Jerry facing his most daunting offseason since Jimmy left

[Cowboy06]

Going to be tougher without a top 25 pick.

I think you can get talent in the bottom of the first round. We did it with Frederick.. You don't have to reach...take the best player available and do your homework...no flash over substance anymore...

 

[Cowboy06]

Not worried about the coaching staff. They'll have a framework for the HC deal, and the rest of the pins will tumble down from there. Jerry will pay market rate where he can, and the cap won't affect us there.

It'll be interesting to see what we do with the personnel. Dez will get done. Free's injury makes me think extending and promoting Parnell and backfilling a tackle spot might be the smarter move now. I'd love to see Murray back on a reasonable deal, but don't see how that happens. The RFAs will all get reasonable tenders.

We've got lots of opportunity to upgrade the defense, so we'll probably target a few guys like McClain, Durant, and at least one of the CBs (maybe both, if there are reasonable deals to be had. Rather not have to find a CB, too, this offseason). We'll let the other guys test the market and see where we can improve ourselves via VFA. Then spend the rest of the draft on that side of the ball.

Also would like to see an upgrade at QB2, if there's one available. This job suddenly looks like a good place to rebuild a reputation if you can just beat out Brandon Weeden.

Absolutely agree. I just wish we could acquire more picks. Does anyone know what our compensatory picks might look like? If any are to be had at all.

 

[Oh_Canada]

Dez will be priority number one as for Murray, he is a very good RB so if he wants a bigger contract than the team is willing to give him then they will regretfully have to let him walk.
As for everyone else the ones I think won't be here next sesson are: Brandon Carr, Bill Callahan, Dwayne Harris, Doug Free, Henry Melton, Justin Durant, and possibly another assistant coach.

Think your mostly right, but either Durant or Free or maybe both stay.

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

Going to be tougher without a top 25 pick.

Agreed, but it's not impossible

 

[CATCH17]

Just don't break the bank on Murray and we'll be ok.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Regardless of what happens to the people on this list. This upcoming draft must produce at least 2 or 3 immediate starters on defense.

Must, or what? The likelihood of this happening is probably well below 1%.

 

[erod]

Regarding Sean Lee, people are focusing on the wrong injury.

The ACL will heal fine. It's the neck injury from the year before that is concerning.

DeVonte Holloman, Rocket Ismail Dat Ngyuen, Michael Irvin, Moose Johnston, and countless other NFL players have had their careers ended by this injury.

Lee is quite possibly a few games away from hanging it up.

 

[Verdict]

Decisions/contracts/ restructures have to be made on:

Will McClay
Jason Garrett
Scott Linehan
Rod Marinelli
Bill Callahan

I think all of the coaches stay. Jerry will keep anyone that he wants to keep on this list. None of the guys listed will become head coaches anywhere else. McClay may be in high demand as a GM candidate but Jerry won't let that happen unless he wants it to happen.

Dez Bryant
Demarco Murray
Doug Free
Ron Leary
Jermey Parnell
Cole Beasley
Dwayne Harris
Lance Dunbar

I think both Bryant and Murray will be retained. Murray would be much harder to replace than people think, but would be easier to replace than Dez. We will probably overpay for Dez, but it is very difficult to get a plug and play receiver in the draft and Jerry won't let Dez go with Romo's window of opportunity closing at some time in the near future. (5 years or less). I think we will find a way to keep Murray for that reason as well, even if we have to franchise him to do it.

I am ok with keeping Free for a reasonable salary, but you don't overpay to keep him. If cost becomes a primary concern, Free could be a cap casualty with Parnell retained as his replacement and a potential high draft pick to bring into the fold as the eventual starter. Leary will be a RFA if I recall so he isn't going anywhere. Parnell is a guy who doesn't have a ton of experience but has a really high ceiling. He will be a cheaper option than Free. It is a pretty good possibility that one of either Free or Parnell won't be here next year, with cost possibly factoring into that decision. Keep in mind that it is a lot easier to find a good right tackle in the draft than a left tackle.

Beasley is a very good receiver and may command a little bit more money on the open market than one might expect. If he were on the Patriots team there is no telling what his stats would be. But he will not command top tier receiver money. He should be paid like a top tier number 3 receiver since that is what he really is.

Harris is a solid contributor, but you don't pay out the *** to keep him. His replacement could be obtained with a later round draft pick since he doesn't contribute a lot as a receiver. Dunbar will be relatively cheap to keep as well.

I would love to see us get some of Witten's salary reduced next year and keep these guys around to the extent possible. I think Murray and Free are the biggest WHAT IF decisions that this team faces on offense.

