When building a roster: WWBBD

[Bobhaze]

I thought they did?

They did...and I could be wrong here, but I don’t think they were as serious as they should have been. Put it this way, if Dak started playing hardball last summer on a contract, why hasn’t this FO picked up a decent backup to use if Dak decided to hold out. Or at least this FO should have some kind of coherent strategy about the QB position in all contingencies. Seems like another example of JJ believing in a best case scenario instead of being prepared for the worst.

 

[kskboys]

You think Belichick is signing Dak for his contract demands? Why?

You also think he wouldn’t sign Byron? He overpaid for Gillmore when most people, besides myself, thought he wasn’t anything special.

Btw, didn’t they bring Dez in for a workout? Maybe Dez didn’t want to play at the time and BB figured that out. Sean Payton eventually signed him anyways.

Man, I don't know who you consider everyone, but it's not true. Gilmore was considered a top 10 CB when the Pats signed him.

 

[CATCH17]

LOL, Gilmore is much, much more productive than Jones.

You’re saying that with hindsight.

When he was in Buffalo a lot of people on this forum didn’t think he was all that.

 

[Diehardblues]

Good question- Why would BB sign Dak? First of all I probably should have said this premise is based on BB being in charge in Dallas. That said two thoughts on do I think BB would sign Dak?
1. If he didn’t think Dak was worthy of a commitment, he would’ve made the decision a lot earlier than March.
2. Would he sign him here? Yes, because he gives this team the best chance to win now knowing that finding another quality QB is difficult and this org has made a win now commitment.

Bill would have already drafted another QB providing him more leverage and options than Jerry has.

I can’t imagine Bill paying Dak top 5 money.

 

[Diehardblues]

I disagree. Bill wouldn't be in this situation if he were in Dallas. He'd have someone behind Dak that could step in and give us quality snaps and win some games. Bill is all about "Next Man Up."

Yep

He’d of already drafted someone predicting this situation. And be ready to move on if necessary.

And I’d bet Bill after the fact coming in now would be looking at this draft or FA for leverage or insurance.

Great GM’s plan for worse case scenarios. Our GM is an eternal optimist.

 

[Redball Express]

When our front office is making decisions about who to keep and who to let go of on our roster; which FA to sign, which to avoid...I wish that our decision makers would consider this: “What Would Bill Belechick Do?”

I’m still amazed how many of our fans on this forum think Bill Belechick is lucky just because he’s had Tom Brady. Or that his coaching genius alone is his key to success. Let’s examine this:

• Sure having Tom Brady as their QB has been an advantage but in this cap era, you can’t win 6 SBs over 19 seasons just because you have a great QB. Each of his SB teams have had a ton of different players.
• Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees each only have one SB win, proving that building a successful roster takes more than just a star QB.
• Playing in over half of your conference’s championship games the last two decades isn’t just about Tom Brady or being lucky. It’s about BB and his ability to put together a new roster every year because he constantly churns his roster without any sentimentality.

Belechick’s roster genius is his ability to evaluate each player on his roster with cold-blood in his veins. He doesn’t give a rat’s arse what you did last year if you’re going to cost too much or may lose a step. BB keeps his eyes on the present and future, not the past. Our lifetime contract FO treats their roster more like a family reunion than a football team.

So when considering some of the Cowboys roster ideas I see being considered on this forum, WWBBD?

• Dez Bryant: WWBBD? Not sign him. Period. Take out the sentimental reasons to bring back one of our favorites to somehow be a “4th receiver” is just stupid. Good FOs don’t make moves like this. In a talent starved league like the NFL, if Dez still was still legit, someone would have already signed him.

• Jason Witten- Would Belechick have signed him in 2019? No. Did his inclusion on our roster really help this team? Not really. We resigned Witten because our owner had a soft spot for him.

• Tyrone Crawford- I think BB would have cut him last year.
  
  
• Dak Prescott- I think BB would have already resigned him. The Jones boys act like they are “not going to set the market” and yet make a questionable high dollar deal with their star RB that sets the market...a year earlier than they had to.

