The big "fear" of Signing Free Agents?

[CowboyoWales]

I swear Brandon Carr put a big spell on this front office. This happened almost 10 years ago, and we still haven't taken the chance on a big free agent? What's the fear? We sign our own guys to big contracts and they don't always work out, what's the difference in signing a big name free agent and it doesn't work out? You just have to go out there and give it a chance! We have to stop with being fearful, and be aggressive. The talk of i'll write a big check to win a ring, is just to make fans HAPPY somehow. It's a joke, and we need to practice what we're preaching (What jerry's preaching).

I'm not saying sign every free agent, but that one player might help get us over the hump we've been stuck on! We're the biggest market in the NFL, we bring in money like it's water! Yet when it's time to spend the money, somehow we get scared to spend it, make it make sense! Please give your thoughts

There's also the consideration of timing ....do you gamble on Dak, or do you 'do a Rams', trade for a QB as part of that All-In push.
The problem is, as highlighted by Dak fans, everything seems to fail around Dak (receiving, running game, O-Line), that's not going to be resolved with one Big fa signing.

 

[kevm3]

We screamed for Stephen to turn the team and he did. It's clear as day these cheap signings are Stephen Jones. jerry was a big wheeler and dealer to the point of being irrational. Unfortunately, we can't find someone that's balanced between the two. That could be McClay but we don't let him be GM. He's a draft specialist or something

 

[kevm3]

There's also the consideration of timing ....do you gamble on Dak, or do you 'do a Rams', trade for a QB as part of that All-In push.
The problem is, as highlighted by Dak fans, everything seems to fail around Dak (receiving, running game, O-Line), that's not going to be resolved with one Big fa signing.

Stafford hasn't been out of the 1st round until he got on the Rams, so I'm not sure why we couldn't build around Dak.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds058]

It’s more depressing when you see what ours didnt.

Bingo

 

[CowboyoWales]

Stafford hasn't been out of the 1st round until he got on the Rams, so I'm not sure why we couldn't build around Dak.

Because Stafford hardly played on decent teams. The Rams obviously saw something they could work with... maybe if Dak went to a good team he'd be able to manage them to a SB....problem is there are $49+ million reasons why it's unlikely to happen.

 

[Davidlee1973]

I swear Brandon Carr put a big spell on this front office. This happened almost 10 years ago, and we still haven't taken the chance on a big free agent? What's the fear? We sign our own guys to big contracts and they don't always work out, what's the difference in signing a big name free agent and it doesn't work out? You just have to go out there and give it a chance! We have to stop with being fearful, and be aggressive. The talk of i'll write a big check to win a ring, is just to make fans HAPPY somehow. It's a joke, and we need to practice what we're preaching (What jerry's preaching).

I'm not saying sign every free agent, but that one player might help get us over the hump we've been stuck on! We're the biggest market in the NFL, we bring in money like it's water! Yet when it's time to spend the money, somehow we get scared to spend it, make it make sense! Please give your thoughts

Jerry thinks if he pays guys he drafted big contracts that makes them elite and therefore makes him an elite general manager. It’s all about Jerry.

 

[xwalker]

I heard on a sports talk show that the eagles have 7 players who at one time pro bowlers on the Dline that they rotate.

The Cowboys could sign Randy White and Charles Haley and out Pro-Bowl the Eagles...

 

[CATCH17]

Maybe the goal is to stay relevant and not actually win a championship?

 

[Davidlee1973]

I never understood being seemingly unable to let go of the Carr contract. Dallas gave him a huge contract knowing that he was never a Pro Bowl player. I thought at the time it was overvalued and still think that today.

But it's not like Carr got his money and then shut down like so many of our homegrown players do. He showed up every week and never missed a game, while playing in an antiquated system. Carr was a solid player for us. This whole Stephen Jonesism of "FA is where you pay good players great player money" really illustrates how much of a clueless hillbilly he really is.

I liked Carr. He worked hard, always showed up and donated countless amounts of money and time to the community. What’s wrong with that

 

[Aven8]

I never understood being seemingly unable to let go of the Carr contract. Dallas gave him a huge contract knowing that he was never a Pro Bowl player. I thought at the time it was overvalued and still think that today.

But it's not like Carr got his money and then shut down like so many of our homegrown players do. He showed up every week and never missed a game, while playing in an antiquated system. Carr was a solid player for us. This whole Stephen Jonesism of "FA is where you pay good players great player money" really illustrates how much of a clueless hillbilly he really is.

