Jerry Jones Doesn't Expect Cowboys To Be Big Spenders In Free Agency

[lukin2006]

Wasn't Carr the last big name we signed? Other than he is never injured...he was nowhere worth it. Have to agree with Jerry, still doesn't mean we won't sign anyone, they will just add more depth pieces. Never a bad idea to follow the Patriots formula, as long as we can continue the draft success we enjoyed lately.

 

[TwoDeep3]

Why is it that depending on the comment, Jerry is either telling the gospel truth or he is playing a game of chess with the rest of the league with his comments to people on this board?

 

[Zekeats]

Why did New England give away Chandler Jones for nothing?

The Patriots gave up a proven pass rusher, why were they scared to pay him?



I'm on board for that, if a fair price is reached.

Several of us here had Jabaal Sheard on our off-season wish list in 2015. Sheard has averaged 8.4 QB hits over the last five seasons.

Another free agent to be is Carolina Panther Charles Johnson.

Johnson is older than Sheard, but he's averaged 13.2 QB hits over the last five seasons.

Another Panthers free agent is Mario Addison, their reserve RDE. Add is averaging 9.8 QB hits over the last five seasons and 6.3 sacks over the last three.

DeMarcus Ware might be interested in re-joining the Cowboys with a chance to go out in story book fashion.

There are plenty of options set to hit the open market and few more will likely join the mix when teams decide to shed some expensive contracts.

Patriots are scared to pay anyone not named Tom Brady.

 

[Bluefin]

I just hate to think we lose out on good players because of a stubborn adherence to a theory....do they want to be smart and maybe come up just short or can they be wrong and maybe win it all.....DWare or JPeppers could have been the difference in 2014

I believe the team is always willing to add a good player.

They don't want to make a habit of splash signings, and they really haven't had all that many despite the belief of many in the fan base and media.

The following quotes are from last March

“I think we have been on record as saying I don’t think that’s where you build a football team in free agency,” Jones said. “At the same time, we are certainly not sticking our head in the sand just because we had significant injuries with Tony and Dez and Orlando and think just because they are healthy and we are going to be fine.

“The big thing as [owner] Jerry (Jones) so eloquently said, ‘we earned the fourth pick in the draft and the third pick in the second round and the fourth pick in the third round.’ You build your team in the draft. So we’ve got to draft well.”

“Free agency is not over yet,” Jones said. “We just have a strategy. Our strategy is we are going to pay a guy ‘X.’ If it goes above that, then we are out. That’s how you make bad mistakes, paying to the market.”

“It’s not about the budget,” Jones said. “It’s about getting a player to equate to the dollar. It’s not about the budget. The budget is a bad word for this. It’s the value. We stick with the value of the player. It’s not about the budget.”

“We are not ever going be a big-splash free agency team,” Jones said. “We don’t think that’s a sound strategy, unless there is a Reggie White or Deion. There are not many of them. It’s not that we don’t want to spend money — not it if it’s a Pro Bowl-caliber player. We just think we aren’t seeing Pro Bowl caliber players out there.

“We are going to do the best job we can and get players in free agency, but we think there is a value and efficiency in what we are trying to get accomplished. We think the biggest thing that is going to improve our football team is the draft.

“You can’t keep Zack Martin on the football team if you sellout now,” Jones said. “That’s not a solid move for the long haul. You have so many resources. The good news is we have drafted well and we have good players. We know we have to keep DeMarcus Lawrence. We have to keep Zack Martin. If we go out and pay guys more, then we can’t pay those guys. And that’s who you really want to pay.”

Dallas will always be willing to open the checkbook for a stud free agent.

Their core belief, however, is to build the roster through the draft and re-sign the good players they know the best.

Free agency will be used to fill holes prior to the draft with spending limits set for most of the available players.

This year, the Cowboys only signed 5 outside unrestricted free agents prior to training camp. NT Cedric Thornton (4yrs, $17M), DE Benson Mayowa (RFA 3yrs, $8.25M), RB Alfred Morris (2yrs, $3.5M), OL Joe Looney (2yrs, $1.675M) and LB Justin Durant (1yr, $0.965K).

Thornton is the only real multi-year contract that was added. Mayowa, Morris and Looney could all get churned in training camp next summer, if necessary.