Rolando McClain
Bruce Carter
Sean Lee
Sterling Moore
Henry Melton
Anthony Spencer
George Selvie
Nick Hayden
Brandon Carr
Justin Durant
Morris Claiborne
Chris Jones

I would love to see us keep McClain around since his ceiling seems incredibly high. He may cost us too much to keep him. He is easier to replace than Murray is, so I think the decision of how much we are going to pay Murray may affect his retention. I don't really know what you do with Carter. I don't think he is indispensable, but he isn't chopped liver either (at times anyway). I don't think he will get a lot of money from us.

Sean Lee is under contract, and so I really don't see why his name is on this list. Sterling Moore is a solid, if unspectacular player. I think we retain him if his cap number remains reasonable. But he isn't a must have as a keeper nor is he a cap breaker.

I think Melton is a goner unless he gets paid based on a mid tier rotational player level of performance. He has had limited success this year. He is the one player I would not overpay to keep. The only wild card I see as it pertains to him is whether the staff is convinced that his limited production is a function of not having a dominant player at the 1 tech position beside him. I would guess that they let Melton go and use Crawford at the 3 next year and get a guy who can play the 1 tech either thru the draft or FA.

Spencer? I don't have a strong opinion on either way if he comes cheap. Selvie is ok, but is upgradable. I would upgrade Hayden for sure. I would like to see us keep Carr at a reduced salary to prorate the signing bonus one more year. I am also OK with an outright cut on him. I just can't see us keeping him at his current cap number.


I would not overpay for Durant either. He could be replaced thru the draft with a mid level pick pretty easily. I would let Jones walk. We could easily get a stud punter with a late round pick, or even free agency.

Claiborne will stay and compete because he is still on his rookie contract. He may stay or he may go, but my guess is he will be given training camp to compete. I also think he will bounce back as I think this year has probably been a humbling experience for him.

I think a name you have to add to this list is Witten. His cap number is pretty high for the level of production we are getting out of him. I would love for him to stay, but at a reduced cap number. He is on the decline already. I like his leadership, but if you need him around for that, then make him a coach. I would cut his cap number significantly or cut him. There are too many other players that need to be paid to have him around at the luxury cap number he has.

 

[links18]

Ugh, we have a playoff game coming up. Can we wait on obsessing about the offseason until the offseason? PLAYOFFS? DID I SAY PLAYOFFS? YES, WE ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS.

 

[DFWJC]

I don't see this offseason as all that daunting. They'll have cap room and they'll have and execute a plan. The front office seems to have their stuff together better in these past 2-3 years.

 

[pugilist]

McClay is gone unless Jerry offers him the GM title

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

Must, or what? The likelihood of this happening is probably well below 1%.

If the likelihood of the Cowboys finding 2 or 3 immediate starters is well below 1% with all the holes this defense has, JJ needs to hang it up.

 

[erod]

I don't see this offseason as all that daunting. They'll have cap room and they'll have and execute a plan. The front office seems to have their stuff together better in these past 2-3 years.

The front office (McClay) may be about to leave.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

After this amazing season and whatever lies ahead these next 35 days, Jerry Jones faces perhaps his tightest off-season since Jimmy Johnson left.

Decisions/contracts/ restructures have to be made on:

Will McClay
Jason Garrett
Scott Linehan
Rod Marinelli
Bill Callahan

I think McClay, Marinelli and Callahan are the only serious candidates to leave. And I think McClay is far more serious than Marinelli or Callahan given that he is likely to interview for the Jets' GM job.

I think the Marinelli stuff is more media speculation than truth. It could happen, but I don't think it's as solid of a rumor as the media wants people to believe. I think Callahan may want to go elsewhere if offered more money. Otherwise I think he stays.

Dez Bryant

I bet we come to an agreement within a month after the season is done.

Demarco Murray

I could see him getting the franchise tag.

Doug Free

Interesting case because I sort of don't see us re-signing him, but I'm not sure where he would go for bigger $$$. Then again, if Jerry and Co. are really serious about not re-signing 30+ year old players to bigger $$$, then any small contract could out-weigh what we offer.

Ron Leary

I think he's likely back unless his knee issues were really flaring up this season and they think he is on borrowed time. If they get rid of Free, I doubt they'll want to get rid of Leary as well since the O-Line was their strength.

Jermey Parnell

I think Free is better, but my gut tells me that they prefer Parnell. I'm not sure if he'll be cheaper since I think other teams would be interested in him given his age.

Cole Beasley

I can see him getting an exclusive rights contract. I think he's imperative to keep around. He's young, doesn't get hurt and is far better at the pivot patterns than anybody else on this team.

