Jerry Jones Has Finally Learned How To Be GM

[Galian Beast]

Just a couple thoughts:

1. Jerry pretty much deserves sole credit for the Collins addition.

2. Garrett appeared much less enthusiastic than Jerry did (almost forlorn, even) when we picked Gregory at 60.

Without those two pickups this is a much less impressive offseason, and they look to be 100% Jerry moves. And it was Jerry that set the ultimatum to fix the defense this offseason (though anyone with a brain knew that was needed), so he deserves some credit for Byron Jones as well.

This is just the same story we've heard for years in which Jerry gets all the blame but none of the credit.

I wanted to trade up for Gregory. Didn't think he would actually fall to us...

 

[Dodger12]

Wasted a lot of Romo's career and again despite some guy's sig I blame Parcells a lot for that.

Trades Galloway for Keyshawn Johnson
Drafts Bradie James in the 4th round
Trades down when he could have drafted Steven Jackson
Missed completely on Rogers and Peterman
2004 is generally a terrible draft almost as bad as 2009
Drafts Marcus Spears in the 1st round making the trade down even worse.
Ruins Julius Jones by having him gain weight
Never gave Kevin Burnett a chance
drafts another running back in the 4th round in 2005
drafts bobby carpenter as if he was the ideal 3-4 outside linebacker...
drafts fasano in the 2nd round even though we already have witten
another 3-4 defensive end in hatcher who would take years to develop
Couldn't handle Antonio Bryant who went on to have two 1000+ yard seasons

The best things that Parcells did

drafted DeMarcus Ware, which was Jerry's idea.
Signed Romo, which was Sean Payton's idea.
Drafted Jason Witten.

Most of Parcells' success here was simply a matter of the team recovering from the 90s team collapse. The turn to the 3-4, especially as designed by Parcells was a major speed bump in the recovery of this team. Look how quickly Zimmer was able to turn around the Bengals...

Took them from 19th in defense to 6th in defense the next year. They've had a top 12 defense every since except once.

There is so much fail in this post that I don't even know where to begin. So Parcell's wasted Romo's career by drafting Brady James in the 4th? Are you serious? James led the Cowboys in tackles for 6 straight seasons which I believe is a team record. Hitchens was a 4th round pick. If he goes on to have a similar career it would be one hell of a pick in the 4th round. Do you know who are our 4th round picks before and after BP? Kareem Larrimore. Jamar Martin, Peppi Zellner, Wayne McGarity, Michael Myers, Antonio Anderson, Macey Brooks. Nickey Sualua, Eric Bjornson, Alundis Brice, Linc Harden (who the heck is that?), Willie Jackson, Dewayne Dotson....how far back should we go pre Parcells? And after BP left, we drafted Isaia Stanback, Free, Tashard Choice, Steven McGee, Victor Butler, Brandon Williams, AOA, David Arkin, Kyle Wilbur, Matt Johnson, BW Webb and so on.

I mean, how can drafting Bradie James int he 4th be an indictment of BP when he's had a better career than anyone mentioned either before or after with he exception possibly of Doug Free?

Trades down when he could have drafted Steven Jackson

No doubt Spears with that second 1st round pick was a fail but we drafted 3 pro-bowl type players that draft (Ware, MBIII and Ratliff). Add Burnett and Canty and that was a heck of a draft.

2004 is generally a terrible draft almost as bad as 2009

You need some perspective GB. Look at some of the stinkers pre and post BP. Overall, the 1994 to 2002 drafts were horrific.

Ruins Julius Jones by having him gain weight

I guess Garrett and company ruined Murray because he put on weight as well?

In addition, Jones couldn't stay healthy and then MBIII started to take over his role. And for all the talk about Jones being unleashed after BP left, he had his worst statistical year under Wade Phillips in 2007 even though he started all 16 regular season games. The irony is that Jones had his best statistical seasons under BP, including a 1000 yards season, and his worst years statistically after BP was no longer his coach, regardless of what team he played for.

drafts another running back in the 4th round in 2005

Really? How is this a fail and how did this contribute to wasting some of Romo's career? MBIII did exactly what he was drafted to do. That was a quality 4th round pick and he gave this team some tough yards which shortened his career but in your world that was somehow a fail? And MBIII was coming off his first Pro Bowl in 2007 which led to the team giving him a 45 million dollar contract and what does the team do in the 2008 draft? Drafts a back-up running back (Felix Jones) with the first of two first round picks. And you want to be critical of BP taking a RB in the 4th round in 2005? Come on GB, give me a break.

drafts fasano in the 2nd round even though we already have witten

Martellus Bennett and Gavin Escobar, both 2nd round picks, say hello.