 

[waving monkey]

I just hate to think we lose out on good players because of a stubborn adherence to a theory....do they want to be smart and maybe come up just short or can they be wrong and maybe win it all.....DWare or JPeppers could have been the difference in 2014

The money and cap space is there to be aggressive

Guys like Norman, Vernon, Weddle, Trevathan can make a big difference and all they cost is money

Zack Martin

Guard 6/16/2014: Signed a four-year, $8.967 million contract. The deal included a $4.842 million signing bonus. 2016: $1,235,254, 2017: $1,642,881, 2018: Free Agent
Morris Claiborne

Defensive Back 3/11/2016: Signed a one-year, $3 million contract. The deal included a $500,000 signing bonus. Another $750,000 is available through incentives. 2016: $1.25 million (+ $250,000 workout bonus + $62,000 per-game active roster bonuses), 2017: Free Agent

David Irving

Defensive Lineman 5/2/2015: Signed a three-year, $1.585 million contract. The deal included a $10,000 signing bonus. 2016: $525,000, 2017: $615,000, 2018: Restricted Free Agent
/\
we heavy lots of heavy contracts coming

link/http://www.rotoworld.com/teams/contracts/nfl/dal/

 

[ConstantReboot]

I think Ware left a situation that was bad for him -- a defense that was over-reliant on his aging, injury prone body -- and left it for one where he isn't even the best pass rusher on the team. He can miss a month, and they don't miss a beat; but when he's in there opposite Von, they become a wrecking crew up front.

Fast forward to next offseason. If he returned here, he'd return to the same situation he left. I don't think it'd be a good fit for either side. His body can't handle being the primary pass rusher any longer.

Ware won't have to be the primary passrusher on the team. He will only be in during passing downs and alternate with whoever we want. I won't mind him coming back here. He already has his rings and got paid well. Maybe, just maybe he'll want to return as a Cowboy and get himself another ring and come back for a reasonable price. All he has to do is be a situational passrusher. Just like what Jeffcoat was during his waning years as a Cowboy.

 

[Nightman]

Zack Martin

Guard 6/16/2014: Signed a four-year, $8.967 million contract. The deal included a $4.842 million signing bonus. 2016: $1,235,254, 2017: $1,642,881, 2018: Free Agent
Morris Claiborne

Defensive Back 3/11/2016: Signed a one-year, $3 million contract. The deal included a $500,000 signing bonus. Another $750,000 is available through incentives. 2016: $1.25 million (+ $250,000 workout bonus + $62,000 per-game active roster bonuses), 2017: Free Agent

David Irving

Defensive Lineman 5/2/2015: Signed a three-year, $1.585 million contract. The deal included a $10,000 signing bonus. 2016: $525,000, 2017: $615,000, 2018: Restricted Free Agent
/\
we heavy lots of heavy contracts coming

link/http://www.rotoworld.com/teams/contracts/nfl/dal/

and we have heavy contracts leaving in Romo, Witten, Carr, Free, TCrawford

No one is advocating a huge spree.....just a key big time player or 2

most contracts are really only 2-3 deals anyways and PHI showed you can get out of contracts like DMurray and BMaxwell

 

[Doomsay]

That's how the perennial contenders do things.

I think to be fair, the Patriots are the only modern era perennial contenders and they do it every which way they can, including some huge FA years and others where they jettison a number of their best home grown talent. Cheating, notwithstanding.

 

[cowboys1981]

For pass rush:
Dion Jordan
Mario Addison
Courtney Upshaw


Or
Trade Romo to Houston for Mercilus (I kid, calm down bros).

 

[Ratmatt]

Spending big on free agency isn't how they do business anymore.

 

[Bluefin]

Patriots are scared to pay anyone not named Tom Brady.

They don't pay anyone else like Tom Brady.

But New England does hand out decent cash to some of their own and outside free agents.

Excluding Tom Brady, 7 Patriots are making over $3M this season in base salary and roster bonuses. Nate Solder, Donta Hightower, Jabaal Sheard, Marcus Cannon, Chris Hogan, Martellus Bennett and Julien Edelman.

Subtracting Tony Romo, only 4 Dallas Cowboys are making over $3M this season in base salaries and roster bonuses.

Forgetting TB12, the Pats have 9 players with a yearly signing bonus proration of $1M or higher.

Nix QB9, 15 other Cowboys have yearly bonus prorations of $1M or more.

New England doesn't spend as much as Dallas overall or invest in as many players long term, but they still shell out the Benjamins.

 

[KingintheNorth]

I never understand this board's insistence that it is free agency OR the draft. It's not, it's free agency AND the draft. Also, signing a free agent or two doesn't mean they are overpaid busts. You can actually sign a free agent that can help take your team over the top. It is allowed. Green Bay brought in Charles Woodson and that helped put them over the top and win the Super Bowl. A year after signing Peyton Manning in free agency, the Broncos signed DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib, TJ Ward, and Emanuel Sanders, all in one off-season, and that helped them get back and win a Super Bowl.

Also, for all those praising the Front Office's recent free agency approach, ask yourselves what has Benson Mayowa done as a Cowboy?

What we do have is a three-year window before we have to pay Dak Prescott. We would be stupid to not take advantage of that and add some defensive talent via the draft AND free agency to give this team the best chance at contending for multiple championships.

