The Cowboys need a Free Agent DE next season

[Hoov]

It's like we don't remember what we just went through in rebuilding the OL. The team brings in value VFAs (Mack, Livings, Mincey, McClain) who can hold the fort for a year or two, and looks to draft young talent to develop. They take fliers on young guys they think might develop into rotational players, or who might have the ability to become starters for you down the road (Nagy, Costa, Leary, Coleman, Bishop, Gardener). They sign talented priority draft picks (Smith, Frederick, Martin, Lawrence, TBDs). They take flyers on high-potential veterans with injury risks (Waters, Spencer, Okoye). They see what pans out, and then fill in the cracks.

Most of this time, we haven't had an embarrassment of cap space (I don't care what posers want to pretend they heard from other unnamed posters, the CBA lowering the expected cap and the penalty from the Austin contract caught us by surprise and hurt our ability to maneuver in VFA the last few years). So, we may look to add an impact player on a long term deal on the DL if there's a good one available, though I hope we resist that temptation.
Also, we possibly would have drafted a DL in either of the last two years (personally, I think Aaron Donald and Sheldon Richardson were probably targets in each of the last two drafts and, without the benefit of hindsight, each were better value options for us than the guys we ultimately took). It's not like we're not looking at upgrading our trenches. There's a very real limit to how much can be done during the process of retooling an entire roster just from your regular allotment of draft picks without the aid of stockpiled resources, an abundance of good young talent on your 2010 roster in the first place, or any reasonable cap room (other than what we overspent on Carr) to speak of.

I think you covered it all with this post.

 

[jjktkk]

Lawrence was on his way to beating out Mincey for the starting job when he broke his foot.

Yea know, you're not helping Alexander's agenda by making sense.

 

[xwalker]

im new here so be gentle,
my 2cents on what i think we should be looking at.
Id let terrell mclain go along with jack crawford and would let spencer and selvie go in fa.
Work out a deal with melton-for a little less than the current team option-say 6mill instead of 9mill.That gives us our 2 3 techs in melton and crawford
I thnk they will bring hayden back as they seem to really like him.Which then gives us our 2 1 techs in brent and hayden.
But i would also like them to target Malcom brown in the draft.He can play 1 tech or 3tech in a pinch but for me the guy is going to be a beat lining up at the 1 alongside melton or crawford
Im not enamoured with the top defensive ends in this years draft class.None of the top ranked prospects wow me with the exception of fowler jnr and im afraid we have played ourselves out of range for him.
With that being said i do think there is some value to be had at end in free agency.So id try and get 2 in via this route.The ends id try and target are
Greg hardy
Adrian clayborn
Jabaal sheard.
I think for various reasons all have a lot to prove after this season and for this reason i think could be signed for reasonable deals
Clayborn has had his issues with injury,but the talent is there and he would be a definate for me as i do not think he would cost that much more than what we are paying spencer.
That would then leave me achoice between sheard and hardy.In an ideal world i would be able to sign both of these and not clayborn but alas these is this annoying salary cap thing to obey.
So it comes down to money and thus id get both of them in and see which i could get the better deal out of.Yes hardy has had the better production the last couple of years BUT sheards best season in the nfl was when the browns ran a 4-3 and he was at de.So im going to take which ever offers me the best deal.
Id still like to get a de in via the drat tho and currently the 2 i like most are projected as 3rd rounders in eli harold out of virginai and owamagbe Odighizuwa from ucla.
That would leave us carrying 11 dlinemen next year with coleman and bishop still on the ps.
Our lines could look like
sheard or hardy-brwon-crawford-clayborn 1st string
lawrence-brent-melton-mincey 2nd string
with hayden and harold or odighizuwa also in the rotation

OK, what you're saying appears to be logical but your post is very difficult to read. Please use paragraphs.

 

[xwalker]

Anyone with any sort of moral compass would stay away from Hardy, regardless of price.

I don't want anyone who beats women or children on the team I root for.

I prefer that the legal system deal with it. If they did really bad things, then they should be in jail. If they're not in jail, then just move forward. There were plenty bad guys on the nineties Super Bowl teams, but most of them just didn't get caught.

 

[supercowboy8]

Hughes is not restricted.

Yes he is

http://www.spotrac.com/free-agents/nfl/defensive-end/

 

[supercowboy8]

He will have 5 years in the league after this season and signed a 5 year contract. If he's restricted, it's strictly a right-to-match clause in his contract. Where are you seeing he's restricted?

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/jerry-hughes/

http://www.spotrac.com/free-agents/nfl/defensive-end/

Says his status for 2015 is RFA

 

[xwalker]

Yes he is

http://www.spotrac.com/free-agents/nfl/defensive-end/

Please use common sense. A guy that is in his 5th year is not a restricted free agent.

Spotrac makes some mistakes. For instance they have Alan Branch listed as a DE, but he is a DT.

 

[Bluefin]

http://www.spotrac.com/free-agents/nfl/defensive-end/

Says his status for 2015 is RFA

Look again.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/jerry-hughes/

 

[AbeBeta]

I prefer that the legal system deal with it. If they did really bad things, then they should be in jail. If they're not in jail, then just move forward. There were plenty bad guys on the nineties Super Bowl teams, but most of them just didn't get caught.

No. Some offenses you do not reward. That sends the message "beat your woman ... If you are good enough, we are cool with it."

