Top-100 FA Signings Show Lots of Teams "Like Their Own Guys"

[T-RO]

100 Top free agents stood at the top of the most-prized list just 10 ago.
56 are now signed.

Let's break it down
24 could sign anywhere, but landed right back with their original team
32 were signed to new teams

And this doesn't tell the whole story. Many times teams want to keep their own but simply get outbid, or don't have cap space to even make an offer.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Kind of a weak class IMO. Been feeling that way.

 

[Jake]

The problem is when "we like our guys" produces 4 playoff wins in the 21st century and the same two people are still calling the shots.

For some of us, it's hard to have confidence in that formula. How many decades do they need?

 

[T-RO]

The problem is when "we like our guys" produces 4 playoff wins in the 21st century and the same two people are still calling the shots.

For some of us, it's hard to have confidence in that formula. How many decades do they need?

"We like our guys" isn't at the root of playoff shortcomings. The exception being a few occasions where Jerry gets fixated on pet cats.

It's a myth that Dallas is unusually unwilling to let their guys go. Consider recent departures: Connor Williams, Cedrick Wilson, Amari Cooper, Randy Gregory, Blake Jarwin, La'el Collins, Keanu Neal, Cam Erving, Joe Thomas, Chide Awuzie, Xavier Woods, Noah Brown, Connor McGovern, Schultz.

Indeed, Dallas has been a leading comp pick accumulator in part because they've been willing to let guys go.

"We like our guys" has become a lazy, derisive meme around here. Occasionally its a valid criticism - usually not.

 

[jterrell]

"We like our guys" isn't at the root of playoff shortcomings. The exception being a few occasions where Jerry gets fixated on pet cats.

It's a myth that Dallas is unusually unwilling to let their guys go. Consider recent departures: Connor Williams, Cedrick Wilson, Amari Cooper, Randy Gregory, Blake Jarwin, La'el Collins, Keanu Neal, Cam Erving, Joe Thomas, Chide Awuzie, Xavier Woods, Noah Brown, Connor McGovern, Schultz.

Indeed, Dallas has been a leading comp pick accumulator in part because they've been willing to let guys go.

"We like our guys" has become a lazy, derisive meme around here. Occasionally its a valid criticism - usually not.

So much this.
The Dallas front office is cheap but cheap has worked for any number of NFL teams who DID win titles.
And for every team that uses that route to win a title there are 5 who failed miserably.

Dallas model of replacing non-elite guys through the draft is a wise one.
They feed the system with comp picks and draft more guys for greater chances at success.
The Cowboys have a top 10 record of the last 10 years and won a playoff game last year.
They are definitely not the gold standard but they are hardly this poor mistaken franchise so far away from success.

 

[JBS]

I don’t think you understand the root of the problem.

The problem is free agency isn’t used as a tool to improve the roster. There is plenty of evidence out there that spending in free agency does lead to an increase in wins.

 

[MyFairLady]

"We like our guys" has become a lazy, derisive meme around here. Occasionally its a valid criticism - usually not.

I do not follow other teams closely enough to comment but I am far to aware of everything this team does. If you do not think that "We like our guys" is not an applicable comment that can be made about this organization then you need to start paying closer attention. Some of the contracts and the special treatment that happen around here might take place on other teams as well but I can promise you their GMs get fired for it. The love Jerry has for his players is a sickness and is at the root of the problems this team has had.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

This is a cope thread.

 

[jterrell]

I don’t think you understand the root of the problem.

The problem is free agency isn’t used as a tool to improve the roster. There is plenty of evidence out there that spending in free agency does lead to an increase in wins.

There is even more evidence that it does not.

In 2022 the top FA spends were:
1. Jacksonville
2. Miami
3. Vegas
4. Tampa
5. Chargers

0 of those teams advanced farther in the playoffs than Dallas.

 

[jterrell]

There is even more evidence that it does not.

In 2022 the top FA spends were:
1. Jacksonville
2. Miami
3. Vegas
4. Tampa
5. Chargers

0 of those teams advanced farther in the playoffs than Dallas.

FWIW both the Chiefs and Eagles spent LESS money in FA than Dallas.

