The One That Got Away...

[SteveOS]

Over the years, the Boys have passed on some draft picks, passed on some free agents, cut/released players, etc.

Which one still boggles your mind to this date, that you wished never happened?

 

[Chief]

I'll throw this one out there because it's one of Gil Brandt's favorite stories to tell.

1979 ... third round.

Brandt maintains that Dallas always went straight by their board, but when this pick came up, Joe Montana was the guy at the top. Because Roger was still playing well and Danny White was waiting in the wings, they decided to pass on Montana and took Doug Cosbie instead.

Roger retired a year later.

As great as Montana was in the WCO in S.F., he may not have been as good of a fit elsewhere. Still, I think he would have beaten out White in a few years and it probably would have helped prevent a 49er dynasty.

Another one that has always bothered me is Dallas passing on Mike Singletary. Brandt and Company felt that he was too short (5-11). Grant Teaff told Brandt that he was making a mistake.

Singletary would have been great as the MLB in Landry's flex defense. They passed on a future Hall of Famer because he didn't have the height of a basketball player.

 

[mperfection]

WR-Randy Moss ('98 Draft):bang2:
LB-Joey Porter ('97 Draft)
RB-Clinton Portis ('01 Draft)
RB-Jimmy Smith - Released after '92 season:bang2:
DE-Bertrand Berry (FA-''04)
LB-Keith Adams (Released after '00 season, later picked up by Philadelphia and has been a stud for them!)
K-Adam Vinatieri (FA-'06)
CB-Ty Law(FA-'05)

 

[mperfection]

I'll throw this one out there because it's one of Gil Brandt's favorite stories to tell.

1979 ... third round.

Brandt maintains that Dallas always went straight by their board, but when this pick came up, Joe Montana was the guy at the top. Because Roger was still playing well and Danny White was waiting in the wings, they decided to pass on Montana and took Doug Cosbie instead.

Roger retired a year later.

As great as Montana was in the WCO in S.F., he may not have been as good of a fit elsewhere. Still, I think he would have beaten out White in a few years and it probably would have helped prevent a 49er dynasty.

Another one that has always bothered me is Dallas passing on Mike Singletary. Brandt and Company felt that he was too short (5-11). Grant Teaff told Brandt that he was making a mistake.

Singletary would have been great as the MLB in Landry's flex defense. They passed on a future Hall of Famer because he didn't have the height of a basketball player.

Great post!

 

[SteveOS]

I'll throw this one out there because it's one of Gil Brandt's favorite stories to tell.

1979 ... third round.

Brandt maintains that Dallas always went straight by their board, but when this pick came up, Joe Montana was the guy at the top. Because Roger was still playing well and Danny White was waiting in the wings, they decided to pass on Montana and took Doug Cosbie instead.

Roger retired a year later.

As great as Montana was in the WCO in S.F., he may not have been as good of a fit elsewhere. Still, I think he would have beaten out White in a few years and it probably would have helped prevent a 49er dynasty.

Another one that has always bothered me is Dallas passing on Mike Singletary. Brandt and Company felt that he was too short (5-11). Grant Teaff told Brandt that he was making a mistake.

Singletary would have been great as the MLB in Landry's flex defense. They passed on a future Hall of Famer because he didn't have the height of a basketball player.

Wow, I didn't even know that! Good stuff Chief!

 

[DanTanna]

All my friends and I had Cosby at the bottom of our lists. We even nick-named a "Cosby type interception" after him because he would tip the ball to opposing players all the friggin time!

 

[lurkercowboy]

Todd Christenson, multiple pro-bowler for the Raiders, was cut by Dallas. Of course, he was an RB with Dallas and a TE with the Raiders, but who cares?

 

[burmafrd]

I seem to recall that Christenson was asked to make the move and refused and was cut (Like Hunter in some ways). Then he went to Oakland and accepted the move.

 

[Seven]

Todd Christenson, multiple pro-bowler for the Raiders, was cut by Dallas. Of course, he was an RB with Dallas and a TE with the Raiders, but who cares?

The irony of that situation was Todd didn't want to be a TE as Dallas asked so he was cut. Go figure.

 

[dmq]

I can think of almost a decade of drafts that boggle the mind.

 

[tyke1doe]

I'll throw this one out there because it's one of Gil Brandt's favorite stories to tell.

1979 ... third round.

Brandt maintains that Dallas always went straight by their board, but when this pick came up, Joe Montana was the guy at the top. Because Roger was still playing well and Danny White was waiting in the wings, they decided to pass on Montana and took Doug Cosbie instead.

