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

[KingintheNorth]

If we aren't players in free agency, we won't be players in January.

 

[cowboy_ron]

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?

I would love to see a deal worked out to bring Thomas here.

 

[MRV52]

I think they will spend some on FA with caution and won't throw money around at all cost.

 

[IrishAnto]

I like Hitchens too............ for what he is.

But if someone wants to give him starting ILB money which could be anywhere from $5-7MM a year, I am not getting in a bidding war for that. He's not that good. I'll go find a cheaper LB or two in FA and then look at the draft for help as well.

Yea cheaper and not nearly as good.

If this team wants to actually get better then we need to start retaining good players like Hitchens who is versatile and actually good too.

We've too many holes where we need to get good players in the draft without adding to the list by letting the likes of Hitchens go.

 

[gmoney112]

Re-signing your own All Pros is, contrary to popular opinion, actually being active in Free Agency.

Other than our own, yes I think we'll also be "active" in signing other guys. After last year's disaster, hopefully napalm is decided not to be the best approach at least.

 

[MojaveJT]

I’m ok with not being big players in FA but you HAVE to hit on your draft picks. Picks that can contribute from day 1.

It’s fine to dip into FA for bargain bin, stop gap, rotational players but that puts more pressure on drafting well. These project players aren’t going to cut it while signing JAGs.

But I still think getting 1 or 2 top FA’s will help us make a deep run.

 

[CouchCoach]

I don't know where the Cowboys cap is going to end up after signing their own but there will be some big money out there and many players will be "overpaid" based on real value because of the requirement to meet the cap floor. Right now, there are 12 teams with 40M+ and 2 at 100M+.

The question is what are they going to do with Hitchens, Martin and Lawrence. They could sign Martin Lawrence and solve 2 of those but I think he's up there in years and has lost a step.

The challenge isn't making a splash in FA, it is properly managing the cap to insure keeping the core together and improving and the guy in charge of that hasn't proven he's proficient at that. The cap % doesn't jive with the record over time of the team. And the team has one of the cheapest QB's in the league, no excuse for it. Good thing they do not have to depend on actual accomplishment to make a profit or the Cowboys would have a different owner.

 

[Aven8]

He blossomed into a decent LB. Nothing more.

There are other vet LBs out there who will be cheaper. It's a waste of cap space to put a long term deal for pretty sizeable money in front of Hitchens.

That's the exact kind of move a team looking to screw up their cap after finally fixing it, makes.

Then give me a list of starting MLB's that are FA's. That doesn't even include WLB if Lee gets hurt again. I want solutions. If you think it's a bad idea to sign Hitch what's your solution?

 

[Sydla]

Yea cheaper and not nearly as good.

If this team wants to actually get better then we need to start retaining good players like Hitchens who is versatile and actually good too.

We've too many holes where we need to get good players in the draft without adding to the list by letting the likes of Hitchens go.

You overrate Hitchens.

He's a decent LB. Nothing more. I can go out and sign say a DeMario Davis, who is just as good a MLB and will be cheaper and on a short term deal most likely. The idea that there is no limit to what you would pay to retain Hitchens is mindnumbing to me.

The best part is some are also ones who complained about mismanaging the cap and yet making Hitchens a long term offer at high starting ILB money is exactly the type of move that hurts the cap.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

For sure. The philosophy has been to save cap space for our own guys. That will get tested this year with D Law and Hitchens set to hit the market. Martin is set to get paid too. IMO-- they need to keep all 3 guys and then continue to draft well. After next year we can clear Romo (and probably Witten and Dez) off the books and have some decisions to make about Dak/Zeke long term.

IMO-- for 2018, we need to protect ourselves at OT, LBer, S, and get some new blood in at WR. We can accomplish doing that without over-paying for a high priced FA. The two positions I would consider spending on would be a quality vet OT or a legit speed #2 WR.

Agree 100%, Hawkeye19!

Prioritize in-house free agents and look for quality backups at tackle and WR. I don't believe starter-quality free agents will be affordable at either of those positions but solid backups should be. Focus on future starters (at tackle and WR) in the draft.

 

[Sydla]

Then give me a list of starting MLB's that are FA's. That doesn't even include WLB if Lee gets hurt again. I want solutions. If you think it's a bad idea to sign Hitch what's your solution?

