Keeping up w/ The Jones?

[Sully]

Being a Dallas fan since '77, I know this post will get the mocking meme, criticism and all the attacks. That is fine. Grew up in Wisconsin and mocked all the time for not being a Packer fan. Now living in Florida and the same with Dolphins/Bucs fans. Hell, add that with being a conservative christian and I am use to the mocking.

We all have our opinions on The Jones. You could either rip "them" for signing Dak to a long term deal or rip "them" for even entertaining the idea of it. We can also rip "them" for dragging this process out, especially after the crazy contract Trevor Lawrence just got. Note: Jags really have no other "high price" players to throw $$$ at so the Jags gave it all to their QB. Unlike the Cowboys who have 3 .

Now to being ripped. The Jones could have handle the Dak contract sooner but didn't. That is the past. Do The Jones now throw out a similar contract that Lawrence got? Sorry, but I say HELL NO. I do not care about ANY ANY ANY players personal stat. We are fans which is short for fanatics. Players do not pay our bills or care what happens to any of us. Players really don't care about the team they play for. Dak, Lamb, Parsons would play in Canada if they got paid what they asked for. Now, I do not fault any player getting any contract that a team gives them.
I would also.

For example: if you work for the gov't agency like the Postal Service. Three people start on the same day. Doesn't matter their job output or work ethic. One person could miss lots more work than than the others. All three employees would get the same raise by time within the Post Office. No one get more or less --all the same. No one is treated better or worse ( pay wise)

But the NFL is not the gov't agency. So do The Jones have to keep up with the Jags? No ! I rather take that $55/M per season, and pay 4-5 players than one star player. Especially if/when that one star player gets injured. Do not put all your eggs in one basket. Football is a team sport. And if that ONE star player can't get that team to even a NFC Conference game, then all you are going is rearranging the deck stairs on the Titanic. And now I hear, Dak doesn't play defense. Really? I didn't know that. So give Dak MORE $$$ when he didn't get team to a finals and sacrifice the team more because one player wants more. If Dak/Lamb/Parson got a team to a NFC conference game ( notice I am not even asking for a win in that game or even a SB visit, then pay them more) But rewarding players MORE when you can get more in playoff wins.

I'll give even farther. I rather trade Lamb for numerous draft picks as the Chiefs did with Tyreek Hill. And trade Parsons for the same amount. I am loading up on draft picks to GET MORE GOOD PLAYERS to get a more complete team PLUS avoids the salary cap trap.
Patriots did this during the dynasty. Now, this will not go over well and that is fine. But it hasn't worked this way with throwing $$$$ at the star players and The Jones are going nowhere.

But then again. We are just fans and have zero input what the rich players get and the billionaire owners do. Sports is just an distractions for all of us grinding out paycheck --to--paycheck living.

 

[Flamma]

I wouldn't pay him either. But I don't own the team. If everything goes south from that point on, I'm not at fault. I just want to win a championship. I'm willing to take the risks, they're probably not.

Everybody says, who do you have if you don't take him at market value? Well, who do they have if they don't take him at 100M a year? So we're just debating on what is too much for this QB. Everyone can agree that 100M is too much, right? I say 55M is too much.

 

[ChronicCowboy]

Dak’s status has just as much to do with Jerry’s ego as it does with his own performance. Jerry invested everything in Dak and wants to see it pay off even though it’s irrational to expect more from the player atp.

 

[DallasEast]

I wouldn't pay him either. But I don't own the team. If everything goes south from that point on, I'm not at fault. I just want to win a championship. I'm willing to take the risks, they're probably not.

Everybody says, who do you have if you don't take him at market value? Well, who do they have if they don't take him at 100M a year? So we're just debating on what is too much for this QB. Everyone can agree that 100M is too much, right? I say 55M is too much.

