Some of the day 2 DT's if the team goes in another direction in rd 1

[gimmesix]

Yes ...Stephon
This offer sounds like Stephen........Stephen! (lol)
Seriously, I agree with the structure but I think it is going to take something closer to $10M guaranteed.

Maybe. I could live with $5 million each year guaranteed. Drop the Pro Bowl and All-Pro incentives back to $1 million each.

We could do a $2.5 million base for each year, with a $5 million signing bonus. That way he gets $7.5 million up front, with the opportunity to turn that first year into $15.5 million. I believe the incentives in this case would be Unlikely to Be Earned, so they would not count toward this year's cap.

We could even add a $2.5 million roster bonus to the second year as an extra incentive. If he doesn't bounce back from his injury, then we let him go with no extra hit in 2026 besides the $5 million.

That may seem like a lot of money to some of our fans (especially those who eat only at all-you-can-eat buffets, so they can make sure they get their money's worth), but it's the cost of doing business in the NFL, where the top receivers are making $30 million-plus AAV.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

I absolutely agree on Graham: If he gets close enough to strike, it's worth it to get a potentially elite player at DT. I don't think he will get close enough, but I'm still leaning toward Nolen at 12 if he's gone. It would be hard for me to pass up Jeanty, though. I could go Jeanty-Collins in the first/second or Nolen-Kaleb Johnson (or Henderson) in the second and be happy (although in this RB strong draft, I'd like to see us take a second one in the sixth, maybe someone like Bhayshul Tuten). I'd also like to see us draft at least one more DT, even if we re-sign Odighizuwa. We "lost" our bargain-bin backups and should make every effort not to have to dig into the bin again.

We have TWO starting free agents ( may not return ) at RB AND DT..........so yea, it would make a lot of sense to double dip both positions but with so many holes to fill, a lot will depend on free agency.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Maybe. I could live with $5 million each year guaranteed. Drop the Pro Bowl and All-Pro incentives back to $1 million each.

We could do a $2.5 million base for each year, with a $5 million signing bonus. That way he gets $7.5 million up front, with the opportunity to turn that first year into $15.5 million. I believe the incentives in this case would be Unlikely to Be Earned, so they would not count toward this year's cap.

+1.......sometimes with players, it's not so much the money ( they have plenty ) but the respect they have given the game. I know lots of fans will roll their eyes it matters with players. The contract is telling his peers what you think of him.........remember the term brotherhood.

 

[gimmesix]

We have TWO starting free agents ( may not return ) at RB AND DT..........so yea, it would make a lot of sense to double dip both positions but with so many holes to fill, a lot will depend on free agency.

I'd like to see us go after Nick Chubb in free agency, because I think his asking price will be a little lower since he had a bad season. However, I'd expect us to bring back Dowdle.

I'd offer Chubb something like three years, $21 million. $9 million of that would be bonus, with a $2 million base for this year ($5 million hit), $4 million base next year ($7 million hit) and $6 million the next year ($9 million hit). I think it will take a similar amount to bring Dowdle back since he had a 1,000-yard season and averaged 4.6 per carry, and I trust Chubb to return to form (no years under 5.0 per carry until last year when he fell to 3.3) more than Dowdle to repeat his success.

Even if I signed Chubb, I'd still prioritize RB in the draft because he is not a long-term solution. Could throw in some incentives on top of the contract numbers to get Chubb here.

So my two offseason additions on offense would be Diggs and Chubb for a $10 million hit for 2025. Yes, they are coming off injuries, but that's the only way we get them that cheap. Yes, there is risk involved, but you negate that some at RB by still adding an RB fairly early. That allows us to not be absolutely wedged, though, into taking a back in the first or second (although I'd still want to take one in the second if the draft fell right).

 

[Cowboyny]

Also, keep in mind, as a rule, even elite DTs aren't going to blow up the stat sheet....more times than not a team selecting one with a high pick is putting pressure on the QB and run defense priorities. The top 4 picks are pretty much locked with Sanders and Ward included, as expected. After that, I'm having a hard time finding more than 2 of the seven teams remaining who would prioritize DT over other needed positions. Remember, as dominant as Carter was, he dropped to 9.......I know there were concerns about his character.