 

[waving monkey]

and we have heavy contracts leaving in Romo, Witten, Carr, Free, TCrawford

No one is advocating a huge spree.....just a key big time player or 2

most contracts are really only 2-3 deals anyways and PHI showed you can get out of contracts like DMurray and BMaxwell

Year

Total Liabilities Salary Cap (Projected) Cap Room
2016 $153,288,382 $157,455,013 $4,166,631
2017 $176,754,938 $166,000,000 ($10,754,938)
2018 $134,662,587 $178,000,000 $43,337,413
2019 $109,963,284 $190,000,000 $80,036,716
2020 $31,950,000 $200,000,000 $168,050,000
2021 $17,300,000 $200,000,000 $182,700,000
2022 $21,950,000 $200,000,000 $178,050,000
2023 $23,750,000 $200,000,000 $176,250,000

2018 we will have room and can probably move money around
before then but if JJones is consistent with the new management philosophy
I bettin on middle dollar FA signings,I see your point we all do

 

[big dog cowboy]

Jones was asked about the Cowboys’ salary cap and how aggressive they might be in free agency this spring. The Cowboys haven’t been big spenders in free agency in recent seasons, and Jones seemed to indicate that might be the case again in 2017.

Sounds like business as usual.

 

[drawandstrike]

We have holes on defense, but we're 11-1 following a 'build-through-the-draft' philosophy.

We can sign 1 big money guy this offseason, especially if Romo & some others leave or restructure. But we should stick to primarily building the team up through the draft. It's working.

Damien Wilson, Anthony Brown, Maliek Collins will get better. They have big upside.

Next year we'll see what we have in Jaylon Smith, Tapper, if Gregory stays, etc. And we'll get some more help in here in the form of some top 1st and 2nd and 3 round defensive rookies.

 

[Nightman]

Year

Total Liabilities Salary Cap (Projected) Cap Room
2016 $153,288,382 $157,455,013 $4,166,631
2017 $176,754,938 $166,000,000 ($10,754,938)
2018 $134,662,587 $178,000,000 $43,337,413
2019 $109,963,284 $190,000,000 $80,036,716
2020 $31,950,000 $200,000,000 $168,050,000
2021 $17,300,000 $200,000,000 $182,700,000
2022 $21,950,000 $200,000,000 $178,050,000
2023 $23,750,000 $200,000,000 $176,250,000

2018 we will have room and can probably move money around
before then but if JJones is consistent with the new management philosophy
I bettin on middle dollar FA signings,I see your point we all do

those numbers are meaningless.....DAL can create up to 60m in cap space next year

the contracts are made to restructure.......there is no point in being 43m under the cap in 2018 without shifting it all to 2017

 

[drawandstrike]

those numbers are meaningless.....DAL can create up to 60m in cap space next year

the contracts are made to restructure.......there is no point in being 43m under the cap in 2018 without shifting it all to 2017

How many times has Romo restructured his contract? 4 times? 5 times? This happens every year. That people don't expect it is kinda funny.

 

[waving monkey]

Sounds like business as usual.

those numbers are meaningless.....DAL can create up to 60m in cap space next year

the contracts are made to restructure.......there is no point in being 43m under the cap in 2018 without shifting it all to 2017

calling salary cap numbers meaningless isn't quit accurate. They certainly can move numbers around and I expect they'll
do just that by structuring heavy dollar contracts year in 2018. They used to operate over the meaningless cap numbers
until the [I guess] Garrett years and since then we have developed a much more stable team.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

I never understand this board's insistence that it is free agency OR the draft. It's not, it's free agency AND the draft. Also, signing a free agent or two doesn't mean they are overpaid busts. You can actually sign a free agent that can help take your team over the top. It is allowed. Green Bay brought in Charles Woodson and that helped put them over the top and win the Super Bowl. A year after signing Peyton Manning in free agency, the Broncos signed DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib, TJ Ward, and Emanuel Sanders, all in one off-season, and that helped them get back and win a Super Bowl.

Also, for all those praising the Front Office's recent free agency approach, ask yourselves what has Benson Mayowa done as a Cowboy?

What we do have is a three-year window before we have to pay Dak Prescott. We would be stupid to not take advantage of that and add some defensive talent via the draft AND free agency to give this team the best chance at contending for multiple championships.

While I agree with you, you want to make sure that when that 3 year window is up, you can still resign him and keep the guys that got you there in the first place. I would love to get that one guy who can fill our huge need at DE, but there ain't too much to choose from this year in free agency. You don't just want to give someone alot of money just to say you filled the hole, the guy has to be worth it.

Mayowa has done nothing, as you point out. Its almost like they want to hit a jackpot with a guy like that, but its infinitely harder to do that in free agency. We don't know yet everyone who will be available but Chandler Jones would also be worth a look, if available.

 

[Doomsay]

Pats have won a number of Super Bowls with smart FA talent. Often rented for just that year.