CFZ What I Would Do with the Major Players With Contract Decisions Ahead

[Bobhaze]

The Cowboys have a very nice problem on the horizon. Because of some good and perhaps even lucky drafting the last few years, there are several key players with rookie deals ending who will soon be due large second contract paydays. The biggest as of now are Cedee Lamb, Travon Diggs, and later Micah Parsons. To a lesser degree, there’s also Tyler Biadaz.

The question is, should we- can we- keep everyone at market value?

Of those 4, clearly Micah Parsons is the most valuable and no brainer when it comes to retaining. He undoubtedly has the most impact and importance to this team. He’s a potential HOF talent if he can stay healthy so as far as I can see, he’s an absolute must to resign. Diggs and Lamb are important, but not in the same category as Parsons. IMO, Biadaz is a good starter but replaceable.

So here’s how I rank these guys with contract decisions looming:

1. Micah Parsons- no question will be resigned. In fact, I predict he will become the highest paid defensive player in the NFL. This is a no-brainer and it’s just a matter of when and for how much. Parsons should be a Cowboy for life.
2. Cedee Lamb- after Parsons, Lamb is probably the next most likely to be resigned. PFF has him as the 8th best WR in the NFL. The Cowboys have struggled the last few years retaining WR talent and it has cost the team dearly on the field. I think Lamb will get resigned at WR market value which won’t be cheap. He will garner somewhere around $25-30 million a year. That’s market value. And they WILL pay it IMO.
3. Travon Diggs- PFF has Diggs ranked 8th in its Cornerback rankings going into 2023. As the passing game has become more central to NFL offenses, the market for corners has risen accordingly. Is Diggs going to be worth $21 mil a year? In fact, he may garner closer to $25 million per season. If I was going to hedge on a guy coming up for a payday, I might consider trading Diggs. I love his ball hawking skills but you can’t keep everyone.
4. Tyler Biadaz- this will be an easier decision in my book. TB has been a decent starter for this team and has improved every year. But with the paydays garnered by Parsons, Lamb and perhaps Diggs, keeping a C at market value would be prohibitive IMO. We can acquire a decent, perhaps even better C in the draft.

So IMO, Parsons and Lamb are locks to be resigned. Diggs is probable but I would consider a trade while his value is this high. If Bland continues to develop, losing Diggs for a trade that acquires additional draft assets may be a good move. Tyler Biadaz would not warrant a second contract IMO.

What do you think? Would you consider trading Diggs?

 

[jazzcat22]

If they tag any of them, do so as to where we get 2 1st round picks, instead of the exclusive tag. Unless that is for Parsons. But they have this year and next, and can pick up the 5th year option as well.

Just do not tag Pollard or give him a huge deal.

On another note we know where they can get $59 million cap space from. Either renegotiate a deal, or otherwise.
The cap is expected to go up about $34 million next year. Should be plenty of $$$ to work with.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Good write up Bob. I agree with all of it!

You forgot the biggest one of all. #4.

 

[jujoboys]

Good write up Bob. I agree with all of it!

You forgot the biggest one of all. #4.

#4 is the really big question. His play in 2022 was unacceptable. He needs to rebound this year and play better in the playoffs before we start talking new contract.

Unfortunately Dak holds all of the cards at this time because we don't have a potential starter to replace him and our front office scares me when it comes to drafting QBs. We got saved in 2016 when teams took the other two QBs we were trying to draft prior to Dak. We could have had Paxton Lynch or Connor Cook in 2016 if teams don't draft those guys before we got on the clock.

 

[StarOfGlory]

If Biadaz would sign a deal for around $4 million, I'd keep him. But that is below his market value, so I would not expect any such luck to come our way. I would not like to lose him: as you noted, he has gotten better each year. I just don't know if his ceiling is high enough to justify $8+ mill/year. If I had a looking glass and it told me that he'd become the next Fredbeard or Kelce, sure, I'd keep him. Continuity on the o-line is important.

Agree on the other three. Diggs at $25 mill/year, don't think so, although another Dak restructure could let us keep all three.

 

[Cowboys5217]

The only sacred cow(boy) I have left is winning the Super Bowl, thus I am open to trade anyone for the right price.

