My Ugly Rebuild

[Nation]

Thought process: Teams that are winning Super Bowls are built offensively on great quarterbacking, strong offensive line plays, and a defense that can disrupt the other teams passing game. Perennially competitve teams do not have a large percentage of the salary cap devoted to a minimal amount of players. The NFL is getting more injuries year after year and becoming a war of attrition, so depth is key. Cash is king for allowing you to supplement with bargains in free agency, so hitting on low cost draft picks is number one.

Approximate Current Status: 21M over 2014 Cap, 4.4M over 2015 Cap.

Move #1: Release DeMarcus Ware: Thank you for the memories, but frees up 6.9M in salary cap space in 2014 and a whopping 17.5M in 2015 space.

Revised Cap Status: 13.9M over 2014 Cap, 13.0M in 2015 room.

Move #2: Exercise built in amortization triggers in Romo & Lee Contracts: The deals are build to take advantage of the NFL's maximum 5 year amortization over the life of a deal. The other moves we will make will allow us to be in good shape down the line should injuries derail either career.
Revised Cap Status: 0.1M over 2014 Cap, 9.5M in 2015 room.

Move #3: Cut Phil Costa: This is an easy one with Costa's 2014 cap number of 1.5M. Tough year for Phil between losing his job and Hulkster's daughter, but it is too much money invested for a player nobody wants to see take a snap.

Revised Cap Status: 0.9M under 2014 Cap, 9.5M in 2015 room.

Now I am compliant under the salary cap rules, but I've got very little money to spend in free agency, and I've lost Anthony Spencer, DeMarcus Ware, and Jason Hatcher in the process. This is where I get controversial and I make a decision that will upset the fanbase to holy hell. I'm going to make the call that making Dez Bryant a 10+M a year player isn't worth the opportunity cost of investing in the trenches. It hurts because he's a Hall of Fame talent, but we trade him for a 2014 first round pick and some additional future draft currency to a receiver-needy team. We've made the tough call that it's more important to have a defense that can blow up a passing game than a receiver that can blow up a defense. But I think it's the right one.

Revised Cap Status: 2.4M under 2014 Cap, 9.5M in 2015 room.

This gives me a little bit of free agent wiggle room for the period between now and June 1 to do some bargain shopping

At the draft, Both 2014 1st Round picks go toward the DLine, in an effort to rebuild on the trenches, drafting a defensive end and a 3 Tech. A 2nd Round pick is invested at OT to groom a right tackle of the future who will be ready to take over in 2015. I'd use my second Day 2 pick on a Wide Receiver from a class that is deep in talent at that position. Offensively at the skill positions we're now looking to run a more balanced attack and see Murray get a reasonable amount of touches with Dunbar sprinkled in. And quite frankly you don't (or shouldn't?) invest Day Two draft picks on weapons that you aren't going to give a chance to be factors in the passing game, so it's time to roll Escobar and Williams out there to see what they can do in a featured spot. Obviously you aren't successful in the NFL if you box yourself in at certain positions in the draft, but that would be my take for 2014.

Now it is time for my June 1st cuts where I can take advantage of dumping Miles Austin's contract and gaining relief to sign my rookie class and add on to the freedom in 2015.

Revised Cap Status: 7.4M under 2014 Cap, 14.0M in 2015 room.

Out of the 7.4M comes the 2014 Rookie Class as well as anyone you make a move on in free agency, and the saving can be banked to the 2015 number. In 2015 we'd cut Doug Free for 7.0M in 2015 cap savings, and agains draft another edge rusher in the first round of 2015 with a likely high draft pick. At that point you should have 3 young building blocks at the offensive line spots and 3 blue chip players at defensive line, and 20+M to operate. At that point you can lock up young players like Tyron, and if Brandon Carr does not look to be worth 8M a year you can move on from him without facing more and more future dead money. It would hurt to see Dez play out a HOF career elsewhere, but I think this team is always going to have major holes if they don't get things fixed along the way and I'd rather have 9M a year in cap space and a 1st round pick than 9M in cap space going to one player.

 

[theSHOW]

nice work. And I love seeing others come to believe in the depth over super star plan. That is why I have felt that we will benefit with a potential trade of our star WR. #88 This team could have depth that allows injuries to run off our shoulders like a june rain.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

What do you want to do for a backup center? The big plus of having Costa is knowing we have a highly capable backup in the event that Frederick goes down. I'm not saying you're wrong about Costa. Your reasoning is sound. I'm only saying if he leaves, there must be someone ready to play center if Frederick gets hurt, and that person can't be someone not ready.

 

[reddyuta]

This is the time to cut Costa but i doubt we draft another Center,the best we can hope for is a guard who can play center or we can play Bernie at center.Either way we need top draft an olineman in this draft.

