No FA signing by JJ would've made the Cowboys appreciably better in 2024

[Sydla]

The Eagles core group was stronger than the Cowboys. No offseason signing would've put a dent in that gap. Fact is, the Eagles have been the best team in football for two and a half years. Should've won the SB two years ago--had a 10-1 record to start last season(2023)--this year they blew the doors off down the stretch. Over the past few years the Eagles have beaten the Chiefs twice -- the Bills --- Ravens -- Bengals -- the best the AFC has to offer.

The Eagles didn't win because of offseason signings. The offseason signings only strengthen what was already a championship core. Then add in their most important addition to the team in 2024... the defensive coordinator (how did he make that lateral move?)

The time for JJ to be proactive in trying to strengthen a championship level core for the Cowboys was in 2021 and 2022

Cowboys signing FA in 2024, would've only reinforced Stephen Jones belief that you don't get your bang for your buck in FA

And I believe the Cowboys were more of a 9 or 10 win team in 2023. Fact is, the Cowboys had about 4 or 5 games that year that they couldn't lose even if they wanted too

The 35-10 loss to Buffalo and the beatdown at SF is who they really were. And then not being able to put away a weak Dolphin's team

Ironic thing is, the FA losses are actually doing more damage to the team than the lack of FA signings

Cowboys lost four starting offensive linemen since 2021?

Four wide receivers? Go look at the group from 2021 compared to this one

Two running backs?

How many defensive linemen? At least two this past offseason

Dak's most reliable target. Dalton

Cowboys have been hit as hard as they were in the 90s. I know some of these guys would have needed to be replaced anyway but even JJ biggest detractor has to admit in good faith that even the best GM would need a season or two to regroup. Right?

Bad take.

Without Barkley, Philly does not win a SB.

Not saying if we had him we would have contended but the Eagles FA activity was a massive reason they won a SB.

 

[Gameover]

I feel like this is a Jones apologist take.

You can only improve your roster if you TRY to at least get better at what you're doing.

I would have far less criticism of the Joneses if there was any empirical evidence that there was any effort on their part to improve the roster. Pressuring your regional scouts to do it for you every year via the draft is cheap, lazy, and most importantly unrealistic.

That’s your opinion not fact. We both don’t know what happens. We do know what happened though sitting in their hands.

One or two free agents would not make up for all the free agents lost over the last three years

They had a better core of players than the Cowboys. Lets see if last years draft class bridge the gap between the two teams combined with hopefully a good draft in April

 

[mattjames2010]

Really? Wouldn't have made us better AT ALL? Like not even a game? 2 games? Maybe we win 3 of those close games we had? Not a single thing would have changed?

Thanks, Stephen. Glad to see you here on the board.

 

[mattjames2010]

To add: An org that in all likelihood would not understand how to use Henry.

Henry's YPC in 23 w/ the Titans was 4.2. No, not terrible, but not game changing by any means. That's more like what he would've done here.

He was great w/ BALT due to a great scheme fit and a coaching staff who knows how to use him and an OL that opens holes.

Derrick Henry had 1,167 yards on 280 carries and 12 TDs. This would have absolutely helped and that isn't even factoring in what RBs could have produced behind him.

It's just an absurd take that we couldn't have won a couple of close games with Henry in the backfield. It changes the dynamic of the offense drastically. Henry is a player you ALWAYS have to account for and a back that takes advantage of fatigue late in games.

Whether we were a playoff team or winning a super bowl is irrelevant. Henry would have helped the offense and came pretty cheap as well. There was no good reason to not sign him if you actually wanted to help the offense. It was just a huge miss. Barkley himself came cheap in 2024 at only a 4 million cap hit. Next year will be 6 million.

 

[gimmesix]

The Eagles core group was stronger than the Cowboys. No offseason signing would've put a dent in that gap. Fact is, the Eagles have been the best team in football for two and a half years. Should've won the SB two years ago--had a 10-1 record to start last season(2023)--this year they blew the doors off down the stretch. Over the past few years the Eagles have beaten the Chiefs twice -- the Bills --- Ravens -- Bengals -- the best the AFC has to offer.

The Eagles didn't win because of offseason signings. The offseason signings only strengthen what was already a championship core. Then add in their most important addition to the team in 2024... the defensive coordinator (how did he make that lateral move?)