• Byron Jones- this one is a little trickier. I think BB would probably let him walk as he has with many of his former star defenders because of cost. But I’m not sure.

This list could go on and on...And I’m of course just guessing what BB would do and I could certainly be wrong on all of these- except Dez and Witten, lol.

Your thoughts?

Right off the bat..

When I think about how the Pats win..

it comes down to their home field advantage in the last half of any season.

When the winter closes in and the fields get hard and icy..

their wins go up.

Same thing happens in GB.

Same thing in Denver.

The sunny teams and the dome teams have a roadblock ahead.

Belicheet also an owner who is a powerful entity in the NFL.

This protects alot of things for their organization.

Just recently their owner was caught in a prostitute sting.

We have heard nothing more. And probably won't until a year from now when must of us will be watching football and watching the Pats win just as before without Brady.

Or how about the video taping the sideline signals and stealing the playcalls.?

Yikes..only the Pats.

So mirroring the Pats and Belicheet is a waste of time.

But you can like them if you want to.

They are the second most hated team in the NFL..

besides us.

 

[DHCBF66]

You think Belichick is signing Dak for his contract demands? Why?

You also think he wouldn’t sign Byron? He overpaid for Gillmore when most people, besides myself, thought he wasn’t anything special.

Btw, didn’t they bring Dez in for a workout? Maybe Dez didn’t want to play at the time and BB figured that out. Sean Payton eventually signed him anyways.

Brady signed for way less than market value to win championships. If Brady got market value the Pats would still be riding 3 SB rings.

 

[blueblood70]

The Patriot way might work here.. We know the Cowboy way hasn’t worked.

The Cowboy way is paying an RB 15 mill a year.

The Cowboy way is making every decent free agent the highest paid at their position.

The Cowboy way is delaying Daks contract as long as possible only to eventually cave into his demands because they publicly give away any leverage they have.

STOP ALL YOU HATERS OF EE DEAL KEEP CALLING HIM A 15MIL RB..thats not accurate

https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/nfl/dallas-cowboys/article234959462.html,

He has base salaries of $9.6 million in 2021, $12.4 million in 2022, $10.9 million in 2023, $10 million in 2024, $15.4 million in 2025 and $16.6 million in 2026. The first two years are fully guaranteed at signing, totaling $28 million, including a signing bonus and 2019 salary, 2020 salary and 2020 option bonus.Sep 11, 2019

Not true unlike Dak EE did at least allow Jerry to back load the deal and they came to the middle on guaranteed money but he wont be making 165 on AV until year 3 or 4 ..im no capologist but this was what we refer to a team friendly deal,

even if it were 15 a year and 54 guaranteed early on thats no where near the nonsense of playing a 2nd tier QB 120 Guaranteed on a4yr NON TEAM FRIENDY deal over 35 per that point to him coming up with his hand out for even more in 3-4 years..

15 and most likely last contract ever here as RB with one bit at the apple or 36-40 hmmm team friendly backloaded long deal or heavy guarantees on a non team friendly contract with the same players wanting to get broke off 4years later for even more..

apples and oranges..Daks playing hardball and hes not worth anything over 32 hes been offered.. rumors were they had a close 34aav deal done and it was rejected as he wasn't more guarantees and less years..
this has zero to do with Zeke, Tank, or Jsmith.. those are done but they at lease were willing to work with Jerry..

Daks the biggest holdout to getting back to amari or trying to save BJ with a tag.,

Daks a DB and thats that..Tom Brady and many other Pats did give team friendly deals TB never made more then 23 mil and really has made an avg of about 19 most of his career.. let me know when Dak wants to lay nice so we can do it the pats way..lmao TB 9 SB appetences never asked for more the n 23 but fr the most part was comfy at 17-19 and won 6 sbs and was happy to oblige..
Dak done squat wants 4yrs 120 guaranteed at 35+AAV... right..

theres no way to compare what they would or wouldn't have done in our situation because they never needed to be in it..

 

[buybuydandavis]

When our front office is making decisions about who to keep and who to let go of on our roster; which FA to sign, which to avoid...I wish that our decision makers would consider this: “What Would Bill Belechick Do?”

