So having digested the trade for 24 hours

[My3Sons]

JJ can restructure contracts and kick the can down the road or pretend like we have no cap space.

What do you think he will do???

Don't fall for the banana in the tail pipe.

I have a good grip on the cap. You can kick all the money you want down the road, but the cap hit is still a real thing. Is JJ willing to spend 60 million on 3 players for two positions? Probably. I wouldn't. A good GM has to consider now and the future. Unless, you are in baseball where you can buy WS championships.

 

[My3Sons]

Kenny Clark is guaranteed nothing in 2026. Looks like he will be the odd man out unless Osa gets traded during the offseason.

Correct.

 

[My3Sons]

Comp pick?

Good question. I am not familiar with how the NFL evaluates that. If Dallas cuts him, as his salary next year is not guaranteed, do we get a comp pick if someone signs him? I am guessing no.

 

[Creeper]

What if Pickens does not return?
We will need to wait until 2027 to get that comp pick.

If the Cowboys do not sign Pickens, what a waste of draft picks it will be. But I am pretty sure they will not re-sign him because every game he looks like a star #1 WR his price increases. I just do not see Jerry paying 2 WRs more than $30 million.

But I also think it is unnecessary to have 2 star WRs if you can build the defense into a force.

 

[Bobhaze]

Where I struggle is that this just seems more of the kind of haphazard roster building we see constantly from Jerry. How did he go from telling us in August he really liked our defensive talent assembled and that they were happy with what they added at DT to in a span of two months, making two major trades to fill a clear hole that any sane person knew was a problem when they broke camp.

Syd, good post. I highlighted the sentence that I think is the crux for any Cowboys trade or FA acquisition.

Our FO really struggles with the ability to understand HOW to build a complimentary roster that is constructed from top to bottom. In the past, JJ and SJ have seemed to build their rosters like fantasy football roster construction - find some stars, then fill in the rest of the roster with “affordable” players.

In today’s cap era NFL, if your GM does not know how to strategically construct an entire 53 man roster that compliments its top talent, you are not in position to be a serious contender. This explains the last 30 years.

I like the Quinnen Williams trade a lot. But it’s going to take a lot more overall quality roster construction to get us to the next level.

 

[VaqueroTD]

I see on ESPN the Jets demoted his brother as starting LB. Rumor was the Cowboys tried to bring him in the trade too. If that was the Jets intention all along they were dumb not to try and package him too.

 

[SlammedZero]

They tried to trade for Quinnen in the summer they wouldn’t do it.

Yup, this is what I heard as well over all the podcasts I listen to. Dallas called them up earlier this year, but Jets kept turning them down.....until NY decided to have a fire sale at the end of the trade deadline.

 

[Johannes44]

My understanding is our cap for next year is now filled.

Largely led by the fact that you have grossly overpaid your QB. Also they won't be in any place to actually sign Pickens to a longer contract so maybe the franchise tag for him.

 

[kskboys]

If the Cowboys do not sign Pickens, what a waste of draft picks it will be. But I am pretty sure they will not re-sign him because every game he looks like a star #1 WR his price increases. I just do not see Jerry paying 2 WRs more than $30 million.

But I also think it is unnecessary to have 2 star WRs if you can build the defense into a force.

Wouldn't be so bad if we would simply start drafting route runners instead of tall guys and volume guys from college. How many passes you catch at the college level is irrelevant when you get to the NFL.

 

[kskboys]

Good question. I am not familiar with how the NFL evaluates that. If Dallas cuts him, as his salary next year is not guaranteed, do we get a comp pick if someone signs him? I am guessing no.

Not if you cut him. Has to be a FA.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Williams is a very good DT. We have not had a DT of his caliber in quite a bit of time. Now with Clark and Odi, the Cowboys have a pretty good DT rotation, something many of us have been clamoring for since who knows when.

The cost seems a bit high but it was always going to cost you a premium to get a top notch DT. So while I bristle at the cost, I can at least understand it.

Where I struggle is that this just seems more of the kind of haphazard roster building we see constantly from Jerry. How did he go from telling us in August he really liked our defensive talent assembled and that they were happy with what they added at DT to in a span of two months, making two major trades to fill a clear hole that any sane person knew was a problem when they broke camp. And when he finally realizes what most of us already saw, he's already dug himself a big hole that will be tough to get out from this year. In all reality, as much as I like Williams, we should be probably looking to the future and parlaying these top picks into a rebuild. We made a major trade as if we were a legit contender. We are not. This smells of Jerry overvaluing what he built yet again.

So I guess this is a longwinded way of saying, I still don't how I feel about the trade. LOL.

The trade makes a lot of sense to me if you’re focused on the Dak window. Maybe not as much if you’re hoping for a full rebuild that includes finding a new QB.

Offensively, we’re honestly not that far off. The main issue is the defense and it needs to be flipped fast. That’s why I really like that they dealt the 2027 first instead of one of the 2026s. It keeps gets you help in the near term. Here’s how I see it: in the offseason, you can move guys like Clark, Diggs, and Steele, and cut Wilson, Murray, and Sanborn. That frees up around $40M in cap space and probably nets a few decent 2026 picks. That gives you draft ammo and the money to be active in free agency. You can completely retool this defense in one offseason if you play it right.

