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

[Rockport]

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?

That’s easy. I’ll take the 3 above average FA’s any day.

 

[Rayman70]

when we draft and sign udfa's, we need to do so as if Overshown and LVE aren't here. Just sayin.

 

[Brax]

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?

All based on cap space, Jones isn’t signing for a 1 year deal with incentives. How much cap can be shoved down the road, Cee Dee MP, coming up too, Jerry likes bang for the dollar, think guys like Rolando McClain, Alfred Morris, Tavon Austin, Dontari Poe, lower type cost that might have upside.

 

[Brax]

That’s easy. I’ll take the 3 above average FA’s any day.

How about 3 dumpster diving FAs

 

[Tussinman]

Easy. One great FA. They make everyone around them better. They make a difference. Teams have to plan against them.

Three average FAs you get cowboys.

The problem is they don't even go after average players. They go after discount bargain bins like Carlos Watkins or Christian Covington.

Average NFL starters at positions like DT and LB would be like 5-6 million (these guys would be immediate starters and improve the team). I'd rather have 3 of those than 1 Chris Jones but in this scenario, I'd rather have Chris Jones because they won't for some reason go after mid-level guys.

 

[fivetwos]

Its a moot point with our salary cap. We'd be lucky to even get one or two slightly above average players.

I don’t know if that’s true. They certainly need to restructure and push dead money forward in order to do it, but I think it’s possible.

It’s a matter of identifying the right players. What we were basically just told was that Stephen told Daddy that there will be no Wilkins, Jones or Queen types allowed.

They think are are smarter than that.

I mean jeez, doesn’t the same result even at least make one semi consider change??

 

[kskboys]

I agree witcha K about this team ignoring DT for years. What I’m not sure about is how much to blame McClay for the choices made in every draft. My understanding is he gives JJ and SJ choices based on his scouting evals but he doesn’t make the actual pick. Maybe his scouting can be skewed and inaccurate at times as all scouting can do.

Not saying McClay doesn‘t deserve some criticism, but with the weird way this FO works, it’s hard to really know how much he deserves.

Put it another way, I’ve always been amazed at how much influence the coordinators seem to have here at draft time. The problem is with so many changing philosophies and coordinators coming and going, this FO doesn’t seem to know what kinds of players fit the team’s philosophy. Pittsburgh for example knows exactly what kind of players they are looking for. Here, it’s an ever changing blob of philosophies depending on who has the Jones’ ear.

I'm not sure either, but I keep being told McCay is in charge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kskboys]

It's not irrelevant though lol. The original topic was would you have one star or 3 above average free agents?

Then you have to define great. Hendrickson is borderline great and is definitely far above average. You can't just go from above average to great, there are many levels inbetween.

However, this all goes back to your statement that great players don't hit FA. That statement has been proven unequivocally wrong.

 

[kskboys]

For those that wanna say we have a starting linebacker in Overshown, I say to you....really? You gonna count on essentially a rookie coming off a major injury to pay huge dividends? lol. What are we doin here fellas? Why are we experimenting and fiddle fartng around like this? what for? Can we PLEASE just draft good hardnosed football players, no matter position?

A rookie considered a tweener at that.

 

[kskboys]

Yep. I choose 3 because we aren't one player away. That simple.

And 1 great player can be negated if he doesn't have enough talent around him. DWare will tell you that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kskboys]

Yeah Texans are not the blueprint at all lol. That was more luck than anything. Rookie head coach? Rookie QB? I don't know about that one.

To do what the Texans just did you have to find a trade partner that will overpay for you player. Find a team that will give you three 1sts for Dak, and we could follow their blueprint to a T and be a super bowl contender shortly. Better be right on the drafted QB though!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[75boyz]

Lots of good points in here. Even some I disagree with but well thought out.

As has been said, if we could get three above average FAs to fill big holes, that might be good. The question I come back to is, how often do we acquire “above average” FAs as opposed to JAGS?

In 2019 we had 3. Randall Cobb, Robert Quinn and Michael Bennett.

And Bennett was even acquired in late October. Go figure.

But yeah, all 3 way out performed their short contracts based on the production they gave us that year at those 3 positions.