I’m still amazed how many of our fans on this forum think Bill Belechick is lucky just because he’s had Tom Brady. Or that his coaching genius alone is his key to success. Let’s examine this:

• Sure having Tom Brady as their QB has been an advantage but in this cap era, you can’t win 6 SBs over 19 seasons just because you have a great QB. Each of his SB teams have had a ton of different players.
• Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees each only have one SB win, proving that building a successful roster takes more than just a star QB.
• Playing in over half of your conference’s championship games the last two decades isn’t just about Tom Brady or being lucky. It’s about BB and his ability to put together a new roster every year because he constantly churns his roster without any sentimentality.

Belechick’s roster genius is his ability to evaluate each player on his roster with cold-blood in his veins. He doesn’t give a rat’s arse what you did last year if you’re going to cost too much or may lose a step. BB keeps his eyes on the present and future, not the past. Our lifetime contract FO treats their roster more like a family reunion than a football team.

So when considering some of the Cowboys roster ideas I see being considered on this forum, WWBBD?

• Dez Bryant: WWBBD? Not sign him. Period. Take out the sentimental reasons to bring back one of our favorites to somehow be a “4th receiver” is just stupid. Good FOs don’t make moves like this. In a talent starved league like the NFL, if Dez still was still legit, someone would have already signed him.

• Jason Witten- Would Belechick have signed him in 2019? No. Did his inclusion on our roster really help this team? Not really. We resigned Witten because our owner had a soft spot for him.

• Tyrone Crawford- I think BB would have cut him last year.
  
  
• Dak Prescott- I think BB would have already resigned him. The Jones boys act like they are “not going to set the market” and yet make a questionable high dollar deal with their star RB that sets the market...a year earlier than they had to.

• Byron Jones- this one is a little trickier. I think BB would probably let him walk as he has with many of his former star defenders because of cost. But I’m not sure.

This list could go on and on...And I’m of course just guessing what BB would do and I could certainly be wrong on all of these- except Dez and Witten, lol.

Your thoughts?

*Not* signing Dez is the emotional move, IMO. Or at least kicking the tires. Dez signed for nothing with NO. The same kind of deal here, making clear to Dez that he's just a role player, is a high upside value move. If you're BB, you make that clear, and see if he'll take it. I think Dez here on a cheap contract is a win-win, *if* Dez can be *happy* being used in a limited fashion. He's a nice veteran fit to replace some of what we'll lose with Cobb walking. Dez *could* be a nice slot WR/runner/blocker, *if* he just wants to play. Which is very likely, on personal and business grounds. I think he'd like to mend fences here, and it will increase his future earnings in retirement if he does.

On Dak, I'm not sure the guy who is holding the door open for Brady to leave necessarily feels he has to hang onto Dak. Probably someone out there he is interested in. Or someones. A lot of quality QBs are available, and when they get signed, that makes *more* QBs available. One of the best years ever to be shopping for a QB.

A ruthless guy weighs the pluses and minuses of everyone available on the market relative to their cost, and doesn't pin his hopes on *one* player. Anyone is replaceable. Except BB. BB is going to work the field for value.

Note that you can't really say WWBBD, because being BB means you have options other teams don't. BB is the top of the list for any player to sign with. Who else would you rather hitch your wagon to? BB can be sure that any QB on the market will be answering his phone calls.

 

[buybuydandavis]

STOP ALL YOU HATERS OF EE DEAL KEEP CALLING HIM A 15MIL RB..thats not accurate

https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/nfl/dallas-cowboys/article234959462.html,

He has base salaries of $9.6 million in 2021, $12.4 million in 2022, $10.9 million in 2023, $10 million in 2024, $15.4 million in 2025 and $16.6 million in 2026. The first two years are fully guaranteed at signing, totaling $28 million, including a signing bonus and 2019 salary, 2020 salary and 2020 option bonus.Sep 11, 2019

Spotrac on Zeke's Deal

POTENTIAL OUT: 2023, 4 YR, $50,052,137;​

So 12.5/yr over 4 years. Significantly less than 15mil/yr.