Here's what Dana says about Graham........who he has going to the Jets at 7 ( I'm not sure about that coz already have an ALL-PRO DT)
"He isn't super long, but he will have a high floor in the NFL coz he knows how to deconstruct blocks and be a factor against the run and pass.


Here's Walters Football.....has going to Panther at 8.
( BTW ....I was a huge fan of Walter's site years ago, but it was too painful to navigate. I notice he's cleaned it up quite a bit (lol) )

: In 2024, Graham had 46 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and one pass batted. He was a non-factor in Michigan’s loss to Texas but was phenomenal in a narrow win over USC. Graham plays hard and is tough at the point of attack. He has a bad body composition for the NFL, and that bothers some team sources.

No doubt some teams will be turned off about his arm length, but he offers the best run pass DT in the class with such a high motor

 

[Cowboyny]

I'd like to see us go after Nick Chubb in free agency, because I think his asking price will be a little lower since he had a bad season. However, I'd expect us to bring back Dowdle.

I'd offer Chubb something like three years, $21 million. $9 million of that would be bonus, with a $2 million base for this year ($5 million hit), $4 million base next year ($7 million hit) and $6 million the next year ($9 million hit). I think it will take a similar amount to bring Dowdle back since he had a 1,000-yard season and averaged 4.6 per carry, and I trust Chubb to return to form (no years under 5.0 per carry until last year when he fell to 3.3) more than Dowdle to repeat his success.

Even if I signed Chubb, I'd still prioritize RB in the draft because he is not a long-term solution. Could throw in some incentives on top of the contract numbers to get Chubb here.

So my two offseason additions on offense would be Diggs and Chubb for a $10 million hit for 2025. Yes, they are coming off injuries, but that's the only way we get them that cheap. Yes, there is risk involved, but you negate that some at RB by still adding an RB fairly early. That allows us to not be absolutely wedged, though, into taking a back in the first or second (although I'd still want to take one in the second if the draft fell right).

Problem is with a running back class so deep, you can draft two at a fraction of the cost of signing a fa and get similar production

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Problem is with a running back class so deep, you can draft two at a fraction of the cost of signing a fa and get similar production

This is true, but having a vet in the room for leadership never hurts. I'm keeping my eyes on James Conner. He will be cheap ( less than $5M ), knows Adams, and is a high-character guy who won the battle with cancer.

 

[Cowboyny]

This is true, but having a vet in the room for leadership never hurts. I'm keeping my eyes on James Conner. He will be cheap ( less than $5M ), knows Adams, and is a high-character guy who won the battle with cancer.

Didn’t they just resign him?

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Didn’t they just resign him?

Yes but PFF has him listed as a free agent. I know he signed a 2-year extension before the season started. Perhaps only one year is guaranteed.

 

[kskboys]

Lateral agility, burst, strength. If they don't have it, don't draft until the 5th.

That's what happened w/ Vilami Fehoko. He was a beast in college, why didn't he pan out? Easy answer, lacks lateral agility. Now, why does this matter? Because NFL OL's are beasts, and you must have some moves to get around them. Fehoko is a "straightline athlete". Which means he lacks the ability to make a move on the OL in front of him which means the OL is going to stay in front of him and he's not going to disrupt the O.

Burst: A DT Absolutely must get into the OL at the snap. Why? Because if that OL is able to get low and under the DT's pads, that DT is going nowhere. Must be a cannonball shot out of a cannon at the snap.

Guy who lack these ultra important traits are backups/low level starters.

Why do we miss on this? Because Jerry does not understand drafting and how a player's skillset relates. A lot of the most disruptive DT's are the shorter dudes who are more likely able to maneuver into the backfield. Jerry is obsessed w/ taller pass rushers. Why? Because they are more likely to get their hands into the passing lanes and onto the ball. What Jerry doesn't understand is that this pass tipping just doesn't happen all that often and it is not something you can count on to disrupt. And what's wrong w/ the slimmer pass rushers? They get pushed around and don't disrupt the backfield. Jerry using this one trait to draft is beyond stupid.