 

[xwalker]

No. Some offenses you do not reward. That sends the message "beat your woman ... If you are good enough, we are cool with it."

The legal system has access to all of the information. We don't.

 

[Bluefin]

No. Some offenses you do not reward. That sends the message "beat your woman ... If you are good enough, we are cool with it."

I understand not wanting to give players like Greg Hardy another contract.

I'm not a fan of the idea of signing him, either.

If Dallas considered such a move, they do have a player development program in place that might be able to help Hardy, provided he's open to such measures. Part of the signing would be dependent on Hardy going to regular counseling, spending time at women's shelters and speaking to groups about assaulting your wife/girlfriend, etc.

Maybe he's a lost cause and not worth the effort, maybe he can continue maturing and learn from any past mistakes.

I don't know.

 

[AbeBeta]

The legal system has access to all of the information. We don't.

You could spend 5 minutes researching this information. You'd come away with a more educated post.

 

[supercowboy8]

Look again.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/jerry-hughes/

Understood but i was just going by the link I posted. It said he was a RFA.

 

[supercowboy8]

Please use common sense. A guy that is in his 5th year is not a restricted free agent.

Spotrac makes some mistakes. For instance they have Alan Branch listed as a DE, but he is a DT.

Understood but that is what I was looking at. Sorry but I thought spotrac would have that right. Don't have to be a smart *** about it.

Any ways. I like hughes but my problem is the money he would want. Coming off back to back good years and you dig he might want a big deal. If so then no thanks. Pkaying along side Mario and Dareus helps him hey those stats.

I would give him a Willie Young type deal.

 

[xwalker]

Understood but that is what I was looking at. Sorry but I thought spotrac would have that right. Don't have to be a smart *** about it.

Any ways. I like hughes but my problem is the money he would want. Coming off back to back good years and you dig he might want a big deal. If so then no thanks. Pkaying along side Mario and Dareus helps him hey those stats.

I would give him a Willie Young type deal.

I'm a little concerned that Hughes success is due to playing on a DLine with some really good players.

Willie Young signed a 3-year, 9M deal and now has 8.5 sacks. He was cheap because his previous seasons he had 0, 3, 0 and 3 sacks. I assume that Hughes will be significantly more since he had 10 last year and 9.5 this year.

I would be interesting in Pernell McPhee. He's not a starter, but has 4 sacks as a backup. He plays both as 3-4 DE and 3-4 OLB at 6-3 280. You have be really athletic to play OLB at 280. I think he would be much better as a 4-3 DE.

 

[MissouriCowboy]

Jason Pierre-Paul would be nice. Houston would be sweet but Kc will franchise him for sure.

 

[Leadbelly]

JPP might be the safest option. Except for an injury-shortened 2013, his floor is probably around 6-7 sacks. His typical year might be more around 9-12 sacks. He's got 7 now. He can play either side. Strong vs the run. Great size. Still young.

Jerry Hughes is a little undersized, was initially a bust, plays with two other great players who might be boosting his numbers, and might be scheme dependent.

Greg Hardy is a really bad human being and probably not great in the locker room either. Probably going to be able to buy low, but how likely is it that he'll have another event during his next contract. Potential is there for him to end up suspended again or even in jail.

Adrian Clayborn has been out for the season twice in his four years in the league. Also strictly a strong-side DE. Might be a good guy to take a chance on with a low cost contract, but might give us nothing.

Cliff Avril is on the decline at 29. Plays in a heavy rotation so numbers might be a bit suppressed by scheme.

Brian Orakpo will also be 29 and has had two season ending injuries in last 3 years. Also was having a real poor season before injury. Not unworthy of taking a chance on, but make sure guaranteed money is minimal.

Jabaal Sheard's is young, but production has declined each of the four years in the league. Scheme might have something to do with that, but you'd like to see a player who's ascending or at least consistently productive.

Jason Worilds got the transition tag last year and never really took the next step Steelers expected. Still young and could be a better fit for DE, but he's probably more of a supporting cast type player than a focal point.

**Justin Houston is probably getting franchised or signed before free agency. Worth 2 late 1st rounders?

 

[LatinMind]

really think Gardner with having this whole season to rehab is going to turn some heads next yr. Just seeing him going up against rookies you could see the difference in body build an strength between him and other rookies.

Think Dallas should get a vet to go with him but just keep building with young players. Id like to see a guy like Jarius Wynn or Derrick Morgan. Dallas isnt going to invest in a RDE because they have the guy they want in Lawrence. So theyd be looking for a strong side guy.

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

im scratching my head with all the JPP love. This isn't 2011 . He's been an average player.

 

[Idgit]

I agree about developing our own draft picks. But we only have a few years with Romo. I would like to see us pick up a solid DE in FA, then draft defense heavy.

That's the real drag about it all. Addressing the defense is actually pretty easy. Doing it in our window without having to also replace a QB--the hardest thing for any franchise to do properly--that's another story. That false-start the first two seasons with adjusting to Rob Ryan and continuing the 3-4 really hurt our plan. We're going to need to either get lucky on defense with a couple bluebird draft picks, or we're going to have to get lucky on a QB, either by getting another guy who can actually play late or by getting a guy high in the draft a year or two down the road who can step right in. Neither or high-probability bets.

Good news, though, is that the rest of the team is actually there for whatever QB we bring in to actually have some success.