 

[Future]

What do you want to do for a backup center? The big plus of having Costa is knowing we have a highly capable backup in the event that Frederick goes down. I'm not saying you're wrong about Costa. Your reasoning is sound. I'm only saying if he leaves, there must be someone ready to play center if Frederick gets hurt, and that person can't be someone not ready.

Bern would be the backup center. Costa is completely expendable at this point, regardless of the cap situation.

 

[Nation]

What do you want to do for a backup center? The big plus of having Costa is knowing we have a highly capable backup in the event that Frederick goes down. I'm not saying you're wrong about Costa. Your reasoning is sound. I'm only saying if he leaves, there must be someone ready to play center if Frederick gets hurt, and that person can't be someone not ready.

I think at less than his salary (1.5M) you can get yourself an equally capable backup.

 

[BigStar]

Couldn't we keep Dez and still manage your plan above(albeit without the two first rounders) by resigning him and triggering Tyron's 5th year option? We could clear the rift raft and use Ware's savings on Dez. Smith's top contract is then dealt with the following season as more dead money comes off the books, etc. I like the overall plan and would like the team to add OL in the early rounds and a WR mid/late would be smart with the deep class this year.

 

[Nightman]

Thought process: Teams that are winning Super Bowls are built offensively on great quarterbacking, strong offensive line plays, and a defense that can disrupt the other teams passing game. Perennially competitve teams do not have a large percentage of the salary cap devoted to a minimal amount of players. The NFL is getting more injuries year after year and becoming a war of attrition, so depth is key. Cash is king for allowing you to supplement with bargains in free agency, so hitting on low cost draft picks is number one.

Approximate Current Status: 21M over 2014 Cap, 4.4M over 2015 Cap.

Move #1: Release DeMarcus Ware: Thank you for the memories, but frees up 6.9M in salary cap space in 2014 and a whopping 17.5M in 2015 space.

Revised Cap Status: 13.9M over 2014 Cap, 13.0M in 2015 room.

Move #2: Exercise built in amortization triggers in Romo & Lee Contracts: The deals are build to take advantage of the NFL's maximum 5 year amortization over the life of a deal. The other moves we will make will allow us to be in good shape down the line should injuries derail either career.
Revised Cap Status: 0.1M over 2014 Cap, 9.5M in 2015 room.

Move #3: Cut Phil Costa: This is an easy one with Costa's 2014 cap number of 1.5M. Tough year for Phil between losing his job and Hulkster's daughter, but it is too much money invested for a player nobody wants to see take a snap.

Revised Cap Status: 0.9M under 2014 Cap, 9.5M in 2015 room.

Now I am compliant under the salary cap rules, but I've got very little money to spend in free agency, and I've lost Anthony Spencer, DeMarcus Ware, and Jason Hatcher in the process. This is where I get controversial and I make a decision that will upset the fanbase to holy hell. I'm going to make the call that making Dez Bryant a 10+M a year player isn't worth the opportunity cost of investing in the trenches. It hurts because he's a Hall of Fame talent, but we trade him for a 2014 first round pick and some additional future draft currency to a receiver-needy team. We've made the tough call that it's more important to have a defense that can blow up a passing game than a receiver that can blow up a defense. But I think it's the right one.

Revised Cap Status: 2.4M under 2014 Cap, 9.5M in 2015 room.

This gives me a little bit of free agent wiggle room for the period between now and June 1 to do some bargain shopping

At the draft, Both 2014 1st Round picks go toward the DLine, in an effort to rebuild on the trenches, drafting a defensive end and a 3 Tech. A 2nd Round pick is invested at OT to groom a right tackle of the future who will be ready to take over in 2015. I'd use my second Day 2 pick on a Wide Receiver from a class that is deep in talent at that position. Offensively at the skill positions we're now looking to run a more balanced attack and see Murray get a reasonable amount of touches with Dunbar sprinkled in. And quite frankly you don't (or shouldn't?) invest Day Two draft picks on weapons that you aren't going to give a chance to be factors in the passing game, so it's time to roll Escobar and Williams out there to see what they can do in a featured spot. Obviously you aren't successful in the NFL if you box yourself in at certain positions in the draft, but that would be my take for 2014.

Now it is time for my June 1st cuts where I can take advantage of dumping Miles Austin's contract and gaining relief to sign my rookie class and add on to the freedom in 2015.

Revised Cap Status: 7.4M under 2014 Cap, 14.0M in 2015 room.

