Still shaking my head and pinching myself over this front office

[erod]

I keep finding myself looking around the room for a knowing face. Somebody that can solve the mystery for me. I want to ask, "Who are these guys?"

So much football common sense has me scratching my head, and all of us recalibrating our Cowboys navigation system for a whole different time zone. Words like "identity", "discipline", "value", "plan", and "execution" now describe perfectly....the Cowboys front office?

Yep, and now Dallas is crafted in such a way that the draft can come to them, rather than forcing the issue like in the past. They can take the best player that falls because there is no crushing need that can't wait another round.

Especially if they re-sign Spencer, they're OK at defensive end. The additions of Brinkley and Gachkar reduce the risks associated with Ro and Lee and round out a pretty reasonable corps. McFadden makes the backfield workable as is, especially if Ryan Williams is what they're acting like he is. Free solidified the best unit on the team.

That's not to say they're ready to roll already, but it gives Dallas an important commodity. Options.

The preferences in order come draft time probably go (1) defensive tackle, (2) corner, (3) running back, (4) safety, and (5) linebacker. But the beauty is, with the free agency moves thus far, they are positioned to take any of those five positions in any order.

Rather than throwing up all over themselves in early free agency - good gosh there was some stupid money handed out - the Cowboys stayed true to a plan and are making shrewd moves now. Notice how almost all of the good teams did the same, while the n'er-do-wells gorged themselves on caviar.

Take the next Zack Martin. Whoever he is and whatever he plays. Need should only be a tie-breaker, not a determinant.

Dallas is managing to play for the now for Romo without compromising the future for the next QB. That's hard to do in today's NFL. Good on Jerry and Stephen, Will, Garrett, and everybody involved.

 

[65fastback2plus2]

are* making shrewd moves

 

[Silver N Blue]

I keep finding myself looking around the room for a knowing face. Somebody that can solve the mystery for me. I want to ask, "Who are these guys?"

So much football common sense has me scratching my head, and all of us recalibrating our Cowboys navigation system for a whole different time zone. Words like "identity", "discipline", "value", "plan", and "execution" now describe perfectly....the Cowboys front office?

Yep, and now Dallas is crafted in such a way that the draft can come to them, rather than forcing the issue like in the past. They can take the best player that falls because there is no crushing need that can't wait another round.

Especially if they re-sign Spencer, they're OK at defensive end. The additions of Brinkley and Gachkar reduce the risks associated with Ro and Lee and round out a pretty reasonable corps. McFadden makes the backfield workable as is, especially if Ryan Williams is what they're acting like he is. Free solidified the best unit on the team.

That's not to say they're ready to roll already, but it gives Dallas an important commodity. Options.

The preferences in order come draft time probably go (1) defensive tackle, (2) corner, (3) running back, (4) safety, and (5) linebacker. But the beauty is, with the free agency moves thus far, they are positioned to take any of those five positions in any order.

Rather than throwing up all over themselves in early free agency - good gosh there was some stupid money handed out - the Cowboys stayed true to a plan and our making shrewd moves now. Notice how almost all of the good teams did the same, while the n'er-do-wells gorged themselves on caviar.

Take the next Zack Martin. Whoever he is and whatever he plays. Need should only be a tie-breaker, not a determinant.

Dallas is managing to play for the now for Romo without compromising the future for the next QB. That's hard to do in today's NFL. Good on Jerry and Stephen, Will, Garrett, and everybody involved.

Great post could not agree more!

 

[erod]

are* making shrewd moves

Thanks.

 

[xwalker]

Take the next Zack Martin. Whoever he is and whatever he plays. Need should only be a tie-breaker, not a determinant.

Yes, the goal should be to get another All-Pro regardless of position.

 

[erod]

Yes, the goal should be to get another All-Pro regardless of position.

You never regret those picks. If he's the next Larry Allen, you take him. The next Jerry Rice, you take him. Five years from now, you won't remember what you "needed" at the time.

 

[LittleD]

I think Will McClay and Steven are approaching the draft much like last year by drafting
the top player regardless of position if in line with their total board ranking. In other words,
they would rather have the top ranked LB instead of the 3rd ranked RB. Has worked for them
lately.

 

[MagicMan]

Second the motion.....looking like a legitimate FO now. Can't wait to see how they handle this draft. BTW, I am also hoping for a stud DT at #27. But as long as it is a player who will make an impact his first year, I am all for that...

