Sean Lee realistic analysis

[Verdict]

What is Sean Lee NOW? Is he the stud player that didn't play well because of some odd reason last year and who will rebound in a big way in 2019 or is he done?

That's a huge question that the Cowboys need to get right. I think there is more risk to the Cowboys in assuming that he will rebound than to assume he won't.

If we assume he won't, someone who needs linebacker help will probably be willing to take a risk on him and give us something in return for him. If he rebounds it doesn't really matter because he shouldn't get any real PT this year here unless Jaylon or LVE is injured.

If we keep him and pay him, and he doesn't play well, it costs us his cap hit AND more importantly it costs us quality play needed in a back up role.

I don't know what the correct play is on this one, as it could go either way, but I hope the team gets it right. I would err toward the pick. But if he stays there is no way he is seeing his full salary this year if I'm Jerry.

 

[Blackthorn]

Ok, my take:

• Sean Lee was a dang warrior for years, gave his heart and soul to the team.
• He prepares through film study and working out as good as anyone.
• According to Jaylon Smith and Wolf Hunter, Sean Lee has been the biggest factor in helping there development.
• His leadership is real.

In reality:
His body has giving-up on him. I know that is mentally tough but father-time gets all of us. My body feels it everyday.

Who are you taking off the field?
The team plays in the nickel virtually the whole game.
Sean Lee did not look crisp against the Rams.
Would he sign for veteran minimum?
Dallas is going younger.
Lee does not have the speed or durability as the younger men.
I love some Sean Lee....

Reality for injury. 53.1%

 

[Doomsday101]

Lee has one year left on his contract and is scheduled to make $7 million next season. He said if the Cowboys want him back he understands it will be as a reserve. He left the door open to a pay cut for his diminished role, saying if he does decide to continue his career it won't be driven by money.

"I'm going to take a month, travel a little bit with the wife, see how I feel," said Lee, who turns 33 in July. "A month or two down the line I'll figure out where I'm at."

 

[J12B]

He's done.

 

[Doomsday101]

With 1 year left on his deal if he is willing to lower this pay I would be willing to let him finish his career in Dallas.

 

[ItzKelz]

What is Sean Lee NOW? Is he the stud player that didn't play well because of some odd reason last year and who will rebound in a big way in 2019 or is he done?

That's a huge question that the Cowboys need to get right. I think there is more risk to the Cowboys in assuming that he will rebound than to assume he won't.

If we assume he won't, someone who needs linebacker help will probably be willing to take a risk on him and give us something in return for him. If he rebounds it doesn't really matter because he shouldn't get any real PT this year here unless Jaylon or LVE is injured.

If we keep him and pay him, and he doesn't play well, it costs us his cap hit AND more importantly it costs us quality play needed in a back up role.

I don't know what the correct play is on this one, as it could go either way, but I hope the team gets it right. I would err toward the pick. But if he stays there is no way he is seeing his full salary this year if I'm Jerry.

I didn't realize he did not play well. In fact Im pretty confident that he did play well when he was healthy. Sean has the same concerns as he has had from day 1.......injuries. May be the reason he is not on the roster next season.

 

[Prime21]

His only real value is as a leader and player coach. If he takes a pay cut then fine. Cutting him opens up some good cap space that we desperately need.

 

[Runwildboys]

Ok, my take.

• Sean Lee was a dang warrior for years, gave his heart and soul to the team.
• He prepares through film study and working out as good as anyone.
• According to Jaylon Smith and Wolf Hunter, Sean Lee has been the biggest factor in helping there development.
• His leadership is real.

In reality:
His body has giving-up on him. I know that is mentally tough but father-time gets all of us. My body feels it everyday.

Who are you taking off the field?
The team plays in the nickel virtually the whole game.
Sean Lee did not look crisp against the Rams.
Would he sign for veteran minimum?
Dallas is going younger.
Lee does not have the speed or durability as the younger men.
I love some Sean Lee....

I may be mistaken, but I remember Lee looking considerably better against the Rams than pretty much anyone else on the defense, including LVE and Jaylon.

 

[Ranched]

He's done.

 

[SSoup]

I mean, it's not that common we have more than 2 LBs on the field and he's no longer one of our best two linebackers (and even if he bounces back and is marginally better than one of the two kids, is he appreciably better than Smith and or LVE to justify stopping their progress by giving him their snaps?). So he's effectively a backup LB for us at this point and we're paying him 7-10 million for that. If we were a 3-4 defense and he was a pass-rushing OLB who still had the chops to be a big sack guy, I guess I could see paying for that luxury of having a great pass-rusher on the shelf ready to be deployed.

