Will you now trust "the process"?

[PA Cowboy Fan]

if they win a championship then yes if they don't then no if they are one and done in the playoffs then its no different than its been the last twenty years ;more of the same old same old

I agree. I like the way it has been going lately but I have to see how it plays out. We also followed 2014 up with 2015. I want back to back great seasons. I'll reserve judgement but I haven't had a lot to complain about this year.

 

[Proof]

Hardy wasn't a high priced free agent.

Yeah he got paid a lot but he wasn't a real gamble. Long term contracts with high guarantees are gambles, not one year rentals.

I didn't say anything about a gamble (which he in fact was and turned out to be). One year or not, free agent + paid a lot = high priced free agent.

Not to mention the boneheaded Crawford extension.

The team seems to be approaching most moves in a more calculated manner which is awesome, but I'm not crediting "the process" anymore than Dak turning the 4-12 team around. There are a lot of variables and circumstances getting us here. Sustained success and smart moves and we will see.

 

[john van brocklin]

2012 marks the last season we were players in free agency. We signed Brandon Carr and a host of other players in hopes of making a run. In the draft, we rolled the dice again by trading a premier draft pick to pick a flashy player (Claiborne) that was ranked at the top of our board. We were rewarded with an 8-8 season.

Since then, it seems our entire offseason outlook has changed. No longer do we chase after free agents or trade away valuable draft picks to move up in the draft. We have even slowly gotten away from the annual restructuring of big contracts and have accepted the fact that sometimes over priced veterans need to go. The team now sets a price on free agents and shows patience. They absolutely refuse to overpay for anyone. This strategy also shows in the way they draft, they have shown a real commitment to drafting the BPA and not reaching for needs. We could've easily made a splash and drafted a Carson Wentz this past offseason and paid half as much as the Eagles but we showed patience and our patience was rewarded with 4 potential long term impact players.

Yet every season, we have some fans and media belittling "the process" and stressing that the team must spend big money or trade draft picks to fill their needs. When free agency does come and you notice that, once again, we are not chasing after the high priced pass rushers but signing role players and looking towards the draft, will it still bother you? Has Will McClay, the Joneses and Garrett shown enough by building this roster to buy a little patience from you?

I have grown disgruntled at times during the offseason but I have always known that free agency is usually not the place you go to give your team significant upgrades. I have respected the fact that we are trying to mimic teams like the Packers, Steelers and Patriots instead of teams like the Bucs, Eagles and Dolphins. It seems like Jerry has bought in to a more "boring" offseason approach and I believe we should all get used to it.

I know we have a lot of football to play but we have two weeks until anything meaningful happens for our franchise so I figured we can reflect a little bit on how most of us had doubt about the team's approach and how we feel now.

Nice post, they did sign DE Hardy last year with mixed results.
I would like to see them resign Leary and trade Guard Collins for a good young established Pass rushing DE.

 

[AzorAhai]

Good post.

It is still OK to sign expensive free agents or trade up, but it has to be a process, not a roll of the dice.

They paid big money to Carr because they were determined to get a CB and he happened to be a free agent. I feel like Jerry demanded that a CB be signed.

They traded up for Claiborne because the Rams called Jerry directly and told him they did not need max trade value because they already had extra picks. The scouting dept. had no plans to trade up but Jerry reverted to wildcatter mode.

The Broncos were successful signing free agents a few years ago. The Giants appear to have been successful with their big name free agents this year.

The process is highlighted by the year they prevented Jerry from drafting Manziel.

Yeah, I don't know where this don't sign FAs thing came from. The Cowboys aren't even in on mid-tier FAs. That's taking it to extremes imo. When you basically completely avoid FAs, you leave yourself with very little margin for error with your drafting. Have a bad draft, and you will leave yourself with too many holes.

I've always thought teams should maximize talent acquisition in every area possible. Be opportunistic. Contracts like the Vernon contract last year are generally bad ideas, but there's other deals to be had w/ less risk and more upside for the teams.

 

[unionjack8]

Tell that to the Pats.

hey I agree and hopefully this process allows us to compete year in year out, so far in Garrett 6 years it hasn't.

 

[Risen Star]

Am I going to blindly support the team and all its decisions?

No.

 

[Cowboys_22]

Can't argue with the process, it's working. I'm ok with FA as long as it doesn't interfere with the Cowboys keeping key players.

