RT 2015

[jobberone]

There has been a fair amount of talk about tackle next year so I thought I'd put up the contractual info on our possible right tackles for discussion.


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As you can see Free's contract is expensive. I'm not certain what the Boys will do. I have a difficult time accepting his salary the next two years. The dead money is basically 5 mil now. If you make him a desig Jun 1st cut but 2015's money counts against the cap still. The rest is accelerated into the next year. If you designate him a Jun 1 cut then it will cost you 8mil in 2015 plus prior money on the contract. 2016 accelerates into that year anyway. Reworking his contract which means a pay cut could be their best road.

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Bringing back Parnell depends on his salary demands. I think he has some leverage with the team pending testing the FA market. My guess is he will get some interest. How much money he will cost is unknowable unless he has already discussed this with the club and they have an agreement.

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Bringing back Weems for me is a no-brainer. The team allegedly likes him. He is strong, has good feet, and moves well. He has little leverage in contracts IMO. It all depends on demands and mostly how the club feels about him. Someone else may like him but I'm guessing not a lot early on.

I think we have other options. Martin may be able to move out to RT. The more I see of him the more I like. I'm not certain of his feet though because I've not looked at him play RT. He has the strength and will. He should be able to run block there. That creates a need at G though. Not going there at this time.

The other options are Hill currently a 2nd year out of Miami; 6-5 305. I know little about him. Hawkins is a rookie out of Texas at 6-4 310. I know nothing about him. Next year is Free's 9th and Parnell's 6th. Time flies, huh?

We can always draft a tackle or pick one up in FA including a cut. I wouldn't expect to draft a tackle high although they might pull the trigger if someone they like falls. You never know.

Discuss.

Input. More input.

 

[xwalker]

Those extra years on Free's contract are fake years (automatically voidable) that were added to stretch out money for cap purposes. Any dead-money hits the cap at some point regardless of whether he is on the team or not. It's easiest to just consider him a free agent.

Weems is restricted.

The Cowboys have an OT name Tony Hills that is a 30 year old journeyman from Texas drafted in 2008.

Hawkins is listed at OT, but they might consider him an OG. Obviously, like Weems in 2013, they like him enough to keep him on the 53 all season despite being inactive for all games.

I have no idea what kind of offers Free and Parnell would get in free agency. Parnell is playing at a similar level to Free but Parnell has 4 career starts compared to about 80 for Free. Parnell is likely to get even better while Free is 30 and has had 2 separate injuries this season which could be a sign that he is on the decline. Free will have problems if he has any decline in physical ability. Larry Allen could have declined 50% and still been able to play in the NFL. If Free declines 2% he's probably toast.

I'm certain that 1 of Free or Parnell will be re-signed and 1 will be gone. That makes the swing tackle the big question mark. How confident are they with Weems? Obviously, Hawkins has a ways to go because they signed and kept a 30 year old journeyman over having him as the swing tackle. It guess they can bring Hills to camp and at worse case have him as the swing tackle. He's already been the swing tackle for 4 games this season.

 

[jobberone]

The DC roster has him as 2nd year. Then it shows him as 30 and 2nd year. But you're right. He's 30 and he's in his 6th year of playing. He didn't play in 2013 although cut by the Bills and Raiders. He's on his 5th team not counting the Bills or Raiders. He suffered nerve damage in 2003 in his left knee which was reconstructed. He's the definition of a JAG but I have no idea if he can play.

Weems is restricted but his salary was 570K this year. You think he'll go some place else? My guess is he will be resigned although that's not a gimmee at all.

 

[Kaiser]

I'm certain that 1 of Free or Parnell will be re-signed and 1 will be gone. That makes the swing tackle the big question mark.

I agree but I think Weems is the swing tackle next year, they have invested a lot of development time and money in him.

