Theory about our success with undrafted FA's

[NorthwestDallas40]

Tony Romo, Miles Austin, Barry Church. Perhaps now Jared Green.

We have had great success with undrafted free agents. And one reason for it might be that Jerry does not exert the same level of influence over the scout's decisions on UFA's as he does in the draft room for draft picks. I believe it is more evidence that Jerry needs to just follow the scout's board on draft day...

 

[reddyuta]

I am not buying this.what about teams that draft well,do they equally good UDFA success?

 

[danielofthesaints]

Please tell me you are kidding about Jared Green. He hasn't done squat to be grouped with the others you listed.

 

[jrumann59]

Personally for this team they have done average in drafts, mis-manage the cap so they have to look at places that other teams probably do not throw a lot of resources at to find talent and have been extremely lucky. Really now the UDFAs are not the UDAFs of old when the NFL draft was 13 rounds long most of these guys would have been drafted under the old draft system.

 

[erod]

Perhaps it's easier to make the team when the draft picks suck.

Not a single player left from the '08 and '09 drafts, except for Orlando Scandrick.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Part of it is that many UDFAs have a choice where to go. The Cowboys name has some pull.

 

[Picksix]

Owner influence (or lack thereof) and managment/mismanagement of the cap don't have much to do with it. UDFA's play a significant role all over the league.

It's not just the Cowboys. With the exception of the first round, there are more UDFA's that make the Pro Bowl/All Pro rosters than any round in the draft. One, there are just so many of them. Two, the draft is a crap shoot, and scouting is a very inexact science. Three, UDFA's know they have something to prove, and often play with a chip on their shoulders throughout their careers.

As for having poor drafts in 08/09, we are in the majority.

 

[NorthwestDallas40]

Please tell me you are kidding about Jared Green. He hasn't done squat to be grouped with the others you listed.

That's why I said "perhaps." Just seems like he's made the most noise of UFA's so far this year.

 

[NorthwestDallas40]

Owner influence (or lack thereof) and managment/mismanagement of the cap don't have much to do with it. UDFA's play a significant role all over the league.

It's not just the Cowboys. With the exception of the first round, there are more UDFA's that make the Pro Bowl/All Pro rosters than any round in the draft. One, there are just so many of them. Two, the draft is a crap shoot, and scouting is a very inexact science. Three, UDFA's know they have something to prove, and often play with a chip on their shoulders throughout their careers.

As for having poor drafts in 08/09, we are in the majority.

Not being a , but how many teams have 3 starters at premier positions -- QB, WR, and S -- that were UDFA's? Everyone holds this out as a "success" of the organization at finding undiscovered gems. I hold it out as a failure of Jerry-run drafts.

 

[TheSport78]

Jared Green isn't even an UDFA. He's a first year player.

 

[dallasfan4lizife]

I completely agree.

Jerry shouldn't even be in the draft room, he pays his scouts for a reason doesn't he?

 

[FiveRings]

Please tell me you are kidding about Jared Green. He hasn't done squat to be grouped with the others you listed.

Go ahead and scratch Barry Church off that list for now too. I'm not poo pooing him, but come on guys we've seen him do next to nothing and everybody's ready to crown him King of the Secondary.

 

[Cowboys22]

Completely ridiculous! So they have found 3 or 4 good UDFAs over the past 8 years. They have signed 150-160 of them. A much high % of our draft picks make the team and contribute so your arguement is ridiculous to start with. How about this for a theory. Eight years ago the talent level on the team was so bad that it was easier for UDFAs to make the team so the best ones chose to sign in Dallas. Because of the low talent level some actually stuck around long enough to develop into decent players. None of them were good players from the beginning, they just had a chance to stick and develop. Then you add in pure luck and the fact that Jerry has paid more money for them over the years and it's easy to see why they hit on a few guys. Oh, heres a newflash also, so has every other team in the league. Dallas is not the only team where UDFAs are contributing and really it's only Romo and Austin for Dallas. Two guys panning out could simply be coincidence and luck.

 

[Picksix]

Not being a , but how many teams have 3 starters at premier positions -- QB, WR, and S -- that were UDFA's? Everyone holds this out as a "success" of the organization at finding undiscovered gems. I hold it out as a failure of Jerry-run drafts.

I understand your point. But really, who cares what the position is, and whether it's a premium position or not? Many teams - even championship ones - have UDFA's starting and contributing significantly to their success. The fact is the Cowboys have players at those positions you mentioned who are all pretty darn good. What difference does it make where they got them? Now, if they had drafted a bunch of QB's, WR's, and S's with high picks, and they failed, well that would speak to a problem. But just because they play a "premium" position, and went undrafted, means nothing. Actually, it just reinforces the point in my previous post, about scouting and the draft.

 

[sacase]

Tony Romo, Miles Austin, Barry Church. Perhaps now Jared Green.

We have had great success with undrafted free agents. And one reason for it might be that Jerry does not exert the same level of influence over the scout's decisions on UFA's as he does in the draft room for draft picks. I believe it is more evidence that Jerry needs to just follow the scout's board on draft day...

I just love how fans think anything good, JJ was not involved in, anything bad was all JJ. SMH

 

[arglebargle]

Perhaps it's easier to make the team when the draft picks suck.

Not a single player left from the '08 and '09 drafts, except for Orlando Scandrick.

So, how many players from those drafts do the Patriots still have on their roster?

 

[NorthwestDallas40]

Completely ridiculous! So they have found 3 or 4 good UDFAs over the past 8 years. They have signed 150-160 of them. A much high % of our draft picks make the team and contribute so your arguement is ridiculous to start with. How about this for a theory. Eight years ago the talent level on the team was so bad that it was easier for UDFAs to make the team so the best ones chose to sign in Dallas. Because of the low talent level some actually stuck around long enough to develop into decent players. None of them were good players from the beginning, they just had a chance to stick and develop. Then you add in pure luck and the fact that Jerry has paid more money for them over the years and it's easy to see why they hit on a few guys. Oh, heres a newflash also, so has every other team in the league. Dallas is not the only team where UDFAs are contributing and really it's only Romo and Austin for Dallas. Two guys panning out could simply be coincidence and luck.

Yet, no one has beaten them out since. Fact remains is that the scouts found 3 starters (one Pro Bowl caliber) off the street. While Jerry has drafted Felix Jones, Bobby Carpenter, Marcus Spears, and Mike Jenkins in the first round.

 

[dcstands4]

Not being a , but how many teams have 3 starters at premier positions -- QB, WR, and S -- that were UDFA's? Everyone holds this out as a "success" of the organization at finding undiscovered gems. I hold it out as a failure of Jerry-run drafts.

I find it as reminiscent from being one of Bill's guys (with the exception of Church).

I know 2nd rounders arent really a big deal but Ive like a few we got on our squad and im looking at Gavin Escobar to carry this torch...

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Tony Romo, Miles Austin, Barry Church. Perhaps now Jared Green.

We have had great success with undrafted free agents. And one reason for it might be that Jerry does not exert the same level of influence over the scout's decisions on UFA's as he does in the draft room for draft picks. I believe it is more evidence that Jerry needs to just follow the scout's board on draft day...

Again. Let's look at the drafts since 2010. Who around the league has added as much talent as we have?

I'm very pleased with our draft performance since the special teams draft.

 

[TheSport78]

Again. Let's look at the drafts since 2010. Who around the league has added as much talent as we have?

I'm very pleased with our draft performance since the special teams draft.

And yet we're one of the weakest football teams when it comes to the trenches, where games are really won.