Projecting Doug Free

[Yakuza Rich]

I would think that Collins would be an even better run blocker at RT than Free. I guess it is possible he would suck more than Free at pass protection, based om Free's production last year. But if Free regresses a small amount this year due to his age and waning mobility, that could cause a significant dropoff in pass protection, because Free is just barely getting it done a lot of the time already.

Collins can be a ferocious blocker. His problem has been getting used to stunts in pass pro. If you ever get to re-watch the week 2 against the Skins, his run blocking was excellent.




YR

 

[Stash]

I wouldn't call Free a key player but he did play the third-most snaps on the team, so he probably earned his 2016 salary and would do so in 2017 if that number repeats itself.

How so? He didn't play up to his 2016 pay. How would he be worth $5 million more?

 

[Stash]

He started every game at RT on the single most dominant unit in all of football. You play that many snaps on the best unit in football and yes you are a key starter.

Key = good. Not the weakest link by far on the "single most dominant unit in football." And that's what Doug Free actually is, whether some fans can handle that fact or not. His poor numbers have been shown enough times where nobody has the right to be surprised anymore. He wasn't "above average" or "key" but was, in fact, among the worst at his position.

Time to stop making excuses and look to move on.

 

[Stash]

That's a problem for sure. Pay cut??

Hey, if he wants to drop down to $2 million? I'm fine with him competing or being a backup/swing guy, but his days as a starter are over. Better to realize that now than try to push it for another year I think.

 

[SDCowboy]

I don't get the love Free gets around here.......he is horrible and gets our QBs killed

We already have 2 guys that can replace him in Green and Cleary

Cut him and see that no one signs him...... then you Freeloaders can bring him back as insurance for the minimum

Seriously. This was like me walking into this thread and see all these pro-Free posts suddenly, and wondering where I was...

 

[GhostOfPelluer]

You can think Free was the weakest link to the offense and needs to be upgraded and also think he wasn't the worst player in the world. Completely reasonable.

 

[Nightman]

Seriously. This was like me walking into this thread and see all these pro-Free posts suddenly, and wondering where I was...

very timely and creepy

 

[jobberone]

Hey, if he wants to drop down to $2 million? I'm fine with him competing or being a backup/swing guy, but his days as a starter are over. Better to realize that now than try to push it for another year I think.

I think 4.5 to 5.5 is acceptable. IDK about guarantees. I'd like that to be low and make it a make good contract.

 

[jobberone]

Key = good. Not the weakest link by far on the "single most dominant unit in football." And that's what Doug Free actually is, whether some fans can handle that fact or not. His poor numbers have been shown enough times where nobody has the right to be surprised anymore. He wasn't "above average" or "key" but was, in fact, among the worst at his position.

Time to stop making excuses and look to move on.

Key here means a starter with no one behind him you trust.

Not very often do you get a starting RT for less than 5M a year.

People have been crying and wailing about Free for YEARS and he's still the starter. Maybe they're a tad wrong in their evaluation.

 

[Verdict]

How so? He didn't play up to his 2016 pay. How would he be worth $5 million more?

I don't understand the general way that people think on this board who don't realize that there are many variables that come into play when discussing the worth of a player. Obviously durability is a positive trait as the other poster was suggesting, but it is far from the only variable that comes into player evaluation. One can't just assume because we played that player a lot that he must be a super good player. See: Hayden, Nick a/k/a the golden cock.

 

[Verdict]

I think 4.5 to 5.5 is acceptable. IDK about guarantees. I'd like that to be low and make it a make good contract.

I don't think Free would take a pay cut. Someone might pay him to play for them just because he was on the Cowboys. He is overpaid, but I doubt he takes a pay cut.

 

[Verdict]

Key = good. Not the weakest link by far on the "single most dominant unit in football." And that's what Doug Free actually is, whether some fans can handle that fact or not. His poor numbers have been shown enough times where nobody has the right to be surprised anymore. He wasn't "above average" or "key" but was, in fact, among the worst at his position.

Time to stop making excuses and look to move on.

I see people saying that Free doesn't suck that bad because we need to fix the defense. I agree that we need to fix the defense, but it shouldn't change the evaluation of Free. We really need to upgrade that spot. Green might be an improvement, but is probably better used as the swing tackle who doesn't need to play every down every week. He is an above average swing tackle. I question his durability to be a full time starter and that is important for an offensive lineman.

 

[jobberone]

I don't think Free would take a pay cut. Someone might pay him to play for them just because he was on the Cowboys. He is overpaid, but I doubt he takes a pay cut.

IDK. He has before though. Taking away a couple of million seems like a fair deal to me. His play did fall some whatever the reason. He might go somewhere else for 5+M a year though.

 

[Verdict]

Key here means a starter with no one behind him you trust.

Not very often do you get a starting RT for less than 5M a year.

People have been crying and wailing about Free for YEARS and he's still the starter. Maybe they're a tad wrong in their evaluation.

I agree that $5 million per year isn't an outrageous amount to pay for a right tackle, but it is probably too high for Doug Free. They are really separate issues.

 

[Verdict]

IDK. He has before though. Taking away a couple of million seems like a fair deal to me. His play did fall some whatever the reason. He might go somewhere else for 5+M a year though.

I guess the deciding factor in that decision by Free would depend on what he might get on the open market. Who really knows what that is. Maybe the Jags could pick him up and ignite a Parnell/Free debate and generate some fan interest over there.

 

[Melonfeud]

Free is still a good run blocker. Pass pro-wise, you just never know what Doug Free is going to show up. And we may replace him with somebody better in pass pro, but inferior in run blocking.

I don't know why the team won't consider La'el Collins at RT. I love a lot of his drive blocking and his ability to pull and run, but I would like to keep Leary if we could.




YR

gonna need a big cannon

Isn't that the czar cannon in Russia?

 

[jobberone]

I agree that $5 million per year isn't an outrageous amount to pay for a right tackle, but it is probably too high for Doug Free. They are really separate issues.

Look around the league and see what gets average starting salary. Again the guy is upgradeable but I've said this for years and years and still he remains.

 

[jobberone]

I guess the deciding factor in that decision by Free would depend on what he might get on the open market. Who really knows what that is. Maybe the Jags could pick him up and ignite a Parnell/Free debate and generate some fan interest over there.

LOL. Now wouldn't that be something.

 

[Stash]

Key here means a starter with no one behind him you trust.

Not very often do you get a starting RT for less than 5M a year.

People have been crying and wailing about Free for YEARS and he's still the starter. Maybe they're a tad wrong in their evaluation.

And maybe they're not?

We're not talking about "years" here. We're talking about now. 2016 performance and going forward. Prior to that is past.

 

[GhostOfPelluer]

How so? He didn't play up to his 2016 pay. How would he be worth $5 million more?

I think we've had this discussion before in a round about way. You and I seem to be on different ends of the spectrum when it comes to discussing what players are worth.