CFZ Why I believe there's no way this is a tear down-rebuild off-season

[pansophy]

Stephen just overvalues the current roster and doesn't see a need to sign players of value to improve.

But we aren't even signing our own players this year. Seems like this is a punt year to me to start fresh in two years.

 

[TheCritic]

In all likelihood Bobhaze, you are right about this. But concerning Dak, I think the Cowboys are preparing to move on from him. Yes they freed up some cap space, but not enough to suggest they are serious enough about extending him.

I don't blame them, if that is the case. I don't care what the excuse is. No way I'm paying $60 million a year to a non-elite QB. While not going all in this season is arguably not fair to Dak, I think it would be an even greater risk to go all in, extend Dak and fall short in the playoffs once again.

 

[windward]

Actually Parcells kept most of the players when he first took over in 2003 because he said he wanted to see what we had. We started moving on from some after that season but nothing like what we’ve lost this offseason. We needed to move on from some of those players. We’ve lost 6 starters and some key role players in just over a week. We could possibly lose Gilmore which would be our 7th starter.

Idk it seems 6-7 starters feels pretty normal. In 2001, we lost Aikman, McKnight, LaFleur, Williams, Lett, Spellman, Wortham, McNeil, Sparks.

In 2003 we lost Emmitt, Tony McGee, Ross Tucker, Page, Noble, and Hardy

Heck last year we lost Zeke, Noah Brown, Schultz, McGovern, Barr and Brown.

Now the quality of their replacements is unknown at this point. Some may not be on the roster at this point (RB, LT/LG, C?).

 

[KJJ]

Idk it seems 6-7 starters feels pretty normal. In 2001, we lost Aikman, McKnight, LaFleur, Williams, Lett, Spellman, Wortham, McNeil, Sparks.

In 2003 we lost Emmitt, Tony McGee, Ross Tucker, Page, Noble, and Hardy

Heck last year we lost Zeke, Noah Brown, Schultz, McGovern, Barr and Brown.

Now the quality of their replacements is unknown at this point. Some may not be on the roster at this point (RB, LT/LG, C?).

Aikman was declining and couldn’t stay healthy. Emmitt was also in decline in 2003. The quality of players we’ve lost so far this offseason is unlike anything I can remember with the Cowboys.

 

[CowboyChris]

Aikman was declining and couldn’t stay healthy. Emmitt was also in decline in 2003. The quality of players we’ve lost so far this offseason is unlike anything I can remember with the Cowboys.

which ones are you referring too? for you to make that statement?

 

[KJJ]

which ones are you referring too? for you to make that statement?

If you think everyone we lost was expendable, better think again. Pollard was our starting RB who had over 1000 yards last season. As soon as free agency arrived he was signed. It may not be easy improving on him next season. Tyron when healthy was still a very good player. Many our questioning our decision to let him walk, because it wouldn’t have been that costly to keep him. Armstrong was a solid young player who had 14 sacks the past 2 seasons. Only Parsons had more sacks. Didn’t take long for someone to snatch him up.

Hankins was our best run stopper. Now we’re stuck with Mazi who was a liability. Although Biadasz wasn’t great he was our starter and was swooped up as soon as free agency started. No assurances we can improve on him. LVE was one of our best defensive players, especially against the run but had to retire due to his health. Gallimore provided depth and was a good role player. It didn’t take long for him to find a new team once free agency started.

 

[shabazz]

We are only a month into what is a full six months of the NFL‘s 2024 off-season calendar, and already many Cowboys fans are jumping to conclusions that may not be true. After Jerry’s infamous “All In” comments, many expected big changes in how this team approached the off-season. They of course haven’t surfaced.

And after the disappointing inactivity of this front office early in free agency, the loss of multiple FA starters to other teams, and a seeming willingness to let Dak Prescott play 2024 without a new contract or extension, some fans are seeing this as a “tear down and rebuild”. They see these signs as the team stripping it all down for a new QB, new HC, and rebuilt roster for 2025. In other words, some are seeing all this inactivity as a bigger plan to just clear the decks and start over.