 

[Risen Star]

I'd trade Diggs today. Call up Buffalo. Maybe they can appease his brother by trading for Trevon.

 

[MyFairLady]

I saw Trevons level of effort when he was playing for a giant bag of cash. I can only imagine how disgusting his play will look after he gets a giant bag of cash.

 

[Risen Star]

I saw Trevons level of effort when he was playing for a giant bag of cash. I can only imagine how disgusting his play will look after he gets a giant bag of cash.

It's going to be a terrible contract.

 

[Cowboys5217]

I saw Trevons level of effort when he was playing for a giant bag of cash. I can only imagine how disgusting his play will look after he gets a giant bag of cash.

This is what worries me the most about Diggs. Would he be yet another who played great until the got that bag then checked out mentally and just went through the motions after that.

 

[Bobhaze]

#4 is the really big question. His play in 2022 was unacceptable. He needs to rebound this year and play better in the playoffs before we start talking new contract.

Unfortunately Dak holds all of the cards at this time because we don't have a potential starter to replace him and our front office scares me when it comes to drafting QBs. We got saved in 2016 when teams took the other two QBs we were trying to draft prior to Dak. We could have had Paxton Lynch or Connor Cook in 2016 if teams don't draft those guys before we got on the clock.

Yes the Dak contract situation is in the mix. But IMO, without this team having any other viable options at QB, Dak will be retained in some manner in the future. For how long, I don’t know. But he will be here.

Dak deserved a lot of the criticism he received last year for his INTs but IMO it’s foolish to just act like he’s garbage. And finding even decent QBs is the most difficult personnel move in the NFL. Even drafting a QB with the first pick in the draft is hardly a lock on acquiring a long time effective starter.

I don’t want to start another exhausting stupid Dak argument. It’s just re-hash at this point. But it is clear, Jerry has no plans at this point to move on from Dak. And there‘s no heir apparent in the wings. So yeah, Dak holds the negotiating cards at this point.

 

[Cowboys5217]

Yes the Dak contract situation is in the mix. But IMO, without this team having any other viable options at QB, Dak will be retained in some manner in the future. For how long, I don’t know. But he will be here.

Dak deserved a lot of the criticism he received last year for his INTs but IMO it’s foolish to just act like he’s garbage. And finding even decent QBs is the most difficult personnel move in the NFL. Even drafting a QB with the first pick in the draft is hardly a lock on acquiring a long time effective starter.

I don’t want to start another exhausting stupid Dak argument. It’s just re-hash at this point. But it is clear, Jerry has no plans at this point to move on from Dak. And there‘s no heir apparent in the wings. So yeah, Dak holds the negotiating cards at this point.

Finding the elite QB must still be the top priority. You can't just settle for "decent" if you want to win the SB.

Heck, you need to be looking for the next elite QB even when you have one in his prime currently playing for you.

Just because that is a difficult task does not mean you should logically stop performing that task. It is the single most critical thing a GM does for a franchise. It is even more important than the coaching staff.

 

[Bobhaze]

I saw Trevons level of effort when he was playing for a giant bag of cash. I can only imagine how disgusting his play will look after he gets a giant bag of cash.

The time to make a trade is when a player has maximum value. I would definitely look at what kind of trade value Diggs could bring. If he could get us some good draft picks or even a player with value at another position I would do it.

 

[blueblood70]

This is what worries me the most about Diggs. Would he be yet another who played great until the got that bag then checked out mentally and just went through the motions after that.

First of all most of those alleged narratives that guys got paid and then just checked out we're all false they were just busted they they were fans making up **** without actually applying context to each year to why these alleged players which I know the one that somebody's gonna bring up

if you look at zeke because I know that's the number one person in here that's going to get that tag put on him you realize that after he got paid in 20/19 he had a pretty good year even though we changed offensive coordinators who changed the philosophy and wasn't a big fan of the run game or even had to implement a cohesive run versus pass game plan we also have to know that in 2020 we had eleven different offensive line changes you know a bunch of injuries and then in 2021 and 2022 this player who allegedly gave up started both those years at over 5 yards per carry until he got injured but sure say he got paid got lazy and fat when we can actually go to those years and see that he was trying very hard to fight through injuries and play to the end of the season so there aren't many actual real instances where someone got paid and didn't have a reason for their drop off.

