CFZ We are one of the best drafting teams over the last ten years

[rambo2]

Our free agent shopping, not so much.

That's because they sign their own guys that they want to keep. It's working now. It's all coming together. Another big part are the undrafted jems that they continue to find. Steele, Hindershot, Bell, Thomas, Bass, Luepke, and Aubrey.

 

[Diehardblues]

I don’t think there are any Garret people left.

I’d still argue he was one of our best Puppets. And while had no business as HC without experience at any level he did bring in McClay and when drafts begin to turn around.

And amazingly our dysfunctional ownership left him in place for 10 years which isn’t on him. That’s on Jethro.

Thus far until McCarthy can take us deeper into playoffs he still leads Cowboys in playoff wins this era and 3 divisional round appearances with 2 more as OC. All with teams arguably not as talented as this one and no top 10 caliber defenses.

Tough to win or even play for championships without an Elite QB or defense regardless the HC.

 

[gimmesix]

Its funny I heard someone mention our last few free agent signings were Kearse, Malik Hooker, Brian Anger, Jason Peters and Dante Fowler. They've done a very good job of building this team and not breaking the bank to do it.

That's fine, but did any of those signings put us in the Super Bowl? The frugal approach has been hit and miss, or do we just want to leave James Washington out when we mention our last few free agent signings? Getting to the big game takes using all aspects of roster building, including drafting, finding bargains, trades and splurging on key difference makers. This team does well in all of those categories except one and we haven't been to a championship game since the mid-1990s.

Now, you might bring up that we weren't going to championship games back when we were splurging on free agents, but if you'll look back at those days, you would see that we weren't doing well in other areas of roster building ... particular drafting.

 

[gimmesix]

That's because they sign their own guys that they want to keep. It's working now. It's all coming together. Another big part are the undrafted jems that they continue to find. Steele, Hindershot, Bell, Thomas, Bass, Luepke, and Aubrey.

I agree on the undrafteds, but not on it's working now. We still didn't reach a championship game last year. I'm not hopping on the hype train anymore. I'll believe it when I see it.

The Cowboys aren't not signing big-name FAs because they can't due to wanting to keep their own, they are doing that because the Joneses have adopted a faulty philosophy based on at least one mediocre big-dollar FA signing.

I believe in the philosophy in a sport that takes a team that you're only as strong as your weakest link. The way to overcome that is fix your weakest link. Last year, wide receiver was our weakest link and trying to fix it cheaply cost us a championship game shot IMO.

This year, that weakest link may prove to be OL, where we went cheap with Edoga despite Tyron's injury history, or running back, where we went cheap with Jones II even though our starter is coming off a fracture and hasn't proven he can be durable with more carries. (Maybe we lucked into fixes for those links with Richards/Bass and Vaughn. I certainly hope that's the case.)

 

[Beaker42]

Actually, they have our current team to show for it. Watch number 11 the next time they play.

Talking about playoff success.

 

[rambo2]

Talking about playoff success.

It's on the horizon.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

That's fine, but did any of those signings put us in the Super Bowl? The frugal approach has been hit and miss, or do we just want to leave James Washington out when we mention our last few free agent signings? Getting to the big game takes using all aspects of roster building, including drafting, finding bargains, trades and splurging on key difference makers. This team does well in all of those categories except one and we haven't been to a championship game since the mid-1990s.

Now, you might bring up that we weren't going to championship games back when we were splurging on free agents, but if you'll look back at those days, you would see that we weren't doing well in other areas of roster building ... particular drafting.

I don’t think free agent signings give you a championship. Good signings can contribute to one. Smart spending. James Washington was a kick the tiring signing. They mishandled replacing Cooper. To replace Cooper it was going to have to come via trade not free agency.

 

[Bullflop]

I doubt there's any question as to whether or not the Cowboys are one of the primier drafting franchises in the NFL. It does seem to me as though it's likely the Cowboys' management that lags behind enough to render them a lesser contender to compete for a Super Bowl appearance.

 

[StarOfGlory]

Until we have more post season success under McCarthy we can ask the same question we did with prior regime.

And this is with a much stouter defense.

Ultimately if this team can’t have more success in the playoffs how will we describe this coaching staff’s performance with best defense this era along with best drafts and top 10 caliber offense ?

That's one hell of a question. If this team can't bring home the chip, you will see both MM and Dak get blasted/criticized/thrown under the bus/whatever, when in fact, it may be a simple as the other team being better. I think people tend to forget that the other side is also striving for the same goals, with top level athletes and professional, knowledgeable coaches and talent evaluators.

