Looking at proactive and reactive moves

[Bobhaze]

It’s probably safe to say most of us would agree that being proactively ahead in anticipation of problems is better that waiting until a problem occurs then reacting to fix it.

That’s not to say that being reactive to problems is always bad either. Those moves are usually made while trying to fix problems that have cropped up you couldn’t foresee.

But I believe in pro sports, the more proactive you can be in planning ahead using your philosophy and vision for building a championship team, the better off you will be on the field. In other words, make a clear plan and follow it as best you can.

The premise of all this assumes the Cowboys FO has a guiding vision in place, which is debatable, but for the sake of this thread, let’s assume the vision is there, and it is built around having a top tier OL, top running game, and a defense that is built to BBNB,keeping opponents under 20. Clearly about 60% of cap space will go the offense.

So looking at that philosophy and the last few years, Is this team’s FO mostly making proactive or reactive moves?

Here are a couple of proactive moves that seem clear:
1. Drafting 3 OLinemen in the first round in the last 6 drafts.
2. Drafting a top RB with the 4th pick in 2016 supporting the philosophy of building a great running game.
Those are two examples of proactive moves the team has made.

Now reactive moves:
1. Drafting Ryan Switzer to fix the return game that hasn’t been same since 2014.
2. Trying to fix the pass rush issues this team had in 2014 by signing team cancer Greg Hardy in 2015.
Again not all reactive moves are bad, but you can’t build a winner that way.

So in closing, what are we doing this offseason that is proactive and what are doing that’s reactive?

 

[Sydla]

When we draft an OG at 19, that will be reactive.

 

[kiheikiwi]

This is a good question - it is one that requires a bit of thinking. Will come back to this after work today, but I like where your head is going on this !
Just a quick, off the top of my head answer. One that is both pro-and reactive is DT.
Reactive in the fact that it has been a position devoid of talent for years, and that needs to change. Every talking head can see it - but the front office (SJ's comments did not give me the "warm and fuzzes".
Proactive in the fact that it would be this team stepping outside their norm, doing what they did when they took Tyron Smith.

 

[jazzcat22]

When Dez is still on the team and Gregory returns as not failing any drug test...this place or many fans will be RADIO-ACTIVE...well some already are...

 

[jazzcat22]

Proactive, using all the draft picks in conjunction with FA, wisely for once. By actually signing a few above mid-tier level FA talent

Reactive, dumping players for under performance over paid issues and not fixing the underlying problems. They were proactive though in getting some better positional coaches in here to help.

 

[Bobhaze]

Proactive, using all the draft picks in conjunction with FA, wisely for once. By actually signing a few above mid-tier level FA talent

Reactive, dumping players for under performance over paid issues and not fixing the underlying problems. They were proactive though in getting some better positional coaches in here to help.

This is why most offseasons for NFL teams are so critical. If you look at what Filly did last year in their offseason, they had both proactive and reactive moves. They made a huge proactive move when they dumped Chip Kelly and his weird vision and hired Peterson.

 

[CouchCoach]

I would classify the OL picks as reactive to Romo's agent after Booger's comments about Romo being the only one to play behind that line. I would also classify taking the best all around back to come out in a long time as reactive to needing additional protection for Romo as Zeke was considered an excellent blocker and receiver.

In fact, I would classify almost everything the Cowboys do as reactive. I don't know if there is a more season to season team than the Cowboys and the only reason I know they are is because they talk so much. Booger talks more than all of the other 31 other GM's combined.

Look at these coaching changes. They didn't make that proactive, they reacted to the contracts expiring and actually waited for that.

And how many times did you hear the Cowboys say "taking what the defense gives them"? The ultimate definition of proactive.

 

[MarkP88]

I would classify the OL picks as reactive to Romo's agent after Booger's comments about Romo being the only one to play behind that line. I would also classify taking the best all around back to come out in a long time as reactive to needing additional protection for Romo as Zeke was considered an excellent blocker and receiver.

In fact, I would classify almost everything the Cowboys do as reactive. I don't know if there is a more season to season team than the Cowboys and the only reason I know they are is because they talk so much. Booger talks more than all of the other 31 other GM's combined.

Look at these coaching changes. They didn't make that proactive, they reacted to the contracts expiring and actually waited for that.

And how many times did you hear the Cowboys say "taking what the defense gives them"? The ultimate definition of proactive.

Totally agreed. I'd say the selection of Zeke was reactive, too - reactive to the realization that not "anyone can run behind this line." It definitely wasn't proactive, because they appear to not have even considered trading up a couple of spots to get Wentz because they had deluded themselves into thinking Romo had another four years in him. (I say all this as someone who is a fan of Zeke, and am happy we have him.)

 

[Rockport]

When we draft an OG at 19, that will be reactive.