But paying 7 million for a backup 43 LB seems hilariously unwise to me. I'd much sooner take that money and devote it to the d-line or the secondary (whether it's in the form of re-signing a key piece or adding a new piece), since those are much more important parts of a defense in today's NFL. 4-3 linebackers, especially starting at your 3rd LB on down, just aren't that hard to find or valuable to have to justify spending 7 million on it, compared to pass-rushing linemen or pass-coverage players in the secondary.

Given Lee's age and expense and injury history, I dunno if anyone offers up much in trade. Our best chance at a decent draft pick might be if we basically bet on Lee and convince someone to make a conditional trade, where we have to wait an extra year for our pick... but the pick has a chance of being higher if Lee helps their defense have a good year.

Or: If there was a team out there who has their own version of Lee except at a different position, an aging vet making more than they want to pay at that position anymore, maybe we could swap bad contracts? I wouldn't mind bringing in a Sean Lee type at a position of need instead of a position where we're all set. Like a slightly overpaid safety or d-lineman or TE who is only a year or two removed from having been a really fine player? I don't know who that would be, just thinking out loud.

 

[CowboysExchange]

Hes still good against the run he just cant keep up w the tes when they are passing. I would sign him for the right price on a one year deal for insurance. But Late in the season before the trade deadline one of those cold weather teams will need a run stopper. Just dont use him this year if they have a fast te and make him look bad and maybe we can get a pick. Lol.

Great run stopper. But never was that great in coverage anyways. Ive never been been a fan of Lee because of that but hes made a big impact as a run stopper. He is probably a better 3rd lb than what we currently have.

We have 3 wrs, a fb, a rb, and 3 tes who arent that great and We have too many warm bodies in the skilled positions that need upgrades. They need replaced more than our defense. The defense is ran pretty good with rotation etc. Whomever is running the offensive side of the ball is who needs the firing squad.

 

[northerncowboynation]

Take a pay cut and he stays. For $7 mill no way. We said bye bye Dez, it isn't that hard. I like the player and admire the person. Will admire him even more if he takes a cut in pay scale, otherwise he's just Dez

 

[cern]

He would only be a progress stopper at this point.

 

[Techsass]

I've been a big fan of Lee's for a long time now. His injuries have always been a frustration, but I've been willing to live with it. It's probably because for years he was our only stud on defense. Our defense is what's had me the most pessimistic about the team's chances because usually the offense was clicking.

I don't want to insult him with a vet minimum deal, but I think he would take a pay cut. Didn't he sit out a final game a few years back that cost him a million or two? Yeah he was hurt, but he could've still played & got the money - and they would've let him.

I hope they work something out & he finishes up as a Cowboy. Some players earn a bit more leeway than just a straight up cost/benefit analysis.

 

[nobody]

He would only be a progress stopper at this point.

If he takes a pay cut and agrees to back up instead of start while he coaches the younger guys that isn't a progress stopper. It's a win-win. Keeping him under other circumstances is the progress stopper.

 

[Tangle_Foot]

I'm torn between keeping him at a reduced rate or just moving on from him, his injury history has been so bad that is quite possible his body won't even hold up to 15 snaps the game. I don't think it's a stretch for him to be inactive five or six games this season due to injury, even with a smaller workload.

 

[Bullflop]

If it were strictly up to me, I'd be real tempted to sincerely apologize to Lee before sending him packing.

However, with Jerry being both a fan and a soft touch for his players, he might well see fit to retain him.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

He didnt play poorly last year. He was on pace for 22!!! tackles in a game last year that he also had a half sack and a QB hit and was by far our best LB in the Rams game.

I have no idea where this false narrative is comi in g from outside of two uncharacteristic games.

 

[Whyjerry]

I may be mistaken, but I remember Lee looking considerably better against the Rams than pretty much anyone else on the defense, including LVE and Jaylon.

Agree. If they can lower the comp and get him thinking about being a bit player rather than a starter why would they not bring him back?

 

[T-RO]

In fact Im pretty confident that he did play well when he was healthy.

I’m the biggest Lee fan around, but no he didn’t play well. If you doubt that consider how little coaches chose to play him down the stretch and in the playoffs...and consider PFF’s score—which was a mere 57.6.

I saw early in the season...wow, what happened to Sean?!