We won't be players in FA again in my opinion

[Direwolf63]

It's unclear what he's even trying to say. He last rambled on about playing for the $9MM this year and then signing a big deal next year. I don't know if he's implying that if a new deal was struck today, not only would the Cowboys have to give him a huge signing bonus but also somehow pay him the $9MM on the non guaranteed year this year. He keeps arguing about leaving money on the table.

He also talks about a guaranteed option year, which is lingo I've never heard before. Just wondering what that's all about.

Most deals that I know about are structured like the Zeitler deal, that you detailed. That structure is very common. He seems to be talking about something completely different in terms of structure that I am familiar with. If he threw out some numbers that he thinks the Martin deal will look like and what his annual cap numbers will be, maybe I could understand where he's coming from.

 

[JustChip]

Or he can say I'll play for the option of 9. something mil and then get a 5 year 75 mil contract with a 35 mil signing bonus getting more guaranteed money starting the first year and over the option year and the new contract making more than doing your deal. Again player and/or their agents aren't going to leave money on the table for a player who will be in very high demand. You just don't get players who are All Pros EVERY YEAR CHEAP!!! Only in you're fantasy world.
.

Or he can say I'll play for the option of 9. something mil and then get a 5 year 75 mil contract with a 35 mil signing bonus getting more guaranteed money starting the first year and over the option year and the new contract making more than doing your deal. Again player and/or their agents aren't going to leave money on the table for a player who will be in very high demand. You just don't get players who are All Pros EVERY YEAR CHEAP!!! Only in you're fantasy world.
.

For argument sank, let's use your numbers. Martin is guaranteed 9.3m this year unless they cut him before June 1, which they're not going. Now, say he doesn't sign an extension and instead signs a FA contract after 2018 for the # you provide - 35m guaranteed / 75m total / 5 years. So, the total for the next 6 years is 44.3m guaranteed / 84.3m total. The cap hit in year 1 is 9.3m, years 2-6 is 15m (assuming the salary component is constant). However, a new 6 year contract could be signed this year that pays him the same 84.3 total and 44.3m guaranteed with the salary component in year 1 (2018) being 2m and escalating by 2m per year thereafter. The cap hit in 2018 would be 9.4m (7.4m prorated bonus plus 2m salary) and then going up by 2m per year thereafter. The difference in the 2018 cap hit vs. playing under the rookie option is zero.

The downside to the above is there would be diminishing dead money in 2019-2023 hanging over the Cowboys' head like the Sword of Damocles. But it's a good risk / reward for an offensive lineman of Martin's ilk and age. If you're really worried about that, you let him play under the rookie option, draft a replacement (if you can find someone of his caliber), and then let him walk after this year.

 

[MCMetal69]

Sign both Lawrence & Hitchens and do whatever it takes to pry Earl Thomas from the Seahags...................Then upgrade through the draft.

And before everyone has a conniption fit , remember that the Saints , Chiefs & Rams got Kamara , Kareem Hunt and Cooper Kupp all in the 3rd round...................................

 

[Verdict]

I think Thomas is the one name that might get the Cowboys to change plans.

I expect simply doing their best to keep theirs rather than pursuing anyone else's, but if Thomas does shake loose, I can see an about-face to the plan to sign him.

Other than that, I expect to be shopping in the discount section. I just hope it's not the same disaster that last year was.

Thomas is past his prime.

 

[jay94]

The money isn't going to be right on Hitchens, he's an above average linebacker. I would guess he will get paid 6-9 million a year whether it be here or elsewhere. I get that we mainly play with 2 linebackers, but with Lee's health and Smith's shaky play (did get better at the end, I hope and believe that will be the continuing trend) I would feel better having him on the team. One thing that many posters forget, that the cap rises every single year so don't freak out about bigger contracts, because it is part of the evolution of all professional sports.

 

[rpntex]

Some posters here are way too dismissive of how important resigning our own FAs is. Signing Tank, Irving, Hitchens, as well as extending Zack Martin early would translate into being a very active player in the process. Some people, however, only define it as going out and signing someone else's FAs. Signing our own alone is going to make a pretty big dent in the available cap space.

 

[Verdict]

I'm not sure that I agree that free agents that have "won something" make much, if any difference.

Plenty of players left the Cowboys when they were winning repeated championships and I can't think of any who led their new teams to any great success. Most times it was quite the opposite in fact.

As for the free agent plan? I'm not saying what they should do, I'm stating what I expect them to do.

They've got at least three or four of their own to worry about keeping before they can think about signing anyone's else:

Lawrence
Martin (extension)
Cooper
Hitchens

To say nothing of deciding on the tender t place on David Irving. Personally, I think they'd be idiots not to tag him at the 1st round rate if they don't want to lose him.

Add it up, and that's ultimately going to be a lot of coin, just to keep what they have.

