The simple facts

[coult44]

This is the strategy chosen by the Cowboys. This is a partial representation of the position on free agency they have chosen. Do you agree with it, or disagree? Do you trust it going forward? Why or Why not?

This is not my opinion one way or another. These are the "Cold Hard Facts". Not swayed one way or another.

Last 2-3 years.
Adds---Jed Collins. Jasper Brinkley, Darren McFadden, Corey White, Andrew Gachkar, Greg Hardy, Efe Obada, Ray Agnew, Will Allen, Brandon Weeden, Keith Rivers, RJ Dill, Ryan Miller, Terrell McClain, Brian Waters, Laurent Robinson.

Gone---Demarcus Ware, Demarco Murray, Justin Durant, Bruce Carter, Dwayne Harris, Henry Melton, Spencer, George Selvie, Sterling Moore, Jeremy Parnell, Marcus Spears,Miles Austin, Jason Hatcher, Corvey Irvin, Danny McCray.

I'm sure there were more but it gives you all you need to know , regardless of what side your on.

 

[TonyS]

Me thinks your facts are missing some facts, which can sway an argument one way or another...

Where are adds of RoMac, Mincey, Irving, & Hardy in your list? We also re-signed some players during this time.

 

[coult44]

Me thinks your facts are missing some facts, which can sway an argument one way or another...

Where are adds of RoMac, Mincey, Irving, & Hardy in your list? We also re-signed some players during this time.

Hardy there. I didn't add our own guys on purpose. And I did forget about Mincey. And again. We can add to this list. No way I could remember them all.

 

[Reality]

You act like they just said, "These players aren't good, let's replace them!"

Demarcus Ware - Huge salary cap hit, would have required extending his contract too far down the line to retain due to injuries, even when he played. Given his injuries in Denver since he left, this proved to be a valid concern.
Demarco Murray - Played one full season, which was great, except for the crucial fumble at Green Bay. Would have taken way too much money to keep especially with injury history. His production dropped off considerably last year after leaving and not all of it was due to lack of carries.
Justin Durant - Dependable linebacker, but got paid more money than the Cowboys would spend.
Bruce Carter - About the only linebacker not named Sean Lee who got turnovers. Got a better contract offer elsewhere, then lost his starting position the first season with his new team.
Dwayne Harris - Very good returner and 4th wide receiver, but the Giants paid him way more than the Cowboys could justify for mainly a returner.
George Selvie - One year wonder.
Sterling Moore - Never going to be great, just hoped for average, and sometimes got it, sometimes not.
Jeremy Parnell - Cowboys wanted him back, but he got a big contract elsewhere.
Marcus Spears - Average player, not that hard to replace.
Miles Austin - One year wonder that had hamstring issues every year.
Jason Hatcher - Good player, but Commanders wanted to pay him more.
Danny McCray - Seriously?

You can definitely make the argument the team has done a poor job at replacing those players who left (I completely agree there), but it's very hard to justify keeping the best of those with the money it would have taken to do so. In fact, most of the people who complain about losing some of those players would have been front-and-center complaining had we overpaid to keep them, especially if their level of play declined like it did for many of them last season with their new teams.

 

[coult44]

You act like they just said, "These players aren't good, let's replace them!"

Demarcus Ware - Huge salary cap hit, would have required extending his contract too far down the line to retain due to injuries, even when he played. Given his injuries in Denver since he left, this proved to be a valid concern.
Demarco Murray - Had one full season, which was great. Would have taken way too much money to keep especially with injury history. His production dropped off considerably last year after leaving and not all of it was due to lack of carries.
Justin Durant - Dependable linebacker, but got paid more money than the Cowboys would spend.
Bruce Carter - About the only linebacker not named Sean Lee who got turnovers. Got a better contract offer elsewhere, then lost his starting position the first season with his new team.
Dwayne Harris - Very good returner and 4th wide receiver, but the Giants paid him way more than the Cowboys could justify for mainly a returner.
George Selvie - One year wonder.
Sterling Moore - Never going to be great, just hoped for average, and sometimes got it, sometimes not.
Jeremy Parnell - Cowboys wanted him back, but he got a big contract elsewhere.
Marcus Spears - Average player, not that hard to replace.
Miles Austin - One year wonder that had hamstring issues every year.
Jason Hatcher - Good player, but Commanders wanted to pay him more.
Danny McCray - Seriously?

