Perfect Year to be active in free agency

QuincyCarterEra

Well-Known Member
Messages
11,324
Reaction score
10,736
Best way to attack Free agency is targeting these positions:

Edge- edge class is insane. Haven't seen this deep of one in a long time if ever

Safety- deep class and dirt cheap in FA. If they aren't cheap(Collins or Thomas), then dont sign them and go get two solid starters for half the price instead.

Vet RB- The most neglected position in free agency. You can grab a quality back for close to the minimum

TE- TEs are one of the positions that take the longest to develop. A rookie TE should be added, but we need a vet TE that is further along in their progression to try and compete next season

Possibly a run stopping DT because they aren't overly expensive. Wink wink nudge nudge Danny Shelton
 

Kaiser

Well-Known Member
Messages
16,628
Reaction score
28,430
If Demarcus Lawrence is resigned, I highly doubt there will be any departing players that will garner a deal resulting in a Comp Pick for the 2020 draft. Possibly Beasley, but he needs to be replaced, since we don't really have a replacement (Tavon Austin hasn't been anywhere near productive as Beasley).

Great point on the comp pick. I think Earl Thomas has been a done deal for a long time and Dallas won't spend money just to spend money but there will clearly be value in the FA market.

I think Earl Thomas and Beasley replacement are locks.

Swing tackle will be a veteran salary cap casualty if Flemming isn't resigned.

I'd like to see RB2 upgraded but I don't see any of the FAs that move my needle.

I do see a FA FB signed to upgrade from Olawale.

There are great DEs available but do you bury Randy Gregory, Armstrong and Taco on the bench by using up a ton of cap space?

I think DT is the 2nd or 3rd round pick, not a FA.
 

DFWJC

Well-Known Member
Messages
59,330
Reaction score
48,172
Hard to expect a ton, but you never know.
ET is not out of the question

The last two expensive moves Dallas has made outside the organization have been many years apart

  • 2018--Amari Cooper acquisition (WAS a big and very expensive move...bigger than any FA move they could make this offseason)
  • 2012--Brandon Carr in FA (at the time, near the very top in FA moves)
That's only two big external moves in the last 7 years.

I will say this; some here way undervalue signing you own UDFA. Once they are UDFA, they are no longer your own...they are truly up for grabs.
Anyone (including Dallas) who signs Lawrence will consider it a huge signing.
Would I like to sometimes do more in the FA market than locking down our top guys? Yes. As long as we don't do really dumb contracts that get o many teams into cap hell.

For example, the huge offseason signing last year in the league was Kirk Cousins to the Vikings for a huge amount. Just because its a big splash doesn't mean it's smart. It could still work out for them, but so far, it's been a setback.
 
Last edited:

DCCowboys11

Well-Known Member
Messages
456
Reaction score
958
I truly hope they take your approach.

Love to get Thomas and Gerald McCoy but I doubt both.

I’ll take Thomas, Tyeler Davison, and Chris Hogan as primary outside signings.
Thomas and Gerald McCoy would be outstanding. Just those 2 alone would be a free agency home run and a dream come true. Would have a Super Bowl Defense just adding those 2.
 

xwalker

Well-Known Member
Messages
56,925
Reaction score
64,367
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
If Demarcus Lawrence is resigned, I highly doubt there will be any departing players that will garner a deal resulting in a Comp Pick for the 2020 draft. Possibly Beasley, but he needs to be replaced, since we don't really have a replacement (Tavon Austin hasn't been anywhere near productive as Beasley).

So, why not load up this roster?

In 2020 we have a ton of cap space and a ton of free agents:
La'el Collins
Byron Jones
Maliek Collins
Joe Looney
Xavier Su-a-Filo (he should start at Left Guard to raise his stock value)
Anthony Brown
Antuan Woods

These players could really cash-in during free agency if they have solid 2019 seasons. If so, that means we can load up on Comp picks for the 2021 draft. Maybe a 3rd (Jones or La'el Collins), 4th (Jones or La'el Collins), 5th (Su-a-Filo/Maliek Collins), and a 6th (Looney/Brown/Woods). The front office will have to be extremely stingy next off season if they want to continue to manage the cap conservatively.

