News: The Cowboys aren’t the Rams, but they should copy this one specific roster-building strategy

[Bobhaze]

I heard the guys on 105.3 taking about this last week. The Rams have been good/lucky with the picks that they have used this strategy to obtain. They moved Goff and Gurley at the right time. But their real profit here is signing guys who still have gas in the tank.

Their signing of Cupp reveals the voidable years in his contract, and they will jettison him before he becomes a burden.

Now ask yourself this. Do you believe the brain trust with the Cowboys can execute this tactic, and know exactly when to pull the trigger on a player to ease him on down the road?

The downside of this is when they hold on to a player **cough - Lawrence** far too long and get stuck with his dwindling talent.

I love Zeke, but he and Tank are the antithesis of this strategy, which reveals neither Jethro nor Little Enos could pick their noses with the instructions tattooed on their thumbs.

Enjoy the article. Dallas is not the Rams.

Amen. Well said TD.

The main thing that makes rams owner Stan Kroenke way ahead of our owner is quite simple. He hired a great GM in Les Snead, one of the best football minds in the league. And Snead hired Sean McVey, one of the great young NFL coaches. And Snead is a true master of the modern salary cap. And surprise! He doesn’t host a weekly local radio show undermining his head coach. (He does host a very interesting podcast in the off-season)

Then just as importantly, Snead is held accountable for the results he gets. Which by the way has included 2 NFC championships in the last 4 years (with two different QBs) and a SB ring in 2021.

Rams owner Stan Kroenke is among the winning owners of the last 27 SBs who have all realized they need to hire a qualified professional football general manager. One other BIG thing Kroenke does as owner of the rams: Exactly ZERO of the rams front office people are his children.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

A RB in the 1st round?!?!?!?

You're joking, right?

Doesn't have to be a top-10 pick. Depending on who's available I'd not have a problem with the Cowboys drafting a rb at say, 30th in the first round. By then the top CB, DE, etc. is already gone probably.

Shouldn't assume a rb is "done" after 4 years in the league. Emmitt wasn't, neither was Payton, Peterson, Sanders, Barber or Gore.

Saying you NEVER draft a running back in the first round isn't a good strategy, either. Gotta be flexible...

 

[Ranched]

.....and the Rams aren't the Cowboys!

 

[atlantacowboy]

This is a great article.

Especially the part about Zeke. We should prepare ourselves to draft a RB in the 1st this year, and kiss Zeke goodbye.

I guarantee 10 plus million a year for Zeke is too much. And that's the deal, so we need to get out, as in draft our RB next year.

Right? We wouldn't even pay Demarco Murray 8M after his NFL Offensive MVP year. Think of the dominos that fell as a result of that decision.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Taking an rb later in the 1st isn’t bad. Picking one in the top 5 is the issue.

While you need more talent at RB than say the Eagles and Skins put on the field last year, you don't need to use a first round pick to get a top tier RB. There just isn't enough difference between them. Round 2 is the earliest that position needs to be addressed.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

Doesn't have to be a top-10 pick. Depending on who's available I'd not have a problem with the Cowboys drafting a rb at say, 30th in the first round. By then the top CB, DE, etc. is already gone probably.

Shouldn't assume a rb is "done" after 4 years in the league. Emmitt wasn't, neither was Payton, Peterson, Sanders, Barber or Gore.

Saying you NEVER draft a running back in the first round isn't a good strategy, either. Gotta be flexible...

In todays NFL I don't believe you should ever draft a RB in the first round. It's not a running league anymore.

Jonathan Taylor, Nick Chubb, Joe Mixon, Antonio Gibson, Dalvin Cook, Alvin Kamara... Those are 6 of the 8 guys that rushed for at least 1,000 yards last year and none of those 6 were drafted in the 1st round. Zeke and Harris are the only two 1st round RBs that had at least 1,000 yards last year.

That's not even counting the best RB in the NFL Derrick Henry who was hurt last year, and also happens to not be a 1st round pick.

 

[Whirlwin]

This is a great article.

Especially the part about Zeke. We should prepare ourselves to draft a RB in the 1st this year, and kiss Zeke goodbye.

I guarantee 10 plus million a year for Zeke is too much. And that's the deal, so we need to get out, as in draft our RB next year.

We haven’t learned a lesson. Never take a running back in the first round

 

[CowboyRoy]

This is a great article.

Especially the part about Zeke. We should prepare ourselves to draft a RB in the 1st this year, and kiss Zeke goodbye.

I guarantee 10 plus million a year for Zeke is too much. And that's the deal, so we need to get out, as in draft our RB next year.

So you want to repeat the same mistake AGAIN by burning a first round pick on a non premium position? That sounds like a bad plan.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I heard the guys on 105.3 taking about this last week. The Rams have been good/lucky with the picks that they have used this strategy to obtain. They moved Goff and Gurley at the right time. But their real profit here is signing guys who still have gas in the tank.

Their signing of Cupp reveals the voidable years in his contract, and they will jettison him before he becomes a burden.

Now ask yourself this. Do you believe the brain trust with the Cowboys can execute this tactic, and know exactly when to pull the trigger on a player to ease him on down the road?

