Laramey Tunsil & a $40 Million Dollar Offensive Line

[Stash]

That could be. Is there a date where the can no longer meet with players? I know they can only bring in 30 to VR, but do they have time to fly out and meet with someone?

I couldn't tell you on that. Maybe another forum member knows more about the scheduled visits?

 

[Stash]

Math and stats can be manipulated to advance personal agendas. I'm just gonna sit back and enjoy the meltdown draft day.

Now that sure sounded like a "personal agenda".

 

[Verdict]

Agree with Dave, nice post.

It seems to me that the real question here is where do you want to invest? If we are just going Offense and we are willing to live with, pretty much what we have on Defense, then you might consider taking Tunsil. However, if you believe that you must have Defense, then this is a problem. I think we all agree that the D is not where we want it to be. How do you make this Defense better? Well, I think you have to go to the DLine and start thinking about Pass Rushers. We currently don't have anybody we can count on and really, you need at least two. How much does that cost? Are we willing to just go with it and not worry about it or are we thinking that we are going to draft guys? If not and you hear the clock ticking, then you have to think about FA. Pass Rushers are not cheap. They are very expensive and this means you have to account for that. Also, at some point, you have to replace your QB. You can have the best OL in the world but if you don't have a QB, then you aren't going to win anything. What will that cost as you project it down the line?

There is a lot to like about Tunsil and if we were going with him, I would understand but I just don't think we can keep them all. Contracts are going to escalate so I doubt that even the 40 million might be the actual price. Hard to know what the Market might drive or what player might hold out etc. If we go with Tunsil, I think we probably have to decide which player might be expendable along the OL. It's an interesting discussion though.

Thanks for posting this thread.

ABQ

You can do that and not lose anyone off of that offensive line, if you don't spend a ton of money in free agency at other positions. The odds are we will have a cheaper QB within the next five years, because as much as I would love to see Romo play another decade, I doubt he makes it for 5 more years.

If you draft well you will have cheap labor. We have been frugal in free agency, and I think this is one of the reasons for it. They would like to keep this group together.

Keep in mind that most years we would be able to draft the best center no matter where we draft in the first round. This is usually true at guard as well. So as long as you place a priority on drafting OL and drafting them well, you could also probably replace the interior guys if you wanted to go that route without a ton of dropoff.

The OTs are another story. Some years you would not be in position to replace a stud OT unless you draft at the top of the draft. Drafting in the bottom half of the round, in most years, would not get you a stud left OT, and often would get you an acceptable, but not outstanding right tackle.

If they think Tunsil can play both sides, or they are willing to move Smith to the right, then they would be foolish not to draft Tunsil if he is the best player on their board.

 

[Verdict]

Maybe I'm looking at this incorrectly but it's overkill. We cannot afford to keep all these guys. If Goff and Wentz are gone. I rather reach for Lynch, If the scouts feel he will develop into a capable starter. With a strong Oline and no QB(Romo gone) I see more 8-8 in our future. With no chance of drafting in the top 5..

If you can't afford to keep all of them, then it makes even more sense to draft Tunsil, because you can't afford to replace them in free agency, and you would need to replace current members of the line at a cheaper labor cost.

 

[DFWJC]

And Romo's huge contract comes off the books during that period too.

ah..good point

 

[Direwolf63]

Not if you draft well, it doesn't. Talent is talent. What gets you in trouble is missing in the draft and then having to compensate by spending in free agency.

I think the second contracts for all these guys are going to start at $10 million a year. If Zack Martin keeps making Pro Bowls, he may be looking at $15MM a year.

I think the number in the OP are way low. The contract for Smith and the second contracts for Collins, Fredricks and Martin will be $50 million alone. Not including RT. Add $5 million a year for Tunsil with his second contract at least $15 million assuming he's all that.

I just think the team will have too many limited resources at one position.

There is also the law of diminishing returns. Sure, Tunsil is likely better than Free. But THAT much better. Maybe. But you are also throwing away Chaz Green.

I wouldn't hate it if they took Tunsil. But I'd prefer a trade down if Goff or Wentz isn't there.

As for drafting well.....the Cowboys have done a good job in the first round. After that, they have generally stunk.

 

[fortdick]

Tunsil would come cheaper than a RB. We paid Tyron just a little less than Murray got, IIRC.

 

[fortdick]

If the best player in the draft is there, take him. Pretty simple, really.

 

[erod]

Tunsil at left tackle, Free at right tackle?

Sounds like a much better situation than anyone else would have.

But I was referring to those saying that drafting Tunsil was not worth considering.

 

[Supercowboy1986]

I understand and to an extent agree with greater needs at other positions... But is it ever a bad idea to add talent to the offensive line if we don't get who we want at #4? That's the real question.