Possibly keep a couple of players from that list, but knowing Dak, Lawrence, Cooper, Zeke, and Smith are more than likely getting extensions, it will be tough.

The front office needs to make some noise in free agency this year. They have been conservative enough over the last few seasons to take risks in signing a top free agents.

The Patriots approach is to be opportunistic in terms of free agency and trades.

The Cowboys have done quite well in talent acquisition the past several years while doing a good job managing the cap. They've taken more of the opportunistic approach instead of the old Jerry approach of trying to force the issue by paying Brandon Carr 50M or trading for Galloway/RoyWilliams/etc..

I expect them to negotiate with Earl Thomas but they won't get into a bidding war to get him.

They were interested in DT Sheldon Richardson in the past but he probably ends up getting a big contract.

A big DT like Danny Shelton might be affordable because he was not a starter for the Pats in 2018; however, that only happens if Kris Richard pushes for a big body at DT.

In general it would be good to look at the lower cost positions in free agency and draft the higher cost positions. TE is the lowest cost and run stopping DTs are often reasonable in FA. I would consider those in FA and then be open to the expensive positions like pass rusher and CB in the draft even if they are not big "needs".
 

Ekspozed

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,642
Reaction score
1,996
Jesse James would be an ideal signing for me, with cook as a fallback. IMO with Shultz and Jarwin so young I wouldn’t reach in the draft for a te.

Amos would be amazing pickup as well.
 

T-RO

Well-Known Member
Messages
14,824
Reaction score
16,341
If Demarcus Lawrence is resigned, I highly doubt there will be any departing players that will garner a deal resulting in a Comp Pick for the 2020 draft. Possibly Beasley, but he needs to be replaced, since we don't really have a replacement (Tavon Austin hasn't been anywhere near productive as Beasley).

So, why not load up this roster?

In 2020 we have a ton of cap space and a ton of free agents:
La'el Collins
Byron Jones
Maliek Collins
Joe Looney
Xavier Su-a-Filo (he should start at Left Guard to raise his stock value)
Anthony Brown
Antuan Woods

These players could really cash-in during free agency if they have solid 2019 seasons. If so, that means we can load up on Comp picks for the 2021 draft. Maybe a 3rd (Jones or La'el Collins), 4th (Jones or La'el Collins), 5th (Su-a-Filo/Maliek Collins), and a 6th (Looney/Brown/Woods). The front office will have to be extremely stingy next off season if they want to continue to manage the cap conservatively.

Possibly keep a couple of players from that list, but knowing Dak, Lawrence, Cooper, Zeke, and Smith are more than likely getting extensions, it will be tough.

The front office needs to make some noise in free agency this year. They have been conservative enough over the last few seasons to take risks in signing a top free agents.


I like your thinking ahead to the comp picks for the guys we might release in 2020...but as stated by others here...I don't see us doing much besides our own guys. Maybe one premiere signing if any. I suspect we'll wait to see how far the price drops on Thomas--which it will because of his age.
 

visionary

Well-Known Member
Messages
27,432
Reaction score
31,767
You are just a bitter person.

I mean, what player wouldn't want to play for Dallas? Star on the helmet? Hello?

Hey, even Dak wants to be here
And it's not just because he's an average company man who wants to get paid
 

ColoradoCowboy

Well-Known Member
Messages
785
Reaction score
975
Perfect Year to be active in free agency
You are right. The keys to "being active" are

1. How many high dollar Free Agents you expect to lose.
and
2. How much cap space you have.



So on point #1, you want to maximize your Compensatory draft picks. So if you expect to lose a lot of high dollar guys, then you don't want to sign other high dollar guys so that you get those draft picks in return.

So THIS year, we don't expect to lose a lot of guys, so we will NOT be getting a lot of Comp picks anyway, AND we have cap space. So you are absolutely correct, THIS is the year to spend the cash.
 

Alexander

What's it going to be then, eh?
Messages
62,437
Reaction score
67,220
Does it not get old saying the same thing in every free agent thread?
Not any more old that people dreaming that suddenly we change our organizational direction and getting proven wrong each and every year.
 

QuincyCarterEra

Well-Known Member
Messages
11,324
Reaction score
10,736
Not any more old that people dreaming that suddenly we change our organizational direction and getting proven wrong each and every year.