 

[rambo2]

Talking about playoff success.

It's on the horizon

I doubt there's any question as to whether or not the Cowboys are one of the primier drafting franchises in the NFL. It does seem to me as though it's likely the Cowboys' management that lags behind enough to render them a lesser contender to compete for a Super Bowl appearance.

There is no way they are lagging behind now. They are competing presently.

 

[Diehardblues]

That's one hell of a question. If this team can't bring home the chip, you will see both MM and Dak get blasted/criticized/thrown under the bus/whatever, when in fact, it may be a simple as the other team being better. I think people tend to forget that the other side is also striving for the same goals, with top level athletes and professional, knowledgeable coaches and talent evaluators.

Right

It’s an aspect that’s not analyzed enough in this forum with so much focus on where our team is. We need to be stacking our team up against others . How much has SF, Phi and other teams around the NFC improved ?

How can we have SB Hype when we haven’t sniffed it before this era with more proven and experienced championship caliber teams in front of us?

 

[gimmesix]

I don’t think free agent signings give you a championship. Good signings can contribute to one. Smart spending. James Washington was a kick the tiring signing. They mishandled replacing Cooper. To replace Cooper it was going to have to come via trade not free agency.

It's a combination of all facets of talent acquisition, not just one. The Joneses have tied one tentacle behind their backs with their overreaction to a big-money "failure."

 

[mcmvp]

We call that bias. The core of that team through the years is 100% drafted. Graham, Cox, Kelce, Johnson. Their current O-line is all draft picks. Last year's SB team had 10 of 11 players offensive players drafted by the team. The defenders they let go are almost all replaced by draft picks. They use free agency and the occasional trade to fill gaps, though last year they went more in that direction on defense. Howie gets hyped a lot and skewers perceptions. I am guilty to a degree. I admire Roseman's ability to keep trying to fill every gap possible. Must be nice to have an owner give you carte blanche to do whatever. You only have so many draft picks.

Lol…yep

 

[Pentagruel]

...and development is the missing important ingredient.

What? Drafted players don’t just magically turn into studs. They always need to be developed no matter the team. Dallas does a great job of developing players. Drafting and development work hand in hand.

 

[CB0711]

Maybe so but I'm telling you they couldn't find a wide receiver in the draft for a really long time they struck out they struck out with their entire defensive backfield at one time I remember we're all free agents all of them corner safeties all of them a lot of their linebackers too I'm saying that over the years that's what I saw you can call it bias all you want I'm telling you what I saw sure things lately has looked up and they got more people from the draft but I think the Cowboys are still a better drafting team I think they are a better Wheeling and dealing team making deals with free agents and whatnot and yes even trading away draft picks to get those free agents they make better trades than us in some ways but right now I think the two teams are dead on even in parallel and a lot of things and it's gonna be a fun year watching it....

Periods are your friend

 

[CCBoy]

What? Drafted players don’t just magically turn into studs. They always need to be developed no matter the team. Dallas does a great job of developing players. Drafting and development work hand in hand.

Get a reason to bring up a gripe instead of just running up to a fence and jumping that. Four players on the offensive line that at present have a great chance at becoming a dominant offensive line group. Now learn how to say: 'okie dokie' instead of an abstract runaway.

Their identification has to get better for interactions in that positional group. Sophistication in group actions is does that work...even if one doesn't know about good leadership and training.

Why did Parcells said if he shows actual talent, allow from one to three years to get fully into a specific mission/role.

 

[Verdict]

That's one hell of a question. If this team can't bring home the chip, you will see both MM and Dak get blasted/criticized/thrown under the bus/whatever, when in fact, it may be a simple as the other team being better. I think people tend to forget that the other side is also striving for the same goals, with top level athletes and professional, knowledgeable coaches and talent evaluators.

I do think we are “close”. Now we need some clutch play, a few good “bounces” and maybe a fortuitous call here and there for a change (as well as stay relatively healthy).

 

[Verdict]

That is not a sustainable model.

You will have to elaborate on that a little.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

It's a combination of all facets of talent acquisition, not just one. The Joneses have tied one tentacle behind their backs with their overreaction to a big-money "failure."

I understand why though. I don’t think people realize how big money signings rarely work. Brady for sure worked. Seems like a small list of it actually working though.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

What? Drafted players don’t just magically turn into studs. They always need to be developed no matter the team. Dallas does a great job of developing players. Drafting and development work hand in hand.

Right and not only that but you can develop someone and they still fail. That’s how we ended up with Trey Lance.