As the Cowboys get ready to pay Dak I’ve been thinking. Looking at QB salaries is it possible to build a SB winner with your QB eating 15 plus percent of your cap. When Russel Wilson was on his Rookie deal the Seahawks had one of the most talented teams around should of won two rings. Besides Brady who gives his team a huge discount what veteran QBs are putting championships in the trophy case. Rogers is supposed to be the best in the game where have the Packers been lately and how long ago was that SB. Brees also one of the greats when was his SB he is lucky right now they have hit on a high percentage of picks. I think Peyton was the last big money QB to win a SB and that was cause that D but when it came time to pay the D the Broncos dropped off. I know QB is the most important position on the field but if you can’t afford to put talent around him is he worth it. Only way I see you winning with a vet is if you get lucky and hit on a high percentage of your picks. Once Dak is paid can the Cowboys afford the two LBs, BJ, EE, Cooper and to keep the O-line together? You start shipping them off you have to replace them in the draft and that’s easier said than done. I think owners have gotten carried away and can’t control themselves when it comes to QBs. Kinda reminds me of why the owners wanted a cap have to wonder if we might see a max salary coming in the next CBA to control the spending on QBs. In the current CBA are you better build a great D a strong O-line paying them and steadily drafting QBs so you always have the next man up and are never paying 15 plus percent of the cap to your QB?
So you make a lot of good points. But you can't just make this a zero sum game, where you win the SB and that's the only thing that matters.
Part of team building is putting yourself in a situation where you can compete for a SB every year. The Patriots are a great example of both competing every year and also winning. They have the magic formula that no one can replicate, GOAT Coach & QB.
I have no issue paying the likes of Brees, Russell, Rodgers, Rivers, Peyton, etc. The top level elite QB should be setting the market and guys like Dak, Cousins, Foles should make 10-12 million or some number less.
The ultimate goal of every team is find that franchise guy. Just look at the Cards this year. They got rid of a top 10 pick Rosen for Murray. If Murray turns out to be an elite player, three years from now no one will be saying they should have gotten more for Rosen, or why they got rid of him. Give me Rodgers, Russell at their outrageous salaries over a mediocre run of the mill QB any day of the week... .and twice on Sunday ( too easy)
I also agree that a cheap QB is the biggest advantage in the NFL since 2011 to now. This is why I was so upset for the past two years. We knew we had something in Dak when we were paying him 650K, and we still refused to go all out and try to compete for a SB.
The Eagles have done it, the Bears, the Rams. This is the formula you use when you have the chance.
I would offer Dak a Nick Foles contract as I think he is that kind of player. He is closer to Foles and Cousins ( over paid) than Rodgers, Brady, Wilson. Even a Blind Homer should admit that fact. This is not a jab or diss to Dak. He should know what level of player he is.
He will never have the arm or accuracy of the elite QB's. You can throw all the completion percentage stats you want. I'm sure Dak is more accurate than Troy, but man I watched Troy growing up through high school and college and Dak is not even close to being as precise as Troy was. By no means is Troy even a top ten all time great.
QB's love them or hate them are the engine that drives your team. I would love to see the Cowboys zig while the rest of the league zags on paying QB's. I'm really interested to see what McVay does with Goff, who I think is above average at best. I think McVay can make most QB's looks good in his offense.
I wouldn't pay enormous money to Dak, Goff, Trubisky, Mariotta, Winston. We don't need a Bradford situation with these guys.
The end of the day I think both sides need to be reasonable. 22, 23 million is more than a 20X raise than what Dak is currently making.