Gregory type draft picks to pay off (most recently Vander Esch).

He has stuck to the draft board better since the 2013 fiasco. But far less than the drafts of Gil Brandt in the late 60's, 70's, and Jimmy Johnson draft in the early 1990's that were Best Player Available of Need. He has to learn to stick with young player for the 3 year rule like Randy White, Darren Woodson, Jimmie Jones, Jimmy Smith and Ron Stone who paid off for Dallas or another team.

No, it has been bad drafting because we expect more because we have seen better. Why? They are the Dallas Cowboys...America's Team.

 

[Big_D]

100% agree. Stockholm syndrome is what Cowboys fan suffer from.
No this is not a shot at Romo, I am sorry, I am in my very early 40’s. The first Cowboy game I remember was 1983 31-30 win over the Skins

Yes thank you. Lowered expectations.
Cowboys Fans have Stockholm Syndrome when it comes to Jerry.

New coach, so hopefully a new philosophy on draft day. The gambles have to stop, they're killing this team.