Why so much wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth?

[rynochop]

If Sean Lee got hurt again, who are the three best players on our defense right now?

Yikes, you may as well not leave off Sean Lee

 

[JoeKing]

The complete lack of a pass rush ruined Dallas in the end last year, and that was with a respectable secondary. Fortunately, we played against gawd awful quarterbacks most of the year.

Sometimes you just get beat by a better team. You give no credit to Aaron Rodgers.

 

[Mr Cowboy]

But the strategy seems to be what we see from bottom feeders/ Boston Patriots would like a word with you

Boston Patriots? They just won the SB and made some major moves to improve their team........ Gilmore, Cooks, a couple of TE's

 

[erod]

Sometimes you just get beat by a better team. You give no credit to Aaron Rodgers.

The same Aaron Rodgers that was completely shut down the following week by an average Atlanta defense? That had a running back that wore the number 88?

 

[Nova]

The gnashing of teeth stems from impatience.

But impatience isn’t necessarily irrational.

If Dallas plans to contend during the young OL and Dake/Zeke rookie window, they need to do something to jumpstart the defense.

And instead the FO has, so far, created more holes on that side of the ball.

The plan just seems so flawed at this point.

 

[GIFTS86]

As he pointed out, he's a Giants fan. He has disincentive to post something hopeful here.

He also happens to be right. As for why the doom and gloom exists, I'd have to say it's one part the nature of fans and one part Cowboys fans collectively being a bunch of giant entitled babies. At least that's my best guess.

20 years and we're being babies lol

 

[KJJ]

Our defense this past season ranked only 3 spots higher than in 2015, despite our offense being so much better. According to Jerry our defense overachieved just to be ranked 14th. If we don't find a pass rush in 2017 and come up with a couple of corners that can put up solid years we could fall even further defensively. With all the defections in the secondary and the issues we have on the DL the holes we have to try and fill are pretty alarming.

 

[waving monkey]

Boston Patriots? They just won the SB and made some major moves to improve their team........ Gilmore, Cooks, a couple of TE's

The Patriots were shockingly active as the NFL officially opened its 2017 season. For the first time since signing Adalius Thomas in 2007,

 

[JoeKing]

The same Aaron Rodgers that was completely shut down the following week by an average Atlanta defense? That had a running back that wore the number 88?

The very same one. Aaron Rodgers made his team one point better than the Cowboys.

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

If Sean Lee got hurt again, who are the three best players on our defense right now?

David Irving , Maliek Collins , Anthony brown IMO

 

[Trouty]

As he pointed out, he's a Giants fan. He has disincentive to post something hopeful here.

He also happens to be right. As for why the doom and gloom exists, I'd have to say it's one part the nature of fans and one part Cowboys fans collectively being a bunch of giant entitled babies. At least that's my best guess.

I mean, Idgit, I love our Boys, I'm mostly positive... I just want a decent defense, and even you wanted one of our CBs back. Mo's contract isn't outrageous.

There's a middle ground somewhere in your post, my friend

 

[Trouty]

Atleast its exciting, I'm a gambler, heres to hoping we have invested heavily into our scouting dept.
What the hell.

They've been awesome, now it's time to hit some more homeruns on D

 

[jazzcat22]

As many know, I am a Giants fan, but I am also a (best-that-I-can-be) objective observer of the sport, and I while I understand a lot of Cowboys fans' frustration with this offseason, I think that many are being entirely unreasonable and unfair to team management, and aren't taking the long view. In my opinion, I think that it is obvious that the Dallas front office has a clear plan, and I think it is a very good one.

The bottom line is that even though statistically the Cowboys defense looked pretty good this year, it was nowhere near as capable as the offensive side of the ball. I think that management has soberly concluded that while they will certainly try to win this year (and while somewhat depleted they still have the talent to do so) the defense needs to be rebuilt in order to be championship caliber -- and the Super Bowl is their ultimate goal.

They realize that they have three years remaining while BOTH Dak and Zeke are on their rookie deals. They know that they have to pay to keep the OL together. They know that Romo's money will be off the books soon no matter how that soap opera finally plays out. And they want to get away from having to play the salary cap credit card game, where restructuring is a way of life, and offseason flexibility is a dream that can only be realized by hamstringing tomorrow to some -- and often substantial -- degree.

So it makes complete sense to take a very possible slight step backwards in 2017 to set up very legitimate SB shots in 2018 and 2019. Take the year to capitalize from a ridiculously-deep DB draft and after a season of learning on the job have a talented, cost-controlled secondary that is better than last year's more expensive group. Add another pass rusher in April as well, and also use 2017 to develop the raw D-Line talent you have on the roster. And set yourself up cap-wise to ensure that you can stay strong into the future, even after you have to shell out the big bucks for Prescott and Elliott.

Could they have gone through the ridiculous cap machinations that some on this board have suggested in order to overpay FAs and gun for it this year? Sure. But so could EVERY other team in the league. And there is a reason that hardly anyone ever does it -- because it is just poor management if you want to establish a base for sustained success over a number of years.

