Stephen Jones talks upcoming roster decisions

[xwalker]

Maybe a dumb question to ask, but the Cowboys have a good relationship with Spencer's agent. He signed an incentive-laden deal in the offseason....what are the chances that they err on the side of getting him some playing time as a goodwill gesture here when it's not really in the best interest of the team to take the chance? That seems unlikely, but I can't understand keeping the guy available if he's yet to put on pads in any other circumstance.

I would work out a deal with Spencer and his agent such that they cut him and re-sign him in 2 or 3 weeks or whenever he's ready. They can work it out such that he gets paid the same as if they didn't cut him and as a vested-veteran he is not subject to waivers. He can turn down other offers.

This would prevent them from having to wait the 6 weeks if he is on the PUP, but would give them a couple of weeks with an extra roster spot to sort things out.

 

[Common Sense]

"Lack of talent on this roster?" I see a lot of talent.

WR - So talented our cuts will be picked up by other teams.
OL - Talent there, no doubt. 3 count'em 1st rd picks
QB - Talent
TE - Talent. One of the best to ever play the game.
RB - Talent. 4 deep, what more do you want?
K - Talent. One of the best in the game today.
CB - Talent (Claiborne, Oscan, Carr) and Mitchell, Patmon, Webb have some talent to work with.
S - Church has talent, Wilcox is showing a little something
LB - Talent there with Durant and McClain. Looks like Hitchens is a keeper. Carter has talent. Sean Lee.
DL - Has talent with Melton, McClain, Crawford, Lawrence, Mincey.

Sorry, the roster is talented. You just choose not to see it. And it doesn't go well with your usual Whine-fest. The starting roster is talented. There are some question marks with depth and the DL is a huge mystery. Lee's and Lawrence's injury hurt. Oscan's suspension hurts. It's not like these players aren't talented though.

Every team in the league has issues with depth. Every team in the NFL needs their starters to stay healthy. Ain't nobody out there stacked top to bottom.

Dude, you're just listing positions and writing "talent" next to them. That doesn't mean anything. The offense has talent, sure, but this team probably has the least talented defensive roster in the league.

 

[Alexander]

When your contingency plan at such a critical position is the August cut list in the event the rookie from Boise St. isn't immediately productive, you might not know what you're doing.

That was determined when our plan to replace him meant signing Jeremy Mincey.

 

[Common Sense]

• Third quarterback. Considering the state of Tony Romo’s back, it might seem logical that the Cowboys carry three quarterbacks again. Brandon Weeden is the backup with Caleb Hanie and Dustin Vaughan being the options for the third quarterback. But Jones said Romo’s health does “not necessarily” force the team to carry three.
Please don't carry 3. They've lost 1 QB that they tried to get to the PS (Matt Moore) that ended up starting NFL games and he wasn't elite. He's now a backup at age 30.

This is the only point I disagree with slightly. You shouldn't burn a roster spot on a third quarterback if you don't have anyone who shows promise, but if you have a Matt Moore on your team there's no reason not to keep him to develop as a backup. Had they done so, they never would have burned the top pick in the 4th round in 2009 on Stephen McGee. Between that pick and the Cowboys' next 4th rounder nine picks later, other teams had selected Henry Melton, Mike Thomas, and Brian Hartline.

 

[xwalker]

Dude, you're just listing positions and writing "talent" next to them. That doesn't mean anything. The offense has talent, sure, but this team probably has the least talented defensive roster in the league.

It you look at it position by position they have a lot of reasonable NFL players at more positions than not on defense.

 

[Risen Star]

Dude, you're just listing positions and writing "talent" next to them. That doesn't mean anything. The offense has talent, sure, but this team probably has the least talented defensive roster in the league.

I wouldn't argue against that.

Seriously, this defensive roster is what I would expect from an expansion team. It's that bad.

 

[Galian Beast]

I think it's obvious that we need to do something to address the defensive line. If that includes trading for a player, I think we should still do it. If it is a player that will be a fixture on this defense, you might as well.

