Rebuild Plan 1001

[xwalker]

I have the following D-Line plus 2 of the top 3 drafts picks are defensive players. Here are the free agents with an explanation of how everything fits under the cap.
It could be different players, but this shows what could be done under the cap. Any input on Free Agents would be helpful because I have not studied many of them. The key is that they must be 28 or younger.
WDE: Ware, keep with pay cut.
DT3-tech: Henry Melton age 27, 5 years, 50M, 1st year cap hit 3.6M
DT1-tech: Linval Joseph age 25, 5 years, 25M, 1st year cap hit 1.8MSDE: Michael Bennett age 28, 5 years, 25M, 1st year cap hit 1.8M

Using http://overthecap.com/calculator/?Team=Cowboys, they have the Cowboys at 21.5M over the cap. My calculations are 18.8M, but I’ll go with their numbers as a worst case scenario.

Get Ware to take a pay cut to 6M and structure his contract for a 2014 cap hit of 6M. That saves 10M.

Savings from Restructures:
Romo 10,128,000
Carr 5,328,000
Witten 3,328,000
Lee 3,728,000
Scandrick 2,128,000
Total Savings from Restructures Above 24.64M

Now we’re at 34.64M saved minus the 21.5M over which results in 13.14M available under the cap.

Austin will be a June 1st cut which frees up an additional 5.5M. I try to replace Orton and Free in training camp. That would save 3.25M and 3.5M respectively.

When Carr signed the 50M contract, the 1st year cap hit was 3.6M. With 13.14M available, they could fit almost 4 contracts like Carr’s under the cap.

I look for some good young free agents with a focus on the Dline.

Michael Bennett has 6.5 sacks as a backup in Seattle. I don’t know if he is a knucklehead like his brother.

Linval Joseph looks a like a solid 1-tech DT and is only 25.

Henry Melton is a star 3-tech DT and is only 27, but is coming off of a season ending injury.

Corey Wooton was Marinelli's SDE in Chicago.

Here is a list of Free Agent DLinemen:

Defensive Ends:
Frostee Rucker ARI
Ronald Talley ARI R
Matt Shaughnessy ARI
Arthur Jones BAL
Greg Hardy CAR
Corey Wootton CHI
Michael Johnson CIN F
Jason Hatcher DAL
Jarius Wynn DAL
Robert Ayers DEN
Shaun Phillips DEN
Willie Young DET
Israel Idonije DET
Ryan Pickett GB
Mike Neal GB
CJ Wilson GB
Johnny Jolly GB
Antonio Smith HOU
Ricardo Mathews IND
Fili Moala IND
Tyson Jackson KC
Jared Allen MIN
Everson Griffen MIN
Justin Tuck NYG
Lamarr Houston OAK
Jason Hunter OAK
Brett Keisel PIT
Ziggy Hood PIT
Michael Bennett SEA
Clinton McDonald SEA
Daniel Te’o-Nesheim TB

4-3 DE / 3-4 OLB:
Brian Orakpo WAS

Defensive Tackles:
Jonathan Babineaux ATL
Peria Jerry ATL
Corey Peters ATL
Terrence Cody BAL
Alan Branch BUF
Alex Carrington BUF
Colin Cole CAR
Landon Cohen CHI
Nate Collins CHI R
Henry Melton CHI F
Mitch Unrein DEN R
Andre Fluellen DET
Earl Mitchell HOU
Terrell McClain HOU R
Aubrayo Franklin IND
Sen’Derrick Marks JAX
Brandon Deaderick JAX
Leger Douzable Jets
Anthony Toribio KC R
Randy Starks MIA F
Paul Soliai MIA
Kevin Williams MIN
Fred Evans MIN
Keyunta Dawson NO
Tom Johnson NO R
Linval Joseph NYG
Shaun Rogers NYG
Mike Patterson NYG
Martin Parker NYG R
Vance Walker OAK
Pat Sims OAK
Daniel Muir OAK
Cedric Thornton PHI R
Al Woods PIT
Cam Thomas SD
Tony McDaniel SEA
Gary Gibson TB
Ropati Pitoitua TEN
Antonio Johnson TEN
Chris Baker WAS
Doug Worthington WAS R

 

[StarBoyz83]

Id want arthur jones

 

[CaptainMorgan]

I dont like any plan where we continue to restructure under performing players and leverage future years.

Ware and carr definately fit into that category. They should be outright released this offseason.

I would also rather release witten this season than kick that can down the road.

Restructure Romo if necessary and then outright release him in 2015.

We must move away from this current core group of high priced players that have and never will compete for a championship!

 

[erod]

Certainly a good plan, but the real is key is to strike gold in the draft. This team needs more young core talent on the line of scrimmage.

 

[Risen Star]

I dont like any plan where we continue to restructure under performing players and leverage future years.

Ware and carr definately fit into that category. They should be outright released this offseason.

I would also rather release witten this season than kick that can down the road.

Restructure Romo if necessary and then outright release him in 2015.

We must move away from this current core group of high priced players that have and never will compete for a championship!