Dwayne Harris

He really cost himself this year. His technique in punt returns has slacked off considerably. He's still very good in coverage and is a hellacious blocker at WR. But, he doesn't serve as a threat as a receiver. The best he can do at WR is to get in a 12 personnel with Dez and run the ball a few times and then pass over the top to Dez from that personnel. I see him either staying with the team because he cost himself money or going to a team that is rebuilding and wants a veteran that 'does things the right way' to show their young crop of players of how to play the game.

Lance Dunbar

I hope we keep him. I think we should be able to. He really doesn't have much in the way of return skills, so there's not a ton of value there.

Rolando McClain

I think he stays. For all of the talk about Marinelli, I think Garrett is more important and he's staying. The same is likely for Eberflus.

Bruce Carter

Tough to say. He's so inconsistent at times. This year he greatly improved his coverage, but was up-and-down with run defense. And he loafed...a lot. A cardinal sin in Marinelli's defense. But, then he goes out and has 11 tackles and 2 picks against Washington.

It at least tells me that he does care to some degree.

But, I think he's gone.

Sean Lee

I think he stays, but I would be in the mindset of seeing if we can release him after 2015. He's just too unreliable due to injuries. And the smart move would be to keep McClain at the MIKE and move Lee to the WILL.

Sterling Moore

He's a guy that is imperative to keep because Carr is likely gone and I don't know what we can do about Claiborne. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if we *need* to release Scandrick after the 2015 season. We will need to draft a corner and be protective of this group. It would be a large help if Patmon develops into a solid starter.

Henry Melton

He's gone. Can't stay healthy. Nice player though.

Anthony Spencer

I could see him getting another 1-year deal. Although he may just retire. Playing very well as of late.

George Selvie

He'll take whatever he can get.

Nick Hayden

I wouldn't be surprised if he stays. I'm not a fan, but he does hustle as much as any player on the defense and that is what Marinelli loves.

Brandon Carr

Gone. Too expensive for what he's worth.

Justin Durant

I think it depends on what they do with McClain and Carter. He wants to stay, but I think he turns 30-years old next year. My guess is that he signs with another team.

Morris Claiborne

He'll stay, but he'll probably be asked to restructure.

Chris Jones

My guess is he'll get re-signed cheap and the Cowboys will bring in competition for next year's camp.








YR

 

[JD_KaPow]

If the likelihood of the Cowboys finding 2 or 3 immediate starters is well below 1% with all the holes this defense has, JJ needs to hang it up.

Well, they had the worst defense in Cowboys history last year and added exactly zero "immediate starters" through the draft this year. Yes, Hitchens has been pressed into starting duty thanks to injuries and Lawrence has played significant snaps (but not started) since returning, but neither qualifies as an "immediate starter" by any stretch.

 

[ringmaster]

The front office (McClay) may be about to leave.

Yes while McClay is a high demand guy there are other guys that the Jets are looking at to be their GM, and while you others may suggest McClay is a goner there will be an ultra competitive group of guys on the short list for the Jets GM position so McClay leaving is not some forgone conclusion just yet. Besides there are only two teams that are looking for new GMs the Jets, and the Bears and if there are other teams that wants McClay outside a GM position then he's not going anywhere.

 

[ringmaster]

Decisions/contracts/ restructures have to be made on:

Will McClay
Jason Garrett
Scott Linehan
Rod Marinelli
Bill Callahan

I think all of the coaches stay. Jerry will keep anyone that he wants to keep on this list. None of the guys listed will become head coaches anywhere else. McClay may be in high demand as a GM candidate but Jerry won't let that happen unless he wants it to happen.

Dez Bryant
Demarco Murray
Doug Free
Ron Leary
Jermey Parnell
Cole Beasley
Dwayne Harris
Lance Dunbar

I think both Bryant and Murray will be retained. Murray would be much harder to replace than people think, but would be easier to replace than Dez. We will probably overpay for Dez, but it is very difficult to get a plug and play receiver in the draft and Jerry won't let Dez go with Romo's window of opportunity closing at some time in the near future. (5 years or less). I think we will find a way to keep Murray for that reason as well, even if we have to franchise him to do it.

I am ok with keeping Free for a reasonable salary, but you don't overpay to keep him. If cost becomes a primary concern, Free could be a cap casualty with Parnell retained as his replacement and a potential high draft pick to bring into the fold as the eventual starter. Leary will be a RFA if I recall so he isn't going anywhere. Parnell is a guy who doesn't have a ton of experience but has a really high ceiling. He will be a cheaper option than Free. It is a pretty good possibility that one of either Free or Parnell won't be here next year, with cost possibly factoring into that decision. Keep in mind that it is a lot easier to find a good right tackle in the draft than a left tackle.

Beasley is a very good receiver and may command a little bit more money on the open market than one might expect. If he were on the Patriots team there is no telling what his stats would be. But he will not command top tier receiver money. He should be paid like a top tier number 3 receiver since that is what he really is.