Note that we could conceivably trade Zeke before his option bonus is due in March. We would have paid him 8.25mil last year.

If another team is willing to take on the contract for 41.8mil for the next 3 years, I'd do it straight up, though we probably could get some trade value as well. Some low market team might be happy to get a big name RB to put butts in the seats.

 

[Bobhaze]

Spotrac on Zeke's Deal

POTENTIAL OUT: 2023, 4 YR, $50,052,137;​

So 12.5/yr over 4 years. Significantly less than 15mil/yr.

Note that we could conceivably trade Zeke before his option bonus is due in March. We would have paid him 8.25mil last year.

If another team is willing to take on the contract for 41.8mil for the next 3 years, I'd do it straight up, though we probably could get some trade value as well. Some low market team might be happy to get a big name RB to put butts in the seats.

Why would another team take that contract?

 

[buybuydandavis]

Why would another team take that contract?

Me: " Some low market team might be happy to get a big name RB to put butts in the seats."

If you're trying to win the SB, you want football value for every cap dollar.

If you're running a sports entertainment business, and plan on a losing team on the cheap, you might put some money into a marquee player to keep fan interest. You've got some limited cap you *have* to spend. Spend it to make some money.

There are teams that seem to be on the cellar dweller business plan.

 

[charron]

No, he doesn't. Gilmore is one of the very few DB's he's paid. He's let a ton of them walk over the years.

Yes they do. Top 11 guys currently under contract. #1, 9, 11 are cb's, #10 is a safety. 1 line backer and zero along the DL.

 

[Chuck 54]

Good question- Why would BB sign Dak? First of all I probably should have said this premise is based on BB being in charge in Dallas. That said two thoughts on do I think BB would sign Dak?
1. If he didn’t think Dak was worthy of a commitment, he would’ve made the decision a lot earlier than March.
2. Would he sign him here? Yes, because he gives this team the best chance to win now knowing that finding another quality QB is difficult and this org has made a win now commitment.

BB would sign him or have another QB ready in the wings. No way he’d let DAK walk and sacrifice a season.

 

[kskboys]

Yes they do. Top 11 guys currently under contract. #1, 9, 11 are cb's, #10 is a safety. 1 line backer and zero along the DL.

No they don't. When a CB wants big money, he lets them walk.

 

[817Gill]

The Patriot way might work here.. We know the Cowboy way hasn’t worked.

The Cowboy way is paying an RB 15 mill a year.

The Cowboy way is making every decent free agent the highest paid at their position.

The Cowboy way is delaying Daks contract as long as possible only to eventually cave into his demands because they publicly give away any leverage they have.

You know Zeke’s cap hit won’t be 15M until 2022, and we can get out of the deal in 2023 with minimal dead money. It’s actually a pretty team friendly deal. He’s 10M this year and 12M next year. Kamara, McCaffrey, Gordon, Barkley, and Cook will all be surpassing him by them. It was honestly a pretty team friendly deal man, don’t let sticker shock fool you

https://www.___GET_REAL_URL___/s/sp...-deal-really-a-team-friendly-4-year-deal/amp/

“It’s safe to call this a win-win for both the Dallas Cowboys and Ezekiel Elliott. Zeke got his status as the highest paid RB in the NFL (kind of) and the security of roughly $50 million in guarantees, while Dallas keeps the average annual salary lower than the $15 million per year indicates because they are ponying up the cash early. Dallas also gets an early out should something happen on or off the field put Zeke’s contributions in jeopardy.
Some in the national media are calling this a clear victory for Zeke, but this worked out to be pretty ideal scenario for the Dallas Cowboys as well. In fact, if we had to pick a lone “winner” in this, we’d have to go with the team since they can control this going forward and only committed to 2 extra years of Zeke. The only part the Dallas Cowboys are really locked into is $50,052,137 over the next four years (which is an average of $12.5 million). And by the time 2023 comes, $15 million per season may be outside of the top-5 so he may be a bargain to keep.
At face value it looks like Zeke cashed in huge and really took the Dallas Cowboys to the shed. But this beauty is only skin deep and the Dallas Cowboys are fully in control of this team-friendly contract.“

 

[fansince68]

When our front office is making decisions about who to keep and who to let go of on our roster; which FA to sign, which to avoid...I wish that our decision makers would consider this: “What Would Bill Belechick Do?”