We have no pass rushing defensive end right now, this is a huge problem. And to rely on Lawrence to be that guy coming off his injury is a bit suspect.

We also have issues at defensive tackle that may or may not resolve themselves with the return of Melton and McClain.

Part of the problem is we went into this season with Selvie and Mincey penciled in as starters. We have no idea where to play Crawford either, so I'm going to "sell" on him having such a great year.

The reality is there are trade opportunities out there, but the Cowboys have never been very smart about trading. At least not since Walker.

 

[Idgit]

I think it's obvious that we need to do something to address the defensive line. If that includes trading for a player, I think we should still do it. If it is a player that will be a fixture on this defense, you might as well.

We have no pass rushing defensive end right now, this is a huge problem. And to rely on Lawrence to be that guy coming off his injury is a bit suspect.

We also have issues at defensive tackle that may or may not resolve themselves with the return of Melton and McClain.

Part of the problem is we went into this season with Selvie and Mincey penciled in as starters. We have no idea where to play Crawford either, so I'm going to "sell" on him having such a great year.

The reality is there are trade opportunities out there, but the Cowboys have never been very smart about trading. At least not since Walker.

This is a bad time to be trading for players if you're looking for help this year. And a bad idea for a team that's got options coming back to the lineup eventually, anyway.

Andybody you get in a possible trade is going to be of the McClain/Spencer/Brent variety, anyway. Teams aren't unloading starters heading into roster cut-downs.

At this point, the smart thing to do is sit tight and develop your players. If you're going to move a player at a position of relative depth for a player on someone else's roster at a position of your relative weakness, ok. Other than that, though, comb the waiver wire for what you might do to get some rotational snaps a LB or RDE or a possible swing tackle, blocking TE, or HB, and then just play the hand you've dealt yourself.

 

[xwalker]

This is the only point I disagree with slightly. You shouldn't burn a roster spot on a third quarterback if you don't have anyone who shows promise, but if you have a Matt Moore on your team there's no reason not to keep him to develop as a backup. Had they done so, they never would have burned the top pick in the 4th round in 2009 on Stephen McGee. Between that pick and the Cowboys' next 4th rounder nine picks later, other teams had selected Henry Melton, Mike Thomas, and Brian Hartline.

I guess there are many ways to look at it. I just wouldn't have drafted Mcgee in the first place unless I thought he could come in and be the #2 which he had no shot at doing because he didn't play in a traditional offense in college. The Skins have managed to have their developmental QB also be their #2 QB which is the optimal solution.

IMO, there's a reason that the Cowboys often have the highest paid or "best" best QB many years with guys like Kitna and Orton. It's because teams like the Pats often try to get developmental QBs as the #2 and not waste resources on veteran backups with no future upside.

 

[Galian Beast]

This is a bad time to be trading for players if you're looking for help this year. And a bad idea for a team that's got options coming back to the lineup eventually, anyway.

Andybody you get in a possible trade is going to be of the McClain/Spencer/Brent variety, anyway. Teams aren't unloading starters heading into roster cut-downs.

At this point, the smart thing to do is sit tight and develop your players. If you're going to move a player at a position of relative depth for a player on someone else's roster at a position of your relative weakness, ok. Other than that, though, comb the waiver wire for what you might do to get some rotational snaps a LB or RDE or a possible swing tackle, blocking TE, or HB, and then just play the hand you've dealt yourself.

Is that why the bucs just got logan mankins?

 

[Idgit]

Is that why the bucs just got logan mankins?

I can't answer for the Bucs, and that was a trade that I think most of us found surprising at a position where it's easier to bring in a guy with less familiarity with the system and still get something out of him. But, if there's a quality one-game pass rusher with Mankins pedigree with some tread on the tires available at relatively low cost, I'd consider it. I just think it's pretty unlikely that guy is available.

If you can think of someone who might fit the bill, I'd give you my own two cents on what that player might be worth, for whatever *that's* worth.