Who do you think they should draft or are you just taking the opportunity to whine yet once again?

 

[Bobhaze]

I would classify the OL picks as reactive to Romo's agent after Booger's comments about Romo being the only one to play behind that line. I would also classify taking the best all around back to come out in a long time as reactive to needing additional protection for Romo as Zeke was considered an excellent blocker and receiver.

In fact, I would classify almost everything the Cowboys do as reactive. I don't know if there is a more season to season team than the Cowboys and the only reason I know they are is because they talk so much. Booger talks more than all of the other 31 other GM's combined.

Look at these coaching changes. They didn't make that proactive, they reacted to the contracts expiring and actually waited for that.

And how many times did you hear the Cowboys say "taking what the defense gives them"? The ultimate definition of proactive.

Well said Coach.
As I said at the beginning of this thread, the only way to see anything the FO does as proactive, one must assume they have a vision/philosophy they are following. It is certainly debatable whether or not there is one in place other than a “Jerry-centric”, fantasy football style of philosophy where sizzle is more important or at least equally important as steak.

 

[northerncowboynation]

Proactive would be looking at WR's in the draft and signing one to develope behind Dez before we dump Dez. Dumping Dez and then drafting a WR would be completely reactive. Proactive was bringing in a young defensive mind, Kris Richard who was actually a DC and being ready for Rod's retirement in 2019. Reactive was bringing in Byron Bell after Free retired

 

[Bobhaze]

Who do you think they should draft or are you just taking the opportunity to whine yet once again?

I would like to see this team draft according to what their scouts have prioritized on their draft board. That’s what quality football organizations do.

I’m still studying players and after the combine I will have some better opinions (even though I think the combine is over rated)

How about you? Who you looking at?

 

[Rockport]

I would like to see this team draft according to what their scouts have prioritized on their draft board. That’s what quality football organizations do.

I’m still studying players and after the combine I will have some better opinions (even though I think the combine is over rated)

How about you? Who you looking at?

I don't start looking until after free agency.

 

[Bobhaze]

I don't start looking until after free agency.

Btw Rock, I guess I missed the whining on this thread. Where is it?

 

[northerncowboynation]

Reactive was how many years of inactivity drafting and developing QB's while Romo was here? Proactive would have been drafting a QB while Romo was here and having one with some experience when the inevitable happened. Lot's of examples of both and I'm thinking that's common on many NFL teams not named the Patriots. Watch the Pats draft a QB

 

[northerncowboynation]

Dumping the O-line coordinator after the **** up on the O-line last year could be called reactionary but sometimes you have to react. I actually like the reaction of bringing in Alexander. We shall see

 

[CouchCoach]

Well said Coach.
As I said at the beginning of this thread, the only way to see anything the FO does as proactive, one must assume they have a vision/philosophy they are following. It is certainly debatable whether or not there is one in place other than a “Jerry-centric”, fantasy football style of philosophy where sizzle is more important or at least equally important as steak.

Proactive takes more patience than I believe Booger possesses and I don't think one is really better than the other unless a team overspends as the Giants did or that Dream Team experiment with the Eagles.

Where a team really needs to be proactive is in the makeup of their team and understanding the dynamics involved. This is where Booger has struggled because he has looked at the individual player more than how he would fit the team dynamic.

Nothing exemplifies this more than bringing in Owens and Hardy. All I had to do was watch the other players to see the effect on the team dynamic. Every time Owens went off on the sideline, I looked at the other players. Same with Hardy in that sideline clipboard incident. Every time they showed that, after the first time, I only watched the other players to see what they were doing.

Building a team is mostly science and no one does that better than Belichick and he does that from a proactive stance every time and seems to "do it before it gets done to him" with players. He does value the individual but how they fit into his team concept is the critical factor.

Ya know, when Booger signed Hardy, my first thought was 'if I am a player on the team, how do I feel? What does it say about what the owner feels about us as a team?' Interesting that only two teams were interested in reacting to Hardy's availability.

 

[Aviano90]

Let's hope we aren't reactive by trading up 3 spots in the draft to claim the spot we could have had by not winning in week 17.

 

[northerncowboynation]

Drafting a WR because he blew the top off the broad jump or high jump or broke the 40 time record would be reactionary especially if we didn't get the reaction we wanted and he blew a hammy or knee and missed all season.

 

[northerncowboynation]

Proactive is presumed to be a better action than reaction. One has positive connotation the other less positive or more negative. Proactive presumes some well laid thought process. The thought process isn't always right though. WW II was fought and won as a reaction. Negotiation prior to millions of lives lost would have been considered proaction. Thank god someone had the will not to proactively negotiate and reacted with force. Kind of similar to the Afghanistan war. Totally reactive. Necessary nonetheless