That's correct. Plus we have a significant contract coming up for Dak and a year later, Zeke.

 

[Verdict]

If I were a team I would snatch Irving up in a NY minute for a 2nd round pick! I totally agree on that. I could see Belicheck offering a 2nd with no issue in fact.

That's probably true. But a second round pick plus your first could move you up significantly in the first round to nab a lot cheaper player.

 

[Darthkuriboh]

I'd rather build through the draft and just sign a key free agent here and there honestly. Irving, for example, was a perfect choice to grab.

 

[Verdict]

I'd rather build through the draft and just sign a key free agent here and there honestly. Irving, for example, was a perfect choice to grab.

Yes. People ***** about our free agency haul but they forget Irving was a free agent. Collins was a free agent. Cooper was a free agent. Leary was a free agent. Romo was a free agent. Miles Austin was a free agent. McClain was a good free agent for a while.

I think Beasley and Heath were also free agents. Butler has been a good pickup for us. McFadden was a good, cheap pickup. I'm no Morris fan, at all, but many of you love him and he was a free agent.

We have been a lot better than most of you think.

 

[xwalker]

Would Earl Thomas take a little less to play here then more to play elsewhere?
Let's just see how bad he really wants to play here. Would he give Dallas the right to match any offers?

Does this FO have the smarts to bring him here?
Or do they just out dumb themselves again?

He is not a free agent.

 

[Verdict]

He is not a free agent.

Ever since he said come get me some of the posters here have been on him like a big dog on a toy poodle.

 

[Darthkuriboh]

Yes. People ***** about our free agency haul but they forget Irving was a free agent. Collins was a free agent. Cooper was a free agent. Leary was a free agent. Romo was a free agent. Miles Austin was a free agent. McClain was a good free agent for a while.

I think Beasley and Heath were also free agents. Butler has been a good pickup for us. McFadden was a good, cheap pickup. I'm no Morris fan, at all, but many of you love him and he was a free agent.

We have been a lot better than most of you think.

Some people think the only way to win in free agency is to sign some big names. When I look at a lot of big name signings I see a ton of failures. Look at Haynesworth, or even for us recently, Hardy.

 

[xwalker]

Some people think the only way to win in free agency is to sign some big names. When I look at a lot of big name signings I see a ton of failures. Look at Haynesworth, or even for us recently, Hardy.

Hardy was good on the field.

 

[Darthkuriboh]

Hardy was good on the field.

But a failure because he was a distraction. Being good on the field is only half of it. Not being human pond scum is the other half.

 

[xwalker]

But a failure because he was a distraction. Being good on the field is only half of it. Not being human pond scum is the other half.

Marinelli wanted him back.

Garrett just didn't like him.

 

[Darthkuriboh]

Marinelli wanted him back.

Garrett just didn't like him.

I want Marinelli gone though. We could have kept Eberflus and probably drafted a real 1T and had a killer defense. Instead, we're stuck with Marinelli the Dinosaur, who seems to have forgotten that a lot of his success came from having a gigantic 1T in the defensive line.

Hardy, like I said, was human pond scum. I couldn't even cheer when he got a sack.

 

[IrishAnto]

I think most would agree keeping hitch is a smart move if the money is right. The question is do you pay him starter money to be essentially the 4th LB. he has value because he is a solid player and can play all 3 spots but my guess is someone is going to pay him to be a starter and I don’t think you can pay him starter money

But is he the 4th LB?

It's a racing certainty Lee will miss games due to injury, and we don't yet know if Smith will ever be the player he was at ND or will he be able to handle a full load.

After that who have you got?

It strikes me Hitch will start a few games for us if he's here next year.

If not then well have to invest a high draft pick in an LB because we sure won't pay for an adequate replacement in free agency.

 

[Sydla]

The money isn't going to be right on Hitchens, he's an above average linebacker. I would guess he will get paid 6-9 million a year whether it be here or elsewhere. I get that we mainly play with 2 linebackers, but with Lee's health and Smith's shaky play (did get better at the end, I hope and believe that will be the continuing trend) I would feel better having him on the team. One thing that many posters forget, that the cap rises every single year so don't freak out about bigger contracts, because it is part of the evolution of all professional sports.

There isn’t a frog’s chance in hell I would pay Hitchens like 8MM a year in a long term deal.

That’s insanity and the exact way you start putting yourself back in cap problems.

 

[Sydla]

Some posters here are way too dismissive of how important resigning our own FAs is. Signing Tank, Irving, Hitchens, as well as extending Zack Martin early would translate into being a very active player in the process. Some people, however, only define it as going out and signing someone else's FAs. Signing our own alone is going to make a pretty big dent in the available cap space.

Signing your own and just thinking the draft will solve your problems won’t win you anything.

Smart FA has to be a competent here to building a championship roster.