Bold> What I am about to post is slightly off-topic but it is a reflection of what players (and their agents) feel is adequate compensation--in comparison to what it used to be. The current salary cap structure began in 1993. In December 1993, Troy Aikman signed the richest NFL contract in history: $50 million, for eight years, and a $11 million dollar signing bonus.

Adjusted for inflation, $50 million equals $107.7 million in May 2024.

Today's quarterbacks are signing contracts far in excess to what they used to be 30 years ago in terms of comparative compensation.

 

[shabazz]

Well said

 

[fivetwos]

I’m not so sure they could have done the Prescott contract any sooner.

The agent deliberately wanted a short deal so they could cash in again before long. Many of us, me included, said that if he still didn’t win after four more seasons…good luck with doing that, but here he is in line for a 50% raise.

Jerry’s counterpunch is Trey Lance.

Now that this may become a little more difficult without the QB to keep them “around the rim,” let’s see exactly what happens on the field.

As I posted yesterday, any savings at QB would never be spent on outside free agents, only giving more money than necessary to their own draftees and UDFAs.

 

[Cowboys5217]

Lawrence is only entering his 4th season. He has far, far more upside than Dak does right now on youth alone. You do not pay an aging QB on the last leg of his career like he is one of the best young QBs in the league who is just getting started.

Now, this doesn't mean Lawrence is going to win SBs, but I would feel a lot better about paying him that money at this point in his career than a QB who know can't get it done.

 

[CWR]

Being a Dallas fan since '77, I know this post will get the mocking meme, criticism and all the attacks. That is fine. Grew up in Wisconsin and mocked all the time for not being a Packer fan. Now living in Florida and the same with Dolphins/Bucs fans. Hell, add that with being a conservative christian and I am use to the mocking.

We all have our opinions on The Jones. You could either rip "them" for signing Dak to a long term deal or rip "them" for even entertaining the idea of it. We can also rip "them" for dragging this process out, especially after the crazy contract Trevor Lawrence just got. Note: Jags really have no other "high price" players to throw $$$ at so the Jags gave it all to their QB. Unlike the Cowboys who have 3 .

Now to being ripped. The Jones could have handle the Dak contract sooner but didn't. That is the past. Do The Jones now throw out a similar contract that Lawrence got? Sorry, but I say HELL NO. I do not care about ANY ANY ANY players personal stat. We are fans which is short for fanatics. Players do not pay our bills or care what happens to any of us. Players really don't care about the team they play for. Dak, Lamb, Parsons would play in Canada if they got paid what they asked for. Now, I do not fault any player getting any contract that a team gives them.
I would also.

For example: if you work for the gov't agency like the Postal Service. Three people start on the same day. Doesn't matter their job output or work ethic. One person could miss lots more work than than the others. All three employees would get the same raise by time within the Post Office. No one get more or less --all the same. No one is treated better or worse ( pay wise)

But the NFL is not the gov't agency. So do The Jones have to keep up with the Jags? No ! I rather take that $55/M per season, and pay 4-5 players than one star player. Especially if/when that one star player gets injured. Do not put all your eggs in one basket. Football is a team sport. And if that ONE star player can't get that team to even a NFC Conference game, then all you are going is rearranging the deck stairs on the Titanic. And now I hear, Dak doesn't play defense. Really? I didn't know that. So give Dak MORE $$$ when he didn't get team to a finals and sacrifice the team more because one player wants more. If Dak/Lamb/Parson got a team to a NFC conference game ( notice I am not even asking for a win in that game or even a SB visit, then pay them more) But rewarding players MORE when you can get more in playoff wins.

I'll give even farther. I rather trade Lamb for numerous draft picks as the Chiefs did with Tyreek Hill. And trade Parsons for the same amount. I am loading up on draft picks to GET MORE GOOD PLAYERS to get a more complete team PLUS avoids the salary cap trap.
Patriots did this during the dynasty. Now, this will not go over well and that is fine. But it hasn't worked this way with throwing $$$$ at the star players and The Jones are going nowhere.