Now if you wanna argue that they should have never been paid in the first place maybe they're overpaid sure that's a debate but most of these players had real reasons for dropping off

 

[Bobhaze]

Finding the elite QB must still be the top priority. You can't just settle for "decent" if you want to win the SB.

Heck, you need to be looking for the next elite QB even when you have one in his prime currently playing for you.

Just because that is a difficult task does not mean you should logically stop performing that task. It is the single most critical thing a GM does for a franchise. It is even more important than the coaching staff.

But Jerry won’t draft QBs in early rounds. He just won’t do it. The last time the Cowboys drafted a QB in round one was Troy in ‘89. The last time they took a second round QB was 2001 with Quincy Carter. For the last 22 drafts, Jerry chooses not to draft any QB earlier than round 4.

 

[FanofJerry]

25-30M for a WR?

Im a big CeeDee fan, too. Love his length and competitiveness.

But...I kind of side with the school of thought that WR are a dime a dozen now a days. You can scoop really solid guys all over the draft rounds. There was a thread in this very forum making a claim that WR is the new RB position pay wise because the surplus of talent each year.

Now...you can claim CeeDee is top tier and we have to pay him market value because you think Dak cant carry a non-elite WR core. Thats a reasonable stance.

But, damn...25-30M? I dont know. If he is considered top 3 in the league the market rate is fair....but if not...you start treading into the Dak pay debate territory.

 

[jujoboys]

Yes the Dak contract situation is in the mix. But IMO, without this team having any other viable options at QB, Dak will be retained in some manner in the future. For how long, I don’t know. But he will be here.

Dak deserved a lot of the criticism he received last year for his INTs but IMO it’s foolish to just act like he’s garbage. And finding even decent QBs is the most difficult personnel move in the NFL. Even drafting a QB with the first pick in the draft is hardly a lock on acquiring a long time effective starter.

I don’t want to start another exhausting stupid Dak argument. It’s just re-hash at this point. But it is clear, Jerry has no plans at this point to move on from Dak. And there‘s no heir apparent in the wings. So yeah, Dak holds the negotiating cards at this point.

100% agree with everything you posted.

 

[Bobhaze]

25-30M for a WR?

Im a big CeeDee fan, too. Love his length and competitiveness.

But...I kind of side with the school of thought that WR are a dime a dozen now a days. You can scoop really solid guys all over the draft rounds. There was a thread in this very forum making a claim that WR is the new RB position pay wise because the surplus of talent each year.

Now...you can claim CeeDee is top tier and we have to pay him market value because you think Dak cant carry a non-elite WR core. Thats a reasonable stance.

But, damn...25-30M? I dont know. If he is considered top 3 in the league the market rate is fair....but if not...you start treading into the Dak pay debate territory.

I tend to agree that the WR market is insane. I think Miami is paying Tyreek Hill close to $30 mil a season which is crazy. The chiefs made the decision to part ways with Hill and won a SB anyway.

The problem for the Cowboys is until they acquired Brandin Cooks this team was very light on overall WR talent. In 2018 and 2022 the team foolishly rolled the dice on just having mostly JAGs at WR and it showed. I think that experience will make them think twice about letting Lamb go.

 

[MyFairLady]

The time to make a trade is when a player has maximum value. I would definitely look at what kind of trade value Diggs could bring. If he could get us some good draft picks or even a player with value at another position I would do it.

I dream of having a GM that would make moves like this. I wake up to the reality of having an Owner who will bend over and give Digs whatever he wants even though he is clearly not the guy.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

25-30M for a WR?

Im a big CeeDee fan, too. Love his length and competitiveness.

But...I kind of side with the school of thought that WR are a dime a dozen now a days. You can scoop really solid guys all over the draft rounds. There was a thread in this very forum making a claim that WR is the new RB position pay wise because the surplus of talent each year.

Now...you can claim CeeDee is top tier and we have to pay him market value because you think Dak cant carry a non-elite WR core. Thats a reasonable stance.

But, damn...25-30M? I dont know. If he is considered top 3 in the league the market rate is fair....but if not...you start treading into the Dak pay debate territory.

Lamb receivers aren't a dime a dozen though. I have no faith in us to find a equal replacement for him if we let him go.