The issue with Free isn't the dollars on his current voidable years, it is what he can get on the open market. Coming off a good year (playing next to two Pro Bowlers) and looking at his last big payday, he is going to look for a pay raise. I doubt the Cowboys would bring him back at his current salary of 3.5MM much less give him a pay raise, so I've always thought he would be gone after this year.

If the team thinks Parnell is the answer (and I think they do) they will resign him to a multiyear deal that is generally incentive based with roster bonuses, etc. They have done it with other players like Church and Scandrick and they will structure the deal so they aren't on the hook for a big cap hit if Parnell is injured or his play drops off.

 

[Bluefin]

Doug Free's contract is currently written to void following this season.

This was done when the RT agreed to taking a pay cut last year.

I'm open to retaining Free if he will re-work the final two years by dropping the base salaries to $4M in each season.

If Free hits the open market, I let him walk, I don't want to give him a new contract with a new signing bonus.

I'd prefer to keep Jermey Parnell over Free moving forward.

It's difficult to guess what Parnell might command as a free agent, but I feel the team will attempt to lock him or Free up prior to that.

I'd offer Parnell a 5 year contract with a $5M signing bonus and a total value of $21.5M.

2015: $1M base (guaranteed), $1M signing bonus proration = $2M cap number
2016: $2M base, $1M signing bonus proration = $3M cap number
2017: $4M base, $1M signing bonus proration = $5M cap number
2018: $4.5M base, $1M signing bonus proration = $5.5M cap number
2019: $5M base, $1M signing bonus proration = 6M cap number

Darrion Weems should be an exclusive rights free agent.

Weems was only on the roster for the last 4 games in 2012, players need 6 games at full pay in order to accrue a season of service for free agency.

He was on the roster all of 2013, that was his first accrued season. Weems was on the active roster for two games this season before going on injured reserve. Undrafted players like Weems typically have splits in their contracts to protect teams in case they go on injured reserve and they don't get paid a full salary.

I expect Weems' contract had a split, but haven't been able to verify my suspicion.

Regardless, based on not accruing a season as a rookie, Weems should be an exclusive rights free agent this off-season. If there was a split in the contract, he will also be an exclusive rights free agent in 2016. If their wasn't a split and Weems stayed on IR this season at full pay, he will be a restricted free agent in 2016.

 

[JohnsKey19]

There are many starting OTs who either can't play or just stealing money. Free IMO has done enough in the past 2 seasons to show he is a good starting OT and those guys usually get good money in free agency. If he's looking for a payday, which he should, he will have enough suitors on the open market.

I think they resign Parnell to a fair deal. If Weems isn't ready to be the swing tackle by 2015, it's time for the team to move on. Hopefully he is. I would draft depth in the first 4 rounds either at OG or OT knowing Martin can swing out to RT in an emergency.

 

[DandyDon1722]

I agree with everything Bluefin says. I just believe we cannot justify an early round pick on the position the way the team grades out on the other side of the ball

 

[AbeBeta]

If Free will play for the 3.5 mill he presently makes we should go another 2 years. He is the leader of that group.

 

[JohnsKey19]

If Free will play for the 3.5 mill he presently makes we should go another 2 years. He is the leader of that group.

Yeah but why should he if he can very likely get more from other teams? I'm thinking he can get at least 6 per year for 3 seasons.

 

[LatinMind]

If Free will play for the 3.5 mill he presently makes we should go another 2 years. He is the leader of that group.

Free is only 30, he has another 4 yrs easy in him. His down yrs was basically because Dallas had trash next to him. Remember Dallas switched him from Rt to LT and back to RT. Gurode had the same problems when parcells kept moving him every yr. Free is one of the best RTs in football.

 

[Kaiser]

Free is only 30, he has another 4 yrs easy in him. His down yrs was basically because Dallas had trash next to him.

Free got destroyed in a bunch of 2012 one on one matchups. Free has improved by leaps and bounds over 2012 but the problem that year was the fault of Doug Free. The players around him didn't help (like they are this year) but its an overstatement to say none of his problems that year were his own.