The wildcard for me is Eberflus. I am very concerned that Jerry wants to keep him on and I honestly think he was a terrible hire. Thought it before the defense ever played a snap.

 

[kskboys]

I have a good grip on the cap. You can kick all the money you want down the road, but the cap hit is still a real thing. Is JJ willing to spend 60 million on 3 players for two positions? Probably. I wouldn't. A good GM has to consider now and the future. Unless, you are in baseball where you can buy WS championships.

Our GM does not.

 

[kskboys]

Syd, good post. I highlighted the sentence that I think is the crux for any Cowboys trade or FA acquisition.

Our FO really struggles with the ability to understand HOW to build a complimentary roster that is constructed from top to bottom. In the past, JJ and SJ have seemed to build their rosters like fantasy football roster construction - find some stars, then fill in the rest of the roster with “affordable” players.

In today’s cap era NFL, if your GM does not know how to strategically construct an entire 53 man roster that compliments its top talent, you are not in position to be a serious contender. This explains the last 30 years.

I like the Quinnen Williams trade a lot. But it’s going to take a lot more overall quality roster construction to get us to the next level.

Yes, absolutely.

Wilson could be a quite underrated pickup. We desperately need a QB type of MLB, and he appears to fit the bill.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Yup, this is what I heard as well over all the podcasts I listen to. Dallas called them up earlier this year, but Jets kept turning them down.....until NY decided to have a fire sale at the end of the trade deadline.

Yep and honestly probably would’ve cost more in the summer.

 

[TwentyOne]

Williams is a very good DT. We have not had a DT of his caliber in quite a bit of time. Now with Clark and Odi, the Cowboys have a pretty good DT rotation, something many of us have been clamoring for since who knows when.

The cost seems a bit high but it was always going to cost you a premium to get a top notch DT. So while I bristle at the cost, I can at least understand it.

Where I struggle is that this just seems more of the kind of haphazard roster building we see constantly from Jerry. How did he go from telling us in August he really liked our defensive talent assembled and that they were happy with what they added at DT to in a span of two months, making two major trades to fill a clear hole that any sane person knew was a problem when they broke camp. And when he finally realizes what most of us already saw, he's already dug himself a big hole that will be tough to get out from this year. In all reality, as much as I like Williams, we should be probably looking to the future and parlaying these top picks into a rebuild. We made a major trade as if we were a legit contender. We are not. This smells of Jerry overvaluing what he built yet again.

So I guess this is a longwinded way of saying, I still don't how I feel about the trade. LOL.

Williams is a great player. But that was a really bad trade.

We didnt need a player of his caliber and we spent way too much for him.

Jones has no plan. There are many reasons for me to make that assumption. In the end this forces him to react and not act. Whats more he doesnt react quick enough. That wouldnt make the problem disapear but would somehow reduce the implications of it.

But he (or both if them) wait right until the last sec to react. In the end because of that they alway maneuver themself in such bad situations from a negotiation standpoint that they constantly pay the price for it.

 

[Chasing6]

I have a good grip on the cap. You can kick all the money you want down the road, but the cap hit is still a real thing. Is JJ willing to spend 60 million on 3 players for two positions? Probably. I wouldn't. A good GM has to consider now and the future. Unless, you are in baseball where you can buy WS championships.

Hopefully Jerry realizes he has no future.

 

[Chasing6]

Sure, but you have to weigh that against the millions in dead cap you are pushing out to keep him. We are adding cap hit with Williams to go along with even him at 12. Just not sure the cost is worth it but no doubt you can’t have too much talent

There would be zero Dead Cap to keep him. His current contract has zero guarantees.

 

[kskboys]

Williams is a great player. But that was a really bad trade.

We didnt need a player of his caliber and we spent way too much for him.

Jones has no plan. There are many reasons for me to make that assumption. In the end this forces him to react and not act. Whats more he doesnt react quick enough. That wouldnt make the problem disapear but would somehow reduce the implications of it.

But he (or both if them) wait right until the last sec to react. In the end because of that they alway maneuver themself in such bad situations from a negotiation standpoint that they constantly pay the price for it.

What? Why would you say that?

Players of his caliber are what leads to super bowls.

 

[rambo2]

Should have done this 2 years ago instead of waste their time on the Mazi-Schoo draft classes, when they were just a player or two away from going further in Playoffs. Freaking Jerry, always late to the GM party. Now that they stink again, it's going to hurt.

Williams didn't become available until he did.

 

[rambo2]

If the Cowboys do not sign Pickens, what a waste of draft picks it will be. But I am pretty sure they will not re-sign him because every game he looks like a star #1 WR his price increases. I just do not see Jerry paying 2 WRs more than $30 million.

But I also think it is unnecessary to have 2 star WRs if you can build the defense into a force.

They can tag him.