So they do it every year and you do it every thread of every year?

You're really showing them.
 

CowboysExchange

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,349
Reaction score
557
We need to use Fa for the skilled positions on offense that we suck at Drafting and have the biggest Needs for a day 1 Starters. Our Tes and Wrs are just a hodge podge of subpar non scoring possession receivers. Lol. Our offense is Subpar as a group.

Cooper is just a mid grade level #1wr or a top #2wr. He only had 6 tds for us last year. Hes not even close to a Prime #1wr like Irvin, Dez, or an Antonio Brown. Hes an Elite Route runner but thats about it.

Gallop is a 2 td #2 wr who is producing on paper like a #3wr or #4 wr but everyone is buying into the hype that hes gonna go from 2 tds to 8tds and be effective at moving the sticks. Lol. I dont see any elite route running or receiving skillsets. How clutch is he at moving the chains? Scoring in the red zone? Creating Separarion or Going up for a ball? 2 Tds is SUBPAR NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT IT. Hes not getting any consideration as the #2wr on my part until he produces on paper like one. He hasnt even beat out Twill on paper. Lol. Pump the Brakes w all the Hype because even a 4-5 td per year #2 wr is not that great considering how weak our division is.

Beasley is our #3 wr and he does have elite skillsets even though he is just a possession wr. Best open rate, catch rate, and 3rd down conversion rate on the team for 5 straight years. If his predecessor has a 3rd down spot played #3 wr role like Beasely then hes gonna have the same problems. #3 and #4 wrs arent typically gamechangers but he certainly was on 3rd down.

Our te by committee is talentless on paper and has been a cancer for 5+ years. We've all given up hope on that position and would be happy if we could just replace the old slow ineffective shell of the player that #82 was for 5+ years. If were gonna give up on the position then why not just carry 2 Extra olineman and 2 extra slot guys? It makes no sense to carry 4 tes on the roster when all they produced was 1 td through 15 games playing every passing snap. Theres no elite skilsets as receivers and the blocking is subpar against elite run defenses as always.

We need immediate scoring talent at the #1 or #2 wr position and at Te. We also need some depth at rb if were gonna overtarget Zeke again next year. I would draft 1 and probably sign one to a 1 year deal. Its better than paying a bunch of Fbs and Tes who contribute zeros on paper every week.

This offense isnt gonna break the top 25 when Beasely leaves. Better Go out and get the best #1 wr or te if were expecting to improve the offense. I dont get the mindset of not drafting or aquiring the best skilled players on offense every year. Why on Gods Green Earth are we drafting Slot wrs when we dont even have a potent #1 and #2 tandem yet or a te and those guys play all the snaps. THATS PURE IGNORANCE TO DRAFT A SPOT PLAYER WHEN THERES NO POTENCY AT THE FULL TIME POSITIONS

The only time a Defense is gonna win a SUPERBOWL with these rules is if the Opposing offense lays an egg on offense like the LA RAMS. Lol. Its turned into a flag football league.
 
Last edited:

J12B

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,209
Reaction score
22,227
Not any more old that people dreaming that suddenly we change our organizational direction and getting proven wrong each and every year.

We haven't had this amount of cap space in many years.

2020 there is 120 million cap space
 

Mobinvans

Well-Known Member
Messages
5,244
Reaction score
8,207
Signing our own players every year results in never getting better....who would of thought
 

TheSkaven

Last Man Standing
Messages
7,021
Reaction score
5,775
I know I'm in the minority here but I dont understand all the hand wringing over signing free agents that aren't cowboys.

Right now, DLaw is not on this team for the 2019 season. This team has no major pass rusher. Signing DLaw is signing a free agent, but with the added bonus that he already knows the defense, its coaches, and its players.

I know it's not as exciting as a new hire from another team but signing Dlaw would in fact be signing a high profile free agent at DE.

The reason is simple - the Cowboys were not a Super Bowl team last year. If you believe this team doesn’t need to sign any outside free agents, then you are saying they’re a Super Bowl team this year with last year’s roster plus some late round draft picks.

The Super Bowl IS still the goal, right?
 
Top