Out of the 7.4M comes the 2014 Rookie Class as well as anyone you make a move on in free agency, and the saving can be banked to the 2015 number. In 2015 we'd cut Doug Free for 7.0M in 2015 cap savings, and agains draft another edge rusher in the first round of 2015 with a likely high draft pick. At that point you should have 3 young building blocks at the offensive line spots and 3 blue chip players at defensive line, and 20+M to operate. At that point you can lock up young players like Tyron, and if Brandon Carr does not look to be worth 8M a year you can move on from him without facing more and more future dead money. It would hurt to see Dez play out a HOF career elsewhere, but I think this team is always going to have major holes if they don't get things fixed along the way and I'd rather have 9M a year in cap space and a 1st round pick than 9M in cap space going to one player.

You make the room by restructuring Witten, Carr, Scandrick and Free. There is no harm in restructuring, especially when the cap keeps going up. Trading Dez is a bad idea. It leaves TWill as the main WR and that is not close to enough.

 

[Nation]

Couldn't we keep Dez and still manage your plan above(albeit without the two first rounders) by resigning him and triggering Tyron's 5th year option? We could clear the rift raft and use Ware's savings on Dez. Smith's top contract is then dealt with the following season as more dead money comes off the books, etc. I like the overall plan and would like the team to add OL in the early rounds and a WR mid/late would be smart with the deep class this year.

Yup, there is no need to do anything with Dez when it comes to getting cap compliant. My thought was that there is more value in the additional blue chip defensive lineman and freeing up future cap space that would go to a top 5 WR in a trade. But your assumption is correct.

 

[casmith07]

1. Whine about depth.

2. Acquire depth at key positions.

3. Whine about cutting depth because of a miniscule $1.5M cap figure.

#DAZONE

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

Bern would be the backup center. Costa is completely expendable at this point, regardless of the cap situation.

There has been talk that Bern may be a salary cap cut also.

 

[BigStar]

Yup, there is no need to do anything with Dez when it comes to getting cap compliant. My thought was that there is more value in the additional blue chip defensive lineman and freeing up future cap space that would go to a top 5 WR in a trade. But your assumption is correct.

I hear ya, you're not going to get us Dez fans to jump completely on board but like the direction you're speaking of (going younger, esp on the lines).

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

For the OP: how do you know that your conclusion on the salary cap is accurate. Just a question because some things Ive read lately dont exactly jive with what you've posted. Im not saying you are right or wrong, just a question.

 

[BigStar]

There has been talk that Bern may be a salary cap cut also.

When he is just showing signs of starting quality...hope not (even if for stability/depth).

 

[theSHOW]

You make the room by restructuring Witten, Carr, Scandrick and Free. There is no harm in restructuring, especially when the cap keeps going up. Trading Dez is a bad idea. It leaves TWill as the main WR and that is not close to enough.

restructuring allows us to sit back and watch others participate in free agency. being cap stuck each year is more than pathetic. When other teams go to a rookie QB they get ahead on the cap and are able to sign key FAs. When you are over the cap and keep restructuring you run out of restructures at some point or just never get back into getting FAs when injuries hit hard. It is not how to run a team. Pick and choose on the options don't be forced to add old players making the team older.

 

[Verdict]

I am not opposed to trading any player including Dez Bryant. But ideally, you would want to get more than a 1st rounder out of Dez. Ideally you would want to get two first rounders for him like we gave up for Galloway (not Randy) and Williams. Dez is a better receiver at this point in his career than either Galloway or Williams.

If you think this draft class is deep and talented, AND have confidence in your ability to draft guys who can play, you can make trades like this, get two players for the player you gave up AND save cap money in the process.

If you don't plan on paying Dez top 10 money, you make this move before his contract expires. But he would of course likely net a 3rd round compensatory pick even if his contract expires and he leaves as a free agent.

What if Dez becomes Austin after he gets paid? Ouchie.

 

[Questfor6]

I would charge 3 first round picks for Dez because like it or not he's the face of this franchise now. He has to be the top jersey sell for the franchise and he's by far the most exciting player we have plus sometimes I feel like he's the only one who has any heart about winning.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

I would charge 3 first round picks for Dez because like it or not he's the face of this franchise now. He has to be the top jersey sell for the franchise and he's by far the most exciting player we have plus sometimes I feel like he's the only one who has any heart about winning.

The first round picks plus we get whoever is the other team's best D-lineman. I'd doubt anyone would go for that, but that would be my price.

 

[theSHOW]

I would charge 3 first round picks for Dez because like it or not he's the face of this franchise now. He has to be the top jersey sell for the franchise and he's by far the most exciting player we have plus sometimes I feel like he's the only one who has any heart about winning.

1 (ONE)1st round pick is all you will get in todays league. But you get a guy with 10-11 years of football and get rid of a guy with only 6-7 more seasons. Add on the cap bonus and it is a win.

 

[NEODOG]

I'll let X Walker tell ya that No one builds lines like that, its all crazy and such.