Time to learn some truth about the front office

[Parcells4Life]

There’s been crazy and negative speculation on here as it regards the front office. Why do people here think:

1) Jerry is still the day to day GM?
2) The team has been bad at drafting?

Jerry is only involved in the big decisions. And even then it’s to give his stamp of approval. Stephen is the one actually making the day to day decisions and even then it’s guys like Will McClay for player scouting and others that do contracts doing most of the work. It wasn’t Stephen or Jerry that did Zekes contract. It was some other guy who I don’t recall his name.

As for drafting the Cowboys have been pretty good relative to the rest of the league. Yes thereve been misses but every team has them.

In the last 10 years the team has drafted:

Tyron
Frederick
Dez
Dak
Zach
DLaw
Byron
Zeke
CD
Diggs
Gallup
Pollard
LVE
Lee
Murray
Schultz
Dwayne Harris (still in the league 9 years later)
Crawford (still in league 8 years later)
Hitchens (starting for Chiefs)
Damien Wilson (starting for Chiefs)
Traded a 1 for Coop

Overall they’ve drafted 13 pro bowlers which is an average of 1.3 per draft and will probably be more in a few years with at least CD and Diggs.

If you’re going to average 1 pro bowler every draft and numerous starters that will play 8-9 years you’re doing your job. Find me how many pro bowlers over 10 years other teams have drafted. I’d imagine Dallas is in the top 10 in the league in that.

The player personnel has been pretty good. I’d say poor coaching on defense and bad luck is the reason the team hasn’t gotten to NFC title games the last 10 years. DeMarcos fumble in 2014 in GB and the 3rd down bomb from Rodgers in 2016.

Defensively the scheme has never complimented the offense and was a liability in the playoffs in 2018 and all season in 2019. This year it’s just all over the place between coaches and players.

If I had to grade the front office on player personnel, I’d say a B+ and that’s mainly due to handling of contracts not the talent they bring in. The biggest error they made was trying to use Jaylons one good season as leverage against Zeke in training camp in 2019. Shouldn’t have extended him. They also gave Marinelli way too much input in the draft. Cost them Taco and Trysten. But the Patriots miss with WRs in the 1st round all the time so mistakes happen everywhere. Their drafted WRs since like 2010 have 183 total catches in the league on a graphic Fox showed a few weeks ago.

Stop taking the easy road and saying the FO is trash. Because reality is their among the best in talent acquisition, probably below average on contracts and average in evaluating coaches. The rest of the league minus New England and Kansas City have all the same complaints about who wears their headset. Even Sean Payton went 7-9 3 straight years.

 

[Western]

Since 1995, only 3 nfc teams have not advanced to the nfc championship game -- the Lions, Washington, and the Cowboys.

25 years.
Jerry sucks as a GM.
Stephen sucks as VP, and as the CEO.
They have produced nothing.

Jerry has been riding on Jimmy's coattails for the last 25 years.

The advocates for the Jones family cannot see the forest for the trees.

 

[Doomsday77]

Some good research there and I’ll take your word on all of it however to your point- luck should not be a reason for anything good or bad. Every team has good/bad luck and 25 years should be enough time to overcome “luck”. The front office doesn’t carry the ball, play defense or miss field goals...the players do. So if, as you point out, we have had a B+ draft over time then it’s not the players fault it’s coaching. Who is responsible for hiring coaches?
25 years of mediocrity.

 

[Parcells4Life]

Since 1995, only 3 nfc teams have not advanced to the nfc championship game -- the Lions, Washington, and the Cowboys.

25 years.
Jerry sucks as a GM.
Stephen sucks as VP, and as the CEO.
They have produced nothing.

Jerry has been riding on Jimmy's coattails for the last 25 years.

The advocates for the Jones family cannot see the forest for the trees.

Well as I said to start, Jerry isn’t the day to day GM anymore.

The front office is not perfect but when it comes to getting good players in the building, they’re pretty good at that. It’s when you have to pay them that becomes the problem.

 

[fivetwos]

There’s been crazy and negative speculation on here as it regards the front office. Why do people here think:

1) Jerry is still the day to day GM?
2) The team has been bad at drafting?

Jerry is only involved in the big decisions. And even then it’s to give his stamp of approval. Stephen is the one actually making the day to day decisions and even then it’s guys like Will McClay for player scouting and others that do contracts doing most of the work. It wasn’t Stephen or Jerry that did Zekes contract. It was some other guy who I don’t recall his name.

As for drafting the Cowboys have been pretty good relative to the rest of the league. Yes thereve been misses but every team has them.

In the last 10 years the team has drafted:

Tyron
Frederick
Dez
Dak
Zach
DLaw
Byron
Zeke
CD
Diggs
Gallup
Pollard
LVE
Lee
Murray
Schultz
Dwayne Harris (still in the league 9 years later)
Crawford (still in league 8 years later)
Hitchens (starting for Chiefs)
Damien Wilson (starting for Chiefs)
Traded a 1 for Coop

Overall they’ve drafted 13 pro bowlers which is an average of 1.3 per draft and will probably be more in a few years with at least CD and Diggs.

