Team positioned to be aggressive next year

[Joe Realist]

Good news is we'll have draft and some cap resources next year to address defense. Bad news is, we're mediocre everywhere. It's not that we've got too many obvious weak links to replace. What we need to do is bring in real impact players. Especially on the DL. Those guys you can't draft all that readily. They're hard to find in the back of the first--where we're picking. And then they take a year or two to develop out of college, usually.

And the trouble with getting them in VFA is they're hellaciously expensive, and it's hard to project who's going to translate elite ability between schemes. Also, they just aren't often available. So, you either overpay for a vet the way teams did for Peppers and Ware last season, or you try to get lucky the way we did with McClain on a troubled player with real ability. That means a Hardy or a MacDonald, or somebody else's high-pick bust who's coming off of a rookie deal. Tough to upgrade that way. I think I'd rather get Lee back, sign McClain, and then spend money on one quality free agent and hope the risk pays off. Then draft at least two DLs in the first two rounds--somehow getting in position where need meets value. Then we gotta hope Lawrence continues to develop.

Otherwise, we'll get better gradually, the way we did with the OL. And by the time the DL problem is addressed, we need a new QB. Not saying that's a bad thing, but it's got its own risks.

I'd like to see us get Brandon Graham

 

[big dog cowboy]

I have my doubts about the team redoing Romo's contract once again.

Redoing Romo's contract to free up cap space sounds a lot better than it would turn out IMO. Who know how much longer he will play? The only way I redo his deal is if he takes a big pay cut.

 

[CF74]

Brent will be our Suh, just needs a little more time to get back in shape, the guy is a bull and commands a double team on every play. Then we have Crawford. What we need are better ends and db's. Still I would look to upgrade every position on the line and in the secondary if someone falls to us...

 

[burmafrd]

Brent will be our Suh, just needs a little more time to get back in shape, the guy is a bull and commands a double team on every play. Then we have Crawford. What we need are better ends and db's. Still I would look to upgrade every position on the line and in the secondary if someone falls to us...

in what galaxy could ANYONE think Brent is close to Suh?

 

[burmafrd]

To me there are only 4 positions worth really big money

QB
LT
Pass Rusher
CB

 

[SDCowboy]

If this team could even field an OK defense, I think we'll be really good next season. This offseason needs to be almost all D.

 

[Bullflop]

The main shortcoming of our defense is the ability to consistently rush the opposing teams' QBs. That item should rightfully be addressed early in a draft for those teams coveting an exceptional DE for their defensive line. Let's hope we're one team that will profit by that prospect when draft day comes rolling around in 2015. It is surely one important thing that should be extremely high on our list of priorities.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

If they do, then they are inviting the same dead money problems that have plagued them the past two off seasons. If there was a contract on the team that I would leave alone, it's Tony Romo's.

Agreed.

At some point they're just going to have to pay the piper and not redo his contract to save cap space.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Redoing Romo's contract to free up cap space sounds a lot better than it would turn out IMO. Who know how much longer he will play? The only way I redo his deal is if he takes a big pay cut.

Some that are into deficit spending like the sounds of it.

Those of us that know the bell is starting to toll for Tony R. hate the sounds of it.

 

[Future]

I'm hoping Jerry can sign JPP in the offseason. This team desperately needs at least one stud pass rusher from the end.

JPP isn't a stud. I'd rather overpay for Suh than underpay for JPP.

 

[Plankton]

Agreed.

At some point they're just going to have to pay the piper and not redo his contract to save cap space.

They just have to plan out contracts better, continue to improve in the draft, and be very targeted in their free agent signings.

Piece of cake, right?

 

[Hoov]

Good news is we'll have draft and some cap resources next year to address defense. Bad news is, we're mediocre everywhere. It's not that we've got too many obvious weak links to replace. What we need to do is bring in real impact players. Especially on the DL. Those guys you can't draft all that readily. They're hard to find in the back of the first--where we're picking. And then they take a year or two to develop out of college, usually.

And the trouble with getting them in VFA is they're hellaciously expensive, and it's hard to project who's going to translate elite ability between schemes. Also, they just aren't often available. So, you either overpay for a vet the way teams did for Peppers and Ware last season, or you try to get lucky the way we did with McClain on a troubled player with real ability. That means a Hardy or a MacDonald, or somebody else's high-pick bust who's coming off of a rookie deal. Tough to upgrade that way. I think I'd rather get Lee back, sign McClain, and then spend money on one quality free agent and hope the risk pays off. Then draft at least two DLs in the first two rounds--somehow getting in position where need meets value. Then we gotta hope Lawrence continues to develop.

Otherwise, we'll get better gradually, the way we did with the OL. And by the time the DL problem is addressed, we need a new QB. Not saying that's a bad thing, but it's got its own risks.

I agree with dline man with first 2 picks and find 1solid free agent for def.

Maybe they get some bargain free agent for depth as well but would like to see 1 solid vet free agent.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

They just have to plan out contracts better, continue to improve in the draft, and be very targeted in their free agent signings.

Piece of cake, right?

Uh... yeah!

Overpaying for free agents like Suh...

I guess no one remembers Haynesworth.

Seattle did it right, they signed good players... not great players, but good players for reasonable contracts like Bennett and Avril. Overpaying for guys like Suh and JPP is a big-time mistake.

 

[pugilist]

I know it's just business but it just seems downright insulting to me to ask Romo to take a pay cut after the season he is having

 

[SDCowboy]

I know it's just business but it just seems downright insulting to me to ask Romo to take a pay cut after the season he is having

Seriously, the thought of asking Romo to take a pay cut is beyond absurd.

 

[Plankton]

Uh... yeah!

Overpaying for free agents like Suh...

I guess no one remembers Haynesworth.

Seattle did it right, they signed good players... not great players, but good players for reasonable contracts like Bennett and Avril. Overpaying for guys like Suh and JPP is a big-time mistake.

JPP has not been productive enough to warrant a big contract. Suh has been, but I worry about him physically breaking down, and being stuck with a bad contract.

The free agent list for the DL is not great. Suh and Fairley are big names inside, but both would come with concerns. An intriguing name would be Tyson Alualu. The Cowboys had some interest in him when he was draft eligible, and they ran a 3-4 defense. He would be able to provide some depth inside.

 

[The Natural]

I know it's not popular....but I want them to bring in Suh. We can easily do it. And with Suh saying his agent will choose a destination...well...we are in play.

This is one element I never really understood with football compared to say basketball. Do these players really not care where they end up and just allow the agent to get them the best deal?

 

[Nirvana]

Yeah the Romo pay cut thing was a non-starter for me as well. It's silly to even bring the idea up to Romo, an insult for the year he is having.

If there is no Demarcus Lawrence type sitting there late in the first, I could see us getting another OL in the late first, an OT preferably.

 

[sbark]

I agree with you that I don't want him, but I don't want him because of what he'll cost. I disagree on him being a giant risk to underperform, though. He doesn't seem to be the type of player whose intensity drops for any reason.

Suh's "intensity " has already dropped...he hasn't stepped on anyones head for a couple of years now....he used to do even with fines and warnings from the league

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

No to restructure on Tony and Wit. Tony's is getting towards the end. I don't want to be paying money for years he isn't playing. Wit is getting close to the end as well.