 

[cnuball21]

This is true, but having a vet in the room for leadership never hurts. I'm keeping my eyes on James Conner. He will be cheap ( less than $5M ), knows Adams, and is a high-character guy who won the battle with cancer.

This…I can’t assume 2 rookies are just going to be good. If that was the case all of the rookies we liked last year would’ve outperformed Rico…and they didn’t.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

TJ Sanders for me.

 

[J-man]

I love that the class is so deep at DT this year. I hope they double dip. Collins, Lott and Sanders are guys I like in the mid rounds.

 

[Cowboyny]

Yes but PFF has him listed as a free agent. I know he signed a 2-year extension before the season started. Perhaps only one year is guaranteed.

If they just resigned him, don't think they are looking to deal him.

 

[gimmesix]

Problem is with a running back class so deep, you can draft two at a fraction of the cost of signing a fa and get similar production

You can't just count on similar production. If we want to be a successful team, we have to fill our major needs in free agency and use the draft on the best players and let them knock players off the roster instead of having to play because we have nothing better.

If we're going to be a running team, then we need a back that defenses see as a threat. We might get that in the draft or we might miss. Even if we draft Jeanty in the first, there's no guarantee. Someone said that he reminds them of Trent Richardson. I don't agree with the assessment, but Richardson shows that even first-round RBs can fail.

I consider us to have four absolutes that we need to fill in free agency (RB, WR, LB, CB), the two on defense are because of the injuries to Overshown and Diggs. Of course, there could be more needs depending on whether free agents like Odighizuwa and Lewis leave.

If we re-sign our own and fill those spots with quality free agents, then we can let the draft come to us and just try to improve on what we've got. That's how you build a team. Waiting until the draft to fill holes is not.

 

[cnuball21]

You can't just count on similar production. If we want to be a successful team, we have to fill our major needs in free agency and use the draft on the best players and let them knock players off the roster instead of having to play because we have nothing better.

If we're going to be a running team, then we need a back that defenses see as a threat. We might get that in the draft or we might miss. Even if we draft Jeanty in the first, there's no guarantee. Someone said that he reminds them of Trent Richardson. I don't agree with the assessment, but Richardson shows that even first-round RBs can fail.

I consider us to have four absolutes that we need to fill in free agency (RB, WR, LB, CB), the two on defense are because of the injuries to Overshown and Diggs. Of course, there could be more needs depending on whether free agents like Odighizuwa and Lewis leave.

If we re-sign our own and fill those spots with quality free agents, then we can let the draft come to us and just try to improve on what we've got. That's how you build a team. Waiting until the draft to fill holes is not.

Preach brother…I’d just add DT as blinking light need.

Fill those in FA and draft BPA.

 

[Cowboyny]

You can't just count on similar production. If we want to be a successful team, we have to fill our major needs in free agency and use the draft on the best players and let them knock players off the roster instead of having to play because we have nothing better.

If we're going to be a running team, then we need a back that defenses see as a threat. We might get that in the draft or we might miss. Even if we draft Jeanty in the first, there's no guarantee. Someone said that he reminds them of Trent Richardson. I don't agree with the assessment, but Richardson shows that even first-round RBs can fail.

I consider us to have four absolutes that we need to fill in free agency (RB, WR, LB, CB), the two on defense are because of the injuries to Overshown and Diggs. Of course, there could be more needs depending on whether free agents like Odighizuwa and Lewis leave.

If we re-sign our own and fill those spots with quality free agents, then we can let the draft come to us and just try to improve on what we've got. That's how you build a team. Waiting until the draft to fill holes is not.

Biggest weakness on this team remains their inability to stop the run. That has to be the focus, then you add more explosiveness to the offense. Tony Pauline who has been one of the best insiders throughout the years, mentioned the Cowboys were looking to add front 7 run defenders. Which speaks directly to this.

As for running back, yes, there has been a few busts throughout the years, but it is one of the safest positions to draft. The position translates the easiest from the college to the pro level and usually has a little development. With such a deep class, you take multiple shots at your board along with adding a low cost veteran. What is needed this offseason is, changing to more of a modern rushing scheme (Adams), overhauling the RB room and adding a legitimate receiver opposite Lamb so defenses won't stack the box. Makes little sense to sign a high priced RB fa unless another generational type back like Barkley comes available, player like Chubb is damaged goods, where he best years maybe behind him.

