My Four Step Offseason Plan

[visionary]

I just can't see many scenarios where Carr is not on this team next season. I just do not see it plausible we will roll into next season Scandrick/Jones and then question marks. I also don't see us signing a big name free agent CB. Carr is at least serviceable, I would like to see his salary reduced though.

If we resign Claiborne, Carr will likely be cut though.

Then we can expect the same mediocre results

People always talk about signing 'playmakers' and you do need some of those but the reality is that football (especially defense) is MUCH MORE about discipline, gap control, understanding the scheme and being where you are supposed to be when you are supposed to be there. For that you need coaching and smart players. That is what this team lacks on defense, not playmakers. We also have glaring deficiencies in this defense at 1T DT and a real FS. Unfortunately none of this stuff will get addressed properly and we will get some window dressing

 

[robjay04]

Then we can expect the same mediocre results

People always talk about signing 'playmakers' and you do need some of those but the reality is that football (especially defense) is MUCH MORE about discipline, gap control, understanding the scheme and being where you are supposed to be when you are supposed to be there. For that you need coaching and smart players. That is what this team lacks on defense, not playmakers. We also have glaring deficiencies in this defense at 1T DT and a real FS. Unfortunately none of this stuff will get addressed properly and we will get some window dressing

I don't think Carr has been as awful as some here think this year. He has had his bad moments but receivers don't torch this team, believe it or not---we are one of the best in the league against opposing receivers. Part of this may be because teams don't have to throw or be aggressive to beat us. Our defense overall has been fairly good, easily a top 10 unit over the course of the last 8 weeks or so. We are actually ranked 10th in yards and we have lost some games recently giving up minimal points.

How do we make our defense even better?

Play better offense.

 

[visionary]

I don't think Carr has been as awful as some here think this year. He has had his bad moments but receivers don't torch this team, believe it or not---we are one of the best in the league against opposing receivers. Part of this may be because teams don't have to throw or be aggressive to beat us. Our defense overall has been fairly good, easily a top 10 unit over the course of the last 8 weeks or so. We are actually ranked 10th in yards and we have lost some games recently giving up minimal points.

How do we make our defense even better?

Play better offense.

It is not a matter of being awful, it is about discipline

We have a defense that can't pressure the QB and can't get off the field on 3rd down or make a critical stop to end the game
That is not a top 10 defense

 

[big dog cowboy]

How do we make our defense even better?

Play better offense.

It worked last year.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Do not need to stupidly over pay for a 'shut down' CB

We don't have to look any further than our own roster to support that thought. Hopefully we learned our lesson.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

I stopped reading at giving Hardy 4 years 20mm

You might as well say let's offer Romo and a 7th to Green Bay for Aaron Rodgers.

Both are equally realistic.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

A lot of the FA's won't be worth the money they get but we have $$$ to spend. Jerry will probably revert to his old ways wanting to make a splash after this disaster of a season to show everyone we are reloading for the 2016 season.

Jerry doesn't run the front office anymore. I really think people haven't been paying attention.

If he did Murray would be a Cowboy and Hardy would have been signed to a big deal this past offseason.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Jerry doesn't run the front office anymore. I really think people haven't been paying attention.

If he did Murray would be a Cowboy and Hardy would have been signed to a big deal this past offseason.

Yuuuuuuuup!

 

[Kaiser]

I stopped reading at giving Hardy 4 years 20mm

You might as well say let's offer Romo and a 7th to Green Bay for Aaron Rodgers.

Both are equally realistic.

Silliness. The words right after that are "with heavy incentives". How much guaranteed money is in Hardy's current contract? Do you really think Dallas or any other NFL team is going to guarantee all of Hardy's next contract?

 

[robjay04]

It is not a matter of being awful, it is about discipline

We have a defense that can't pressure the QB and can't get off the field on 3rd down or make a critical stop to end the game
That is not a top 10 defense

Statistically, it is.

The team plays defense in the top half of the league in nearly every metric (including 3rd down percentage). I believe any team will play poor defense at times given how bad the offense has been, considering that...I think we have been pretty good. The Rams have the most defensive talent in the league, they have been vulnerable at times this season due to poor QB play and poor offense.

The pass rush has been improving, maybe a little too late though. I think we overrated a rookie, a second year guy and a guy coming off a year layoff though.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Silliness. The words right after that are "with heavy incentives". How much guaranteed money is in Hardy's current contract? Do you really think Dallas or any other NFL team is going to guarantee all of Hardy's next contract?

Good luck with that.

 

[TheSport78]

 

[Mr Cowboy]

There are several teams that have shown a willingness to take on troubled players. Jeff Fisher and Marv Lewis are the obvious examples. And for all the outrage, the worst thing he has done since joining the club has been to tweet "guns blazing" and otherwise appearing insensitive.

