The Stephen Jones effect

[DanA]

Is it just me or do we nail draft after draft after draft and then utterly screw up contract after contract after contract. I mean there's the odd "Taco" but generally we punch above our weight while in free agency its the opposite, the odd Zac Martin or Andy Dalton but we rarely get a good deal.

It should be the reverse. We typically aren't drafting at the pointy end but people want to play for Dallas as it's the biggest market in the league, the largest sporting franchise in the world. Obviously every circumstance is different but as a general rule, shouldn't we get our pick of free agents?

I could be wrong, but my understanding is that Stephen Jones is responsible for contracts. And we almost never get them right. We need a big shift in our FA philosophy and IMO a shake up of the department. The reality is though that a fish rots from the head and that isn't getting fixed.

 

[JBS]

Stephen only knows 1 way to operate.

draft. don’t sign other teams players. sign your own.

he’s incapable of expanding out of that box

 

[Direwolf63]

All these things we supposedly do well have not resulted in playoff success. Often we don't even make the playoffs.

So whether it's drafting, free agency, contracts, coaching or anything else it comes down to one thing: culture.

And that comes from the top. Jerry and Stephen are responsible for the never ending mediocrity. And I see no end to this dysfunction.

 

[ThatJerryKid]

Stephen only knows 1 way to operate.

draft. don’t sign other teams players. sign your own.

he’s incapable of expanding out of that box

This is actually a great strategy. But he screwed it up with the Jaylon and Zeke contracts.

 

[TequilaCowboy]

Is it just me or do we nail draft after draft after draft and then utterly screw up contract after contract after contract. I mean there's the odd "Taco" but generally we punch above our weight while in free agency its the opposite, the odd Zac Martin or Andy Dalton but we rarely get a good deal.

It should be the reverse. We typically aren't drafting at the pointy end but people want to play for Dallas as it's the biggest market in the league, the largest sporting franchise in the world. Obviously every circumstance is different but as a general rule, shouldn't we get our pick of free agents?

I could be wrong, but my understanding is that Stephen Jones is responsible for contracts. And we almost never get them right. We need a big shift in our FA philosophy and IMO a shake up of the department. The reality is though that a fish rots from the head and that isn't getting fixed.

Stephen era has been very gun shy in signing any big time players with big time contracts, even if more than just $2M or so per year. They like to sift through the rubble, dive into dumpsters and raid the emergency rooms at the hospitals. Looking for a "gem". i get it, you can't sign every one to a big contract. But even if just one great player at a need position is there, they still won't touch. So back to the land of misfits and broken toys they go. They take the Free Agency literally and expect them to be free.

 

[HungryLion]

Imagine, a guy who has his job out of 100% pure nepotism….. who lacks any credentials whatsoever to be in his position…….. makes mistakes and isn’t good at his job.

 

[Rockport]

Stephen only knows 1 way to operate.

draft. don’t sign other teams players. sign your own.

he’s incapable of expanding out of that box

He signed Hooker, Neal, Kearse, Urban, Basham, Watkins, Nskeshe just this year to name a few.

 

[conner01]

I think Jerry was the mastermind of the Jaylon deal
Jerry gets attached to some players and he likes Jaylon
Jaylon is a great story
To have the injury he had and come back and play at a high level
I think Jerry just fell in love with that
Jaylon is not as bad as some fans make him out to be but he’s over paid at a position that is fairly easy to get a good player at. Super stars are hard but good, solid LB’s are not hard to find

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

That's not the "Stephen effect" that's the NFL effect. When a player signs for a good deal that's a reflection of the player. The NFL is meant to overpay in free agency.

Give Stephen credit.....he's tried to sign "bargains" and its bit him in the *** in Jaylon and its worked out for him in La'El Collins....or so we hope anyway.

 

[ClappingCarrot]

The fact that we keep "winning at drafting" also isn't true either. Stephen himself frequently sells this narrative.

 

[12+88=7]

Year after year multiple media outlets and expert talking heads ALL believe Dallas has one of the best rosters in the NFL.

It's not the talent acquisition that is the problem. It's been the coaching that has underperformed and not gotten the most out of players.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I think Jerry was the mastermind of the Jaylon deal
Jerry gets attached to some players and he likes Jaylon
Jaylon is a great story
To have the injury he had and come back and play at a high level
I think Jerry just fell in love with that
Jaylon is not as bad as some fans make him out to be but he’s over paid at a position that is fairly easy to get a good player at. Super stars are hard but good, solid LB’s are not hard to find

Well and let's also be honest about the Jaylon deal....we thought he would be getting better. Either way, the deal was structured to where we can get from under it next year correct? Not getting the hate on Stephen's contract negotiations....the only deal he foolishly handled was Dak.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

The fact that we keep "winning at drafting" also isn't true either. Stephen himself frequently sells this narrative.

I don't think that's just Stephen's narrative. The Cowboys in comparison with the rest of the league draft pretty well especially in the 1st round. I think the issue has been hitting on depth picks.

 

[DanA]

Year after year multiple media outlets and expert talking heads ALL believe Dallas has one of the best rosters in the NFL.

It's not the talent acquisition that is the problem. It's been the coaching that has underperformed and not gotten the most out of players.

Coaching is a big part but there is definitely a strategic problem with our FA approach.

 

[morat1959]

The fact that we keep "winning at drafting" also isn't true either. Stephen himself frequently sells this narrative.

Nailed it!

 

[JBS]

He signed Hooker, Neal, Kearse, Urban, Basham, Watkins, Nskeshe just this year to name a few.

thanks for proving my point

 

[Cowpolk]

Imagine, a guy who has his job out of 100% pure nepotism….. who lacks any credentials whatsoever to be in his position…….. makes mistakes and isn’t good at his job.

Garrett is gone

 

[conner01]

I don't think that's just Stephen's narrative. The Cowboys in comparison with the rest of the league draft pretty well especially in the 1st round. I think the issue has been hitting on depth picks.

The first round gets you stars in many cases
But the heart of your team and the key to the cap is hitting starter quality player in the next 4 round
The last couple rounds are a crap shoot but 2 through 5 is the depth of your roster and some of those have to be starters in a year or two
That’s where you build a TEAM

 

[JoeKing]

The Stephen Jones effect is we didn't draft players like Johnny Manziel like his daddy wanted to. So be thankful he is around to mitigate Jerry's crazy urges on draft day.

 

[basel90]

Is it just me or do we nail draft after draft after draft and then utterly screw up contract after contract after contract. I mean there's the odd "Taco" but generally we punch above our weight while in free agency its the opposite, the odd Zac Martin or Andy Dalton but we rarely get a good deal.

It should be the reverse. We typically aren't drafting at the pointy end but people want to play for Dallas as it's the biggest market in the league, the largest sporting franchise in the world. Obviously every circumstance is different but as a general rule, shouldn't we get our pick of free agents?

I could be wrong, but my understanding is that Stephen Jones is responsible for contracts. And we almost never get them right. We need a big shift in our FA philosophy and IMO a shake up of the department. The reality is though that a fish rots from the head and that isn't getting fixed.

Stephen is actually the more prudent voice of reason . He fights off the whims of Jerry ( for example, the Johnny Manzel Jerry plan ) and had resisted paying big bucks to so many shiny stars who underachieved and were overpaid , if it was not for Jerry relenting and insisting on keeping the stars at astronomical prices , for example zeke , DLaw , Cooper , and yes Dak . Jerry is the ultimate decider on many such contracts .