Also I don't agree that Free is the best RT in football but he has the highest base salary in football and the second highest cap hit. For that salary he should be the best if he is earning his paycheck.

 

[LatinMind]

Free got destroyed in a bunch of 2012 one on one matchups. Free has improved by leaps and bounds over 2012 but the problem that year was the fault of Doug Free. The players around him didn't help (like they are this year) but its an overstatement to say none of his problems that year were his own.

Free is ranked 2nd in the NFL in Adjusted Line Yards at 4.87 yrds a run. 4.54 running behind Tyron Smith and 4.13 running up the gut. Thats the kind of success Free has had this yr.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol

 

[Kaiser]

Free is ranked 2nd in the NFL in Adjusted Line Yards at 4.87 yrds a run. 4.54 running behind Tyron Smith and 4.13 running up the gut. Thats the kind of success Free has had this yr.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol

Yards per rush is impacted by the ball carrier being Murray, by the passing game the Cowboys have and by the two Pro Bowlers playing next to him. Free has been above average this year but if he was on an average team, he would have been decidedly average.

Also 2014 stats don't explain the terrible year Free had in 2012.

 

[Eskimo]

Free is only 30, he has another 4 yrs easy in him. His down yrs was basically because Dallas had trash next to him. Remember Dallas switched him from Rt to LT and back to RT. Gurode had the same problems when parcells kept moving him every yr. Free is one of the best RTs in football.

Free has played well but he will turn 31 next year and many players fall off of a cliff at this age. Our last good OL hit this wall around 2008 when many hit 30 and we were very lackadaisical about it as an organization and give big contracts to Bigg Davis, Colombo, Gurode and Flo because Jerry was afraid of missing on OL in the draft. Then father time showed up and the party was over as demonstrated in that loss to Minnesota in 2009 playoffs.

Parnell is close to Free right now but younger, has more upside that will be gained from in-game experience and has very little mileage on his body because he didn't really even play football in college and has only had a few starts in his career.

The interesting thing about Parnell is this guy just doesn't allow sacks. Look at all the games he played and no one can go through him and his arms are so long they have a hard time getting around him. In the running game he can be punishing at the point of attack but needs more experience in working with his fellow blockers to get things cleaned up on the second level. He does however have excellent athleticism and I think he can improve if given the reps.

I have always been a big Free fan (outside of 2012) but I really think getting dinged up this year is enough to scare me off an extension. The problem with the extension isn't just the money but it also means we are probably giving up Parnell and we have no viable swing tackle. If the injury problems become a trend we could be in real bind next year.

The FO has been smart the last several years about not paying age. You give big extensions only to young guys (age < 28) and you get real careful about having much dead money in anyone over age 31 (except QBs). We should follow that trend here again and not get caught up in paying for past performance again.

 

[TrailBlazer]

Restructure him. Bring him back. He's the best RT we got. If he will take a pay cut, that's what we should do.

 

[LatinMind]

Yards per rush is impacted by the ball carrier being Murray, by the passing game the Cowboys have and by the two Pro Bowlers playing next to him. Free has been above average this year but if he was on an average team, he would have been decidedly average.

Also 2014 stats don't explain the terrible year Free had in 2012.

The whole OL was bad that yr. Even the 100mil dollar man in Tyron who got abused that yr. Didnt help that Dallas had Livings, Cook and Mack starting inside. Which was horrible

 

[Bluefin]

Yeah but why should he if he can very likely get more from other teams? I'm thinking he can get at least 6 per year for 3 seasons.

It's a decision Doug Free will have to make.

Does he want to hit the open market and take the best deal offered or is staying in Dallas important enough to him that he will take a home team discount to do so?

 

[Kaiser]

The whole OL was bad that yr. Even the 100mil dollar man in Tyron who got abused that yr. Didnt help that Dallas had Livings, Cook and Mack starting inside. Which was horrible

That OL was bad, including Free. I think you are forgetting all the one on one plays where pass rushers went straight through him to the QB. He also lead the NFL in penalties by a lineman that year.

