The Plan seems to be clear seemingly

[bandfan]

With regards free agency, I personally don’t think Jerry would spend big even if we had $100 million of cap space, it’s simply not his M.O.
As for Dak, while I do think he’s very good, he’s shown however to not have the necessary qualities to step up in the playoffs… but I still fear he will be handed an eye watering contract, and that will suit Jerry because then it will mean we won’t be able to spend big money in free agency in future years.

All i know is Dak wasn't playing defense in the playoffs.... oh wait, nobody was....

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

what about the team that beat us in the playoffs - that went Jordan Love over a HOF QB - Dak can't even come close to holding Rodgers jock strap and they did just fine to me and beat us in the playoffs with our so called experience leadership driven veteran QB

Not sure what you are even arguing. Packers had a plan in place. They drafted Love to replace Aaron.

Dak in 2024 is better than Aaron in 2024. Love is a great QB. Not sure why you speak of him like he’s a bum.

 

[DuncanIso]

I think the plan/strategy is clear. Cowboys aren't redoing Dak's contract and will roll into the season with the 55M cap hit (it was 59, but they just redid it for 4M), which obviously limits our FA flexibility. If they wanted to have Dak long term then they would have redone his contract, open up cap space and sign a few FAs. Further, they are walking away from some of the older cowboys ala Tyron and not willing to give Biadasz a contract extension. Further signal that they are walking away in 2025. Otherwise both would have been resigned.

So Given their cap space limitations they can't be big player in FA (stating the obvious). All this to minimize Dak's future dead cap hit. We probably will roll into 2025 with Lance, but not sure how we can do that, since they haven't picked up his 5th year option. if Lance walks away in 2025, that trade would be the absolute worst trade ever made by the cowboys. utter stupidity.

I am sure some will scream the large contract is the cause, we been saying this for years.....scream, scream...etc. but lets not forget this is the same for all large QB contracts. the first three years the contract was not too bad with 17, 19 and 26M. we had 10M on the cap in 2023, and 20M in 2022. we just chose not to spend or redo other contracts at the time to pull money into the year. . if they wanted to keep Dak, they would redo the contract and that 55M would easily drop to 20M. We knew this year was coming, and either extend or walk away. Every team is going to deal with this exact situation. every team has to deal with same exact situation. make a decision on keeping or letting walk.

so cowboys have to take the bitter pill. deal with the cap. walk away.

with the improvements Eagles, Washington and Giants made, next year will be tough. Fingers will point to the same person. the question is what's the plan for 2025?.

I also wonder if this is somehow Johnson's doing as an advisor being involved (as he said). perhaps a soft rebuild. the big question is finding the right QB. this could be easy (with a little luck) or a rough road ahead (see New England).

Good stuff.

I had hoped they would go ahead and cut Dak post June 1.

But your logic on this makes sense.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Joey Galloway? Roy Williams? Morris Claiborne?

Not sure it even makes the top 5!!!! Maybe not the top 10!!!

I mentioned this in another response. those players traded for specific reasons. there was at least a plan. team needing a WR, so add the best one (according to Jerry). Need a CB, sign a big name. the fact they sucked is different. Lance we traded for. 3rd stringer. gave him 5M for his 4th year, at best second stringer. then didn't pick up his 5th year option. what was the plan? why trade? what are they trying to accomplish? it made no sense at all.

 

[NeathBlue]

All i know is Dak wasn't playing defense in the playoffs.... oh wait, nobody was....

What’s the performance of the defense got to do with Daks playoff performances??

 

[BoyzBlaster]

Yeah, that trade is looking very, very questionable considering that 4th round pick probably represents a starter for us this year with all the holes we got.

And if Lance is the backup to Dak, that means we are paying Rush to be 3rd string?

What is Rush making, like $2.5 million this year?

We will be like the only team in the entire league paying their 3rd string QB almost $3 million, that is just absurd.

Dallas has like over $60 million committed to QBs this year between Dak, Lance, and Rush, that is far and away the most in the entire league, just total mismanagement from top to bottom.

Great points. That trade never made any sense other than as an opportunity for Jerry to feel like a wheeler dealer.

 

[Typhus]

If it happens, I aint gonna lose any sleep over it, but dam its going to suck in 2025 eating $40 million in dead cap for a player not on the team.

Reference Denver 2024.

 

[baltcowboy]

Well I never said teams didn’t get lucky. My point was you have a plan and just praying and hoping isn’t a plan. Chiefs get lucky with Mahomes? Sure. But they made their own luck with a plan.

Mahomes was a plan. They traded up to get him and risked extra draft choices. Dak was 4th round comp pick (luck) Same with Romo (free agent) Brady and Purdy. Lance was Jerry trying to act like he was a smart GM. Jerry didn’t even tell Stephen. I believe he made that trade out of frustration of Dak not extending his contract last summer.

 

[baltcowboy]

Neither QB won a Super Bowl.

Dan Marino, Cam Newton, McNabb, Lamar, Burrow, Allen, Herbert, have not won a Super Bowl either.