The time for JJ to be proactive in trying to strengthen a championship level core for the Cowboys was in 2021 and 2022

Cowboys signing FA in 2024, would've only reinforced Stephen Jones belief that you don't get your bang for your buck in FA

And I believe the Cowboys were more of a 9 or 10 win team in 2023. Fact is, the Cowboys had about 4 or 5 games that year that they couldn't lose even if they wanted too

The 35-10 loss to Buffalo and the beatdown at SF is who they really were. And then not being able to put away a weak Dolphin's team

Ironic thing is, the FA losses are actually doing more damage to the team than the lack of FA signings

Cowboys lost four starting offensive linemen since 2021?

Four wide receivers? Go look at the group from 2021 compared to this one

Two running backs?

How many defensive linemen? At least two this past offseason

Dak's most reliable target. Dalton

Cowboys have been hit as hard as they were in the 90s. I know some of these guys would have needed to be replaced anyway but even JJ biggest detractor has to admit in good faith that even the best GM would need a season or two to regroup. Right?

This year? Probably not because we started the season without one of our starting CBs, then lost the other one when the injured one returned. We started without a projected starting DE, then lost our star pass rusher for some games along with our No. 2 pass rusher. We lost a LB who was playing like he was a star.

These were not players we would have replaced in free agency, so even if we got a star safety or star DT in free agency, it would have been difficult to overcome our losses on defense. I mean, how many staring CBs did we go through without either Diggs or Bland? Carson, Oruwariye, Booth, Butler, Price? Most of those players should have been nowhere near a starting job.

Then, on offense, we played part of the season without our No. 2 receiver, lost our All-Pro guard (who admittedly no longer looked like an All-Pro) and lost our starting QB. Even our starting TE missed some time and was never the same after his concussion. Maybe if we'd gotten a better No. 2 in free agency, it would have made some difference. Maybe if we'd gotten Henry. But injuries made it unlikely that FAs would have made a difference.

Now, could signing some top FAs have made a difference in previous years? I don't know, but I absolutely believe they could have. We fail in the playoffs because our weak links show when we go against other playoff-caliber teams. Fix the weak links in FA and we can compete.

 

[kskboys]

Derrick Henry had 1,167 yards on 280 carries and 12 TDs. This would have absolutely helped and that isn't even factoring in what RBs could have produced behind him.

It's just an absurd take that we couldn't have won a couple of close games with Henry in the backfield. It changes the dynamic of the offense drastically. Henry is a player you ALWAYS have to account for and a back that takes advantage of fatigue late in games.

Whether we were a playoff team or winning a super bowl is irrelevant. Henry would have helped the offense and came pretty cheap as well. There was no good reason to not sign him if you actually wanted to help the offense. It was just a huge miss. Barkley himself came cheap in 2024 at only a 4 million cap hit. Next year will be 6 million.

Isn't it kind of absurd that you're arguing things I didn't say? Wierd.

 

[gtb1943]

stephans personal assistant is working hard to defend her boss

 

[DuncanIso]

Bad take.

Without Barkley, Philly does not win a SB.

Not saying if we had him we would have contended but the Eagles FA activity was a massive reason they won a SB.

He signed a 3YR/37M contract.

 

[DuncanIso]

Really? Wouldn't have made us better AT ALL? Like not even a game? 2 games? Maybe we win 3 of those close games we had? Not a single thing would have changed?

Thanks, Stephen. Glad to see you here on the board.

We didn’t have the Cap$$$.

Henry isn’t cheap.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

The Eagles core group was stronger than the Cowboys. No offseason signing would've put a dent in that gap. Fact is, the Eagles have been the best team in football for two and a half years. Should've won the SB two years ago--had a 10-1 record to start last season(2023)--this year they blew the doors off down the stretch. Over the past few years the Eagles have beaten the Chiefs twice -- the Bills --- Ravens -- Bengals -- the best the AFC has to offer.

The Eagles didn't win because of offseason signings. The offseason signings only strengthen what was already a championship core. Then add in their most important addition to the team in 2024... the defensive coordinator (how did he make that lateral move?)

The time for JJ to be proactive in trying to strengthen a championship level core for the Cowboys was in 2021 and 2022

Cowboys signing FA in 2024, would've only reinforced Stephen Jones belief that you don't get your bang for your buck in FA

And I believe the Cowboys were more of a 9 or 10 win team in 2023. Fact is, the Cowboys had about 4 or 5 games that year that they couldn't lose even if they wanted too

The 35-10 loss to Buffalo and the beatdown at SF is who they really were. And then not being able to put away a weak Dolphin's team

Ironic thing is, the FA losses are actually doing more damage to the team than the lack of FA signings

Cowboys lost four starting offensive linemen since 2021?

