Watkins: Cowboys are in rebuilding mode

[Risen Star]

As we enter the weekend, the Dallas Cowboys are acting as if they know something we don't.

Maybe letting go of star defensive end DeMarcus Ware and productive defensive tackle Jason Hatcher in the last 48 hours isn't an indication of a franchise that doesn't know what it's doing.

Maybe the Cowboys have decided it's time to rebuild with younger talent.

Ware and Hatcher will be 32-years old by Week 1 of the 2014 season. If each had remained with the Cowboys, half of the projected starters along the defensive line would be in their 30s.

Hatcher's production increased to the point where he had compiled a career-high 11 sacks but was seeking a big-money deal in free agency.

The cap-tight Cowboys weren't going to do it.

Ware's production slipped last season. He had just six sacks and missed three games because of a quad injury.

The Cowboys weren't going to let Ware snag $16 million of their salary cap. So if Ware wasn't going to take a pay cut, then the next option was to let him go.

Ware signed a three-year deal Wednesday with a team that contends for Super Bowls in the Denver Broncos. Hatcher inked a four-year deal with the Cowboys' NFC East rival, Washington Commanders.

The Commanders, by the way, are also aiming to lock up another Cowboys free agent in defensive end Anthony Spencer, who is coming off microfracture surgery.

Spencer, who is 30, has a few negatives holding him back regarding a contract from anyone, and those are health and age. And while the Cowboys would like to bring Spencer back, they don't seem to be in a hurry to do so.

For that matter, the Cowboys' signings have focused on backups. The team signed defensive linemen Jeremy Mincy and Terrell McClain along with special teams player Will Herring.

Those signings don't excite a fan base that's still angered by three consecutive 8-8 finishes. Free-agent defensive tackle Henry Melton seems to be a perfect fit in this 4-3 scheme, but he hasn't visited Valley Ranch yet.

Maybe the Cowboys understand the frustration of their fan base and have decided to do something about it: Rebuild without telling anybody.

More - http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas-cowboys/post/_/id/4725632/4725632

 

[Risen Star]

Here's the end of the article....

Previous bad contracts -- the second one to Jay Ratliff and Miles Austin's -- hurt the franchise somewhat with their salary cap. As one agent told me on Friday about the Cowboys: "They are broke and need to draft better."

At the start of free agency, the Cowboys had just $1.1 million in cap room, the lowest in the league. After Ware's release, it increased to $8.5 million.

It's still not enough to do anything in free agency. So what do you do?

Rebuild.

Stephen Jones belly laughs at that agent. The man just doesn't understand.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Cowboys are in rebuilding mode since 1997

 

[cowboyvic]

Cowboys are in rebuilding mode since 1997

Yep! and 1 playoff win in 17 years prove it.

 

[Mrdude108]

Can't rebuild with Romo for at least two main reasons: his mammoth of a contract and the fact that get gets you to 6-8 wins by himself which puts you right in the middle/outside the top ten of the draft.

If we are rebuilding, we are doing a half *** job because while they rebuild, Romo is getting older and we may end up needing a new QB for that rebuilt team if he declines or gets injured again. I'm all for a real rebuild though.

 

[Section446]

Long... long overdue.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Can't rebuild with Romo for at least two main reasons: his mammoth of a contract and the fact that get gets you to 6-8 wins by himself which puts you right in the middle/outside the top ten of the draft.

If we are rebuilding, we are doing a half *** job because while they rebuild, Romo is getting older and we may end up needing a new QB for that rebuilt team if he declines or gets injured again. I'm all for a real rebuild though.

Yup! Might as well get rid of Carr, Witten, and Romo if they are rebuilding.

 

[Nation]

Can't rebuild with Romo for at least two main reasons: his mammoth of a contract and the fact that get gets you to 6-8 wins by himself which puts you right in the middle/outside the top ten of the draft.

The second part isn't a problem. Plenty of teams have rebuilt their rosters while drafting outside the top ten in the draft. Plenty of teams like Jacksonville, Cleveland, and Oakland consistently pick in the top ten in the draft and remain bad. Besides getting the opportunity on once-in-a-decade prospects in the first three picks or so, it is 95% who is buying the groceries, and 5% what time they get to go into the store to buy them.

 

[cowboys1981]

I know with the events surfacing this week it looks as if there is no hope. The draft is yet to come and there will be another wave of FA after 6/1. Adding some quality pieces to the Dline will improve the weakest part of our team. With a whe new Dline coming onboard, we'll have a very young defense all around!

 

[Risen Star]

I know with the events surfacing this week it looks as if there is no hope. The draft is yet to come and there will be another wave of FA after 6/1. Adding some quality pieces to the Dline will improve the weakest part of our team. With a whe new Dline coming onboard, we'll have a very young defense all around!