If you’re going to average 1 pro bowler every draft and numerous starters that will play 8-9 years you’re doing your job. Find me how many pro bowlers over 10 years other teams have drafted. I’d imagine Dallas is in the top 10 in the league in that.

The player personnel has been pretty good. I’d say poor coaching on defense and bad luck is the reason the team hasn’t gotten to NFC title games the last 10 years. DeMarcos fumble in 2014 in GB and the 3rd down bomb from Rodgers in 2016.

Defensively the scheme has never complimented the offense and was a liability in the playoffs in 2018 and all season in 2019. This year it’s just all over the place between coaches and players.

If I had to grade the front office on player personnel, I’d say a B+ and that’s mainly due to handling of contracts not the talent they bring in. The biggest error they made was trying to use Jaylons one good season as leverage against Zeke in training camp in 2019. Shouldn’t have extended him. They also gave Marinelli way too much input in the draft. Cost them Taco and Trysten. But the Patriots miss with WRs in the 1st round all the time so mistakes happen everywhere. Their drafted WRs since like 2010 have 183 total catches in the league on a graphic Fox showed a few weeks ago.

Stop taking the easy road and saying the FO is trash. Because reality is their among the best in talent acquisition, probably below average on contracts and average in evaluating coaches. The rest of the league minus New England and Kansas City have all the same complaints about who wears their headset. Even Sean Payton went 7-9 3 straight years.

Anything could be spun to sound this way.

The answer to your question is that their preferred way of doing things doesnt work, and isnt done by any other pro sports organization for a reason.

This goes way beyond not being qualified and/or nepotism.

If Jerry isn't involved, he should shut his trap.

Until then, I'm going to continue to bash him. I'll eat crow if he proves me wrong. Doubtful.

 

[fivetwos]

Well as I said to start, Jerry isn’t the day to day GM anymore.

The front office is not perfect but when it comes to getting good players in the building, they’re pretty good at that. It’s when you have to pay them that becomes the problem.

Coaching is bigger in today's league because every team has player deficiencies.

They have indeed brought in some good players but in the end our weaknesses were always exploited by better coaches.....the kind Jerry wont have around here any longer because he wants to "have fun."

I'm glad he is at our expense (many of us were here first). Hw threw that one in our faces also.

 

[Parcells4Life]

Anything could be spun to sound this way.

The answer to your question is that their preferred way of doing things doesnt work, and isnt done by any other pro sports organization for a reason.

This goes way beyond not being qualified and/or nepotism.

If Jerry isn't involved, he should shut his trap.

Until then, I'm going to continue to bash him. I'll eat crow if he proves me wrong. Doubtful.

Jerry keeps his mouth going because he’s also a businessman. He knows sponsors would probably lessen their evaluation if he told them he isn’t involved day to day. But need evidence? Look at tanks press conference. Jerry wasn’t even there. And this last offseason after hiring a new head coach? Barely a word from him. It was all Stephen doing interviews.

As we know Stephen is very different from Jerry’s approach. Jerry is the kind to give everyone money. Stephen fights to the last penny. He and Jerry came to blows when they signed Deion.

 

[Parcells4Life]

Coaching is bigger in today's league because every team has player deficiencies.

They have indeed brought in some good players but in the end our weaknesses were always exploited by better coaches.....the kind Jerry wont have around here any longer because he wants to "have fun."

I'm glad he is at our expense (many of us were here first). Hw threw that one in our faces also.

Where’s this evidence of him not wanting good coaches because of “having fun”? Other than a popular fan/radio myth. He’s a loyalist more than anything. Garrett’s were on the field payroll since the day he arrived in 89. That’s why he gave Jason every chance possible.

 

[fivetwos]

Well as I said to start, Jerry isn’t the day to day GM anymore.

The front office is not perfect but when it comes to getting good players in the building, they’re pretty good at that. It’s when you have to pay them that becomes the problem.

I've said all along that Jerry needs to simply shut up more than he needs to step aside.

He undermines his staff with his need to be a celebrity and either doesn't realize it, or care.

Again with the good players....I agree....but funny how Dallas is routinely outcoached in games.....or unprepared for playoff games.

We are left with retread assistants that are second rate.

 

[fivetwos]

Where’s this evidence of him not wanting good coaches because of “having fun”? Other than a popular fan/radio myth. He’s a loyalist more than anything. Garrett’s were on the field payroll since the day he arrived in 89. That’s why he gave Jason every chance possible.

When Parcells left he said now he can "have fun again."

Wonder if he is having as much fun as you apparently are.

Given your username, one would think youd know that.

 

[Scotman]

I think most of what you said is true. The FO has done a good job of acquiring talent.

The Jones family, mainly Jerry, has failed as a GM because he meddles in jobs that don't belong to the GM.

On the Cowboys, players go to Jerry when they have a problem with a coach. Don't like your playing time? Complain to Jerry. Don't like a coach? Complain to Jerry. Win some Superbowls and outshine the GM? Get gone. Jerry has neutered the team by not staying in his lane. I don't think you can acquire enough talent to win when you can't have a real head coach. You'd have to have a player strong enough to overcome all of that and keep every one else in line...like Aikman did.