That's really the big decision in the offseason. Do you kick the can further down the road, to use your words, or do you decide this core can't compete and begin cleaning up the cap in a complete rebuild?

If you think this team can contend next year with some additional pieces, you'd have to be for more restructuring and extensions.

I don't. I think it's time we move on and take our lumps.

 

[xwalker]

Id want arthur jones

He is one of the players that I'm curious about. He has 4 sacks in 11 starts as a 3-4 DE. He has the size (6-3, 315) to play the 1-tech DT position in the 4-3. He is 27 years old.

 

[CaptainMorgan]

That's really the isig decision in the offseason. Do you kick the can further down the road, to use your words, or do you decide this core can't compete and begin cleaning up the cap in a complete rebuild?

If you think this team can contend next year with some additional pieces, you'd have to be for more restructuring and extensions.

I don't. I think it's time we move on and take our lumps.

Unfortunately I think jerry will elect to do just the opposite. He Is going to hold on and hope he can win with Romo and company.

The same thing he did in the twilight of Aikman's career.. lets just hope there are no Joey Galloway type trades in our future.

 

[xwalker]

That's really the big decision in the offseason. Do you kick the can further down the road, to use your words, or do you decide this core can't compete and begin cleaning up the cap in a complete rebuild?

If you think this team can contend next year with some additional pieces, you'd have to be for more restructuring and extensions.

I don't. I think it's time we move on and take our lumps.

They can't cut Romo. It's not possible to restructure enough contracts to fit the cap hit of cutting him under the cap.

If you can't cut Romo and he is getting older, you really have to try to win in the 2015/2016 time-frame and worry about the cap when he is gone.

 

[WhizKid]

They can't cut Romo. It's not possible to restructure enough contracts to fit the cap hit of cutting him under the cap.

If you can't cut Romo and he is getting older, you really have to try to win in the 2015/2016 time-frame and worry about the cap when he is gone.

This, and we have to make sure we have a decent QB to take over. Someone not named Ryan Leaf, Drew Bledsoe, Chad Hutchinson, Vinny Testaverde, or Quincy Carter.

 

[burmafrd]

This, and we have to make sure we have a decent QB to take over. Someone not named Ryan Leaf, Drew Bledsoe, Chad Hutchinson, Vinny Testaverde, or Quincy Carter.

If we could get a older QB that played like Bledsoe did in 2005, we would be all right. He was decent that year.

 

[rbr651]

Unfortunately I think jerry will elect to do just the opposite. He Is going to hold on and hope he can win with Romo and company.

The same thing he did in the twilight of Aikman's career.. lets just hope there are no Joey Galloway type trades in our future.

You are assuming that Jerry puts that much thought into actually winning another SB. The DC's are a business and one of the top grossing sports teams in the world, as long as there is money flowing in there's really no reason to make drastic changes, especially when we are getting just as much air time on ESPN losing as we would if we were winning.

I think that rebuilding is a bit extreme, I think the defense should be partially rebuilt, the defensive line and the safeties. Anyone that thinks we wouldn't make a deep run into the playoffs with starting caliber safeties and a few more quality D-lineman is an ignoramus.

 

[Zordon]

We need to pull the cord on this core. They've been losers their entire career.

 

[Picksix]

I dont like any plan where we continue to restructure under performing players and leverage future years.

Ware and carr definately fit into that category. They should be outright released this offseason.

I would also rather release witten this season than kick that can down the road.

Restructure Romo if necessary and then outright release him in 2015.

We must move away from this current core group of high priced players that have and never will compete for a championship!

Ware, yes. Carr? Tough call. Save 12.5 million, but 4.5 in dead money. That's kind of a deep cut. Could make a June 1 cut and spread it out some.

 

[Risen Star]

They can't cut Romo. It's not possible to restructure enough contracts to fit the cap hit of cutting him under the cap.

If you can't cut Romo and he is getting older, you really have to try to win in the 2015/2016 time-frame and worry about the cap when he is gone.

I realize you can't cut him now, but if you're deciding to rebuild and clean up the cap it's going to take multiple years. I'm not sure I'd let Tony Romo be the determining factor of the plan for the future.

 

[Picksix]

We need to pull the cord on this core. They've been losers their entire career.

Actually, the core has been fine. They haven't put any depth around it. That said, yes, I would part with Ware, Witten, and Austin, and spend the next two years building a deeper team.

 

[Mr Cowboy]

I don't follow the draft real closely, but apparently there are quite a few quality quarterbacks coming out. I have seen David Carr's little brother play a couple of times, and if we can get him at our draft slot, sit him behind Romo for a couple of years, while we update our team, we should be good to go.

 

[Eddie]

We are staring at a never ending cycle of 8-8 seasons ... until Romo hits the wall. He will not be able to lead this team to the promised land.

I have no confidence this leadership can improve this team. Same story for almost 20 years.

