Spending 25 Million on running backs next year?

[Cowboys5217]

There's no stinking way we can invest that much in the RB position, but we like our guys so that is probably what will happen.

 

[John813]

Cap hit for a specific season is not the issue. They manage the cap on a multi-year basis, not each year in isolation.

If the Tag is 10M then the actual cost and impact on the overall multi-year cap accounting is 10M if Pollard tagged and Zeke cut.

Any additional cap hit over 10M in 2022 is for money already spent. It is not relevant to the decision unless they have no flexibility to restructure other contracts which has only happened 1 year for the Cowboys in the past 20 years.

It is when there's cap rollover and that affects the next years cap.

Sure, the team looks ahead when designing contracts. They build in restructure triggers to adjust the future cap hits as they see fit.

This team always at least sells the fanbase they are in a win now mode. I think Jerry truly believes each year they have a good shot, and he's in his 80's. 22mil of cap space eaten on a position that doesn't need highly paid players isn't a winning formula. If he wants to see one won now, it's better to minimize cap hits for newly signed players via long term deals for 2023 than take up 10mil on a franchise tag, impacting who they can re-sign/sign.

On your 2nd and 3rd lines are you implying that they have Pollard at 10mil in 2024 as well?

My mindset is this, if they want Pollard long term, they should get a long term deal done as soon as possible. Delaying contracts with a growing cap never benefits the team unless the player declines in that tag/contract year and the team gets lucky.
They gave Cooper a 5 year 100mil contract, which at the time was a top 5 contract AAV wise. Cap wise, they paid him 12mil in 20, 22mil in 21 and 6(dead) mil in 22. 3 years here and the cap was only impacted by only 40 mil over those three years.
It makes no sense to play players on the tag unless there's a huge discrepancy on their worth/the team is shaky on keeping them long term. Dallas did that with Dak, and they ended up paying him millions more the following year.


The tag for Tight end was 10.9mil last year. Now, the top 5 AAV for TE's has grown from 17mil to 14mil at the bottom 5. So, the tag for 2023 for a TE is now ~14.91mil for first time TE getting the tag.

 

[MyFairLady]

Zeke is gone and quickly forgotten. Pollard should be offered 24 million over 3 years at the absolute max. If that doesn't get it done find a reasonable free agent alternative. Draft some one in round 3, 4 or 5. Draft two if there are good ones available that you like.

 

[beware_d-ware]

Dameon Pierce and Brian Robinson were 3rd rounders last year. Draft an RB like that and I am a happy man.

 

[xwalker]

It is when there's cap rollover and that affects the next years cap.

Sure, the team looks ahead when designing contracts. They build in restructure triggers to adjust the future cap hits as they see fit.

This team always at least sells the fanbase they are in a win now mode. I think Jerry truly believes each year they have a good shot, and he's in his 80's. 22mil of cap space eaten on a position that doesn't need highly paid players isn't a winning formula. If he wants to see one won now, it's better to minimize cap hits for newly signed players via long term deals for 2023 than take up 10mil on a franchise tag, impacting who they can re-sign/sign.

On your 2nd and 3rd lines are you implying that they have Pollard at 10mil in 2024 as well?

My mindset is this, if they want Pollard long term, they should get a long term deal done as soon as possible. Delaying contracts with a growing cap never benefits the team unless the player declines in that tag/contract year and the team gets lucky.
They gave Cooper a 5 year 100mil contract, which at the time was a top 5 contract AAV wise. Cap wise, they paid him 12mil in 20, 22mil in 21 and 6(dead) mil in 22. 3 years here and the cap was only impacted by only 40 mil over those three years.
It makes no sense to play players on the tag unless there's a huge discrepancy on their worth/the team is shaky on keeping them long term. Dallas did that with Dak, and they ended up paying him millions more the following year.


The tag for Tight end was 10.9mil last year. Now, the top 5 AAV for TE's has grown from 17mil to 14mil at the bottom 5. So, the tag for 2023 for a TE is now ~14.91mil for first time TE getting the tag.

Are you new here? Do you really want to debate the salary cap with me?

Good teams manage the cap based on the average over multople years that they spend on a position. There will be high and low years for each position but they average spent on all players must match the average of the NFL cap amount over the same time period.

