Yahoo Sports Free Agency Team by Team Grades

[TwoDeep3]

http://sports.yahoo.com/photos/team-by-team-grades-for-nfl-free-agency-1396571767-slideshow/

Be prepared for your head to explode.

But I did like their quirky little clicker thing.

 

[DanTanna]

Haha of course they crap on us.

That article doesn't have much kick.

http://i45.***BLOCKED***/albums/f78/dantanna86/u9CAo_zps7a6ccf57.gif

 

[MichaelWinicki]

It's the same stuff the ESPN Insiders gave the Cowboys.

 

[tm1119]

What kind of grade do you guys expect? We have a GM who says the team is definitely not rebuilding, yet has not actually improved the team thus far.

And I have absolutely no problem with us getting the cap situation under control for a year and standing pat. But you can't fault someone from the outside looking in for giving the team a bad grade so far this off season when we have made more subtractions than worth while additions on paper. It's a Yahoo sports article anyway, expecting in depth analysis about future years and the salary cap is pretty silly.

 

[dstovall5]

Why are we rated a D-? Given the circumstances we were under, I think we played it out correctly, definitely no reason to give us such a low grade. I wish they would've said what they would've done instead, because I'm sure it would've been good for a chuckle or two.

 

[thunderpimp91]

They should just rename these "who signed the most big names"

 

[5Stars]

This is just a Yahoo article, however, if it invokes some negativity towards the Cowboys, it will be posted...because some posters lives thrive on that, negativity, it makes their day.

 

[Hoofbite]

Why are we rated a D-? Given the circumstances we were under, I think we played it out correctly, definitely no reason to give us such a low grade. I wish they would've said what they would've done instead, because I'm sure it would've been good for a chuckle or two.

What circumstances?

 

[munkee]

Why are we rated a D-? Given the circumstances we were under, I think we played it out correctly, definitely no reason to give us such a low grade. I wish they would've said what they would've done instead, because I'm sure it would've been good for a chuckle or two.

Exactly. A grade should reflect the circumstances of the team and whether the moves are the best for the team going forward. You also make a great point that any bad grade should be accompanied by the writer's plan for the team. If they feel it's so obvious that the team did a lousy job, then what is the writer's plan?

As much as I don't like Jerry Jones, I'm ok with this off season. Repairing the cap by refusing to sign old players to large contracts might not be sexy, but it reflects a more pragmatic approach then in years past.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

We could have signed whoever we wanted. We didn't. Got a low grade.

News at 11.

 

[jnday]

What kind of grade do you guys expect? We have a GM who says the team is definitely not rebuilding, yet has not actually improved the team thus far.

And I have absolutely no problem with us getting the cap situation under control for a year and standing pat. But you can't fault someone from the outside looking in for giving the team a bad grade so far this off season when we have made more subtractions than worth while additions on paper. It's a Yahoo sports article anyway, expecting in depth analysis about future years and the salary cap is pretty silly.

It doesn't take much analysis to see the situation. The team has lost ground this off-season, but it should benefit the team in the coming years.

 

[dstovall5]

What circumstances?

So I take it you would've payed Ware 10 million a year? Or payed Jason Hatcher? Or kept Miles? We didn't/don't exactly have an abundance of cap room to play with, especially not for either of those players. Ware has been injured the past 2 years, and he wasn't playing near his moneys worth, so why sign him? Jason Hatcher had a break out year last year, but he's 31 and last year was an anomaly, not his usual season. And Miles has been a joke ever since he signed his last contract, it's hard to contribute to your team when you're on the bench injured. We lost nothing by losing those players, if anything we gained ground because now young blood will come in and get experience much quicker then if those guys were here (not to mention the cap space we're opening up as well).

Give the situation with those players, I think we did the correct thing and how someone can grade those moves as a D- is just laughable.

 

[Hoofbite]

So I take it you would've payed Ware 10 million a year? Or payed Jason Hatcher? Or kept Miles? We didn't/don't exactly have an abundance of cap room to play with, especially not for either of those players. Ware has been injured the past 2 years, and he wasn't playing near his moneys worth, so why sign him? Jason Hatcher had a break out year last year, but he's 31 and last year was an anomaly, not his usual season. And Miles has been a joke ever since he signed his last contract, it's hard to contribute to your team when you're on the bench injured. We lost nothing by losing those players, if anything we gained ground because now young blood will come in and get experience much quicker then if those guys were here.

Give the situation with those players, I think we did the correct thing and how someone can grade those moves as a D- is just laughable.

I think you're looking a little too hard at free agency grades. Talent in versus talent out seems to be what most of these grades look at. Doubt any author cares to try and assign a grade in terms of a State of the Team perspective.