Four wide receivers? Go look at the group from 2021 compared to this one

Two running backs?

How many defensive linemen? At least two this past offseason

Dak's most reliable target. Dalton

Cowboys have been hit as hard as they were in the 90s. I know some of these guys would have needed to be replaced anyway but even JJ biggest detractor has to admit in good faith that even the best GM would need a season or two to regroup. Right?

this is a silly way to approach team building. It isn't about winning a single offeseason. It's about approaching every offfseason with maximum intent. Nobody can say the Cowboys do that. So focusing on one offseason misses the forest for the trees.

 

[DuncanIso]

Bad take.

Without Barkley, Philly does not win a SB.

Not saying if we had him we would have contended but the Eagles FA activity was a massive reason they won a SB.

they paid big $$$ for him.

37M

 

[DuncanIso]

Derrick Henry had 1,167 yards on 280 carries and 12 TDs. This would have absolutely helped and that isn't even factoring in what RBs could have produced behind him.

It's just an absurd take that we couldn't have won a couple of close games with Henry in the backfield. It changes the dynamic of the offense drastically. Henry is a player you ALWAYS have to account for and a back that takes advantage of fatigue late in games.

Whether we were a playoff team or winning a super bowl is irrelevant. Henry would have helped the offense and came pretty cheap as well. There was no good reason to not sign him if you actually wanted to help the offense. It was just a huge miss. Barkley himself came cheap in 2024 at only a 4 million cap hit. Next year will be 6 million.

He is well paid by the Ravens.

 

[DuncanIso]

this is a silly way to approach team building. It isn't about winning a single offeseason. It's about approaching every offfseason with maximum intent. Nobody can say the Cowboys do that. So focusing on one offseason misses the forest for the trees.

we are cap broke.

 

[mattjames2010]

they paid big $$$ for him.

37M

Barkley's contract is hardly a cap killer. He took up less than 2% of the cap in 2024 and will make 6 million next year before they have an out in 2026.

 

[mattjames2010]

He is well paid by the Ravens.

He made 5 million this season...

Next year he makes 12 with nothing guaranteed. He's cheap from the production he's giving the Ravens. (they're already renegotiating his contract)

 

[mattjames2010]

Isn't it kind of absurd that you're arguing things I didn't say? Wierd.

You specifically said his production in 2023 wouldn't be game changing. To suggest a back like Henry wouldn't be game changing, again, it's really just ridiculous. We were in multiple close games this year and an RB putting defenses on notice absolutely would have helped.

There is a difference with saying a player wouldn't be game changing or if it would have changed the entire season. Henry would have helped us win games....and that is why you sign players. Plus, for his production, he's dirt cheap.

 

[CowboyoWales]

What are you talking about? Sure Philly had plenty of drafted talent, but adding Barkley , Zack Baun , and Oren Burks was HUGE.

The problem in Dallas is that we let a bunch of guys walk several of whom were key cogs in the Washington resurgence, and we did nothing to replace them. Jerry basically sat out the off season until the draft. You can't do that in a competitive football league.

The difference is that the Eagles already had the foundations (esp Lines), to build around. We actually lost depth, more than 'key cogs', but that's consistent with the way Jerry constructs his roster....high paid elite contracts but supplemented with a high number of JAGS.

 

[CowboyoWales]

Really? Wouldn't have made us better AT ALL? Like not even a game? 2 games? Maybe we win 3 of those close games we had? Not a single thing would have changed?

Thanks, Stephen. Glad to see you here on the board.

Could well (probably would) of improved, but it would of been a sticking plaster method, just to reach mediocrity/relevance. Short term improvement, to maybe get a One and Done Play-off run, isnt what's needed. We need some sort of sustainable strategy, where we target/build (preferably strong Lines) a strong core and then sign big money in FA to finalize the push.

 

[JonesBoys]

Really? Wouldn't have made us better AT ALL? Like not even a game? 2 games? Maybe we win 3 of those close games we had? Not a single thing would have changed?

Thanks, Stephen. Glad to see you here on the board.

Some fans suffer from Stockholm syndrome from the Jones boys.

 

[BoyzBlaster]

This core group had a late SB lead two years ago and a 10-1 start the following year. Those guy strengthen what was already a championship level core

No one disagrees with that. But your title says adding an MVP candidate, a DPOY candidate, and a very solid starting guard, or ANY OTHER free agents for that matter wouldn't have made them "appreciably better." That's lunacy.