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

IMO, signings like Brinkley, Rivers and even Anthony Spencer shouldn't dictate what they do in this draft. This defense STILL needs playmaekrs. And they can use playmakers at ANY position on defense.

 

[erod]

I think Will McClay and Steven are approaching the draft much like last year by drafting
the top player regardless of position if in line with their total board ranking. In other words,
they would rather have the top ranked LB instead of the 3rd ranked RB. Has worked for them
lately.

You can never have too many elite players.

I know it was a different era, but remember when Dallas' BACKUPS included Ron Stone, Kevin Gogan, Darren Woodson, Brock Marion, Leon Lett, Jim Jeffcoat, etc?

 

[erod]

IMO, signings like Brinkley, Rivers and even Anthony Spencer shouldn't dictate what they do in this draft. This defense STILL needs playmaekrs. And they can use playmakers at ANY position on defense.

True, but before those signings, they would have HAD to draft there. Options would not have been there.

 

[guag]

It's a thing of beauty. I'm proud to call myself a Cowboys fan these days.

 

[xwalker]

You never regret those picks. If he's the next Larry Allen, you take him. The next Jerry Rice, you take him. Five years from now, you won't remember what you "needed" at the time.

I always go back to 2009 when they passed on LeSean McCoy in the 2nd round because they had Felix and Barber. They had a 1st round grade on him but traded out of the pick because their top target Max Unger was gone.

 

[romothesavior]

Stephen knows what he's doing. Seems like he's calling almost all the shots these days.

 

[erod]

I always go back to 2009 when they passed on LeSean McCoy in the 2nd round because they had Felix and Barber. They had a 1st round grade on him but traded out of the pick because their top target Max Unger was gone.

It's the curse of Shante Carver. That's what started it all.

 

[hornitosmonster]

I love what the front office is doing. I also love what is happening in Philadelphia (train wreck) and Washington (RG III fiasco). Going forward the Giants will be our main competition.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

I'm happy. Free agency isn't even over and the draft hasn't even begun and I think we're already a better team now than we were at the end of last season when I thought we were good enough to win a Super Bowl. Offensively, we did lose a key piece in Murray, but I'm confident that Randle/McFadden/Williams can produce behind this O-line. But defensively, I think we're much improved. We're bringing back mostly the same D-line aside from a few marginal players. DE is hugely better. We added an elite young pass rusher, and our 2nd round pick last year will be improved. I think the interior D-line will be improved based on Crawford being more experienced, Brent having more time to get back into shape, and even guys like Okoye and others who were injured coming back. At LB we basically swapped Lee and some marginal players for Carter and Durant. I'll take that any day (barring Lee stays healthy). And we have the same secondary if you swap Moore for Claiborne. Of course this is all before inevitable injuries. We looked great on paper two years ago before putting out the worst defense in franchise history. And we still have a lot of areas we can improve, but I don't remember a team being this good before the draft and the end of free agency.

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

Phase two of the transformation has to be a little more restraint when it comes to draft day trading.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

I think the Cowboys' front office gets an unjustified bad rap a lot. Many are judging in hindsight. Your decision process can be spot on but you will be judged a failure if the decision does not pan out, even due to things out of your control like an injury or an arrest.

I think most were on board with trading up for Claiborne. At the time, it appeared to most as a good move. Now, the decision to trade up is ridiculed. Claiborne stinks and he is injury prone. None of that was to be expected. Claiborne was going high in the draft. Some team was picking him high. The Cowboys went for it and got bit.

The Rolando McClain trade was panned by so many. It was ridiculous reading the comments here of people ripping Jerry even before the details came out. Turned out it was a great trade for us. Same with the drafting of Hitchens. Lots of "No! No! No! ... oh, good shot!" months later. Many were ripping the trade down and drafting which netted Frederick and Williams instead of Shariff.

Sometimes you go through periods of bad luck. Sometimes you get lucky. We went through 3 years of 8-8 losing a win-and-in game. Broke through to 13-5 the following year. In the long run, all GMs/teams will go through periods of up and down and mediocrity. Salary cap, injuries, unknowns, draft uncertainty, bad bounce of the football, and weather can all affect your bottom line. Mediocrity is in the cards for any front office in the long run. Just the way the cards and odds are stacked.

 

[CrownCowboy]

I am very impressed with how our Front Office has approached free agency and have played the market and let things come to them instead of throwing insane amounts of money at players that have no chance to live up to what they are getting paid.

I am very excited about next year, probably more excited than I have been in the last 10 years going into the draft.