Couldn't handle Antonio Bryant who went on to have two 1000+ yard seasons

This is comical. Bryant was a head case and he had those 1000 yard season with 2 different teams, neither of whom kept him long term. He spent time with 5 teams after he was dumped by the Cowboys. The Browns didn't even resign him after he had over 1000 yards. The 49ers released him one year after signing him to a 4 year, 14 million dollar contract. The Bucs released him one year after his second career 1000 yard season. In March 2010, the Bengals signed him to a 4 year contract worth 28 million dollars; the quickly released him in August 2010. Bryant signed with the Seahawks on July 26, 2012 and he was released on August 5, 2012. I mean really, this is a guy you would want on your team?

The best things that Parcells did

drafted DeMarcus Ware, which was Jerry's idea.
Signed Romo, which was Sean Payton's idea.
Drafted Jason Witten.

Most of Parcells' success here was simply a matter of the team recovering from the 90s team collapse. The turn to the 3-4, especially as designed by Parcells was a major speed bump in the recovery of this team. Look how quickly Zimmer was able to turn around the Bengals...

Took them from 19th in defense to 6th in defense the next year. They've had a top 12 defense every since except once.

The best thing BP did was get rid of Lacewell, hands down. He revamped the whole team from scouting to drafting. It's not a coincidence that the team he built here was considered a SB contender. He left franchise cornerstones at all the skill positions, including QB, DE, CB, TE, LT and RB. He revitalized the careers of Greg Ellis and Flozell Adams (who Jerry was thinking about trading/releasing). Heck, If BP wasn't the HC here, you'd never know who Romo was since BP brought Payton here and Jerry was pushing for Drew Henson. Had we not hired Wade Phillips and brought in a real HC after Parcells left, I have no doubt that things would have been different.

 

[waving monkey]

Well, if it came across like Garrett was giving an ultimatum... that isn't what I intended. I just think Garrett has a specific way he wants to put a team together and he has ways that he wants free agents brought in, etc. I think he just convinced Jerry to follow his vision. Nothing like an ultimatum.

without any knowledge of the Jones/Garrett relationship I will venture this. They are obviously close and had sat around the
kitchen table over coffee and libations. A trust had been built long before through Red's time as back up QB and Red's father
was a well respected scouting staff member. That comfort and respect means everything to Jones.

Jones and Red knew what they wanted to build before Red was brought here from Miami. From day one they began their
turn around and it was tough because Red wasn't ready to be a head coach but Jones had that conviction in Red.
That understanding between each other is the guiding principle.

Asthmafield as always good stuff

 

[Galian Beast]

.

Bradie James was too slow for the new direction the NFL was going in. He had zero coverage ability. Good tackler? Absolutely. And to be honest, my gripe was less with the drafting of James, and more of the decision to move to the 3-4, and produce an 80s style 3-4 which was slow and lumbering. James was just a perfect example of the poor direction that 3-4 went in.

The same thing about Spears. We drafted this guy who was not a catalytic defensive end in the 1st round. Had we stayed in the 4-3, I don't see this happening. It compounds the mistake of not getting Jackson. If we get Jackson we never spend a 4th on barber, nor do we spend a 1st on felix jones. All that could have gone into helping other positions. Drafting another 1st round olb, who didn't fit the scheme in Carpenter compounded the failure even more, and made us have to draft another in Spencer. Had we stayed with the 4-3 we could have put so many resources towards other things.

Murray never relied on his speed like Jones did. Even after Parcells left, Jones was still overweight...

All these wasted picks going to hybrid players hoping they would fit the 3-4, never panned out, and that transition cost romo years. Not sure how you're missing that.

They still wanted to keep the two tight end system parcells was trying to implement, they just never bought into it despite spending countless resources towards it.... An absolute disaster, started by parcells and continued by Garrett.

I'm not saying Bryant was a good guy, I'm saying you have to make things work in order to win. If we keep Bryant and find away to control him, maybe we don't end up having to trade for Roy Williams. The wasted draft picks conflate all of these decisions. You can't keep striking out without weakening other positions.

I still say that Parcells destroyed Henson's confidence and never gave him a fair shot. You're giving Parcells credit for brining Payton here? Are you going to give him credit for pushing him out too?

I do agree with you that getting Wade after Parcells was a huge mistake, but I think that the 3-4 that Parcells brought in was out of date for today's NFL and wasn't as innovative as the Ravens, Patriots, or Steelers at the time.

I think we would have been better off trading flozell and ellis, but I don't recall there ever being trade talks about either.

This team needed to be revamped properly, and that isn't what happened.

 

[waving monkey]

Parcells farted and moped around valley ranch that off season and the only option left was Wade.
I do agree that switching back and forth in schemes ended up in a cluster muck of players.