The tag for Pollard is a great option.
- They get to see how he handles being the true #1 RB
- They get another year to draft and develop another RB.

The Cowboys paid Cooper a total of 40M on the new contract. He played 2 years on that contract. That's 20M which is exactly the average value of the contract when signed.

The WR tags in 2020 and 2021 were approximately 17.5M and 18.5M.
They could have franchised him twice for less than 40M total.
2020: 17.5M
2021: 17.5M + 3.5M

Total = 38.5M

Most multi-year contracts cost far more than their average if the team's dumps them after only 2 years on the contract.

 

[John813]

Are you new here? Do you really want to debate the salary cap with me?

Good teams manage the cap based on the average over multiple years that they spend on a position. There will be high and low years for each position but they average spent on all players must match the average of the NFL cap amount over the same time period.

The tag for Pollard is a great option.
- They get to see how he handles being the true #1 RB
- They get another year to draft and develop another RB.

The Cowboys paid Cooper a total of 40M on the new contract. He played 2 years on that contract. That's 20M which is exactly the average value of the contract when signed.

The WR tags in 2020 and 2021 were approximately 17.5M and 18.5M.
They could have franchised him twice for less than 40M total.
2020: 17.5M
2021: 17.5M + 3.5M

Total = 38.5M

Most multi-year contracts cost far more than their average if the team's dumps them after only 2 years on the contract.

Get off your high horse. It's a conversation.
Post up your exquisite NFL resume since I should of known not to "debate" cap with you.I truly like you as a poster, but c'mon man.

In regards to Cooper, I brought it up regarding cap hits. Cowboys cap hits for Cooper was 40 million over 3 years, as he was cut this past offseason. No one cares about salary except owners writing the check.
Year 1 was 12mil, year 2 was 22 mil. Total 34 mil over those two years. And if the team didn't sour on Cooper they could of restructured year 3 to drop the hit if they wanted to.
It's not often teams drop the contract after 2 years on that type of length of contract. I highly doubt Dallas had it in mind to get rid of Cooper that quickly prior to the C19 drama.

We disagree on Pollard on the franchise tag, and it's so far out to where the team even needs to make a decision on that.

 

[garyv]

I guess the question is if we don't cut Zeke are we willing to invest 20 plus million in 2 running backs. Zeke is due 15 million next year and I'd guess Pollard is going to want at least 10 million per year. This assume of course that Pollard has no issues with his recovery. I mean IMO Pollard earned a raise, but the reality is you are paying him for what believe he will produce for the next 3 years. Guess plan A might be the franchise tag for next year.

I would let Zeke walk and I wouldn't resign Pollard either. In the draft I would take two rookie RB's one a faster RB and the other more power.
I have both of them on 4 year rookie contaacts and my prediction the stats wouldn't change much. These contracts are much lower deals and
use those extra monies somewhere else. The draft is loaded with RB's.

 

[stinkface]

I would let Zeke walk and I wouldn't resign Pollard either. In the draft I would take two rookie RB's one a faster RB and the other more power.
I have both of them on 4 year rookie contaacts and my prediction the stats wouldn't change much. These contracts are much lower deals and
use those extra monies somewhere else. The draft is loaded with RB's.

I think if he is still there they take the running back from Texas number 1. Then DT number 2 and O line number 3. That assume they sign all their defensive FA and also Steele. We should have two DB's returning from injury next year.

 

[jgboys1]

If we keep this up we will only Dak, Zeke and Tony Pollard on the roster next season.

 

[TRUTH87]

you would think dallas learned from zeke deal and move on from pollard as well. RBs are a lot easier to replace.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I wanted to draft Dalvin Cook instead of Taco and then trade Zeke when he held out for a new contract...

Not trading Zeke for a high pick and resigning him AND Pollar riding the bench for 3.5 years are the kind of decisions are the difference between winning it all and not winning it.

 

[raggedy]

I know the "right" thing to do is probably to cut Zeke and let TP go elsewhere, but I'd like to keep TP on the franchise tag (although I do think that is unfair to RBs especially since they get run into the ground on a 1yr deal). I just have some really bad memories of those years we didn't have a strong #1 (Troy "I get tackled by my shoelaces" Hambrick and Julius Jones after his rookie season).