The downside of this is when they hold on to a player **cough - Lawrence** far too long and get stuck with his dwindling talent.

I love Zeke, but he and Tank are the antithesis of this strategy, which reveals neither Jethro nor Little Enos could pick their noses with the instructions tattooed on their thumbs.

Enjoy the article. Dallas is not the Rams.

There is absolutely NOTHING to love about Zeke. Not his production, not his salary, not what he cost us in the draft, not his off the field antics, nor his refusal to share the load even when hurt.

ZERO to like about Zeke. ZERO!!!!!

 

[CowboyRoy]

Our front office does not have the ability to copy the Rams.

Simple truth is the Rams got lucky. They were one of a handful of contenders, but not a favorite. They got a lucky draw all the way through the playoffs and only had to beat Cincy in the SB which they could barely do.

They are completely mortgaging their future and McVay is probably out of there the moment its obvious the team is on the decline.

That being said, they won the SB, so you cant knock it.

 

[CowboyRoy]

After this year, they certainly should.

But what do we think will happen?

I think he'll have a good season, and people will argue to keep him. And they will, somehow.

80% of the fan base wants Zeke gone. NO way they keep him at that salary.

Why is he going to have a good season? He hasnt had one in how many years? Zekes days are numbered.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I don't think the math they are using is accurate.

If he is a post 6/1/23 cut, they save 11 million vs that years cap, and spread the dead money over 2023 and 2024 at roughly 6m per.....

I have no idea what this guy means by having to account for another 30 million in cash because of a guarantee. His salary for this season is fully guaranteed. Beyond that, the only guarantee is he is gone after this season.

I'm guessing he forgot to include the signing bonus, and that combined with this year's salary and the dead money adds up to about 30 million.

Either way it's an irresponsible and misleading article.

Agreed. They pay 6 million over each of the two years after they dump him correct?

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

AT this point, I want Zeke gone so starfan can be happy.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Yeah, look at Zeke.

I believe Zeke is the exact reason that the Cowboys won't make the mistake of taking a RB in the first round. They've been regretting that pick since Zeke's 4th season.

So...the season BEFORE he got covid, a new head coach, a "learn on the job" OC, and revolving door O-line that can;t run block in the trenches? Then a year he was doing good and then had to play hurt? Along with an even WORSE o-line?

I bet the Rams can run block we should start with the copy thing right there.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Doesn't have to be a top-10 pick. Depending on who's available I'd not have a problem with the Cowboys drafting a rb at say, 30th in the first round. By then the top CB, DE, etc. is already gone probably.

Shouldn't assume a rb is "done" after 4 years in the league. Emmitt wasn't, neither was Payton, Peterson, Sanders, Barber or Gore.

Saying you NEVER draft a running back in the first round isn't a good strategy, either. Gotta be flexible...

Not sure why "everyone" is so quick to root for Zeke's demise. As if there's nothing else wrong with this offense it's all Zeke's fault? Pathetic.

Fix the o-line.
Design a serious run game scheme, instead of this 3 plays up the clogged middle bullsht
Make Dak an effective run threat to keep the D honest.

If zeke still sucks....you can bring the rookie into a good team at least.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

So...the season BEFORE he got covid, a new head coach, a "learn on the job" OC, and revolving door O-line that can;t run block in the trenches? Then a year he was doing good and then had to play hurt? Along with an even WORSE o-line?

I bet the Rams can run block we should start with the copy thing right there.

Zeke has been done.

I predict he never has a 1,000 yard season again.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

So...the season BEFORE he got covid, a new head coach, a "learn on the job" OC, and revolving door O-line that can;t run block in the trenches? Then a year he was doing good and then had to play hurt? Along with an even WORSE o-line?

I bet the Rams can run block we should start with the copy thing right there.

While that context is important, it’s also important to note that when Zeke was out in 2017, Alfred Morris was killing it. And then again with Zeke’s recent struggles, Pollard has jumped off the page.

It’s not just that he’s not playing great, it’s that a 15m$ AAV RB is getting consistently outplayed by his backups. If he was making 5m$ AAV or even 8m$, this wouldn’t be a conversation.

 

[fivetwos]

Agreed. They pay 6 million over each of the two years after they dump him correct?

Just in dead money, but part of that was the restructures along the way. They knew what they were doing and every team does that.

They get rid of the base salary by cutting him, the delta is the cap savings, which would still be 5 million if he isnt a June 1 cut, but the entire 11-12 million of dead money would count toward 2023 dead money, and he is completely off the books for 2024.

They could play that either way, and they may want to have more cap room when it's time for Diggs and Parsons to get new deals...but maybe not.

Either way, and here is the important part.....if he somehow has his best season in 2022, we call it even, say thank you and move on. That should NOT be a license to count on him in the future.

 

[starfan1]

AT this point, I want Zeke gone so starfan can be happy.

sure you do if zeke was gone you be gone for 6 months from the board in mourning

 

[Jimbo123]

Zeke has been done.

I predict he never has a 1,000 yard season again.

He'll get 1,000, if he's healthy, they'll run him into the ground with 300+ carries.