No More Mr. Nice Guy!

Stash

Stash

Staff member
Messages
81,161
Reaction score
109,573
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
In looking over the Cowboys roster, it's become apparent to me where their strengths and weaknesses lie. The players who help to make the team better and win games, and the guys who don't.

In my opinion, for far too long, this organization has placed too much value on being "team guys" and not enough on actually being good on the field at your job.

Before I continue, let me clarify for those who may be getting the wrong impression. I'm not suggesting turning into the Mean Machine and not caring about character. That would be pretty ironic to suggest on the day Randy Gregory gets indefinitely suspended, wouldn't it?

No, what I mean is that this team should no longer be beholden to "good guys" who are liabilities on the field.

Guys like:
  • Sean Lee - as great of a "team" guy and leader as you will ever find. A de facto coach both on and off the field. A man whose character is beyond reproach. But his salary is far too high for the backup player he is at this point. Something's gotta give, and it's either a paycut or a divorce. Time to make a tough but necessary decision.

  • Jeff Heath - another "great team guy", but a backup player who shouldn't be starting, and wouldn't be on any other team. He's had more than a fair opportunity to show that he can be a starter, and he hasn't. Time to get him off the field and improve that position.

  • Tyrone Crawford - I hate to sound like a broken record, but this guy is the absolute poster child. His nickname should be "lowered expectations", because I've never seen more excuses for average play and big salary made than for this guy. I acknowledge that he's a team leader and I'm sure a great team guy. He has clearly done anything and everything this team has ever asked. And those are all admirable qualities. But the fact is that he doesn't help this team on the field, certainly not enough to warrant what he costs. The team is finally in position to get out from under a truly awful contract, and they need to do just that. The money can be put to far better use towards an impact player with a true starting position. This team needs both a defensive tackle and now a defensive end, not to pay a guy who sort of does both.
Again, these are three high character, team guys, role models in how they handle themselves and go about their business. But this is about more than that. It's about being able to effectively contribute on one of sixteen weeks in a far-too-short season. It's about being a difference maker on the field for those 60 minutes of gametime.

Two of the biggest needs this team has are currently occupied by two of these guys, and the third is now a backup. This team has big contracts coming up and needs to fill, the time for sentimentality is over and it's time to lose some weight and get a better handle on finances and get more bang for the buck than you're getting.
 
While I somewhat agree, I'm not for cutting them if possible.
Gregory has now backed the team into a bit of a corner. If it is a failed test, hes got ta go !
I would try to re-negotiate all 3 players, more so Lee and Crawford. But if they wont, then yes, they go.
Even with the most money under the cap this team has had in years, we have a ton of players to be signed both this year and next. So most of that money will go to signing our own.
DE, suddenly becomes another unsuspected big need. Taco better get his **** together, or a 1st and 2nd round pick has been wasted - and very costly.
Another set back, for a team I thought could really take advantage of not really needing to target positions, with our limited draft picks, and money to bring in FA.
Welp, so much for that !
 
stasheroo said:
In looking over the Cowboys roster, it's become apparent to me where their strengths and weaknesses lie. The players who help to make the team better and win games, and the guys who don't.

In my opinion, for far too long, this organization has placed too much value on being "team guys" and not enough on actually being good on the field at your job.

Before I continue, let me clarify for those who may be getting the wrong impression. I'm not suggesting turning into the Mean Machine and not caring about character. That would be pretty ironic to suggest on the day Randy Gregory gets indefinitely suspended, wouldn't it?

No, what I mean is that this team should no longer be beholden to "good guys" who are liabilities on the field.

Guys like:
  • Sean Lee - as great of a "team" guy and leader as you will ever find. A de facto coach both on and off the field. A man whose character is beyond reproach. But his salary is far too high for the backup player he is at this point. Something's gotta give, and it's either a paycut or a divorce. Time to make a tough but necessary decision.

  • Jeff Heath - another "great team guy", but a backup player who shouldn't be starting, and wouldn't be on any other team. He's had more than a fair opportunity to show that he can be a starter, and he hasn't. Time to get him off the field and improve that position.

  • Tyrone Crawford - I hate to sound like a broken record, but this guy is the absolute poster child. His nickname should be "lowered expectations", because I've never seen more excuses for average play and big salary made than for this guy. I acknowledge that he's a team leader and I'm sure a great team guy. He has clearly done anything and everything this team has ever asked. And those are all admirable qualities. But the fact is that he doesn't help this team on the field, certainly not enough to warrant what he costs. The team is finally in position to get out from under a truly awful contract, and they need to do just that. The money can be put to far better use towards an impact player with a true starting position. This team needs both a defensive tackle and now a defensive end, not to pay a guy who sort of does both.
Again, these are three high character, team guys, role models in how they handle themselves and go about their business. But this is about more than that. It's about being able to effectively contribute on one of sixteen weeks in a far-too-short season. It's about being a difference maker on the field for those 60 minutes of gametime.