It seems like an almost next to impossible goal to achieve again with all the FA bums we've cycled through.

But it did happen once.

 

[KingintheNorth]

In 2019 we had 3. Randall Cobb, Robert Quinn and Michael Bennett.

Didn't they trade for Quinn and Bennett?

Only Cobb was a free agent.

On March 19, 2019, the Cowboys signed Cobb to a one-year, $5 million contract that includes a signing bonus of $2 million,

On March 28, 2019, Quinn was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2020 sixth-round pick

On October 24, 2019, Bennett was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a conditional 2021 sixth-round selection

 

[75boyz]

Didn't they trade for Quinn and Bennett?

Only Cobb was a free agent.

On March 19, 2019, the Cowboys signed Cobb to a one-year, $5 million contract that includes a signing bonus of $2 million,

On March 28, 2019, Quinn was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2020 sixth-round pick

On October 24, 2019, Bennett was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a conditional 2021 sixth-round selection

Yeah true. I disregarded "how" the acquisition was made and focused more on their general performance once we acquired them and the fact they were short term contracts.

We don't usually hit on free agents/trades or other team players of any type regardless of status.

 

[Coogiguy03]

I guess it depends on your definition of "above average" vs great. Looking at the projected market value, I could get Chris Jones at around 28 million per year, or I could get DJ Reader, Derrick Henry, and Frankie Luvu for around 31 million. In that scenario. I take package B. Just my opinion.

THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[1942willys]

I guess it depends on what position the expensive FA plays.

is it one that really impacts the team big time?

Now an Aaron Donald at DT if there was such available would have a really big impact.

Not sure what else one player could make so much difference. A great FS maybe.

On offense not sure a great RB would really do that much; you can go cheaper for impact.

Naturally if we could seriously upgrade QB.....

 

[kskboys]

I guess it depends on what position the expensive FA plays.

is it one that really impacts the team big time?

Now an Aaron Donald at DT if there was such available would have a really big impact.

Not sure what else one player could make so much difference. A great FS maybe.

On offense not sure a great RB would really do that much; you can go cheaper for impact.

Naturally if we could seriously upgrade QB.....

Of course, since we've let several positions fall apart, one player really wouldn't do it at this point.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

For those that wanna say we have a starting linebacker in Overshown, I say to you....really? You gonna count on essentially a rookie coming off a major injury to pay huge dividends? lol. What are we doin here fellas? Why are we experimenting and fiddle fartng around like this? what for? Can we PLEASE just draft good hardnosed football players, no matter position?

That's just the reality of the situation. Some positions you need to draft. Linebacker should be one of those positions.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Then you have to define great. Hendrickson is borderline great and is definitely far above average. You can't just go from above average to great, there are many levels inbetween.

However, this all goes back to your statement that great players don't hit FA. That statement has been proven unequivocally wrong.

Ok this discussion is all over the place.

Hendrickson was an Above Average player before signing with the Bengals. He never made an All Pro or a Pro Bowl. Signed a 4 year 60 million dollar deal. A deal above average.

You're calling him great now but he was not great 4 years ago otherwise he would've got 100 million.

So that's how I took the 1 Star vs 3 Above Average starters argument. Not what guys like Hendrickson became but what they were when they signed.

If you are saying Above Average is guys like Cedric Thornton then no. I'd rather have a star than 3 of those.

My statement was not wrong lol. You are listing guys who became great after they signed which is exactly what I'm for. I'm for those signings. The signings I'm referencing are giving guys like Robert Quinn 70 million....or Randy Gregory 70 million...those type of deals typically bite you in the ***.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

To do what the Texans just did you have to find a trade partner that will overpay for you player. Find a team that will give you three 1sts for Dak, and we could follow their blueprint to a T and be a super bowl contender shortly. Better be right on the drafted QB though!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We don't even know if Texans are right on CJ Stroud. And honestly trading Watson isn't why they got better. CJ Stroud isn't why. Because look at CJ Stroud and look at Bryce Young. One went to a good team with good coaching and one went to a team that fired their coach. Also helps Texans have a lot of good front office guys from San Fran.