 

[Brooksey]

I have the following D-Line plus 2 of the top 3 drafts picks are defensive players. Here are the free agents with an explanation of how everything fits under the cap.
It could be different players, but this shows what could be done under the cap. Any input on Free Agents would be helpful because I have not studied many of them. The key is that they must be 28 or younger.
WDE: Ware, keep with pay cut.
DT3-tech: Henry Melton age 27, 5 years, 50M, 1st year cap hit 3.6M
DT1-tech: Linval Joseph age 25, 5 years, 25M, 1st year cap hit 1.8MSDE: Michael Bennett age 28, 5 years, 25M, 1st year cap hit 1.8M

Using http://overthecap.com/calculator/?Team=Cowboys, they have the Cowboys at 21.5M over the cap. My calculations are 18.8M, but I’ll go with their numbers as a worst case scenario.

Get Ware to take a pay cut to 6M and structure his contract for a 2014 cap hit of 6M. That saves 10M.

Savings from Restructures:
Romo 10,128,000
Carr 5,328,000
Witten 3,328,000
Lee 3,728,000
Scandrick 2,128,000
Total Savings from Restructures Above 24.64M

Now we’re at 34.64M saved minus the 21.5M over which results in 13.14M available under the cap.

Austin will be a June 1st cut which frees up an additional 5.5M. I try to replace Orton and Free in training camp. That would save 3.25M and 3.5M respectively.

When Carr signed the 50M contract, the 1st year cap hit was 3.6M. With 13.14M available, they could fit almost 4 contracts like Carr’s under the cap.

I look for some good young free agents with a focus on the Dline.

Michael Bennett has 6.5 sacks as a backup in Seattle. I don’t know if he is a knucklehead like his brother.

Linval Joseph looks a like a solid 1-tech DT and is only 25.

Henry Melton is a star 3-tech DT and is only 27, but is coming off of a season ending injury.

Corey Wooton was Marinelli's SDE in Chicago.

Here is a list of Free Agent DLinemen:

Defensive Ends:
Frostee Rucker ARI
Ronald Talley ARI R
Matt Shaughnessy ARI
Arthur Jones BAL
Greg Hardy CAR
Corey Wootton CHI
Michael Johnson CIN F
Jason Hatcher DAL
Jarius Wynn DAL
Robert Ayers DEN
Shaun Phillips DEN
Willie Young DET
Israel Idonije DET
Ryan Pickett GB
Mike Neal GB
CJ Wilson GB
Johnny Jolly GB
Antonio Smith HOU
Ricardo Mathews IND
Fili Moala IND
Tyson Jackson KC
Jared Allen MIN
Everson Griffen MIN
Justin Tuck NYG
Lamarr Houston OAK
Jason Hunter OAK
Brett Keisel PIT
Ziggy Hood PIT
Michael Bennett SEA
Clinton McDonald SEA
Daniel Te’o-Nesheim TB

4-3 DE / 3-4 OLB:
Brian Orakpo WAS

Defensive Tackles:
Jonathan Babineaux ATL
Peria Jerry ATL
Corey Peters ATL
Terrence Cody BAL
Alan Branch BUF
Alex Carrington BUF
Colin Cole CAR
Landon Cohen CHI
Nate Collins CHI R
Henry Melton CHI F
Mitch Unrein DEN R
Andre Fluellen DET
Earl Mitchell HOU
Terrell McClain HOU R
Aubrayo Franklin IND
Sen’Derrick Marks JAX
Brandon Deaderick JAX
Leger Douzable Jets
Anthony Toribio KC R
Randy Starks MIA F
Paul Soliai MIA
Kevin Williams MIN
Fred Evans MIN
Keyunta Dawson NO
Tom Johnson NO R
Linval Joseph NYG
Shaun Rogers NYG
Mike Patterson NYG
Martin Parker NYG R
Vance Walker OAK
Pat Sims OAK
Daniel Muir OAK
Cedric Thornton PHI R
Al Woods PIT
Cam Thomas SD
Tony McDaniel SEA
Gary Gibson TB
Ropati Pitoitua TEN
Antonio Johnson TEN
Chris Baker WAS


Doug Worthington WAS R

Using your theory to keep everything together until Romo is finished, what would it take under these re-structures and cuts (Miles Austin, K. Orton) to re-sign Anthony Spencer and J. Hatcher? If this were to happen we could go DT early in the draft to start over Hayden and compete with Crawford ( not sold on him). Sign a Free agent FS (J. Byrd type) while we see what Matt Johnson is all about.

With this I would be targeting a DT, OG, DE, OT, LB in the first 5 rds of the Draft.

Can we re-sign Hatcher and Spencer with these moves and add a Veteran Safety, then use our draft picks to to build the rest?

 

[JohnsKey19]

It's time to bite the bullet for 2-3 years and truly rebuild this roster. Unfortunately we'd be wasting the last prime years of a very good QB.

 

[conner01]

I dont like any plan where we continue to restructure under performing players and leverage future years.

Ware and carr definately fit into that category. They should be outright released this offseason.

I would also rather release witten this season than kick that can down the road.

Restructure Romo if necessary and then outright release him in 2015.

We must move away from this current core group of high priced players that have and never will compete for a championship!

you can't release carr, it cost too much