 

[khiladi]

I feel like he's been given enough time AND enough money......2-5 in playoffs and subpar performances in them tells the FO he's got to get to steppin

Romos 2-4 gave them the same cover.

Both above average regular season qbs but that's about it.

The difference is, the team relied on Romo to carry the franchise. And he had Jason Garrett as a play-caller, who couldn’t field a RG to save his life. Garrett didn’t allow him in game planning meetings until Jerry forced it on top with the new contract.

I actually just came across an article a couple days ago from 2012 or so that basically was about Jerry Jones not having pass protection for Romo and him saying that if there was any QB that could handle it, it was Romo. Dak has had 3 all-pros pretty much minimum his whole career here at OL. He had the best route Runninh WR in the game in Cooper and now arguably the best RAC WR in the game in Lamb.

Romo his first year with Linehan was arguably the real MVP of the league. His performance against the undefeated Packers at home in sub-freezing temperatures, was near perfect the second half. If Dez “caught it”, you are arguably looking at a SB appearance minimum.

 

[Creeper]

If the Cowboys were going to move on from Dak after this year, then why restructure his bonus to create CAP space and move even more money into voidable years on his contract? In essence they will eat $55 million this year and another $40 million next year. They just prolong the pain. If I was going to let Dak walk after this year I would try to get him off the books as much as possible in 2024 to make it easier to rebuild the team in 2025.

I also think counting on Lance is a mistake. We haven't seen him play in a game since he lost a job in SF to Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold. I think if the Cowboys have to move on they will sign a veteran QB from somewhere.

What still concerns me is they have done nothing with CeeDee Lamb yet. They are not signing any free agents so they do not need a lot of CAP room. Their dead money situation in 2025 is already a disaster. So if they are going to keep CeeDee then why not get his deal done now and give themselves some CAP room just in case someone gets hurt and they need to sign a replacement? If they are not going to get a deal done with CeeDee this year, then I would trade him. If he hits the open market Dallas will lose him to another team. At least a trade this year might yield a pick or two.

 

[jgboys1]

The plan?????? Get the fans money by any means cheap and underhandedly....Been working for 28 years.....

That is plan A!

We are talking about pan B!

 

[Flamma]

I think the plan/strategy is clear. Cowboys aren't redoing Dak's contract and will roll into the season with the 55M cap hit (it was 59, but they just redid it for 4M), which obviously limits our FA flexibility. If they wanted to have Dak long term then they would have redone his contract, open up cap space and sign a few FAs. Further, they are walking away from some of the older cowboys ala Tyron and not willing to give Biadasz a contract extension. Further signal that they are walking away in 2025. Otherwise both would have been resigned.

So Given their cap space limitations they can't be big player in FA (stating the obvious). All this to minimize Dak's future dead cap hit. We probably will roll into 2025 with Lance, but not sure how we can do that, since they haven't picked up his 5th year option. if Lance walks away in 2025, that trade would be the absolute worst trade ever made by the cowboys. utter stupidity.

I am sure some will scream the large contract is the cause, we been saying this for years.....scream, scream...etc. but lets not forget this is the same for all large QB contracts. the first three years the contract was not too bad with 17, 19 and 26M. we had 10M on the cap in 2023, and 20M in 2022. we just chose not to spend or redo other contracts at the time to pull money into the year. . if they wanted to keep Dak, they would redo the contract and that 55M would easily drop to 20M. We knew this year was coming, and either extend or walk away. Every team is going to deal with this exact situation. every team has to deal with same exact situation. make a decision on keeping or letting walk.

so cowboys have to take the bitter pill. deal with the cap. walk away.

with the improvements Eagles, Washington and Giants made, next year will be tough. Fingers will point to the same person. the question is what's the plan for 2025?.

I also wonder if this is somehow Johnson's doing as an advisor being involved (as he said). perhaps a soft rebuild. the big question is finding the right QB. this could be easy (with a little luck) or a rough road ahead (see New England).

I never liked the excuse for over paying a QB with, well, who else do you got? But at the same time, you have to accept the consequences of moving on. I don't mind going through lean years because I know Dallas won't be able to build a good enough team to win a SB with Dak. The 49ers could get to a SB with Dak, but not the Cowboys. The Rams and Eagles probably could as well. Dallas needs a Rodgers/Mahomes type QB. So I don't care if they move on from Dak.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

I never liked the excuse for over paying a QB with, well, who else do you got? But at the same time, you have to accept the consequences of moving on. I don't mind going through lean years because I know Dallas won't be able to build a good enough team to win a SB with Dak. The 49ers could get to a SB with Dak, but not the Cowboys. The Rams and Eagles probably could as well. Dallas needs a Rodgers/Mahomes type QB. So I don't care if they move on from Dak.

find a mahomes or younger rodgers type QB will be the challenge. and even then I am not sure if that will get us over the hump.

and given there is one mahomes, and hmmm maybe one rodgers (several years back and younger), and 32 teams, then you have to do what you have to do. the market is what it is. 17 QBs make 30M or more. 12 make 40M or more. its the state of the NFL. you can choose not to buy. or buy. and there is consequence to each. I don't much hate Dak like some do (actually someone actually wanted him to get hurt), because he is what he is. he is not purposely screwing up. he is just not able. so its up to the GM to make decisions, which he has dragged his feet and avoided. because our GM is focused on making money than building a winning team.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

If the Cowboys were going to move on from Dak after this year, then why restructure his bonus to create CAP space and move even more money into voidable years on his contract? In essence they will eat $55 million this year and another $40 million next year. They just prolong the pain. If I was going to let Dak walk after this year I would try to get him off the books as much as possible in 2024 to make it easier to rebuild the team in 2025.