Harris is a solid contributor, but you don't pay out the *** to keep him. His replacement could be obtained with a later round draft pick since he doesn't contribute a lot as a receiver. Dunbar will be relatively cheap to keep as well.

I would love to see us get some of Witten's salary reduced next year and keep these guys around to the extent possible. I think Murray and Free are the biggest WHAT IF decisions that this team faces on offense.

Rolando McClain
Bruce Carter
Sean Lee
Sterling Moore
Henry Melton
Anthony Spencer
George Selvie
Nick Hayden
Brandon Carr
Justin Durant
Morris Claiborne
Chris Jones

I would love to see us keep McClain around since his ceiling seems incredibly high. He may cost us too much to keep him. He is easier to replace than Murray is, so I think the decision of how much we are going to pay Murray may affect his retention. I don't really know what you do with Carter. I don't think he is indispensable, but he isn't chopped liver either (at times anyway). I don't think he will get a lot of money from us.

Sean Lee is under contract, and so I really don't see why his name is on this list. Sterling Moore is a solid, if unspectacular player. I think we retain him if his cap number remains reasonable. But he isn't a must have as a keeper nor is he a cap breaker.

I think Melton is a goner unless he gets paid based on a mid tier rotational player level of performance. He has had limited success this year. He is the one player I would not overpay to keep. The only wild card I see as it pertains to him is whether the staff is convinced that his limited production is a function of not having a dominant player at the 1 tech position beside him. I would guess that they let Melton go and use Crawford at the 3 next year and get a guy who can play the 1 tech either thru the draft or FA.

Spencer? I don't have a strong opinion on either way if he comes cheap. Selvie is ok, but is upgradable. I would upgrade Hayden for sure. I would like to see us keep Carr at a reduced salary to prorate the signing bonus one more year. I am also OK with an outright cut on him. I just can't see us keeping him at his current cap number.


I would not overpay for Durant either. He could be replaced thru the draft with a mid level pick pretty easily. I would let Jones walk. We could easily get a stud punter with a late round pick, or even free agency.

Claiborne will stay and compete because he is still on his rookie contract. He may stay or he may go, but my guess is he will be given training camp to compete. I also think he will bounce back as I think this year has probably been a humbling experience for him.

I think a name you have to add to this list is Witten. His cap number is pretty high for the level of production we are getting out of him. I would love for him to stay, but at a reduced cap number. He is on the decline already. I like his leadership, but if you need him around for that, then make him a coach. I would cut his cap number significantly or cut him. There are too many other players that need to be paid to have him around at the luxury cap number he has.

Very good observation and while Witten is getting up there in age I don't really see him declining as you do but as for his cap number that is another story.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

After this amazing season and whatever lies ahead these next 35 days, Jerry Jones faces perhaps his tightest off-season since Jimmy Johnson left.

Decisions/contracts/ restructures have to be made on:

Will McClay
Jason Garrett
Scott Linehan
Rod Marinelli
Bill Callahan

Dez Bryant
Demarco Murray
Doug Free
Ron Leary
Jermey Parnell
Cole Beasley
Dwayne Harris
Lance Dunbar

Rolando McClain
Bruce Carter
Sean Lee
Sterling Moore
Henry Melton
Anthony Spencer
George Selvie
Nick Hayden
Brandon Carr
Justin Durant
Morris Claiborne

Chris Jones

And others who are less critical decisions.

coaches are not a concern. contracts will get done. we can easily get up to $50 million in cap space and maneuver around FA signing a couple of key ones. give Stephen credit for managing the cap.

Jerry sees the light and isn't about to let it fade...I just hope he doesn't meddle too much because he thinks he knows how to get it over the finish line.

 

[Eddie]

I think you can get talent in the bottom of the first round. We did it with Frederick.. You don't have to reach...take the best player available and do your homework...no flash over substance anymore...

Agreed. Take the best player available ... even if it's a QB.

 

[Verdict]

Expecting draft picks to immediately start, especially where the Cowboys are slated to pick, is a recipe for disaster. The Cowboys have been very fortunate the past several drafts. Tough job trying to repeat that year after year is setting the bar way too high. I don't think many teams hit paydirt with defensive starters from the past draft outside of the early picks in Barr, Mack, Donald, and Fuller. We got one in Hitchens. SF seems to have one in LB Borland. Not sure what other defensive picks turned into starters but I think the percentage might be low.

Actually, I think you probably should be able to get three starters out of next year's draft class on defense, if necessary. That side of the ball is currently the weak link. Hitchens could have started on defense this year (and he actually has), and he was a 4th round pick. Depending on who defects this year it would be possible to get a defensive end, 1 tech, a corner, and maybe a safety as an upgrade that could start for us next year.