I've given my solutions. I can go out and grab Karlos Dansby, who is still effective, at a fraction of the cost of Hitchens. Or see if Z Brown shakes free from Washington, who is better than Hitchens.

Note, I am not suggesting I don't want Hitchens back. I prefer he come back. But in a cap age, you have to make tough decisions and when we finally get some cap relief after years of some tight cap issues caused by questionable cap moves, I sure as hell aren't going to panic and turn around and hand a legit, big time LB offer to a guy in Hitchens, who the team themselves doesn't even view as their starting MLB.

So if the LB market dries up and Hitchens comes back on a really nice contract, I will celebrate that. If they drop their pants and sign him to a long term deal paying him like $6MM a year, it's a dumb move by this franchise.

 

[Stash]

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.

Same here. Why wouldn't you? The 64th pick in the draft for a disruptive lineman you can play anywhere along your defensive front? No-brainer. And if Dallas allows it, they have no brains.

 

[Sydla]

Same here. Why wouldn't you? The 64th pick in the draft for a disruptive lineman you can play anywhere along your defensive front? No-brainer. And if Dallas allows it, they have no brains.

He's one failed test from a longer suspension and while we like him, he's shown inconsistency at times.

I suspect, if someone gives him an offer, it won't be so high that we wouldn't try to match it.

 

[Londonboy]

I agree. It wasn't that long ago that this site as well as the media were gnashing their teeth over splashy FA signings ( Roy Williams the WR).

Personally, I like the current approach of building through the draft and filling gaps with FA. However, I do think the pendulum has swung a bit too far with FA signings; a little too much of looking for the bargain basement, diamond in the rough player.

Roy Williams was traded to Us by Detroit, cost Us a 1st and 3rd if I recall correctly, as well as a huge contract.

 

[visionary]

Just saw our draft picks this year 3-4th's and 3-5th's. No way we do anything in FA IMO. Expect more bottom feeding.

This team ain't going anywhere

 

[DFWJC]

Just saw our draft picks this year 3-4th's and 3-5th's. No way we do anything in FA IMO. Expect more bottom feeding.

Not even Demarcus Lawrence?

 

[LittleD]

Sooner or later we have to bring in some FA's that have won something IMO. As we sit today we do not have one player on this roster that has won anything. Witt is our longest tenured player and he's never even gone to the NFCCG.

We are young but sometimes you need guys to show and lead what it takes to win. Our coaches don't know how to do this. Neither do any of our players outside of winning in college.

Sooner or later will never come again in the age of Stephen Jones. He has been clear that the Cowboys are not going to overpay for marginal players any longer. They are primarily looking for 2nd and 3rd tier players who fill a specific position. They have been doing this for at least 3 years and I don't see them going after expensive players that never play up to billing. Just not going to happen.

 

[LittleD]

If we aren't players in free agency, we won't be players in January.

We will be bit players just like we are every year. We will shop for 2nd tier players who fill holes. They look to acquire top draft players to build the team for the future. That is the way we roll now so no use hoping to something different. Besides, only 2 teams play in the SB and those odds can be calculated easily for any team.

 

[visionary]

I'd be fine giving him 5 mil a year. You know he's going to be on the field for either Lee or Jaylon this year and he has the position flex and system knowledge to help the whole unit. More than 5 mil and I would have to think long and hard about where he fits on this team in 2-3 years.

The short-term need at LBer is massive. Hitch is the best FA LBer on the market since he already knows this system and has been really productive. You may be able to find a more athletic LBer in FA-- but that doesn't mean he will be as productive in a new scheme-- and you're going pay a premium for him.

I'd sign Hitch to a 1-2 year deal that is competitive and then draft a stud and add some more developmental guys as well. I think you can reward Hitch for his production to this point, protective yourself in the short term and buy Jaylon some time to develop, and you still give Hitch another crack at a long term deal down the line if he continues to play at the level he's playing at.

He's not signing a 1-2 year deal buddy
He'll be looking for a pay day
LBs have a short shelf life

 

[KingintheNorth]

We will shop for 2nd tier players who fill holes

When 4 of your top 5 free agent signings from the last two years don't even make it til Game 3, they aren't "2nd tier players"

We have missed badly and in doing so, missed an opportunity to advance in the playoffs. Especially this year where the NFC was wide open.

How many my bad's does this Front Office get?