Performance Based Value: Dallas Cowboys

[jobberone]

In this series of pieces, Pro Football Focus is hammering into the value of players. To us it’s a “Performance Based Value” number, telling you what players were worth (by our grading) in 2012. You can read about the work we’ve done to create it here, but in short: • It’s solely about what a player did on the field in 2012
• Players are grouped by positions so their play essentially earns them a portion of the positional salary pool
• It’s all about cap hits (these values are approximate)
Here are 2012′s most undervalued and overvalued Dallas Cowboys:
(* Denotes player missed significant portion of time through injury)


Undervalued
1. Jason Hatcher, Defensive End
Over the past few years Hatcher has been an asset to the Cowboys’ interior line, but in 2012 he stepped his game up to a new level. Someone who just looks at sacks for defensive linemen wouldn’t notice it, as he had five in both 2011 and 2012, but he more than doubled his amount of hurries from 14 to 29, and did the same with his run stops from 11 to 24. While he isn’t quiet in the same conversation with J.J. Watt and Muhammad Wilkerson, he is definitely in the next tier.
2012 Cap Hit: $2.1m
2012 Performance Based Value: $8.9m
Value Differential: +$6.8m


https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/03/01/performance-based-value-dallas-cowboys/

Here you go Zoners. This should stir the pot.

 

[Chuck 54]

Wow...interesting...but I'm not sure that's a logical way for anyone to look at a team. Hard to imagine GMs would go into negotiations that way.

 

[burmafrd]

PFF. meh.

 

[big dog cowboy]

the Cowboys are actually doing a decent job of getting the most out of their players.

There you go. Jerry haters won't like that.

 

[Venger]

There you go. Jerry haters won't like that.

Doug Free would like to post "hello".

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Hatcher was outstanding last year.

I know it's vogue in some circles to label the Cowboy's defensive line as "crap" but the facts do not support that premise.

Between Hatcher and Ware you have two very good defensive linemen.

Ratliff is not "awful". And some of the young guys (Lissmore, Crawford) have shown glimpses.

Yes the line needs more depth but to label it "crap" is nonsense.

 

[burmafrd]

when you have more meh or crap starters then good ones not much else matters.

 

[Eskimo]

It'd be nice to get a short extension done for Hatcher in the offseason. He doesn't have as much wear and tear on the body as most 31 year olds as he rode the bench for much of his career before stepping things up the last two years. There tends not to be a huge market for 32 year old DL and guys like Cullen Jenkins are given the heave ho at the drop of a hat. He still has yet to get a single big payday so the security of getting a decent signing bonus might be enough to get another bargain of a contract.

I'm thinking 3 years, $12M, $4M signing bonus. That would keep him a Dallas Cowboy all the way through the 2016 season assuming he plays out the deal. I could definitely see him playing another 3 years. He is a also mostly a power player and power tends to fade slower.

I think his best position in the new defense is probably LDE. However, to get the best 4 lineman out there it probably makes most sense to put him at the 3-tech and put Crawford in at LDE and Rat at the 1-tech.

So I envision the starting line next year to be:

Crawford Ratliff Hatcher Ware

If we manage to land one of the premium DTs in this draft in the first round (maybe S. Richardson or S. Williiams) then:

Hatcher Ratliff rookie Ware

If we luck out and get a premier DE (Ansah, D. Jones, D Moore) in the draft then:

rookie Ratliff Hatcher Ware

Right now because of the age of Ratliff, Hatcher and the uncertain future of Brent I'd prefer to get a DT. The draft is incredibly deep at DT so I like the chances of a very good one falling to us at #18 this year.

 

[Gameover]

when you have more meh or crap starters then good ones not much else matters.

Those meh or crap starters would look alot better with a real leader under center, the way guys like Gant, Washington, K.Mart, K.Williams, Alvin Harper etc once did.

Great players turn average players into great contributors.