Talent lost versus talent acquired.

Not having an abundance of cap room is pretty much meaningless. That's a consequence of how you manage the cap so if you run a tight ship and can afford to be active, you'll be able to get a higher grade. If you manage the cap poorly, you'll get lesser grades. Whether or not your positioning better for the future doesn't mean anything in a "here and now" perspective.

For Dallas, they built those dollar signs into the equation. They shouldn't get a pass for creating a situation that prohibits them from being active so there is no "given the circumstance".

"Well, considering Dallas backed itself into a corner they shouldn't get as poorly of a grade".

The team is weaker now than before they started free agency. That's all there is to it.

One more thing, grades are relative and not everyone can be a winner. If other teams have had better offseasons thus far, then what grade should Dallas get?

 

[davey999]

It's the same stuff the ESPN Insiders gave the Cowboys.

And they are both right. Team is no better now than they were in January.

 

[Illini88228]

These grades always prefer the teams that are the most aggressive even though there's no correlation between being aggressive in free agency and winning actual football games.

 

[Idgit]

There really isn't any doubt that we got weaker in VFA this season, is there? Our DL took two major hits, and we addressed one of them. Then we added a few body parts.

Our cap is better off, long term, and we didn't make any stupid moves. If we're getting better on defense this season, it's going to happen because we added talent in the draft, stayed healthier overall (I'm including both Crawford and Anthony Spencer, and our MLBs here), and just played better in the scheme under the new coordinator.

But there's no getting around the fact that we got worse when we lost Hatcher and Ware.

 

[ShiningStar]

There really isn't any doubt that we got weaker in VFA this season, is there? Our DL took two major hits, and we addressed one of them. Then we added a few body parts.

Our cap is better off, long term, and we didn't make any stupid moves. If we're getting better on defense this season, it's going to happen because we added talent in the draft, stayed healthier overall (I'm including both Crawford and Anthony Spencer, and our MLBs here), and just played better in the scheme under the new coordinator.

But there's no getting around the fact that we got worse when we lost Hatcher and Ware.

I agree with most of this, im on board and you know how negative i was. At least i had a point of view. I think we are better off without Ware, let me rephrase that, i know we are. Regarding Ware, is the same i saw the Jets had they kept Revis. You can keep a stellar player, but at the end of the day you are who you are, and neither the Jets at that time or the Cowboys now are one or two players away from doing much. That said, as much as i loved Ware and I think we can all spend our days saying that, I got tired of watching him run past the QB or just being a hair away or simply getting hurt. Hes not getting yougner, hes not going to be the star at Denver, and hes not going to rebound be a 25 yo Ware. In that respect we did the right thing regardless of cap space.

Hatcher had a one year wonder and is over 30. Let the Skins deal with that.


I like what Dallas did this year and imnot concerned with the ingredients this year, im concerned on what the cooks are doing. If marinelli cant turn around the defense anyway, doesnt matter who we signed or who we drafted, it wasnt going to be a good year anyway. Im not looking for playoffs, im looking for a solid D that can go forward not backwards or lateral.

 

[Idgit]

I agree with most of this, im on board and you know how negative i was. At least i had a point of view. I think we are better off without Ware, let me rephrase that, i know we are. Regarding Ware, is the same i saw the Jets had they kept Revis. You can keep a stellar player, but at the end of the day you are who you are, and neither the Jets at that time or the Cowboys now are one or two players away from doing much. That said, as much as i loved Ware and I think we can all spend our days saying that, I got tired of watching him run past the QB or just being a hair away or simply getting hurt. Hes not getting yougner, hes not going to be the star at Denver, and hes not going to rebound be a 25 yo Ware. In that respect we did the right thing regardless of cap space.

Hatcher had a one year wonder and is over 30. Let the Skins deal with that.

I like what Dallas did this year and imnot concerned with the ingredients this year, im concerned on what the cooks are doing. If marinelli cant turn around the defense anyway, doesnt matter who we signed or who we drafted, it wasnt going to be a good year anyway. Im not looking for playoffs, im looking for a solid D that can go forward not backwards or lateral.

Yeah, I think we're seeing the same thing. We got worse so far in FA, and it was also the right thing to do under the circumstances because it was the quickest way to get where you ultimately need to be with this defense.

 

[cowboyschmps3]

Just for Desean lol, it probably got too Z of se had gotten him, or even if we were too get CJ2K

 

[wileedog]

These grades always prefer the teams that are the most aggressive even though there's no correlation between being aggressive in free agency and winning actual football games.

Probably because they are not grading anyone based on their ability to win football games, they are grading who has a better team now and by how much than before free agency started. That's it.