Regardless of the route we go I don't want to see a crappy offensive line like we had for a period of time in the past.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

You can do that and not lose anyone off of that offensive line, if you don't spend a ton of money in free agency at other positions. The odds are we will have a cheaper QB within the next five years, because as much as I would love to see Romo play another decade, I doubt he makes it for 5 more years.

If you draft well you will have cheap labor. We have been frugal in free agency, and I think this is one of the reasons for it. They would like to keep this group together.

Keep in mind that most years we would be able to draft the best center no matter where we draft in the first round. This is usually true at guard as well. So as long as you place a priority on drafting OL and drafting them well, you could also probably replace the interior guys if you wanted to go that route without a ton of dropoff.

The OTs are another story. Some years you would not be in position to replace a stud OT unless you draft at the top of the draft. Drafting in the bottom half of the round, in most years, would not get you a stud left OT, and often would get you an acceptable, but not outstanding right tackle.

If they think Tunsil can play both sides, or they are willing to move Smith to the right, then they would be foolish not to draft Tunsil if he is the best player on their board.

This assumes we can draft a franchise QB? That's a wildcard but on the whole, I agree. The problem is that you can't know if you will be in a position to draft a decent QB in the next 3 to 5 years. That's a real problem. If we have to pay for one, then I don't think it will be cheaper. The price tag for a JAG QB is even expensive. This doesn't even count the cost associated with upgrading the DL. It's a difficult position to be in for sure.

 

[iceberg]

If your numbers are accurate, we'd be foolish not to do it. Compare the return on investment to any of those other teams and what they're paying, and the Cowboys' line (with Tunsil) would put any and all of them to shame!

Compare the lineup we would have to any of theirs and it's not even close.

$400,000 more than what the Vikings are paying for the lineup they have? Sign me up for that immediately!

if the qb's are gone - i finish stacking the holy hell out of our OL and calling our OL fixed for years to come.

 

[Q_the_man]

Or, you could draft Tunsil, then trade Collins or Martin down the line for a top pick. Guards aren't that hard to find.

Having two premier tackles would be EXTREMELY valuable.

Why would we draft a T then trade one of our young G. Guards are key in run game- I'm not touching something that's good. Martin and Collins along with Frederick has a chance to become one of the best interior line crew in the NFL.

 

[Q_the_man]

And you somehow think they wouldn't be by overpaying a running back at #4 with this offensive line?

Nope. We have 2 over the hill RBs (McFadden and Morris) McFadden is a FA next year and I'm sure in the heck not depending on Morris after that. Why not sew up RB for the next 7-10 years

 

[Q_the_man]

Tyron tears an ACL in camp.

Now what?

You better knock on wood.

We would be in the same position we are in now and whose to say Tounsil is better than Tyron? We already know Tyron is a top 3 LT.

Believe me I'm very intrigue w/Tounsil but I think we need RB first, just my opinion.

 

[boysfanindc]

Not sure they would take him, but I sure would make it look like I might.

 

[cowboys1985]

I think someone else mentioned this. If Tunsil is your highest rated player on the board you draft him. You enjoy this OL be dominant this year. Then whenever Travis, Collins or Martin comes up for their contract you either find a way to fit or let one of them go and go find their replacement in the draft. Fact is, tackles are much harder to find than centers or guards. I'd much rather have 2 dominant OT (Smith & Tunsil) even if that means we lose 1 of Martin/Frederick/Collins.

 

[KJJ]

Nice post.

If both QBs are gone and Tunsil is on the board, and there are no tradeback offers, I don't know how you pass him up. He is arguably the only blue chip prospect in this draft and he may drop to #4. If that is how it plays out, I say you draft him and figure out the rest later.

It's easy to pass him up when you consider we already have the top OL in football and that we're never going to get anywhere until we start adding some impact players to the defense. You can't just keep putting resources into an area of great strength when we have holes all over the DL and at corner. I don't care how good you make the offense it's never going to be good enough to overcome the defense we have. Lee had two concussions last season and one more could retire him and once you get past him we have virtually no playmakers. When you have the 4th overall pick you have to address a weakness with the pick and they'll be defensive players there that could help us.

 

[btcutter]

Why would we draft a T then trade one of our young G. Guards are key in run game- I'm not touching something that's good. Martin and Collins along with Frederick has a chance to become one of the best interior line crew in the NFL.

Not only this but up the middle pressure is where most QBs have trouble. Shoring up the middle is probably even more important then the edge.

 

[reddyuta]

I love Tunsil but I wouldn't do it.we have a aging QB and no successor on the horizon.the game is to get to the playoffs.one injury and we are 4-12 or worse and the greatest oline ever assembled would do nothing for you.