 

[Nightman]

The process is putting together the best team possible.......that means using all available tools....draft well.....sign smart FAs....do your homework on UDFAs...make strong trades......extend the right homegrown guys

Today is the deadline to carryover cap space to next year......I expect DAL to carryover around 6m.....they may get 2-3m more back from adjustments with RMcClain and RGregory

They can create 50m in cap space with a couple cuts and a handful of restructures....... all players are available and all options are open

They can keep Romo, Leary, Claiborne and Free if they want

 

[Reality]

When "the process" = winning .. people love "the process" .. when "the process" = losing .. "the process" must be broken

 

[DandyDon52]

The process was that the Cowboys got damn lucky in drafting Dak. I am still not a big believer in Garrett, but love the way the young guys are coming along.

yes lol, and since the "process" was never really defined, it is silly to credit it for the success.

It is a matter of opinion, but this year is all due to Dak and the leadership and mentality he brought to the team.
Then add in Elliot , and Brown and some others, and presto they are 13-2 with hfa locked up with 2 games to go!
Without Dak that never would have happened.

JG thinks his RKG plan is what has done it, and the fight T shirts, and mannequins, clapping , but slapping, give your hats away
speeches etc.
Now JG is a ok coach, nothing great, and he has gotten better in game mgmt,and he is going to be here a long time
so might as well accept him.
I am just glad he isnt allowed to call plays anymore.

 

[DandyDon52]

When "the process" = winning .. people love "the process" .. when "the process" = losing .. "the process" must be broken

Well the process was a vague term , never clearly defined, so it can be given credit or blame for many things.
The only thing I connect to it is the RKG philosophy , which has some merit.
People credit JG and or jones for building the OL.
But they never stated that was their intention,before hand it just sort of happened.

 

[Broges74]

It's all about value. FA pickup that is paid like a top 20 player but plays like a top 10 player = value. Move up to get a guy at the top of their board while minimizing the lost picks = value. Pay an aging vet top dollar = not much value.

The process is about value over splash moves.

 

[CWR]

Yep

 

[MileyDancer]

The Giants and Broncos in the last 2 years have proven you can build a team with FA.

 

[T-RO]

I believe and applaud the improved process. Next they need to tackle the culture and that will be much harder.

We need a head coach with actual authority.

 

[jrumann59]

You should only spend on a big time free agent if you think they're the missing piece of a Super Bowl team, like the Packers did with Reggie White or we did with Deion. Teams are rarely in that position. You build a team through the draft with a few lower priced free agents sprinkled in every now and then. Washington, Philly, and a few others do the opposite and it never works.

I agree to a point. I would spend big in FA only certain positions if they are needs and the player is young enough to be productive through most of the contract so no one over 30, so legit #1 WR, QB, DE, and LB and maybe OL. rest of the positions either are easier to get via draft like a RB, or too scheme heavy or rely on players around them like DBs. That being said most of the positions i would spend onare non starters because you will never see a proven guy from those positions hit the market.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

If people haven't witnessed the methodical construction of this roster then they haven't been paying attention.

 

[waving monkey]

Pretty much. This is really selective interpretation. We're literally a season removed from signing a high priced free agent pass rusher in Hardy lol. We're also reaping the benefits of a lost season and high draft slot, only hand "the process" had in that was getting cute in the rb department and also not having a competent back up qb.

Getting "cute" drafting the BPA and possible MVP hum, that's certainly not "selective interpretation".

 

[LocimusPrime]

Patriots have traded for and signed many high dollar free agents. Some have worked, some haven't, and done were controversial players.

• Albert Haynesworth
• Randy Moss
• Corey Dillon
• Brian Cox
• Alge Crumpler
• Roman Phifer
• Darelle Revis
• Junior Seau
• Brian Waters
• Rodney Harrison
• Mike Vrabel
• Woodhead, Edelmen, and Amedoela
• Chad Brown
• Joey Galloway
• Shawn Springs
• Deltha o Neil
• Fred Taylor
• Christian Fauria
• Marty B

They've taken their shots at free agents

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Patriots have traded for and signed many high dollar free agents. Some have worked, some haven't, and done were controversial players.

• Albert Haynesworth
• Randy Moss
• Corey Dillon
• Brian Cox
• Alge Crumpler
• Roman Phifer
• Darelle Revis
• Junior Seau
• Brian Waters
• Rodney Harrison
• Mike Vrabel
• Woodhead, Edelmen, and Amedoela
• Chad Brown
• Joey Galloway
• Shawn Springs
• Deltha o Neil

They've taken their shots at free agents

They also haven't drafted particularly well. Mighty nice having the best coach of all time, one of the best QBs ever for over a decade plus and one of the worst divisions over the last decade.