Bless your heart.

 

[ShiningStar]

I still dont buy it, if this was a rebuild, bring in a new HC, and than let the rebuilding begin. you cant have a rebuild with a lame duck coach.

 

[Section446]

Yup! Might as well get rid of Carr, Witten, and Romo if they are rebuilding.

I'd be okay with that.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

I'd be okay with that.

Ged rid of JG, too!

 

[Section446]

Ged rid of JG, too!

I'd pay for that.

 

[cowboys1981]

Bless your heart.

No need. They're people in more need of a blessing than me. I'm just not going to get all down about a few moves that have been recently made and act like everything is falling from the sky.

 

[Wood]

Can't rebuild with Romo for at least two main reasons: his mammoth of a contract and the fact that get gets you to 6-8 wins by himself which puts you right in the middle/outside the top ten of the draft.

If we are rebuilding, we are doing a half *** job because while they rebuild, Romo is getting older and we may end up needing a new QB for that rebuilt team if he declines or gets injured again. I'm all for a real rebuild though.

I agree a rebuild was taken off the table with that gargantuan contract for Romo. Whats fans are interpreting as a rebuild is more likely a team who is failing at cap management and player evaluation.

 

[JPostSam]

what has been the complaint for years about the way this team was structures? that it overpaid for aging starters and took backups in the draft. well, right now, this team is cutting overpriced, aging veterans and is finding quality starters in the draft (dez, tyron smith, frederick, williams).

we'll take our lumps this year but, if we hit on a few good defenders in this draft, we'll start to climb back to the top of the pile.

...which means, to me, that our best case scenario is a john elway-type ending for romo and witten in two or three years.

 

[RS12]

Watkins: Cowboys are in rebuilding mode

water is wet

 

[Doc50]

As we enter the weekend, the Dallas Cowboys are acting as if they know something we don't.

Maybe letting go of star defensive end DeMarcus Ware and productive defensive tackle Jason Hatcher in the last 48 hours isn't an indication of a franchise that doesn't know what it's doing.

Maybe the Cowboys have decided it's time to rebuild with younger talent.

Ware and Hatcher will be 32-years old by Week 1 of the 2014 season. If each had remained with the Cowboys, half of the projected starters along the defensive line would be in their 30s.

Hatcher's production increased to the point where he had compiled a career-high 11 sacks but was seeking a big-money deal in free agency.

The cap-tight Cowboys weren't going to do it.

Ware's production slipped last season. He had just six sacks and missed three games because of a quad injury.

The Cowboys weren't going to let Ware snag $16 million of their salary cap. So if Ware wasn't going to take a pay cut, then the next option was to let him go.

Ware signed a three-year deal Wednesday with a team that contends for Super Bowls in the Denver Broncos. Hatcher inked a four-year deal with the Cowboys' NFC East rival, Washington Commanders.

The Commanders, by the way, are also aiming to lock up another Cowboys free agent in defensive end Anthony Spencer, who is coming off microfracture surgery.

Spencer, who is 30, has a few negatives holding him back regarding a contract from anyone, and those are health and age. And while the Cowboys would like to bring Spencer back, they don't seem to be in a hurry to do so.

For that matter, the Cowboys' signings have focused on backups. The team signed defensive linemen Jeremy Mincy and Terrell McClain along with special teams player Will Herring.

Those signings don't excite a fan base that's still angered by three consecutive 8-8 finishes. Free-agent defensive tackle Henry Melton seems to be a perfect fit in this 4-3 scheme, but he hasn't visited Valley Ranch yet.

Maybe the Cowboys understand the frustration of their fan base and have decided to do something about it: Rebuild without telling anybody.

More - http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas-cowboys/post/_/id/4725632/4725632

Agreed, RS

Picture the braintrust meeting after the season. If anyone in the room had any sense at all, then there had to be talk of how devastating injuries can be, and how a strategy of paying big bucks for big stars leaves no room for buying adequate backups. They must have discussed how relatively inexpensive a youth movement would be, while being more likely to stay healthy. They had to reference other franchises who have built through the draft, stayed young, had depth, and been successful.

Is this too much logic for Jerry's boys?

 

[ShiningStar]

I agree a rebuild was taken off the table with that gargantuan contract for Romo. Whats fans are interpreting as a rebuild is more likely a team who is failing at cap management and player evaluation.

im a little irked we can fling the word "rebuild " around, yet we let Alex Tanney walk and kept Orton. While i didnt mind Orton , if you are planning rebuild, why get rid of a possible project?