But then again. We are just fans and have zero input what the rich players get and the billionaire owners do. Sports is just an distractions for all of us grinding out paycheck --to--paycheck living.

I'm not necessarily of the opinion we should re-sign Dak, BUT one huge factor you are over looking is what they actually do with the cap savings.

Anyone making the assumption they suddenly become aggressive in FA is probably fooling themselves.

I'm not sure it benefits the team to let the qb walk if they aren't going to use those cap dollars aggressively in FA.

 

[plasticman]

If I was an owner of an NFL that desperately wanted to win a Super Bowl and I was at the age where any new season could be my last then I wouldn't be interested in development or rebuilding.

Under those circumstances my best option would be my own veterans. I would sign them and give them talent upgrades and superior coaching.

 

[Cowfan75Lives]

I'm not necessarily of the opinion we should re-sign Dak, BUT one huge factor you are over looking is what they actually do with the cap savings.

Anyone making the assumption they suddenly become aggressive in FA is probably fooling themselves.

I'm not sure it benefits the team to let the qb walk if they aren't going to use those cap dollars aggressively in FA.

This is why it really shouldn't matter if Dak is gone and Trey is worse. In fact, as fans, we should realize our only chance is to get a very, very, very high draft pick. Jerry tries to win through the draft alone.

Will it work? No. But we'll have a better shot with a top pick than with a low draft pick and the usual cast of characters. Only reality is we aren't winning anything in 2024. So, how do we go about the future?

 

[Diehardblues]

I don’t have a problem with how much players earn. The money is there . Why should the owners keep it all.

Entertainers, artist and actors make tens and hundreds of millions, why shouldn’t athletes.

 

[Praxit]

..Sully, I think Jerry has had enough with paying people and nothing happens.

He's not fazed anymore by STATS, this guy wants another SB, before his time is due.

 

[KingCorcoran]

..Sully, I think Jerry has had enough with paying people and nothing happens.

He's not fazed anymore by STATS, this guy wants another SB, before his time is due.

Is there someone Jerry Jones can sign right now instead of Prescott that makes it more likely the Cowboys will be successful? If you know that player tell Jerry. He apparently does not know.

 

[plymkr]

Bold> What I am about to post is slightly off-topic but it is a reflection of what players (and their agents) feel is adequate compensation--in comparison to what it used to be. The current salary cap structure began in 1993. In December 1993, Troy Aikman signed the richest NFL contract in history: $50 million, for eight years, and a $11 million dollar signing bonus.

Adjusted for inflation, $50 million equals $107.7 million in May 2024.

Today's quarterbacks are signing contracts far in excess to what they used to be 30 years ago in terms of comparative compensation.

Nice post. Thanks for the information.

 

[DallasEast]

I don’t have a problem with how much players earn. The money is there . Why should the owners keep it all.

Entertainers, artist and actors make tens and hundreds of millions, why shouldn’t athletes.

I might have totally agreed with you if not for entertainers, artists and actors are making money for themselves without any artificial financial restriction placed upon their employer--of whom they do not have. Single sport athletes work for themselves also.

When Tiger Woods was TIGER WOODS at the height of his career, he was averaging between $8 - $10 million in annual earnings on the PGA circuit. He was self-employed and was maxing out what he earned against other golfers not working for a company.

Professional team sports athletes are employees. The NFL has the 'hardest' salary cap of the four major team sports.

Yes. The money is there for them. Yes. The owners should not have all of it. However, top earning NFL players eat up a greater share of their teams' cap space--forcing owners to be as innovative as possible in divvying up slices of the cap smartly despite what those players want in compensation.

Then, top things off depending on the Joneses being smartly innovative enough to capitalize on the cards dealt to them. That kind of front office handicap has been and remains worrisome for me as far as player contract demands are concerned.