So there is a method to the Cowboys' offseason madness. And I, for one, think it will serve Cowboy fans well, no matter how frustrated some may be now.

Only if a good part of our own fans were this reasonable, this site could be so much better. But we get the gloom and doom at this time every year...well it goes throughout the season as well. But takes a spike during FA right before the draft.

 

[Alexander]

David Irving , Maliek Collins , Anthony brown IMO

And then, depression sunk in.

 

[Idgit]

I mean, Idgit, I love our Boys, I'm mostly positive... I just want a decent defense, and even you wanted one of our CBs back. Mo's contract isn't outrageous.

There's a middle ground somewhere in your post, my friend

There's definitely a middle ground somewhere. I wanted us adding CBs last year so we wouldn't be in this position now.

Whatever the deal, though, the Cowboys had a number they were willing to spend on the CBs. The fact that it was apparently less than $5MM on a one-year flier for Mo surprises me, but it's possible they're just tired of the injuries. Or possible they just like this rookie class so much they're confident they can elevate Brown and backfill his spot on the roster.

I don't like it any more than you do. I would have kept both Church and Carr if I could. Though both those guys got more guaranteed money than I thought they were going to get, too.

I also don't like that we lost Free. That's an expensive hole to fill.

That said, the team has done a great job year after year at this point filling in the gaps and then drafting and developing football players. The difference this season is that we're getting hit a bit harder and in a particular position group, but the process isn't fundamentally different from what it has been for years now.

 

[Trouty]

There's definitely a middle ground somewhere. I wanted us adding CBs last year so we wouldn't be in this position now.

Whatever the deal, though, the Cowboys had a number they were willing to spend on the CBs. The fact that it was apparently less than $5MM on a one-year flier for Mo surprises me, but it's possible they're just tired of the injuries. Or possible they just like this rookie class so much they're confident they can elevate Brown and backfill his spot on the roster.

I don't like it any more than you do. I would have kept both Church and Carr if I could. Though both those guys got more guaranteed money than I thought they were going to get, too.

I also don't like that we lost Free. That's an expensive hole to fill.

That said, the team has done a great job year after year at this point filling in the gaps and then drafting and developing football players. The difference this season is that we're getting hit a bit harder and in a particular position group, but the process isn't fundamentally different from what it has been for years now.

And with our scouts, and the great job they're doing, I'm willing to give them that. Maybe I just needed to use a couple threads to complain a little

I agree with Church, I wanted him back, even Wilcox, but we couldn't afford it. Not with Martin's deal coming up (and, as you said, the probility that the scouts, McClay, and Vital like what they are seeing in this draft).

If we go TE or WR in the first two rounds, I will be upset. I think we all should be.

I also completely agree about Free, he was one of the many undeserving whipping boys of our fanbase.

I'm really upset about losing Mo. Gah!

 

[Kaiser]

So there is a method to the Cowboys' offseason madness. And I, for one, think it will serve Cowboy fans well, no matter how frustrated some may be now.

I don' think its a willingness to take a step back, its only one week into FA and they have done a good job of filling depth positions at reasonable prices. There were only a few splashy signings that could have happened but they didn't line up, there is still four months to sign others who are still available or are cut later.

Also there was only a few positions to fill and the team has drafted very well lately, it seems like more of a conscious plan to fill spots like CB and DE through the draft than getting outbid for players they were desperate for.

 

[Idgit]

And with our scouts, and the great job they're doing, I'm willing to give them that. Maybe I just needed to use a couple threads to complain a little

I agree with Church, I wanted him back, even Wilcox, but we couldn't afford it. Not with Martin's deal coming up (and, as you said, the probility that the scouts, McClay, and Vital like what they are seeing in this draft).

If we go TE or WR in the first two rounds, I will be upset. I think we all should be.

I also completely agree about Free, he was one of the many undeserving whipping boys of our fanbase.

I'm really upset about losing Mo. Gah!

I did like Mo. But, man, the guy couldn't stay healthy. I hate having to work around that uncertainty all the time. Especially because it tends to bite you late in the season after the reps accumulate.

 

[ActualCowboysFan]

As he pointed out, he's a Giants fan. He has disincentive to post something hopeful here.

He also happens to be right. As for why the doom and gloom exists, I'd have to say it's one part the nature of fans and one part Cowboys fans collectively being a bunch of giant entitled babies. At least that's my best guess.

Eyeore aint got time for that. He's looking forward to another 3-13 campaign like last season.

 

[Trouty]

I did like Mo. But, man, the guy couldn't stay healthy. I hate having to work around that uncertainty all the time. Especially because it tends to bite you late in the season after the reps accumulate.

I know, it was confounding, especially with the way he played these last two years.

I thought he was past it all going into 2016. I truly believe, now that he's with the Jets, the likelihood of him playing and staying healthy, fell that much more down the drain. They're a dumpster, and his only incentive for staying upright for a whole season is a contract. But that's been the case the past two seasons.

I don't like the signing for the Jets, I think Mo needs a certain amount of motivation beyond just "the game" itself. There will be no motivation for him playing with that crap franchise.