 

[HungryLion]

Where’s this evidence of him not wanting good coaches because of “having fun”? Other than a popular fan/radio myth. He’s a loyalist more than anything. Garrett’s were on the field payroll since the day he arrived in 89. That’s why he gave Jason every chance possible.

That highlights one of the major problems with the front office. Nepotism is just standard operating procedure.


Jason Garret is an example.

Stephen Jones is in no way qualified for his position, other than, he is Jerry’s son.

You said yourself that negotiating and re-signing players is something they struggle with.

one of the key figures in doing those negotiations is Stephen Jones. Who only has his job due to being the owners son.

Maybe if somebody qualified was in that position, we wouldn’t have some
Of the albatross contracts hanging around the teams neck and dragging it down.

 

[nightrain]

They are able to pick the groceries on draft day, but they are terrible with roster management. The Cowboys don't seem to have a plan to effectively churn the roster. You can't hold on to every good draft pick and paying RBs elite money is a proven calamity. Some of the OL unit should have traded years ago to supplement other areas of the team that were substandard.

Now they are left with with a number of big contracts on underperforming players and an entire unit of the team that just flat out under manned. Their activity in free agency has been abysmal and the record over the past 25 yeas speaks for itself.

 

[csirl]

Cowboys put too much focus on elite players. The secret to success in the NFL is the accumation of small improvements across the entire roster. From a FO perspective, replacing JAGs with slighly better than JAGs. Replacing poor players with JAGs.

From a coaching perspective its getting the average players to perform a little above average and getting the poor players to be average.

 

[fivetwos]

They are able to pick the groceries on draft day, but they are terrible with roster management. The Cowboys don't seem to have a plan to effectively churn the roster. You can't hold on to every good draft pick and paying RBs elite money is a proven calamity. Some of the OL unit should have traded years ago to supplement other areas of the team that were substandard.

Now they are left with with a number of big contracts on underperforming players and an entire unit of the team that just flat out under manned. Their activity in free agency has been abysmal and the record over the past 25 yeas speaks for itself.

In other words....there was more than one window that slammed shut on them for one reason or another.

Followed by excuses to justify them remaining on.

Time is running out.

 

[fivetwos]

Cowboys put too much focus on elite players. The secret to success in the NFL is the accumation of small improvements across the entire roster. From a FO perspective, replacing JAGs with slighly better than JAGs. Replacing poor players with JAGs.

From a coaching perspective its getting the average players to perform a little above average and getting the poor players to be average.

Absolutely correct and nice points.

Overlooked were the role players on those 90s teams.

Anyone who disputes that....take a look at the Gailey teams when the stars were still here but the depth of the roster was raided.

 

[CouchCoach]

Isn't the front office responsible for coaching as well as players? Booger still is in charge because the requirement of any HC is to make him comfortable.

This front office is more about nepotism than qualified personnel and the accountability is lax.

The player evaluations, both their own for new contracts and FA's is among the worst. They still struggle to balance the cap because "we like our guys" prevails.

A failing of this front office is the failure to develop a plan and follow it and I don't know McClay's part in that but this front office has failed to build a defense that will allow them to be a true contender.

But the biggest failure of this front office is to try and make this style over substance and try and market and promote their way out of a mediocre job of team building.

 

[ClappingCarrot]

And this is why our FO sucks, in my opinion. Too many hands in the entire operation, with a delusional old man at the top of the scale.

Bascik made a great point on the radio Monday in saying that successful GMs let the job consume them and they work all day every day at it. Ours takes family vacations the first week of Free Agency.

 

[Reality]

I am not disagreeing with the idea they made some good draft picks, but at the end of the day, if the players are not able to stay on the field, it does not matter how great they are.

• Tyron -- injured and missed games in multiple seasons
• Frederick -- non-football injury and missed entire season; retired much earlier than expected
• Dez -- injured foot and missed games; many say he was never the same afterwards
• Dak -- injured and missed most of this season
• Zach -- injured and missed games this season
• Zeke -- suspended for 6 games in one season; missed a game due to injury this season
• LVE -- injured and missed games in multiple seasons
• Lee -- injured and missed games in MOST seasons
• Schultz -- kept on the sideline too long when starting Witten who was no longer better
• Hitchens (starting for Chiefs) -- injured and missed games
• Damien Wilson (starting for Chiefs) -- injured and missed games

 

[acr731]

I have never viewed a selection to the pro bowl as anything more than a consolation prize for not being good enough to make it to the super bowl. Tom Brady said it himself a few seasons ago - he doesn't go into a season with hopes of playing in the pro bowl, he plays for championships. Thats the same attitude that is needed with Dallas, and also with quite a few fans who put too much stock into pro bowl selections.

• Lee -- injured and missed games in MOST seasons

It was mentioned yesterday that Lee has been with Dallas for 11 seasons and that caught me by surprise. As many games as he has missed to injury it doesn't seem like he has been here anywhere close to that amount of time. At most it seems he has only played 3-4 seasons worth of games, not 11.