I say there’s no way this FO is doing a tear down-rebuild. Why? Two reasons:

1. In the Jerry Jones era since 1989, this front office has only done two deliberately planned rebuilds: One under Jimmy Johnson from 1989-1992 and the second under Bill Parcells from 2003-2006. The Jones FO has NEVER done a rebuild without a strong HC in charge because they can’t do it. (Anyone who says 2016 was a rebuild- it was an accident- not planned)
2. Jerry and Stephen Jones literally do NOT know how to build a championship contending roster in the cap era. They have never done it. If they could do it, they would have already done it.

I of course could be wrong. Maybe JJ and SJ are spending this off-season just planning a complete re-tooling of this team’s future including a new QB and HC for 2025. But I don’t think so.

In fact, I predict this front office is planning on continuing their some old off-season approach of going cheap in FA, put all your improvement chips on the draft, and at the last minute re-sign the same QB that has gone 36-15 the last 3 regular seasons. I think that is a big mistake and one that will produce the same results we’ve been getting which is a WC playoff win every 4-5 years at best.

I understand why some fans are saying, “Big changes are coming.” I’m saying expect to see more of the same. I don’t like that and I hope I’m wrong. But why would we think the Jones boys suddenly “get it”, when we have three decades of evidence that say otherwise. Since SJ got a bigger say in what happens around here, when was the last big off-season “gamble“ this FO took?

Again, I hope I’m wrong.

Excellent points made. I also agree that the FO doesn't know how to rebuild and that's why I believe there's a silent partner advising here.

As far as the lack of a strong coach, perhaps they are laying the foundation for a strong coach in 2025 so they are cutting fat and only signing short deals

So if one was to go out on a limb and say that my premises are true; what person embodies the qualities of "roster builder", " strong coach" and a GM that cuts aging and underperforming players "...........Mr Bill Belichick

 

[CowboyChris]

If you think everyone we lost was expendable, better think again. Pollard was our starting RB who had over 1000 yards last season. As soon as free agency arrived he was signed. It may not be easy improving on him next season. Tyron when healthy was still a very good player. Many our questioning our decision to let him walk, because it wouldn’t have been that costly to keep him. Armstrong was a solid young player who had 14 sacks the past 2 seasons. Only Parsons had more sacks. Didn’t take long for someone to snatch him up.

Hankins was our best run stopper. Now we’re stuck with Mazi who was a liability. Although Biadasz wasn’t great he was our starter and was swooped up as soon as free agency started. No assurances we can improve on him. LVE was one of our best defensive players, especially against the run but had to retire due to his health. Gallimore provided depth and was a good role player. It didn’t take long for him to find a new team once free agency started.

you said the quality of players, we’ve lost so far this offseason is unlike anything you can remember, which is a pretty bold statement...so Pollard, Tyron, Armstrong, Hankins, Biadasz, and even Gallimore... are these the great players? I'm not going to count LVE because he retired for medical reasons, you can't fault the team.

other than Tyron in his prime, the rest weren't that great....the problem is we haven't signed anyone to replace any of them yet, it's not like the team is going to try and draft all those replacements.

 

[KJJ]

you said the quality of players, we’ve lost so far this offseason is unlike anything you can remember, which is a pretty bold statement...so Pollard, Tyron, Armstrong, Hankins, Biadasz, and even Gallimore... are these the great players? I'm not going to count LVE because he retired for medical reasons, you can't fault the team.

other than Tyron in his prime, the rest weren't that great....the problem is we haven't signed anyone to replace any of them yet, it's not like the team is going to try and draft all those replacements.

I never said any of those players were “great” I said they were quality players, meaning they were good players. Most wouldn’t have been snatched up in free agency in the first couple of days if they weren’t any good. LVE counts as a quality player we lost, even though it was to retirement. The players that are left in free agency aren’t as good as the players we lost, which is why they’re still available. The only way we were going to improve on the players we lost was to sign top free agents but we passed because we need the cap room for Dak, CeeDee and Parsons. Now our only hope to improve on the players we lost is in the draft and that’s a crapshoot.

 

[CowboyChris]

Aikman was declining and couldn’t stay healthy. Emmitt was also in decline in 2003. The quality of players we’ve lost so far this offseason is unlike anything I can remember with the Cowboys.