We don't know what the market for him will be.

Let the market set the price, I don't think we need to make a sustaintial offer without him shopping himself first.

As far as difference maker, several games were lost because we couldn't make a stop on the last drive. A difference maker makes those plays to end the game.

 

[gmoney112]

I don't think Carr has been as awful as some here think this year. He has had his bad moments but receivers don't torch this team, believe it or not---we are one of the best in the league against opposing receivers. Part of this may be because teams don't have to throw or be aggressive to beat us. Our defense overall has been fairly good, easily a top 10 unit over the course of the last 8 weeks or so. We are actually ranked 10th in yards and we have lost some games recently giving up minimal points.

How do we make our defense even better?

Play better offense.

I agree with your overall point that Carr isn't as bad as some believe, and the defense is actually playing well. I do think, however, a significant factor in his play has been both the pass rush and opposing offenses unwillingness or basically don't have to commit to testing him.

I really don't know if a better offense is going to make him look better, I actually think it may make him look worse if teams feel obliged to throwing on him a lot.

Regardless, we do have resources to improve the area. I'm also dedicating my resources to improve the turnover ratio wherever I can in the secondary while also improving coverage. Carr represents a significant investment and given the precedent, I'm willing to move onto what I feel is a younger/better player who can fulfill this philosophy. Allocating Carr's resources to a younger, more talented player like Janoris Jenkins who is a very good zone/man corner and has 3 ints and a forced fumble this season, even with Foles quarterbacking the offense, would be a logical first step.

If I really wanted a solid vet, I'd pick up old man Tillman who I think could give us what Carr does, except at 1m a year salary.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

The good ones.

Very few fit that + being worth the $$$$ they get

 

[dallasdave]

Very few fit that + being worth the $$$$ they get

 

[VACowboy]

• Hate the idea of signing Hardy to any kind of big money deal. He's played well at times this year, but he has not been anything close to the impact player he was in Carolina.

• Love the idea of a big, run-stuffing, pocket-pushing 1-tech in the Seattle model. Unfortunately, Marinelli doesn't.

• I'm against high-priced free agents. I much prefer drafting well, developing players and keeping the good ones. I think this where the team has been trying to go. Whether it can get there remains to be seen. We''ve been down the big-time FA road before.

• Trading down depends on who's on the board, how far we're moving down and what we're getting back. In my book, a lot depends upon the cleanliness of Nkemiche's nose. I'm not as sold on Bosa as some folks, but I've hardly seen him play. Same with Goff, though I've been slightly impressed by his accuracy, touch and and the way he can just flick the ball. I've seen Lynch play more. What an athlete. Big arm. Throws a great deep ball. He seems to have a little bit of a windup in his mechanics, though, and that worries me some. My pick in the top-five is Nkemdiche, but the pot and stuff makes me wary.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Let the market set the price, I don't think we need to make a sustaintial offer without him shopping himself first.

As far as difference maker, several games were lost because we couldn't make a stop on the last drive. A difference maker makes those plays to end the game.

Pinning all that on him is great and all but he's had sacks in those situations and we are facing the same issues we faced when Ware was here. Well with Ware the outside was open too but its a constant stream of 3 step drops and ball out. The middle of the field on this defense has been wide open due to S and slot play.

 

[Kaiser]

• Hate the idea of signing Hardy to any kind of big money deal. He's played well at times this year, but he has not been anything close to the impact player he was in Carolina.

But if Hardy was coming off that 2013 season and a FA (and a reasonable period past the media sh#tstorm) he would get a crazy contract like Suh did from Miami. His best option is to take a deal with some guaranteed money but the kind of incentives that pay him a ton if he does get back to that level - and that aligns very well with what Dallas wants/needs.

Another factor is that DE's with real pass rush ability are hard to find and cost a ton in salary or draft position to acquire. Hardy seems to be happy in Dallas and has a young family there, he would seem inclined to take a reasonable offer.

Part of Hardy's performance this year may be the layoff, if he has a full offseason with the coaches and conditioning program, with no rust he may be right back at his 15 sack level.

The last thing is that Gregory hasn't shown he can stay healthy or stop the run. DeMarcus Ware did both of those things as a rookie, Gregory hasn't. Putting Gregory into the 3rd DE role is a lock to get great performance out of that spot. Putting Gregory into a starting role still has a significant amount of risk that he would be injured, wear down quickly or be a liability against the run.

 

[Kaiser]

BTW, we face Jerry Hughes his Sunday - as a DE his contract probably isn't a bad benchmark for Hardy. He got 5 years with 22MM guaranteed and another 23MM in incentives and bonuses.