I’m still amazed how many of our fans on this forum think Bill Belechick is lucky just because he’s had Tom Brady. Or that his coaching genius alone is his key to success. Let’s examine this:

• Sure having Tom Brady as their QB has been an advantage but in this cap era, you can’t win 6 SBs over 19 seasons just because you have a great QB. Each of his SB teams have had a ton of different players.
• Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees each only have one SB win, proving that building a successful roster takes more than just a star QB.
• Playing in over half of your conference’s championship games the last two decades isn’t just about Tom Brady or being lucky. It’s about BB and his ability to put together a new roster every year because he constantly churns his roster without any sentimentality.

Belechick’s roster genius is his ability to evaluate each player on his roster with cold-blood in his veins. He doesn’t give a rat’s arse what you did last year if you’re going to cost too much or may lose a step. BB keeps his eyes on the present and future, not the past. Our lifetime contract FO treats their roster more like a family reunion than a football team.

So when considering some of the Cowboys roster ideas I see being considered on this forum, WWBBD?

• Dez Bryant: WWBBD? Not sign him. Period. Take out the sentimental reasons to bring back one of our favorites to somehow be a “4th receiver” is just stupid. Good FOs don’t make moves like this. In a talent starved league like the NFL, if Dez still was still legit, someone would have already signed him.

• Jason Witten- Would Belechick have signed him in 2019? No. Did his inclusion on our roster really help this team? Not really. We resigned Witten because our owner had a soft spot for him.

• Tyrone Crawford- I think BB would have cut him last year.
  
  
• Dak Prescott- I think BB would have already resigned him. The Jones boys act like they are “not going to set the market” and yet make a questionable high dollar deal with their star RB that sets the market...a year earlier than they had to.

• Byron Jones- this one is a little trickier. I think BB would probably let him walk as he has with many of his former star defenders because of cost. But I’m not sure.

This list could go on and on...And I’m of course just guessing what BB would do and I could certainly be wrong on all of these- except Dez and Witten, lol.

Your thoughts?

If Brady leaves, then WWBBD comes more into focus. I think Bill changes some of his tactics if he doesn't have the goat on the team. I dont think he would be as enamoured with Dak, at least not to the tone of 35 million. I think Bill would have traded Dak after the 2018 season to get something for him while his value is high. I think Bill would not carry as much of his cap space with this o line, his track record proves it. I kinda disagree with you on the point about Dez. Bill would have made Dez a better player and let's not forget that Bill gave Antonio Brown a shot. Dez would be a cheap experienced chess piece to try out in training camp. Finally, when we look at WWBD, we also need to consider WDJND. What did Jason not do.

 

[Nav22]

Belichick never would’ve paid Zeke in a million years. Stupid mistake on our part.

 

[Jake]

Bill would have already drafted another QB providing him more leverage and options than Jerry has.

He’d of already drafted someone predicting this situation. And be ready to move on if necessary.

I'll set aside "he'd of" and focus on the premise - Bill would already have a plan? He's watching Brady walk away with Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler as the only QBs on his roster.

I respect what BB has accomplished this century, but this notion that he'd have a QB back up plan in place is refuted by the fact that he doesn't have one in New England.

 

[Bobhaze]

Me: " Some low market team might be happy to get a big name RB to put butts in the seats."

If you're trying to win the SB, you want football value for every cap dollar.

If you're running a sports entertainment business, and plan on a losing team on the cheap, you might put some money into a marquee player to keep fan interest. You've got some limited cap you *have* to spend. Spend it to make some money.

There are teams that seem to be on the cellar dweller business plan.

I think you described part of what goes into our owner/GMs thinking every year- investing in “marquee players” for entertainment value, not necessarily “championship” value. Putting together a roster that can win a championship should be the #1 priority. But with this owner, winning is desired but not as much as winning at the cash register.