You can definitely make the argument the team has done a poor job at replacing those players who left (I completely agree there), but it's very hard to justify keeping the best of those with the money it would have taken to do so. In fact, most of the people who complain about losing some of those players would have been front-and-center complaining had we overpaid to keep them, especially if their level of play declined like it did for many of them last season with their new teams.

[/quote]

I'm not acting any particular way, I'm just naming the players lost and the players gained.

 

[Idgit]

Young players come in. Old players are let go. And holes are filled by value free agents to give us flexibility in the draft. Nothing to see here.

Look to see who's getting extended of the players on the roster. It's all young players we've home-grown. That's a better indicator than a listing of players who've aged or priced themselves off the roster in recent years.

 

[Reality]

Young players come in. Old players are let go. And holes are filled by value free agents to give us flexibility in the draft. Nothing to see here.

Look to see who's getting extended of the players on the roster. It's all young players we've home-grown. That's a better indicator than a listing of players who've aged or priced themselves off the roster in recent years.

Exactly! For the first time in a while, our focus has been on drafting better (still a work in progress, but it's better than it used to be at least) and building our team, rather than hiring our team.

 

[Rogerthat12]

Hardy there. I didn't add our own guys on purpose. And I did forget about Mincey. And again. We can add to this list. No way I could remember them all.

In terms of pure outside free agents, aside from 1 year deals like Melton (with option), Ro and Hardy, the Cowboys have only signed 2 free agents to large contracts in the last 9 years in Leonard Davis (was good for 3 years) and Carr and were burned to some degree by both!

They were also burned by in house deals of their own players Barber and Miles come to mind but much of that was their own doing!

So their outside free agent approach has been as described while focusing their free agent dollars on their own players.

 

[Shinaoi]

Depends on the player, but over all I am more happy with letting players go and not signing big contracts to middle of the line players. It may not pay off immediately, but I think it's the right thing to do when building a franchise.

 

[AdamJT13]

These are the "Cold Hard Facts". Not swayed one way or another.

And not accurate, either.

 

[Nightman]

Exactly! For the first time in a while, our focus has been on drafting better (still a work in progress, but it's better than it used to be at least) and building our team, rather than hiring our team.

You can build your team 3 ways

Drafting well
Signing FAs
Making trades

Focusing on drafting well doesn't mean they should neglect the other 2. In fact drafting well should lead to plenty of salary cap space to re-sign our good draftees and replace our poor ones. We are 10 years from Parcells and 6 years into Garrett. How long does it take?

 

[waving monkey]

You act like they just said, "These players aren't good, let's replace them!"

Demarcus Ware - Huge salary cap hit, would have required extending his contract too far down the line to retain due to injuries, even when he played. Given his injuries in Denver since he left, this proved to be a valid concern.
Demarco Murray - Played one full season, which was great, except for the crucial fumble at Green Bay. Would have taken way too much money to keep especially with injury history. His production dropped off considerably last year after leaving and not all of it was due to lack of carries.
Justin Durant - Dependable linebacker, but got paid more money than the Cowboys would spend.
Bruce Carter - About the only linebacker not named Sean Lee who got turnovers. Got a better contract offer elsewhere, then lost his starting position the first season with his new team.
Dwayne Harris - Very good returner and 4th wide receiver, but the Giants paid him way more than the Cowboys could justify for mainly a returner.
George Selvie - One year wonder.
Sterling Moore - Never going to be great, just hoped for average, and sometimes got it, sometimes not.
Jeremy Parnell - Cowboys wanted him back, but he got a big contract elsewhere.
Marcus Spears - Average player, not that hard to replace.
Miles Austin - One year wonder that had hamstring issues every year.
Jason Hatcher - Good player, but Commanders wanted to pay him more.
Danny McCray - Seriously?

