Where are we now?

[Verdict]

We had a very good season in 16 but 17 looks a lot tougher on paper. Granted it's early and we don't know what is going to happen with the roster but here is what we think we know so far:

1. Romo is gone. Overall strength of QB position just declined.
2. First place schedule = tougher road
3. We appear to be losing several significant starters/role players: Church, Wilcox, Leary. Carr, Mo, Durant, McFadden, Williams, McClain and Free the turnstile is still around.
4. We won't be big players in Free agency.
5. We are drafting late so we will be getting what is left in each round.

I don't like what I am seeing so far. Hopefully Tapper, Jaylon and Lawrence are healthy this year and Heath becomes a viable starter.

We are thin at RB and one or two injuries could really derail this season. Teams have film on Dak and will try to make him do things he isn't as good at doing. 10 and 6 might be hard to attain this year.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

1. Romo was gone for most of last season too. It didn't matter.
2. Looking at strength of schedule of our opponents this past season we had one of the tougher roads already. It didn't matter. That was with a last place schedule. You never know in the age of parity.
3. None of those guys are stars and the only one that has left to this point is Church. None are irreplaceable by a long shot.
4. Who cares? We have not been players in free agency for some time and been better for it. We likely will see an uptick in participation due to us saving $54m off the cap tomorrow. You have no clue what we actually are going to do.
5. This draft is deep in DE, WR, and CB which is precisely what we need.

You have seen 24 hours of the FA period and you are already melting down.

You can find RBs that can help later in the draft and FA has only just begun.

I advise valium and some sleep.

 

[AzorAhai]

1. Romo was gone for most of last season too. It didn't matter.
2. Looking at strength of schedule of our opponents this past season we had one of the tougher roads already. It didn't matter. That was with a last place schedule. You never know in the age of parity.
3. None of those guys are stars and the only one that has left to this point is Church. None are irreplaceable by a long shot.
4. Who cares? We have not been players in free agency for some time and been better for it. We likely will see an uptick in participation due to us saving $54m off the cap tomorrow. You have no clue what we actually are going to do.
5. This draft is deep in DE, WR, and CB which is precisely what we need.

You have seen 24 hours of the FA period and you are already melting down.

You can find RBs that can help later in the draft and FA has only just begun.

I advise valium and some sleep.

This draft is deep at DE, CB, WR AND Safety. It lines up nicely to fill some of these holes with highly rated players. It's also deep at TE as well, so that's a high likelihood to be on the short list early in the draft.

I'm thinking they re-sign Carr and Claiborne while trying to get Safety, WR and DE in the first 4 rounds.

 

[dwreck27]

Honestly this offseason with as many moving parts as have on defense will tell me how committed we are to next season or the same old "building for the future" still mantra

There comes a time when you just need to circle the wagons and go all in

 

[DogFace]

1. Romo was gone for most of last season too. It didn't matter.
2. Looking at strength of schedule of our opponents this past season we had one of the tougher roads already. It didn't matter. That was with a last place schedule. You never know in the age of parity.
3. None of those guys are stars and the only one that has left to this point is Church. None are irreplaceable by a long shot.
4. Who cares? We have not been players in free agency for some time and been better for it. We likely will see an uptick in participation due to us saving $54m off the cap tomorrow. You have no clue what we actually are going to do.
5. This draft is deep in DE, WR, and CB which is precisely what we need.

You have seen 24 hours of the FA period and you are already melting down.

You can find RBs that can help later in the draft and FA has only just begun.

I advise valium and some sleep.

Perfect answer

 

[Deep_Freeze]

Sounds good, but a draft is about BPA.

Sounds like we are forcing the draft based on needs. We do have to meet some of these needs in free agency, instead of saying we need a certain position when we get to the 3rd round cause we don't have one.

Point blank, we have too many holes and I hope we can at least meet a few of them before the draft.

 

[DandyDon52]

We had a very good season in 16 but 17 looks a lot tougher on paper. Granted it's early and we don't know what is going to happen with the roster but here is what we think we know so far:

1. Romo is gone. Overall strength of QB position just declined.
2. First place schedule = tougher road
3. We appear to be losing several significant starters/role players: Church, Wilcox, Leary. Carr, Mo, Durant, McFadden, Williams, McClain and Free the turnstile is still around.
4. We won't be big players in Free agency.
5. We are drafting late so we will be getting what is left in each round.