 

[gimmesix]

Biggest weakness on this team remains their inability to stop the run. That has to be the focus, then you add more explosiveness to the offense. Tony Pauline who has been one of the best insiders throughout the years, mentioned the Cowboys were looking to add front 7 run defenders. Which speaks directly to this.

As for running back, yes, there has been a few busts throughout the years, but it is one of the safest positions to draft. The position translates the easiest from the college to the pro level and usually has a little development. With such a deep class, you take multiple shots at your board along with adding a low cost veteran. What is needed this offseason is, changing to more of a modern rushing scheme (Adams), overhauling the RB room and adding a legitimate receiver opposite Lamb so defenses won't stack the box. Makes little sense to sign a high priced RB fa unless another generational type back like Barkley comes available, player like Chubb is damaged goods, where he best years maybe behind him.

I don't agree with you. This was essentially our approach to RB last offseason (low-priced vet in Elliott, re-signing Dowdle and late-round draft pick in Vaughn; in fact, we initially signed another low-priced vet). I'd much rather swing for the fences with Chubb. He should be a mid-priced vet. And then spend one of our first three picks on an RB. Load up that position as well.

Like you, I do think we need to focus on front seven defenders with most of our draft picks (and I would draft a DT in the first or if we draft Jeanty, a DT in the second and possibly another in the third), but we cannot neglect the RB position again. Teams that did not neglect it showed the value of having a good one. Not saying Chubb has to be that one, but just that he more fits what this front office is likely to do in FA because he's coming off injury and a down year so he should be cheaper (possibly similar in price to Dowdle). It's possible that Chubb will just re-sign with Cleveland on a prove-it deal, though.

 

[gimmesix]

Preach brother…I’d just add DT as blinking light need.

Fill those in FA and draft BPA.

I think we'll re-sign Odighizuwa, so that's all we do in free agency. I'm afraid doing that also might keep us from addressing DT early, but I absolutely would. In fact, I'd draft two or three instead of bringing back players like Linval Joseph and Carlos Watkins. Addressing RB, WR, CB and LB in free agency would keep us from valuing those spots in the draft more than DT.

My free agency would look something like this: RB Nick Chubb, WR Stefon Diggs, CB Stephon Gilmore, LB EJ Speed (not counting our own guys and trying to be reasonable with what the front office might spend)

My draft, depending on how it falls, of course, would then be:

1st — DT
2nd — RB
3rd — DT
5th — QB
5th — RB
5th — LB
5th — DE
6th — LB
6th — DE
7th — DT

Of course, some of those can be swapped around based on who is available. For example, if we went RB in the first because of Jeanty and DT in the second, I wouldn't be upset with that. We need to fix the line and the running game.

 

[cnuball21]

I think we'll re-sign Odighizuwa, so that's all we do in free agency. I'm afraid doing that also might keep us from addressing DT early, but I absolutely would. In fact, I'd draft two or three instead of bringing back players like Linval Joseph and Carlos Watkins. Addressing RB, WR, CB and LB in free agency would keep us from valuing those spots in the draft more than DT.

My free agency would look something like this: RB Nick Chubb, WR Stefon Diggs, CB Stephon Gilmore, LB EJ Speed (not counting our own guys and trying to be reasonable with what the front office might spend)

My draft, depending on how it falls, of course, would then be:

1st — DT
2nd — RB
3rd — DT
5th — QB
5th — RB
5th — LB
5th — DE
6th — LB
6th — DE
7th — DT

Of course, some of those can be swapped around based on who is available. For example, if we went RB in the first because of Jeanty and DT in the second, I wouldn't be upset with that. We need to fix the line and the running game.

If we resign Osa I’d still try to find a vet run clogger in FA. Not a fan of Chubb due to him aging and coming off injury…Diggs is meh but depends on how he bounces back.

I hate going into a draft targeting positions bc that’s how you miss on top talent.