I also think counting on Lance is a mistake. We haven't seen him play in a game since he lost a job in SF to Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold. I think if the Cowboys have to move on they will sign a veteran QB from somewhere.

What still concerns me is they have done nothing with CeeDee Lamb yet. They are not signing any free agents so they do not need a lot of CAP room. Their dead money situation in 2025 is already a disaster. So if they are going to keep CeeDee then why not get his deal done now and give themselves some CAP room just in case someone gets hurt and they need to sign a replacement? If they are not going to get a deal done with CeeDee this year, then I would trade him. If he hits the open market Dallas will lose him to another team. At least a trade this year might yield a pick or two.

they only restructured 4M. so minimal impact. if they really wanted to restructure, then they would have lowered the cap hit to 20M, rather easily. so they are prepping for a dead cap hit and then probably big cap space and a rebuild. if they let Dak walk this year, the dead cap money is around 67M.

also, I agree with you on Lance. I am not counting on him. he is a long shot. but what I hate is we traded a 4th. didn't pick up his 5th year option and he can walk away after 2024. and if Dak walks away, then we have no QB. I doubt if we keep rush as a 3rd stringer. doesn't make sense. unless they feel they can resign him to lesser money than the 25M he would be owed. so 2025 will be interesting.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

The difference is, the team relied on Romo to carry the franchise. And he had Jason Garrett as a play-caller, who couldn’t field a RG to save his life. Garrett didn’t allow him in game planning meetings until Jerry forced it on top with the new contract.

I actually just came across an article a couple days ago from 2012 or so that basically was about Jerry Jones not having pass protection for Romo and him saying that if there was any QB that could handle it, it was Romo. Dak has had 3 all-pros pretty much minimum his whole career here at OL. He had the best route Runninh WR in the game in Cooper and now arguably the best RAC WR in the game in Lamb.

Romo his first year with Linehan was arguably the real MVP of the league. His performance against the undefeated Packers at home in sub-freezing temperatures, was near perfect the second half. If Dez “caught it”, you are arguably looking at a SB appearance minimum.

Romo in the playoffs 2-4. everything else is an excuse and a spin.

 

[CowboyFrog]

If the Cowboys were going to move on from Dak after this year, then why restructure his bonus to create CAP space and move even more money into voidable years on his contract? In essence they will eat $55 million this year and another $40 million next year. They just prolong the pain. If I was going to let Dak walk after this year I would try to get him off the books as much as possible in 2024 to make it easier to rebuild the team in 2025.

I also think counting on Lance is a mistake. We haven't seen him play in a game since he lost a job in SF to Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold. I think if the Cowboys have to move on they will sign a veteran QB from somewhere.

What still concerns me is they have done nothing with CeeDee Lamb yet. They are not signing any free agents so they do not need a lot of CAP room. Their dead money situation in 2025 is already a disaster. So if they are going to keep CeeDee then why not get his deal done now and give themselves some CAP room just in case someone gets hurt and they need to sign a replacement? If they are not going to get a deal done with CeeDee this year, then I would trade him. If he hits the open market Dallas will lose him to another team. At least a trade this year might yield a pick or two.

yeah you dont create void years for a contract your looking to dump..again all this "They are not getting FA's so a rebuild is incomming" makes me think no one saw the last 10+ years of the off season with this FO...Name me all the big FA who they have signed?...

 

[IceStar-D7]

That is plan A!

We are talking about pan B!

Plan "B"?...stick with plan "A," the fans are too stupid to see it's the same plan.....

 

[SiCk_DiAbLo]

well with Dak we really didn't know. he was a rookie. the early prognosis for Lance doesn't look good on how he played in SF and Purdy took the same team to CCG and Superbowl. and his team gave up on him. I think its a bit different. but I get it the cowboys fans want to just hold on to some ray of hope

You say SF gave up on Lance, I think they just saw something in Purdy, did they give up on Sam as well?? Everything is an experiment in the NFL...

 

[kumizi]

Every other good - great team in the nfl knows how to work the salary cap system to their advantage (see what Rams did to win a Super Bowl while continuing to be relevant). Only here in Dallas do we see such ineptness with handling the cap.

I expect a big drop off in wins this season and next and …

It is not inept handling off the cap. They are not spending on purpose. They know this team isn’t competing for the Super Bowl next season. They’re preparing for the next window, whether it’s with a new coach, a new QB, or both.

And honestly I don’t blame them. I don’t think a Dak and McCarthy combo can compete for a title, so why keep throwing bad money at it.