I sure hope this FO and coaching staff woke up Monday morning and realized they F-ing blew it by feeding Zeke carries after TP went down. All those yards left on the field because Zeke is slow....sigh.

Scared to hurt his feelings? I really can't imagine any logical reason Zeke carrying the ball over Davis. You say Davis can't block? Ok, well that's on the coaching staff for not getting him at least decent in pass blocking, and even if that's their reasoning then you put Davis in the game and absolutely just run him! Oh? The 49ers will figure out that if Davis is in the backfield then it's a running play? SO WHAT?!? It's not like they respected Zeke's running ability! SF just loaded up to play the run when Zeke was in there because they knew what most of the nation knew: Zeke is cooked and good for less than 3 yards a touch!!!!

If football had a "WAR" like baseball (wins over replacement value), Zeke's WAR would be a negative number. His presence on the team hurts the cowboys at this point in his career.

 

[CowboysLakerBamaFan]

This is why 1st rd running backs is dumb.

If they're bad, you made a bad pick.

If they're GOOD, you have to either resign a RB to a mega deal, OR let ur former 1st rounder walk.

Signing RBs to big deals in salary cap era just is bad idea. They drop off so fast.

You should always strive to have your money, and top picks, invested in QB (a GOOD qb that is), O-Tackles, DLinemen, Corners, and in this day in age WR is OK too.

Teams investing big money and top picks on RBs, guards, and linebackers are living in the past. You can do it somewhat if ur QB is cheap, but it will still come back to bite you.

 

[Verdict]

He needs to cut his salary from 10 million to 1 million. Because even at 1 million, his cap hit would still be around 7-8 million. That's pretty ridiculous for a back up TB.

The only advantage I see to keeping Zeke around is to eat up another prorated year of his signing bonus over another season before moving on.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Zekes only positive right now is pass blocking for a RB and his goal line production with TDs. It is kind of hard to believe but he actually is tied at third most rushing TDs in league,

Now I am pretty sure they can get another RB to produce in goal line situations. They could get some old school big boy RB to run in goal line situations.

I think most of us believe he will be gone and is probably just another sign that they did not bring back the RB Coach who is said to be tight with Zeke. IF he does come back it would be at a reduced rate and with the understanding that he is not the lead back anymore

 

[RonWashington]

I guess the question is if we don't cut Zeke are we willing to invest 20 plus million in 2 running backs. Zeke is due 15 million next year and I'd guess Pollard is going to want at least 10 million per year. This assume of course that Pollard has no issues with his recovery. I mean IMO Pollard earned a raise, but the reality is you are paying him for what believe he will produce for the next 3 years. Guess plan A might be the franchise tag for next year.

I started a thread that got “ merged “ and now it’s in the draft zone area . Kiper the draft sage has Dallas taking Robinson out of UT round one . Now if your drafting a RB round one it’s not to carry the Gatorade . Problem solved $ wise . A rookie deal is much less then carrying an 8 yr vet in Ellliott and a Pollard raise .

Supplement Robinson with a Malik Davis cap friendly back and a critical position is under a manageable cap hit . As Pollard took on more of a load he seemed less effective . If he does come back someone has to share the work.

 

[garyv]

Are you new here? Do you really want to debate the salary cap with me?

Good teams manage the cap based on the average over multople years that they spend on a position. There will be high and low years for each position but they average spent on all players must match the average of the NFL cap amount over the same time period.

The tag for Pollard is a great option.
- They get to see how he handles being the true #1 RB
- They get another year to draft and develop another RB.

The Cowboys paid Cooper a total of 40M on the new contract. He played 2 years on that contract. That's 20M which is exactly the average value of the contract when signed.

The WR tags in 2020 and 2021 were approximately 17.5M and 18.5M.
They could have franchised him twice for less than 40M total.
2020: 17.5M
2021: 17.5M + 3.5M

Total = 38.5M

Most multi-year contracts cost far more than their average if the team's dumps them after only 2 years on the contract.

I would not tag Pollard let him walk and get a 4th round Comp pick draft two RB's and cut Elliott take a 6 mil cap hit because the
two rookie contracts are low.