I never said any of those players were “great” I said they were quality players, meaning they were good players. Most wouldn’t have been snatched up in free agency in the first couple of days if they weren’t any good. LVE counts as a quality player we lost, even though it was to retirement. The players that are left in free agency aren’t as good as the players we lost, which is why they’re still available. The only way we were going to improve on the players we lost was to sign top free agents but we passed because we need the cap room for Dak, CeeDee and Parsons. Now our only hope to improve on the players we lost is in the draft and that’s a crapshoot.

these are your own words Cowboy, first you claim the players we lost are unlike anything you can remember with the Cowboys, now all of the sudden those players are not great, meaning good, that's why in the past, I've told you that you have a reading comprehension problem...once again we are not going into the draft having to fill or replace all those players, their will be other free agent signings either before the draft or after on into training camp.

 

[noshame]

Father time
Jerry, at least to me, doesn't look like a guy who has a lot of tread left on the tires.
He realizes this.

He no longer can continue down the 30 year path of failure.
Good season records and a occasional playoff appearance don't cut it.

Trying to coach from the press box hasn't got it done.
I believe Jerry knows this is not the year, I believe he's lost faith in the Mike and Dak show. While we do not need a total rebuild, we do need a QB and some capital for a fast refit. This year is about some much needed house cleaning and eating some cap. If done correctly I believe this can be a 2 year return to glory.
As far as "ALL IN" that is simply this years corporate buzz phrase. Nothing more.

 

[KJJ]

these are your own words Cowboy, first you claim the players we lost are unlike anything you can remember with the Cowboys, now all of the sudden those players are not great, meaning good, that's why in the past, I've told you that you have a reading comprehension problem...once again we are not going into the draft having to fill or replace all those players, their will be other free agent signings either before the draft or after on into training camp.

You’re just looking for an argument like you always are. You can’t seem to decipher anything I post. Let me help you out. I said the quality of players we've lost so far this offseason is unlike anything I can remember with the Cowboys. Meaning the “number” of good players we’ve lost in one offseason is unlike anything I’ve seen. If that doesn’t clarify it for you then you’re just looking for another multi page back and forth. I’m not about to waste my time with that.

 

[CowboyChris]

You’re just looking for an argument like you always are. You can’t seem to decipher anything I post. Let me help you out. I said the quality of players we've lost so far this offseason is unlike anything I can remember with the Cowboys. Meaning the “number” of good players we’ve lost in one offseason is unlike anything I’ve seen. If that doesn’t clarify it for you then you’re just looking for another multi page back and forth. I’m not about to waste my time with that.

Seriously....I'm not looking for anything, but I'm going to make a good poster out of you someday!!

 

[KJJ]

Seriously....I'm not looking for anything, but I'm going to make a good poster out of you someday!!

You seem to have a personal issue with me. If you don’t think I’m a good poster then you shouldn’t be wasting your time with me. I’m moving on from you. This will save us both from wasting our time here.

 

[kskboys]

I hear everything about them not learning & not changing their approach and fully understand where you are coming from.

However, even a dumb person changes path after running into a wall repeatedly.

No, I'm not confident they have realized they aren't close & can't get closer without some painful changes .... but after all the failure they can't be so dumb as to think they can overcome the losses & close the gap just with a draft class. Can they? It seems they have accepted something or they wouldn't be letting so many walk.

Well, they've run into a wall for 28 years and haven't learned. Hmmmmmmmmm....

 

[kskboys]

I dont believe their biggest issue is intelligence.

It's arrogance. They have far too much belief in themselves to run this team.

Not intelligence, football smarts. And that is their biggest weakness.

 

[zekecowboy]

Fans will be livid when we re-sign Dak after doing nothing in FA. LOL, it'll get real ugly around here.

I doubt it. Just will not be around as much. 2024 is a reset year so expectations are very low.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

Jerry Jones might be the wealthiest circus carny there is

What was the infamous line that the one circus owner said, about suckers!

 

[Blitzen]

Can't imagine why anyone would ever consider resigning a QB who was only 36-15 in 3 years. You people just kill me.....

Maybe because of his record after the regular season? Or does that record get attributed to the rest of the team, while the regular season record gets attributed to the QB?

 

[Blitzen]

You dont get to decide if a team is a contender or not AFTER the playoffs are over. Once youve lost, you are not a contender.

But you can decide if a team was a serious contender after the results. No one is splitting hairs as to the definition of the word contender. We are differentiating serious contenders from the perennially also rans-I actually think most of the fans who defend the Cowboys on this understand the main principles of this argument. I believe the major contenders of any year reach the final four-or put up a nasty fight to one of the final four in the playoffs.