Not complaining just looking for the long term strategy for the 1 yr contracts

[conner01]

I don't think the Cowboys are making decisions based on the CBA.

The league showed last time that they are not going to give any teams a free out to dump contracts.

The primary changes in the CBA are likely player disciple related and the question of what revenue is included in the cap calculations (concessions, parking and other issues are a gray area).

Roster size and 18 game seasons might be a big topic also.

Agents want to eliminate using the Franchise Tag multiple times on the same player.

It's likely none of the changes affect the overall method of player contracts having to adhere to the salary cap.

I think those are the main issues and if anything I think it increases cap
The only real issue is how some bonus money is effective next year
My understanding is some incentives count next year upfront but I think there could be a nice extra boost in the cap

 

[speedkilz88]

If a player signs a cheap deal, why would they want it to be long term?

 

[reddyuta]

This is consistent with Stephens plan of building through the draft and paying our own guys but imo its not enough to take us over the hump

 

[blueblood70]

Like that we aren't hamstringing ourselves into big money deals but what do we do this time next year if CBA is reached obviously.

1 yr dals are not LT they are fill ins and bridging gaps for young guys , most are depth and backups.all teams do this to fill out there rosters..

 

[conner01]

1 yr dals are not LT they are fill ins and bridging gaps for young guys , most are depth and backups.all teams do this to fill out there rosters..

Exactly
Or a guy coming off an injury wanting a prove it deal to earn the big bucks

 

[Cowboys22]

Like that we aren't hamstringing ourselves into big money deals but what do we do this time next year if CBA is reached obviously.

This is their long term plan. Build through the draft and re-sign their own guys. Stay out of the high priced free agent market during week one and fill holes with lower priced guys that allow you to draft BPA. They look for free agents who were injured or poor scheme fits due to coaching changes that are willing to take low prove it deals and may have a higher upside based on previous years performances. If they lose a main piece like Beasley, they will throw more money at someone to replace them but not top money. They still look for a bargain. It may be a sound strategy but it’s tough on us for that first week of FA.

 

[DuncanIso]

Dallas employs a stopgap strategy in free agency, filling in needs with players who have NFL experience in order to stay competitive. The goal of the front office is to not pay much for these stopgap players while looking to ultimately replace them through the draft or for them to prove worthy of a long-term deal.

This is not a terrible strategy overall. Free agency is hit and miss, so if you are going to miss, you'd rather miss with the least amount of damage to your cap. The problem is that most of the time you are not going to hit big when using this strategy because there is a reason these players come cheap on one-year prove-it deals. So you are mainly just maintaining the status quo, which is great if you are a Super Bowl team but not so good if you're doing nothing to gain ground on several teams that are better than you.

Good post!!

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

1 year contracts = draft targets

You are right about this. These 1 year deals are ways that the Cowboys like to indicate what they are wanting to take in the draft. I suspect WR will be a late pick. DE and S, probably quite early. We shall see with everything else.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Dallas employs a stopgap strategy in free agency, filling in needs with players who have NFL experience in order to stay competitive. The goal of the front office is to not pay much for these stopgap players while looking to ultimately replace them through the draft or for them to prove worthy of a long-term deal.

This is not a terrible strategy overall. Free agency is hit and miss, so if you are going to miss, you'd rather miss with the least amount of damage to your cap. The problem is that most of the time you are not going to hit big when using this strategy because there is a reason these players come cheap on one-year prove-it deals. So you are mainly just maintaining the status quo, which is great if you are a Super Bowl team but not so good if you're doing nothing to gain ground on several teams that are better than you.

Yes, spot on! Additionally, if you decide not to extend their contracts and someone else gets those players, you end up putting yourself in a position to get a comp pick. So, you're essentially taking a player, and, a year later, flipping him for a draft pick. Really quite useful.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Cobb and Iloka are 28. Locking them up for minimal $$ for a year instead of multi-year deals is smart.

Let's us work on their replacement in the draft while having viable upgrade / replacement from our previous roster.

I fully expect that we will do that. I've been on about the slot WR I've got in mind, and I still think we should draft him. I also think that safety will be fairly easy to get by round 4 for us.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Most likely the biggest reason for limited time deals is the end of the Owner/Players contract which is ending soon.
We are likely to have a strike and then another lockout during the unrest. Why put yourself into contracts that
may have dead money issues going forward in time.

Oh!! I forgot about that! When I was thinking about us extending Dak and the lot, I didn't realise when the CBA extended. Yes, that probably is an important bit to get sorted out.

 

[OmerV]

Like that we aren't hamstringing ourselves into big money deals but what do we do this time next year if CBA is reached obviously.

There will always be some positions not on higher money, longer term contracts, and the short term contracts are a way to fill some of those spots without taking money away from those the team needs to sign longer term. When it comes to next year, hopefully some youngsters, like Cedrick Wilson and Dorance Armstrongs, have stepped up so that the free agents aren't necessary, and if not, or if other spots need help, the team can sign other players. There will always be juggling between homegrown talent and free agents and timing of the contracts.

 

[garyv]

Like that we aren't hamstringing ourselves into big money deals but what do we do this time next year if CBA is reached obviously.

This way next season Sean Payton can determine if they stay or if they go.

 

[DasSchnitzel]

When they began using bridge players to fill the gaps, we had an old, bad, and expensive roster. We now have a young, talented, and affordable roster. It has taken under a decade.