I don't like what I am seeing so far. Hopefully Tapper, Jaylon and Lawrence are healthy this year and Heath becomes a viable starter.

We are thin at RB and one or two injuries could really derail this season. Teams have film on Dak and will try to make him do things he isn't as good at doing. 10 and 6 might be hard to attain this year.

2. First place schedule = tougher road ......... this is a fallacy, only 2 games or teams are a result of our finish last year.
All the other games/teams we would still play if we had been 0-16 .
It is our div(6 games), another NFC div, and a AFC div and then 2 other games, those 2 are based on how a team did the previous year.
GB & Atlanta will be those 2 games which will be tough games.
The rest we would play regardless.

3. wow looks bad unless they do some good shopping and drafting.

1,4,5, dont worry jones boys are geniuses and know what they are doing lol. and JG will be helping them so again no worries.

 

[cowboyuptx]

Well, we just squandered the most talented team we've had in a decade... Now we see our better UFA's beginning to sign with other teams... Meanwhile, we haven't much cap space to adequately replace them all... At least we have the best QB situation in the NFL, oh wait, were merely hours away from officially squandering that as well... It also doesn't help that the NYG appear to be improving their team coming off an 11 win season... Plus Dallas plays a first-place schedule this season instead of the last-place schedule as it were in 2016...

 

[MileyDancer]

8-8

 

[big dog cowboy]

1. Romo was gone for most of last season too. It didn't matter.
2. Looking at strength of schedule of our opponents this past season we had one of the tougher roads already. It didn't matter. That was with a last place schedule. You never know in the age of parity.
3. None of those guys are stars and the only one that has left to this point is Church. None are irreplaceable by a long shot.
4. Who cares? We have not been players in free agency for some time and been better for it. We likely will see an uptick in participation due to us saving $54m off the cap tomorrow. You have no clue what we actually are going to do.
5. This draft is deep in DE, WR, and CB which is precisely what we need.

You have seen 24 hours of the FA period and you are already melting down.

You can find RBs that can help later in the draft and FA has only just begun.

I advise valium and some sleep.

Outstanding!!!

 

[NorthwestDallas40]

8-8

Beat me to it

 

[Aven8]

I just have a feeling that we are counting on Dak and Zeke to carry the day again like we did last season.

 

[robjay04]

This is getting old.

We changed our free agency outlook 5 years ago when we were active spenders chasing Brandon Carr and a host of other free agents.

Since then?

We have had arguably two of our best seasons in over 20 years in the last 3 years. I know we are still not getting the results we want but I will give the team the benefit of the doubt.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I think we are in the same boat as we were last season. Your team is going to be dependent on Dak, Zeke and the offensive line. The offense is still in tact. We are losing players from our recent but inconsistent defense.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

This is getting old.

We changed our free agency outlook 5 years ago when we were active spenders chasing Brandon Carr and a host of other free agents.

Since then?

We have had arguably two of our best seasons in over 20 years in the last 3 years. I know we are still not getting the results we want but I will give the team the benefit of the doubt.

They've at least earned the benefit of the doubt especially after last season.

 

[rynochop]

This draft is deep at DE, CB, WR AND Safety. It lines up nicely to fill some of these holes with highly rated players. It's also deep at TE as well, so that's a high likelihood to be on the short list early in the draft.

I'm thinking they re-sign Carr and Claiborne while trying to get Safety, WR and DE in the first 4 rounds.

The whole 'deep draft' stuff is just, I'm sorry, nonsense. No one knows how deep a draft is until a couple years after.
It was two or three years ago it was supposed to be the deepest draft ever for RBs and it's been a flop

 

[SDCowboy]

We are pretty much exactly where we were last season. The question is will our D be noticeably improved, somehow.

 

[jjktkk]

I just have a feeling that we are counting on Dak and Zeke to carry the day again like we did last season.

Why not, its a proven strategy?

 

[Doomsday101]

I feel good about the future of this club, With the new triplets all growing up together and a great OL in front of them. yes we will lose some players in FA, I do find it funny that some of these loses are guys who have been whipping boys for many fans but now you would think the sky is falling. I think Cowboys will make some moves in FA to help sure up some areas and of course lean on the draft.

 

[SDCowboy]

Why not, its a proven strategy?

Because counting on your offense to also be your defense is not sustainable. Nor should it have to be. The defense needs to be completely overhauled. Period.