Which is better? One great FA or three above average FAs?

[Vtwin]

Depends a bit on the position but if can replace three average to below average players with three above average players, you'll be a better team than if you stayed below average at those positions and signed one big name player.

If you're already average to above average across the board then adding that one big name guy might be the way to go.

 

[TequilaCowboy]

I think you’re being generous with the term ‘above average’.

Exactly, when was the last time Jerry was in a bidding war for a FA?......his FA are not above average or even average.. They are desperate for any job at this point and have little to no leverage. These are below average to poor FA.. People here think they are looking for above average....LOL.....in your dreams. Gimmie the super FA who even makes those around him better.

 

[jterrell]

I'd say 2023 we had the depth. Problem was scheme IMO. You maybe could even get away with Bell at linebacker if you had better interior play.

Thats kinda the issue.
No depth at RB, DT, LB.

I am fine at WR/DB.
QB was stacked. DE was insane.
OL had enough thought they did count on RT after a serious injury way too soon.
You can both pay players and bring them back slowly.
Steele was much better the last month but was arguably the worst starting RT for 3 months.

But up the middle it was soft because it lacked depth.
Zimmer will address that because that is his primary concern as a DC.
We will get stout up the middle and let the speed guys live on the edges.
No more Dorance, Micah, DLaw, Osa lines on 2nd and 6.

 

[kskboys]

"If those 3 guys were so good, why are they available as free agents" ? PS. Micky S. phrase used all the time unless Micky is talking about potential Cowboys players.

Salary cap, derdeedee.

 

[visionary]

When it comes to signing free agents, I believe one great player is better than three above average players. Great players usually make great plays when it matters most. The HOF is full of great players who shined the brightest when the lights were brightest and the stakes were highest. Cowboys playoff history (30 or more years ago anyway) is full of great players making great plays in the playoffs.

As free agency looms ahead, and if we are truly a team that is “all in” (I know this FO is not but just for argument sake let’s pretend they were all in) I believe signing one or two top talent FAs is way more important than getting a bunch of “affordable” JAGs. We need a “no guts, no glory” or “nothing risked means nothing gained” approach this off-season. Why not?

In short, wouldn’t we rather have one Chris Jones than three above average guys? (Yes, I know Chris Jones won’t be here next year) Because “all in” should mean we are swinging for home runs not bunting. Right?

Answer: Either is ‘better’ if picked by a competent GM

We dont have one (including McClay, the architect of the 2023 draft)

 

[kskboys]

If we're talking about free agency? Then yeah I'd take 3 above average guys because that's 3 starters.

I'm also of the belief that great players don't make it to free agency. So knowing that gives me 3 above average guys who are still hungry and fighting for a big pay day.

Tom Brady. Javon Hargrave. Chardavius Ward. Fletcher Cox. Chandler Jones. Tyreek Hill. Christian Kirk. Zay Jones. Denzel Perryman. Steven Nelson. Jimmie Ward. Larry Ogunjobi. Trey Hendrickson. DJ Reader. Ted Karras. Orlando Brown. CJ Mosely. DJ Reed.

Maybe it was true at one point in time in the NFL, but teams release good/great players all the time due to salary cap reasons. It's just not true anymore. SEA picked up DreMont Jones just last year in FA. Did you forget Bobby Wagner?

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Thats kinda the issue.
No depth at RB, DT, LB.

I am fine at WR/DB.
QB was stacked. DE was insane.
OL had enough thought they did count on RT after a serious injury way too soon.
You can both pay players and bring them back slowly.
Steele was much better the last month but was arguably the worst starting RT for 3 months.

But up the middle it was soft because it lacked depth.
Zimmer will address that because that is his primary concern as a DC.
We will get stout up the middle and let the speed guys live on the edges.
No more Dorance, Micah, DLaw, Osa lines on 2nd and 6.

I'm not sure if it's possible to be deep at every position. I can live with what we had behind our starting RB...starting RB was more the problem than his backups IMO. Same goes to DT. But I agree mostly.

 

[Rayman70]

its not that simple of a question. It all depends who the 1 great player would be and at which position. Same if we signed 3 above average players.

 

[InPhiltraitor]

If you can nab 3 above average players, that’s excellent, and I’d take it all day.

To me it would be a question if say 2 of the 3 were average/solid starters that don’t have a history of being injured, plus 1 athletic player with big upside that needs playing time vs. a Chris Jones.

At least for this team at present, we need quality bodies at a few positions. If CJ was the final piece of the puzzle, I’d be all in.

 

[kskboys]

its not that simple of a question. It all depends who the 1 great player would be and at which position. Same if we signed 3 above average players.

Yup. And it also depends on where a team is in the super bowl building process. One great player is not going to take a crapp team to the super bowl. Welllllll, maybe Elway, but that's an exception!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Rayman70]

Im not ready to throw the baby out with the bathwater as far as Will McClay having 1 bad draft like he did in 2023. His body of work has been pretty good here. We draft better than many teams do in the league usually.If we have any chance in 2024, Will McClay must hit a grand slam with every pick or it will spell disaster.

 

[Rayman70]

Yup. And it also depends on where a team is in the super bowl building process. One great player is not going to take a crapp team to the super bowl. Welllllll, maybe Elway, but that's an exception!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

exactly!