 

[JBS]

There is even more evidence that it does not.

In 2022 the top FA spends were:
1. Jacksonville
2. Miami
3. Vegas
4. Tampa
5. Chargers

0 of those teams advanced farther in the playoffs than Dallas.

That’s not what I said. Do research on what I said. The facts are the facts.

 

[jterrell]

That’s not what I said. Do research on what I said. The facts are the facts.

If you have data to share do so.
Otherwise, you are just talking about nothing.

 

[dargonking999]

The problem I have with all this nonsensical arguments about FA Spending or lack therof is Dallas had for years (during the Romo years) went big on Trades, FA signings all the fancy Jazz. and what did we get? Injuries, poor play, and missed playoffs. Fans were irate. Jerry is an idiot, constantly signing anything shiny for big money, trading away picks for big names. He needs to do it the patriot way and draft guys and sign players to cheap deals. Then when we switch to said philosophy now its constant complaining that we don't spend enough, we like our guys, we gotta stop trying to draft players (even though we are more successful then average at it) to win.

The problem Dallas has had over 21 years has not been the players, its not been the GM its been coaching. The only time we had a quality coach was Bill parcells, and unfortunately our roster sucked, and Romo dropped the ball. McCarthy has at the very least shown some ability to be a decent coach. But this year will tell the tell. He's taking over the offense, he's went all in on defense from what it looks like, and so we are gonna find out whether we have an Andy Reid type coach, or just another waste of time, and players career. But the bottom line is, Coaching wins games. Andy Reid, and Bill Belichick, have dominated the the playoffs for a reason, and its not because they have all pro's at all 22 positions. (though having actual HOF QB's does help)

 

[khiladi]

Our QB still sucks and the reason the talented team has been dragged down, meaning he is the one guy they should have let go that they didn’t…

 

[MyFairLady]

Honestly I do not care where you spend your money. Keeping our own guys, bringing in new guys, its all the same to me. I care about what you get for the money you spend. When you bend over backwards to give your own pet cats massive contracts that they would never get anywhere else you are hurting our chances to win. That happens in Dallas. It is indisputable.

 

[CowboysRule]

The problem is when "we like our guys" produces 4 playoff wins in the 21st century and the same two people are still calling the shots.

For some of us, it's hard to have confidence in that formula. How many decades do they need?

As many as they want. It's their team, it will always be their team. If you don't like it, go cheer for another team because it's never changing.

 

[MyFairLady]

The only time we had a quality coach was Bill parcells, and unfortunately our roster sucked, and Romo dropped the ball.

Yes lets all think back fondly on the glory days when Fat Billy led the team to zero playoff wins and a .500 record. Romo was a miracle undrafted free agent who basically saved the team at the time. The game had long since passed Fat Billy by. Imagine drafting Bobby Carpenter in the first round. Good grief.

 

[erod]

The reason is, never has the quarterback position in the NFL been this bad, and if you don't have a top 5 quarterback, you really don't have a chance anyway, so why spend big in free agency?

 

[blueblood70]

100 Top free agents stood at the top of the most-prized list just 10 ago.
56 are now signed.

Let's break it down
24 could sign anywhere, but landed right back with their original team
32 were signed to new teams

And this doesn't tell the whole story. Many times teams want to keep their own but simply get outbid, or don't have cap space to even make an offer.

right the wlog nonsense is fan based narrative most teams try hard to keep their own FAS first its loyalty, system comfort, and team chemistry, those that are kept are typically important. they need to get those deals out of the way first then they know the actual holes needed to fill in FA and the draft..what did we have like 17 players that are RFA or FAs? that a lot to get through before you can jump head first into outside players.

BTW the FO cuts plenty of their own players we moved on from like 11player last off season and believe since 2020 turned this roster over like 70%.. that WLOG narrative is just a dumb parroted narrative caught on and now just typed in on every cap boy type post.

 

[Doomsday101]

For me I see a team who has put together 12 wins season back to back, frankly I like our guys as well. No doubt we need to add more talent but this team does not lack a lot of talent. You do not magically win 12 games without it.