You can definitely make the argument the team has done a poor job at replacing those players who left (I completely agree there), but it's very hard to justify keeping the best of those with the money it would have taken to do so. In fact, most of the people who complain about losing some of those players would have been front-and-center complaining had we overpaid to keep them, especially if their level of play declined like it did for many of them last season with their new teams.

yap

 

[waving monkey]

cold hard agenda facts

 

[TrailBlazer]

Of all the guys let go, I wouldn't pay any of them the ridiculous contracts they got when they left.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

You can build your team 3 ways

Drafting well
Signing FAs
Making trades

Focusing on drafting well doesn't mean they should neglect the other 2. In fact drafting well should lead to plenty of salary cap space to re-sign our good draftees and replace our poor ones. We are 10 years from Parcells and 6 years into Garrett. How long does it take?

How long does the 'process' take. Good Statement.

Trades...Free Agents...in the NFL those are usually pretty rough waters to navigate. Ask Capt. Belichick.

Red J ..what were his qualifications for the Head Coaching gig again?

Speaking of the Patriots, they play Free Agency exactly like this every single year and have went on to win multiple Superbowls after doing so. THAT'S THE SIMPLE FACTS...Jack!

 

[coult44]

And not accurate, either.

Don't be one of those folks who opens their mouth, but nothing comes out. So open it. And tell us . What's not accurate?

 

[Zordon]

Last 2-3 years.
Adds---Jed Collins. Jasper Brinkley, Darren McFadden, Corey White, Andrew Gachkar, Greg Hardy, Efe Obada, Ray Agnew, Will Allen, Brandon Weeden, Keith Rivers, RJ Dill, Ryan Miller, Terrell McClain, Brian Waters, Laurent Robinson.

Gone---Demarcus Ware, Demarco Murray, Justin Durant, Bruce Carter, Dwayne Harris, Henry Melton, Spencer, George Selvie, Sterling Moore, Jeremy Parnell, Marcus Spears,Miles Austin, Jason Hatcher, Corvey Irvin, Danny McCray.

That looks like a team going out of business.

 

[Reality]

You can build your team 3 ways

Drafting well
Signing FAs
Making trades

Focusing on drafting well doesn't mean they should neglect the other 2. In fact drafting well should lead to plenty of salary cap space to re-sign our good draftees and replace our poor ones. We are 10 years from Parcells and 6 years into Garrett. How long does it take?

Teams are valuing draft picks more and more these days due to the salary cap, but the main problem with trades is the cap hits most teams take due to guaranteed contract money acceleration. Teams either have to have serious cap issues or are in rebuilding mode (Eagles for example) to want to absorb an abrupt cap hit by releasing or trading a high salary player.

The fact that the Cowboys's drafting has improved over the last few years is evident because of the focus on retaining their draft picks beyond their rookie contracts. A lot of fans focus on "free agent" signings as only the ones that come from other teams. However, the Cowboys have resigned would-be free agents Sean Lee, Tony Romo, Orlando Scandrick, Tyron Smith, etc. and also re-signed actual free-agent, Dez Bryant.

When you sign a free agent that played for another team last season, there are many variables that come into play. There's the Spagnola's mantra of "If they were so good, why did their team release them?" There are also concerns such as will they fit into the Cowboys systems and schemes? Will they continue to play at the same level or better than they did the previous season with their former team? Do they have a history of injuries and just had one good year (which is why a lot of teams didn't even talk about signing Murray last year)?

The best teams are focusing more and more on building their teams through the draft and even rookie free agents, and only filling a couple of holes using free agents.

The other issue is that teams don't know what they are going to get in the draft, so they are hesitant to sign free agents when they may end up filling that position with a capable drafted player.

 

[Zordon]

Exactly! For the first time in a while, our focus has been on drafting better (still a work in progress, but it's better than it used to be at least) and building our team, rather than hiring our team.

They are trying the Green Bay method without Green Bay's scouting department. i understand what they're trying to do, but it's not going to work if you don't have the right personnel department. The drafting recently has been overrated by the majority of this site.

 

[DandyDon52]

"The other issue is that teams don't know what they are going to get in the draft, so they are hesitant to sign free agents when they may end up filling that position with a capable drafted player."
True, and why the draft should be before FA ?