Roger retired a year later.

As great as Montana was in the WCO in S.F., he may not have been as good of a fit elsewhere. Still, I think he would have beaten out White in a few years and it probably would have helped prevent a 49er dynasty.

Another one that has always bothered me is Dallas passing on Mike Singletary. Brandt and Company felt that he was too short (5-11). Grant Teaff told Brandt that he was making a mistake.

Singletary would have been great as the MLB in Landry's flex defense. They passed on a future Hall of Famer because he didn't have the height of a basketball player.

Not to mention the fact that we had targeted Jerry Rice but the 49ers jumped ahead of us to claim him.

Imagine that. We could have had Montana AND Jerry Rice.

I'm going to add to the list:

Cortez Kennedy and Junior Seau.

Remember, the Cowboys would have had the first overall draft pick in 1990 had we not taken Steve Walsh in the supplement draft.

At the top of the draft were

Jeff George
Blair Thomas
Cortez Kennedy
Junior Seau

Imagine if the Cowboys had landed Seau (they were looking for a linebacker in the draft and unsuccessfully tried to trade up to get James Francis) AND Emmitt Smith - two of the best picks in that draft and likely Hall of Famers.

We probably would have gone with Cortez Kennedy, though, since he was from The U. That wouldn't have been a bad choice either because he was a pro-bowl DT for a few years before injuring his knee, I believe it was.

 

[silver]

Joe Montana
Howie Long
Andre Tippett
Dan Marino
Boomer Esiasion
Randy Moss
Trade for Joey Galloway (Shaun Alexander)

 

[BARRYRAY]

Help me guys but didn't we have a shot at Jerry Rice but the clock ran out or something like that, the other one was Moss he was like TO even though he had baggage he was that good, game changers only come along so often...

 

[tyke1doe]

Help me guys but didn't we have a shot at Jerry Rice but the clock ran out or something like that, the other one was Moss he was like TO even though he had baggage he was that good, game changers only come along so often...

The 49ers jumped over us to nab Rice. Brandt thought Rice would fly under the radar and would be available for the Cowboys' pick.

He thought wrong. :bang2:

 

[Eddie]

We missed on a ton of picks ... how about almost all the picks from 1994-2002??? We could have taken 60 10 year old kids, and they would have made more of an impact than the "players" we wound up with.

But of the players we DID choose, and let get away ..

Jimmy Smith
Ron Stone

 

[KCCOWBOYSFAN]

Randy Moss gets my vote

 

[sago1]

Jimmy Smith kept getting hurt while here and Ron Stone was a backup who we know was good but in the era of FA we couldn't afford to keep him as a backup.

 

[jazzcat22]

I seem to recall that Christenson was asked to make the move and refused and was cut (Like Hunter in some ways). Then he went to Oakland and accepted the move.

And he still hates the Cowboys for that. He had a great career, but you can tell it when he talks. He hates Dallas. I never heard him say anything good about Dallas.

 

[jazzcat22]

I'll throw this one out there because it's one of Gil Brandt's favorite stories to tell.

1979 ... third round.

Brandt maintains that Dallas always went straight by their board, but when this pick came up, Joe Montana was the guy at the top. Because Roger was still playing well and Danny White was waiting in the wings, they decided to pass on Montana and took Doug Cosbie instead.

Roger retired a year later.

As great as Montana was in the WCO in S.F., he may not have been as good of a fit elsewhere. Still, I think he would have beaten out White in a few years and it probably would have helped prevent a 49er dynasty.

Another one that has always bothered me is Dallas passing on Mike Singletary. Brandt and Company felt that he was too short (5-11). Grant Teaff told Brandt that he was making a mistake.

Singletary would have been great as the MLB in Landry's flex defense. They passed on a future Hall of Famer because he didn't have the height of a basketball player.

I remember Tex Schramm talking about that. He said that was the only time he and Gil were ever talked out of a pick. Since Roger and Danny were there, and they needed a TE, they were talked into taking Cosbie. Who turned out the be very good for us. I don't know if Montana would have been the same with the Cowboys' system, but when your talented, and with great coaching, he would have been successful.

 

[dmq]

How about Larry Johnson. Rumor was that they were shopping him and you know Parcells and Vermeil had a good relationship. Could have very easily gotten done for a 3rd. Now the guy is a beast and he would fit in perfect with a Parcells type of offense.