Right. And Stephen has gone back to this deal it seems like forever. I would take another Carr right now opposite Diggs for the next 5 years!

 

[xwalker]

Jerry thinks if he pays guys he drafted big contracts that makes them elite and therefore makes him an elite general manager. It’s all about Jerry.

No, drafting, developing and keeping the team's own players is a Belichick philosophy.
- Same reason they don't like to spend big in free agency.
- In 2014 they decided to attempt to emulate Belichick.

 

[Davidlee1973]

Maybe the goal is to stay relevant and not actually win a championship?

No, no, no you’re all wrong. It’s all about Jerry. He needs people to acknowledge he is a great general manager. He believes if he over pays that makes a player more elite there for makes him elite l. Like he said at daks signing. “I have overpaid for every great thing I have got”. Those were Jerry’s words

 

[jazzcat22]

Bargain basement has big risk and big reward possibility. Which I'm sure appeals to Jerry's overall approach to running the team.

Too many 1 year prove it deals. They need to stop that.
They talk about building through the draft. And that is fine, I am all for that. However, all these 1 year deals is why they keep having almost half the team as FA's every year. You can't keep your depth that way.
I think this is the 1st year they had the least amount for a very long time. Which to my count is 20 URFA and 2 RFA. Still too many.
Maybe that build through the draft is very slowly working. But depth still an issue. Still need FA in the middle. I can see not paying top $$$ but don't look in dumpster either.

 

[Davidlee1973]

No, drafting, developing and keeping the team's own players is a Belichick philosophy.
- Same reason they don't like to spend big in free agency.
- In 2014 they decided to attempt to emulate Belichick

It’s not about being like bill either. That’s not what bill does. Plus bill can coach.

 

[Davidlee1973]

No, drafting, developing and keeping the team's own players is a Belichick philosophy.
- Same reason they don't like to spend big in free agency.
- In 2014 they decided to attempt to emulate Belichick.

First of all the patriots have signed some big time free agents. Second bill does not do second contracts except Brady, third bill can coach. The patriots and how they operate is different than Jerry. Jerry is a cat all on his own with his own style. That’s why everybody loves him and loves to talk about him.

 

[xwalker]

Jerry was busy chasing a blond diva WR at the time Philly was beefing up at DT.

Run defense was not the problem in the playoff loss...

Lack of a savvy veteran WR was a problem. Maybe the biggest problem other then Pollard's injury.
- With no run game and only 1 elite skill position player remaining after Pollard's injury, Dak was forcing action instead of letting it come to him.

 

[fivetwos]

Run defense was not the problem in the playoff loss...

Lack of a savvy veteran WR was a problem. Maybe the biggest problem other then Pollard's injury.
- With no run game and only 1 elite skill position player remaining after Pollard's injury, Dak was forcing action instead of letting it come to him.

Apparently this team has so many problems that some of those problems don’t even get a chance to act as actual problems.

 

[MyFairLady]

Brandon Carr is pretty low on the list of mistakes IMHO.

 

[Bobhaze]

Another thread about signing high dollar FA...Geez! How many times do you have to hear that this team is a draft and develop team. We have been one for several years.
The FO does not sign big name FA to massive contracts. We do wait to fill holes with cheaper names. We signed several FA's last year at bargain prices and guys like Hankins worked out well for us. Jerry and Stephen like to sign their own guys who worked out to long term contracts. Zeke was good for several years but, has aged quickly. Tyron signed a very team friendly deal and
has played at a high level for years. The Cowboys draft well so just quit looking and complaining that the team is not the Rams or Eagles. They will never be no matter the results.
Jerry is still making big money...just look at the Star Complex.

I didn't see advocating the signing of “high dollar“ free agents as the main point in this OP. Maybe I’m wrong on that.
All teams have to sign some players to big deals. The question is- are they going to be all drafted and home grown or a mixture of home grown and FAs? The latter is what most of the teams winning SBs are doing.

IMO our FO has overvalued too many of the players they drafted while not recognizing the need to add an occasional big time free agent to the mix that isn’t a bargain basement type. You can’t be too extreme on either all draft or too much FA. I feel we need more balance.

 

[Cowboys5217]

We really only need a couple of impact free agents like a DT and another DB. Another WR if we can't find anything in the draft.