 

[Alexander]

I wouldn't argue against that.

Seriously, this defensive roster is what I would expect from an expansion team. It's that bad.

It is almost like they are setting Marinelli up to fail just like Ryan. Not that I really care, but to expect him to run a defense like he has run in the past with a bunch of players that either do not fit or are injured is not fair. He has his part in some of it, but he does not control the budget.

 

[Galian Beast]

I can't answer for the Bucs, and that was a trade that I think most of us found surprising at a position where it's easier to bring in a guy with less familiarity with the system and still get something out of him. But, if there's a quality one-game pass rusher with Mankins pedigree with some tread on the tires available at relatively low cost, I'd consider it. I just think it's pretty unlikely that guy is available.

If you can think of someone who might fit the bill, I'd give you my own two cents on what that player might be worth, for whatever *that's* worth.

That's the problem, without having access to NFL GMs you have no idea who is and isn't available and at what cost, but these players are out there, we see them every year, but the Cowboys have historically not been able to get the upside of these types of trades.

I think the best one was when we got Terry Glenn for 6th round draft pick.

 

[Galian Beast]

I can't answer for the Bucs, and that was a trade that I think most of us found surprising at a position where it's easier to bring in a guy with less familiarity with the system and still get something out of him. But, if there's a quality one-game pass rusher with Mankins pedigree with some tread on the tires available at relatively low cost, I'd consider it. I just think it's pretty unlikely that guy is available.

If you can think of someone who might fit the bill, I'd give you my own two cents on what that player might be worth, for whatever *that's* worth.

We also never seem to be the benifactors of these trades either. We simply release players or don't resign them....

 

[Idgit]

We also never seem to be the benifactors of these trades either. We simply release players or don't resign them....

Last year was a nice surprise in that regard where we got a couple late picks for some bottom-roster guys. Then we flipped one of them to KC almost immediately.

I think we're looking to trade a RB for some future consideration this season. Maybe a WR, though that might be too much to ask, unless it's just for a player we don't want to compete with as an UFA.

 

[Idgit]

That's the problem, without having access to NFL GMs you have no idea who is and isn't available and at what cost, but these players are out there, we see them every year, but the Cowboys have historically not been able to get the upside of these types of trades.

I think the best one was when we got Terry Glenn for 6th round draft pick.

Yeah, well, let me take back a little of what I'd said earlier. If there's really a guy out there like that on defense that can be had at real value, I'd be for it. I just hate introducing more uncertainty to the DL when we've already got 3-4 guys on the roster we don't know yet if they can play or not.

 

[Galian Beast]

Yeah, well, let me take back a little of what I'd said earlier. If there's really a guy out there like that on defense that can be had at real value, I'd be for it. I just hate introducing more uncertainty to the DL when we've already got 3-4 guys on the roster we don't know yet if they can play or not.

They can't...

 

[jobberone]

What? You don't like finding your edge rusher in August final camp cuts?

What could possibly go wrong with that?

We have at least one edge rusher on the roster along with Lawrence being injured. That's usually all the depth you have on one side. The problem is we're looking to get Spencer back, too. So it's disingenuous to continue to pound those drums.

We all know there is a talent deficit on the team. There has been for years.

 

[Idgit]

We have at least one edge rusher on the roster along with Lawrence being injured. That's usually all the depth you have on one side. The problem is we're looking to get Spencer back, too. So it's disingenuous to continue to pound those drums.

We all know there is a talent deficit on the team. There has been for years.

I agree. That said, it's kind of crazy they're relying on getting Spencer back. With that injury and no time in camp and a new defense and, maybe, a new position....they must know something we don't, because it seems like a huge risk to run.

I know they love Spencer, though. And I think Marinelli thinks he can be an impact player in this defense.

 

[jobberone]

You have Selvie and Lawrence on one side and Spencer/Crawford on the other. I'm confident in Spencer coming back although I'm not counting on week one. Lawrence comes back at the 7-8 week out range. That's the problem with that plan.