Tyron Smith was 21 years old and playing LT for the first time, and wasn't "abused". If Free's issues in 2012 were all about the players around him (like you are claiming) he wouldn't have accepted a pay cut of 10+ Million dollars. He would have taken his release and made more more elsewhere.

 

[JBell]

Free's problem has never been his run blocking. It's been those drive killing beatings he's taken in pass protection.

Small sample size, but you gotta like what you've seen from Parnell thus far.

Gonna be interesting to see what they both get.

Some contracts that last year's Free Agent OT's landed:

Zach Strief (31) - 4 years / 20 mil., 8.4 guaranteed

Michael Oher (28) - 4 years / 20 mil., 9.35 guaranteed

Austin Howard (27) - 5 years / 30 mil, 10.8 guaranteed

Rodger Saffold (26) - 5 years / 31.35 mil, 19.5 guaranteed

Anthony Collins (29) - 5 years / 30 mil, 9 guaranteed

Breno Giacomini (29) - 4 years / 18 mil, 7 guaranteed

Not including Veldheer, Monroe or Albert's #'s since they are all LT's and Free/Parnell aren't in the same class as those guys.

Howard and Saffold were both Tackles that got signed to play Guard. But I think this gives us a pretty good estimate as far as the types of contracts Free/Parnell will command. A few of them compare favorably to Free as far as experience and age goes. Austin Howard might be a pretty good comparison for Parnell since they both were undrafted and similar in age, although Howard had two seasons of starting experience under his belt by the time he hit free agency. I'd like to think Parnell won't cost that much, but with the exposure this OL has been getting, who knows.

 

[jobberone]

Doug Free's contract is currently written to void following this season.

This was done when the RT agreed to taking a pay cut last year.

I'm open to retaining Free if he will re-work the final two years by dropping the base salaries to $4M in each season.

If Free hits the open market, I let him walk, I don't want to give him a new contract with a new signing bonus.

I'd prefer to keep Jermey Parnell over Free moving forward.

It's difficult to guess what Parnell might command as a free agent, but I feel the team will attempt to lock him or Free up prior to that.

I'd offer Parnell a 5 year contract with a $5M signing bonus and a total value of $21.5M.

2015: $1M base (guaranteed), $1M signing bonus proration = $2M cap number
2016: $2M base, $1M signing bonus proration = $3M cap number
2017: $4M base, $1M signing bonus proration = $5M cap number
2018: $4.5M base, $1M signing bonus proration = $5.5M cap number
2019: $5M base, $1M signing bonus proration = 6M cap number

Darrion Weems should be an exclusive rights free agent.

Weems was only on the roster for the last 4 games in 2012, players need 6 games at full pay in order to accrue a season of service for free agency.

He was on the roster all of 2013, that was his first accrued season. Weems was on the active roster for two games this season before going on injured reserve. Undrafted players like Weems typically have splits in their contracts to protect teams in case they go on injured reserve and they don't get paid a full salary.

I expect Weems' contract had a split, but haven't been able to verify my suspicion.

Regardless, based on not accruing a season as a rookie, Weems should be an exclusive rights free agent this off-season. If there was a split in the contract, he will also be an exclusive rights free agent in 2016. If their wasn't a split and Weems stayed on IR this season at full pay, he will be a restricted free agent in 2016.

I've seen a figure of $70,000 out there but that seems awfully low to me. Not sure I believe it. Saw it and moved on.

If you want Parnell to start at RT then you're going to have to pay him. My guess is someone will although that's not certain and how much is way up in the air. You might keep him with a make good first year voidable contract with some guaranteed money up front. Say 2-3mil year one. I'm not that good with this stuff so I can only post as marginally informed or just put the data up there from reputable sources. The top RT salary is 7mil and 25th is 1.2mil. He's making roughly 1.35mil this year. My guess is he'll get offered 3-4mil+ a year somewhere.