 

[kskboys]

Im not ready to throw the baby out with the bathwater as far as Will McClay having 1 bad draft like he did in 2023. His body of work has been pretty good here. We draft better than many teams do in the league usually.If we have any chance in 2024, Will McClay must hit a grand slam with every pick or it will spell disaster.

McClay sucks in the 2nd round and refuses to address DT and LB. Not sure his drafting is that great. We're suffering mightily from his 2nd round gaffes.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Tom Brady. Javon Hargrave. Chardavius Ward. Fletcher Cox. Chandler Jones. Tyreek Hill. Christian Kirk. Zay Jones. Denzel Perryman. Steven Nelson. Jimmie Ward. Larry Ogunjobi. Trey Hendrickson. DJ Reader. Ted Karras. Orlando Brown. CJ Mosely. DJ Reed.

Maybe it was true at one point in time in the NFL, but teams release good/great players all the time due to salary cap reasons. It's just not true anymore. SEA picked up DreMont Jones just last year in FA. Did you forget Bobby Wagner?

Let me rephrase. When a free agent signs a big contract they never live up to the deal is what I was getting at. Especially older vets. I've spoke on this previously. A lot of these guys prime years are under their rookie deals. You don't get stronger, faster and younger when you sign a deal at 25 or 26 years old.

Some of the guys you listed I'd considered "above average" guys as opposed to "stars". Hendrickson and Ward are example of "above average free agents". They were not stars when they signed on as free agents.

 

[Rayman70]

The Houston Texans just showed us that it can be done in 1 offseason but its hard to do. But THEY JUST DID IT. So we have hope. This means every single scout has to be all in too. The Texans are the template now, for the entire league in the team building process in short order. It starts with QB and HC. It matters alot.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

McClay sucks in the 2nd round and refuses to address DT and LB. Not sure his drafting is that great. We're suffering mightily from his 2nd round gaffes.

It's clear that those 2nd round gaffes are not McClay related. There have even been reports they've talked to Quinn and Maranelli in the past about some of those picks.

I also think our 2nd round issues are more reputation then they are actual fact. We have drafted starters in the 2nd round including Trevon Diggs.

 

[Big_D]

Answer: Either is ‘better’ if picked by a competent GM

We dont have one (including McClay, the architect of the 2023 draft)

He’s been the ‘assistant GM’ since before Garrett. It’s not just 23. There’s been a lot of extremely poor decisions over his tenure. It’s funny people still put all this faith McClay.

Exactly, when was the last time Jerry was in a bidding war for a FA?......his FA are not above average or even average.. They are desperate for any job at this point and have little to no leverage. These are below average to poor FA.. People here think they are looking for above average....LOL.....in your dreams. Gimmie the super FA who even makes those around him better.

This front office is just going to ride that same wave that never works. More bargain bin shopping just like everyone knew was going to happen. Meanwhile legit teams like the niners, lions, chiefs, ravens, bills etc will be making real moves. No other team plays this garbage game with free agency like the Cowboys. It’s really been pathetic for a long time.

 

[Bobhaze]

You compare 1 top free agent to 3 "above average" free agents. Depending on your definition of "above average", I would take the 1 top tier impact free agent. But let's be honest, Jerry does not sign 3 above average free agents. His top free agent might be a guy like Cooks, who is good by not great. His other free agents are JAGs. He gets a guy like Edoga, who we all hope never has to play. Even Hankins is just a JAGs at this point in his career. He only looks good to Dallas because the rest of their DTs are so bad.

In another thread you started I used the example of McKenzie Bernadeau and Nate Livings. Jerry signed both of them when Ben Grubbs was available. Grubbs signed with New Orleans for just a little more than Bernadeau and Livings combined.. The smarter play in my opinion would have been to sign Grubbs and plug him in at OG and that would have made the Cowboys OL better.

Great points.

About Hankins - I appreciate that he’s been here but so many fans over-value him because he’s better against the run than anyone else we have. Yet…After a year and a half of him (however long we’ve had him) have we collectively been that much better against the run than before him? Maybe marginally. But the Cowboys are sounding hell bent to resign him when I would rather upgrade in other ways. Hankins won’t be getting better.

 

[kskboys]

Let me rephrase. When a free agent signs a big contract they never live up to the deal is what I was getting at. Especially older vets. I've spoke on this previously. A lot of these guys prime years are under their rookie deals. You don't get stronger, faster and younger when you sign a deal at 25 or 26 years old.

Some of the guys you listed I'd considered "above average" guys as opposed to "stars". Hendrickson and Ward are example of "above average free agents". They were not stars when they signed on as free agents.

While I agree completely that big money FA signings seldom live up to the deal, there are a pile of FA's who are great players. Problem is, aside from a very few exceptions, it takes a player a while to learn the new scheme as well as learning how to play w/ the players around him. I am mostly against throwing huge money at FA's.

Arguing about who is good or great is irrelevant to this convo.

 

[Rayman70]

McClay sucks in the 2nd round and refuses to address DT and LB. Not sure his drafting is that great. We're suffering mightily from his 2nd round gaffes.

I agree but at some point he will hit on a good player in rd 2. Yeah hes been pretty good, kept us competitive. He found Bland who is a absolute stud. I ill say this, he will earn his keep this offseason. We will see where the rubber meets the road. Might be make or break for him too if he drafts poorly. Lets face it, hes been the man behind the curtain on draft day making these picks.