 

[Diehardblues]

I might have totally agreed with you if not for entertainers, artists and actors are making money for themselves without any artificial financial restriction placed upon their employer--of whom they do not have. Single sport athletes work for themselves also.

When Tiger Woods was TIGER WOODS at the height of his career, he was averaging between $8 - $10 million in annual earnings on the PGA circuit. He was self-employed and was maxing out what he earned against other golfers not working for a company.

Professional team sports athletes are employees. The NFL has the 'hardest' salary cap of the four major team sports.

Yes. The money is there for them. Yes. The owners should not have all of it. However, top earning NFL players eat up a greater share of their teams' cap space--forcing owners to be as innovative as possible in divvying up slices of the cap smartly despite what those players want in compensation.

Then, top things off depending on the Joneses being smartly innovative enough to capitalize on the cards dealt to them. That kind of front office handicap has been and remains worrisome for me as far as player contract demands are concerned.

I understand but it’s not the players responsibility to manage the budget.

The owners created the Cap. It rewards the stars or leading actors. The NFL isn’t just a football league. It’s sports entertainment at the highest level,

 

[DallasEast]

I understand but it’s not the players responsibility to manage the budget.

The owners created the Cap. It rewards the stars or leading actors. The NFL isn’t just a football league. It’s sports entertainment at the highest level,

All true but what the players earn, especially the top players, affect how the budget, a.k.a. salary cap, is managed. The hard restriction will always impact universal roster compensation flexibility even for the best run front offices.

 

[Diehardblues]

All true but what the players earn, especially the top players, affect how the budget, a.k.a. salary cap, is managed. The hard restriction will always impact universal roster compensation flexibility even for the best run front offices.

Of course. But again that’s on the owners. I totally understand all of the issues.

There’s no position more important than the QB. If you don’t have a Franchise QB your odds of success is limited.

The greater your QB increases your odds of success. Most of the teams which are having success have the better QB’s with few exceptions.

The problem is if your QB isn’t as great then it limits you to build a better team around. I’d hold the Mgmt responsible . That’s on them for not recognizing the weakness not on the player for negotiating a better deal for himself.

Ultimately the owners have control. They don’t have to pay their stars . But that talent is usually what is contributing to their level of success.

The NFL is managed differently now. Have to continue drafting well building around your stars with talent on Rookie deals. There’s ample revenue. The owners could drop the Cap at anytime not limiting teams total salaries but this is what they choose to manage themselves which maximizes their profits.

Players have a limited time , averaging about 4-5 years, they should be able to pursue as much as the market will allow. I have no mercy for the owners. They’ve made their bed with Cap, they must sleep in it. The franchises who draft better, evaluate their talent better and don’t overpay players who aren’t as elite as their contract while hitting on some of the best talent will have the most success.

Nobody has a problem with paying Mahomes 50 mil, etc cause you’re winning. It’s only teams not having as much success that are bellyaching over their QB’s salary cause he’s not enough which leaves less money to build around.

 

[Diehardblues]

If I was an owner I’d be drafting QB’s regularly until I finally hit big.

But these owners priorities isn’t all about winning championship. It’s about building and then maintaining a contender . And that’s what a Franchise QB( not necessarily elite) presents. And why they’re willing to pay.

It brings stability to a franchise regardless if they come up short in the playoffs. It’s frustrating for fans but it’s a win win for the franchises.

Our owner is very honest about his intentions . Sure he wants to win a championship but the initial priority is “remaining interesting and relevant “. “Hanging around the rim. “ Those are all his words. Not sure why fans aren’t listening ?

These stars attract the fringe and casual fans. The diehards remain regardless . This is where the entertainment value comes in.

 

[Diehardblues]

There’s basically 2 types of teams in the NFL. One has a Franchise QB and the rest are looking for one. The better the QB the easier it is to build around.

There’s really only one way to have more success with a less than Elite franchise QB which you’ve paid Market Price. And that’s in their rookie deal. Or having an Elite defense.