Quiet Rebuild is Happening

[thunderpimp91]

With a better RB, another fat DT, and a real LB, Dallas could be a SB contender. They didn’t need that much. They needed a better run game and a new philosophy up front on defense.

I would agree with that if you dont take into account the players they've let walk. As of right now they're down a starting C, LT, and two CBs plus a rotational DE who got 9 sacks last year in addition to your list.

 

[Big_D]

They have no plan as usual.

I think this is the very sad reality of the situation!

 

[MikeT22]

Upcoming schedule includes:

49ers, Ravens, Bengals, Texans, Lions, Steelers, Browns, eagles x2.

I'm guessing we will be underdogs going into most, if not all of those games.

Yes and it could get ugly in a hurry, primarily because the entire team knows it’s a throwaway season with lame duck coaches and players. Can’t imagine the motivation is going to be too high, especially if things start going south early on. Feels like a potential 2010 in the making.

 

[Landryhat73]

I would agree with that if you dont take into account the players they've let walk. As of right now they're down a starting C, LT, and two CBs plus a rotational DE who got 9 sacks last year in addition to your list.

Realistically they could fill all these needs with what is still available in free agency and the draft for under $30 Million.

 

[Whyjerry]

They are 30 years into a rebuild so may as well keep it going.

 

[kskboys]

We're going to win 12 games again. This is not a rebuild. Not yet anyway. This is there last dance

Are we? So, you haven't been paying attention to our personnel losses, or the gaping holes amongst our starters?

 

[thunderpimp91]

Realistically they could fill all these needs with what is still available in free agency and the draft for under $30 Million.

Yes they could....but the clock is ticking. I agree you dont hit the panic button just yet, but concerned is a very fair feeling for fans right now.

 

[kskboys]

What if he signs an extension but he’s doing it for the other team?

If Dak is traded, it would be a sign and trade, and that would be taken care of in the trade language.

 

[calico]

With a better RB, another fat DT, and a real LB, Dallas could be a SB contender. They didn’t need that much. They needed a better run game and a new philosophy up front on defense.

No they’re not. They need a new o line, qb, and scheme ontop of all that.

 

[CTcowboy203]

A quiet rebuild would mean that the same front office that so many here says is incompetent and never has a plan- is actually formulating a plan and picking a direction.

I don’t think this is that at all. I think they don’t wanna be players in free agency- ever, because you overpay and they won’t, ever.

 

[morasp]

I expected it as soon as DQ left and they hired Zimmer. It will be interesting to see how many of his 12 of 17 defensive draft picks are still here at the start of the season.

2023
Mazi Smith
Overshown
Fehoko
Scott Jr. (two picks)

2022
Williams
Bland
Clark
Ridgeway cut
Harper cut

2021
Parsons
Joseph cut
Odighizuwa
Golston
Wright
Cox cut
Bohanna cut
Mukuamu

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

stop calling it rebuild. It's a strategic rearranging of deck chairs and overall "refresh"

 

[Asklesko]

It's not very quiet. The silence is deafening, in fact.

 

[jterrell]

This is delusion

Thinking you are soft rebuilding with 6 pro bowlers is even grander delusion TBH.

Either you are tanking and tearing it down, finding a way to replace Dalk but keep rolling or keep Dak and rolling.
Only 3 options.

None of those are a soft rebuild.

 

[jterrell]

What if he signs an extension but he’s doing it for the other team?

He can sign a contract to lessen his hit on Dallas and the other team for sure.
Aaron Rodgers did exactly that.

 

[jterrell]

We're going to win 12 games again. This is not a rebuild. Not yet anyway. This is there last dance

Even a large step back is 9 wins.
You aren't drafting a coveted QB from that slot.
You aren't rebuilding.
You are treading water. Could even win a playoff game.

 

[Creeper]

I am not so sure this soft-rebuild is actually a plan as much as they have been forced into it. Why have we not seen a contract extension for CeeDee Lamb? Could it be that CeeDee doesn't want an extension and he wants to test free agency in 2025? Could it be the Cowboys are not willing to pay him top WR money to extend him? For the Cowboys to do anything significant in free agency they need Dak and CeeDee to sign extensions. Sure they can restructure some guys and push money out into the future, but they are already sitting with $56.6 million in dead money in 2025 assuming they designate Gallup a June 1 cut.

Also, this is a bad year for Dallas to look at a soft rebuild. They have their 7 draft picks but two are late 7th round, 2 are comp picks in the 5th and 6th which puts them at the bottom of those rounds, and no 4th round pick. At the rate they are losing free agents, and the rate the are signing them, it looks like they will get 3 or 4 late round picks in 2025. But none of these players are signing big contracts so it is possible they net only 6th or 7th round comp picks - or no comp picks if there are 32 other more highly rated FAs for which teams are awarded comp picks next year. Of course there are other factors involved such as playing time, post season awards etc. that could improve the comp pick designations.

I admit I am only guessing at Dallas's strategy, but it seems to me taking a couple of years to rebuild, soft or otherwise, is just wasting two more years of player such as Zack Martin, Dak and DLaw. Why not trade them if the plan is a soft rebuild? Instead they restructure Martin again pushing $17 million into future years of his deal. IMO, the Cowboys have never had the courage to undergo a soft rebuild correctly. They would never trade players like Martin and DLaw to stockpile picks.

The other thought is maybe we are trying to rationalize front office incompetence by giving it a name.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Thinking you are soft rebuilding with 6 pro bowlers is even grander delusion TBH.

Either you are tanking and tearing it down, finding a way to replace Dalk but keep rolling or keep Dak and rolling.
Only 3 options.

None of those are a soft rebuild.

The fact that you have 7 pro bowl players is exactly why it's considered a soft rebuild....this team isn't going to do a massive overhaul, they're too good right now to commit to 3+ down seasons. But the reality is and we are seeing it again this season is that the Cowboys are not in a great cap space. They seem to be on the path to reset the cap situation and that is the priority. It would be one thing if they were only not getting free agents but they are not resigning their own guys either. This team right now has a ton of top end talent and a lot of lower end players projected to start. Lets see how the next few weeks shake out but right now this team has 8-9 wins written all over it.

 

[JoeKing]

This is no rebuild, this is the tear-down for the rebuild next year.

 

[VaqueroTD]

I wouldn’t call it a rebuild, but I would definitely call it a timely elimination of veteran contracts and coach contracts if needed after another disappointing year. Ownership definitely isn’t doing the current players and coaches any favors though.