Two of the biggest needs this team has are currently occupied by two of these guys, and the third is now a backup. This team has big contracts coming up and needs to fill, the time for sentimentality is over and it's time to lose some weight and get a better handle on finances and get more bang for the buck than you're getting.
Click to expand...
The only way you get more bang for the buck is the draft and I don’t see us filling more than 2-3 spots right away thru the draft this year
 
Disagree a bit on Crawford. Dude has been productive throughout his tenure despite being moved around and often player at the wrong weight for the position. Doesn't miss time and can play both inside and outside. He's one of the glue guys every team needs.
 
Outlaw Heroes said:
Honest question: does Crawford's pay still outstrip his performance? I know that was the case in the first few years of the deal, but I'm not sure his price tag still looks inflated by current standards. And he actually had a pretty decent season for us this past year.
Click to expand...

He makes 7 base and 2 in a signing bonus this year and counts as a 10 mil cap hit.

His average pay puts him in the area of jerry Hughes, Derek Wolfe and Andre branch in terms of defensive line pay.
 
kiheikiwi said:
While I somewhat agree, I'm not for cutting them if possible.
Gregory has now backed the team into a bit of a corner. If it is a failed test, hes got ta go !
I would try to re-negotiate all 3 players, more so Lee and Crawford. But if they wont, then yes, they go.
Even with the most money under the cap this team has had in years, we have a ton of players to be signed both this year and next. So most of that money will go to signing our own.
DE, suddenly becomes another unsuspected big need. Taco better get his **** together, or a 1st and 2nd round pick has been wasted - and very costly.
Another set back, for a team I thought could really take advantage of not really needing to target positions, with our limited draft picks, and money to bring in FA.
Welp, so much for that !
Click to expand...

I'd rather a paycut, but if they won't agree to it, they have to go.
 
CT Dal Fan said:
Good player with a very bad contract. Obscures the fact he's a steady and reliable player.
Click to expand...

"Steady and reliable", but not a difference maker.

A good team guy, but a guy who's not a true starter.

And with, as you said, "a very bad contract".
 
conner01 said:
The only way you get more bang for the buck is the draft and I don’t see us filling more than 2-3 spots right away thru the draft this year
Click to expand...

I can get plenty of "bang" in free agency. And cutting some dead weight goes a long way towards doing that.
 
Denim Chicken said:
Disagree a bit on Crawford. Dude has been productive throughout his tenure despite being moved around and often player at the wrong weight for the position. Doesn't miss time and can play both inside and outside. He's one of the glue guys every team needs.
Click to expand...

He's overpriced "glue". And glue is another word that doesn't translate into wins on Sundays.
 
Outlaw Heroes said:
Honest question: does Crawford's pay still outstrip his performance? I know that was the case in the first few years of the deal, but I'm not sure his price tag still looks inflated by current standards. And he actually had a pretty decent season for us this past year.
Click to expand...

This is what a guy like this should be getting paid:

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/atlanta-falcons/jack-crawford-9979/

About $3 million a year.

By the way, Jack Crawford had a better year.
 
stasheroo said:
I can get plenty of "bang" in free agency. And cutting some dead weight goes a long way towards doing that.
Click to expand...
I rarely see a team get even their monies worth in FA
Teams generally hold on to their good players and those that do hit the market tend to get big money
I think we should splash around in FA but it’s not gonna be cheap by any stretch
I’d try to get ET and a DT
Get the rest in the draft and now 58 is much more likely to be a DE if a decent one falls that far
 
conner01 said:
I rarely see a team get even their monies worth in FA
Teams generally hold on to their good players and those that do hit the market tend to get big money
I think we should splash around in FA but it’s not gonna be cheap by any stretch
I’d try to get ET and a DT
Get the rest in the draft and now 58 is much more likely to be a DE if a decent one falls that far
Click to expand...

That sounds nearly exactly what I would do as well.

And it supports my points. The two biggest needs which are currently filled by "good guys" who don't get the job done.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Staff online

Members online

... and 101 more.
Total: 4,761 (members: 201, guests: 4,560)
Robots: 1,271

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
474,003
Messages
14,505,658
Members
24,207
Latest member
TomGiantsfan
Back
Top