2013 Dallas Cowboys - Expensively Mediocre

[EP Sox Fan]

Man I feel bad for Romo. Having a good game against the Eagles would have gone a long way to changing the narrative about him. Now he doesn't even get the chance. I'm more bummed about that then the playoff opportunity. A team with a defense this bad really doesn't deserve to be in the playoffs.

 

[Greg29fan]

The bigger issue for me isn't this one game, it's the Cowboys now having a soon-to-be 34 year old quarterback with multiple back injuries.  It's one thing to be 34, but QB's with bad backs rapidly decline.

 

[SMU_Sox]

He may play... breaking news.

 

[EP Sox Fan]

It's going to be a fairly deep draft for QBs. They really should look at drafting and developing one this year. Of course with GM Jerry involved, he may look to develop a position of need, like tight end or kickoff specialist.

Will be interesting to see if Romo plays or not. May just be a smokescreen to make the Eagles work a little harder on their defensive game plan.

 

[mascho]

Herniated disc in the lumbar region is not fun.  Playing through it will be extremely tough.  The throwing motion will be impaired, because the twisting of his upper body when he throws will cause severe pain.  Throwing on the run will hurt, especially if he is trying to move to the left and throw.  I felt mine the most when rolling left and throwing because of the extreme twisting a right-handed QB does when trying that.  

 

[Bosoxen]

Herniated disc in the lumbar region is not fun.  Playing through it will be extremely tough.  The throwing motion will be impaired, because the twisting of his upper body when he throws will cause severe pain.  Throwing on the run will hurt, especially if he is trying to move to the left and throw.  I felt mine the most when rolling left and throwing because of the extreme twisting a right-handed QB does when trying that.  

As a recent sufferer of the same injury, I can attest to this. I do not expect him to play, as that is a very painful thing to live with, let alone play football with. I haven't played softball since last April because of my injury (a car accident delayed my recovery, so my case is extreme). Depending on how much the nerve is pinched, he may not even be able to stand for prolonged periods of time.

 

[SMU_Sox]

As some of you know, and Rev can attest to in person, I have 3 herniated discs and before I dropped a shit ton of weight it was hard for me to walk more than a block. When i aggravate my injury I can lose almost all feeling in my arm/hand. I don't care if he is a QB playing through pain and/or numbness is very difficult. And you can go from extreme pain to pain + loss of feeling easily. I fear this is the beginning of the end for a very good but not perfect QB. Romo has been a sentimental favorite of mine for a long time and I sincerely hope he can get healthy during the off season. I wish he had played on better teams so people would realize this was a very good QB for a long time and not some choke artist.
 
If I were JJ and JG I'd sacrifice a goat to sky mirror to make sure he heals.
 
[media]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o44DydaQhRY
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[Reverend]

As some of you know, and Rev can attest to in person, I have 3 herniated discs and before I dropped a shit ton of weight it was hard for me to walk more than a block. When i aggravate my injury I can lose almost all feeling in my arm/hand. I don't care if he is a QB playing through pain and/or numbness is very difficult. And you can go from extreme pain to pain + loss of feeling easily. I fear this is the beginning of the end for a very good but not perfect QB. Romo has been a sentimental favorite of mine for a long time and I sincerely hope he can get healthy during the off season. I wish he had played on better teams so people would realize this was a very good QB for a long time and not some choke artist.

It's true. SMU stiffed me ten dollars too.

 

[SMU_Sox]

It's true. SMU stiffed me ten dollars too.

 
Did I? 

 

[DaveRoberts'Shoes]

Did I?

You people never learn...

 

[SMU_Sox]

Who you calling "you people"?
 
[media]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKONPxrqFxs
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[Phil Plantier]

 
Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet)
Oh. Well then RT @clarencehilljr: Cowboys are expected to sign Jon kitna as third qb. A blast from the past
 
rofl.

 

[Greg29fan]

Just wait til he ends up playing

 

[SMU_Sox]

Kitna? Hey, he was a pretty good backup QB when he played for the Boys a few years ago in 2010 when Romo got hurt. Of course he is now 41 but you'd think he'd be healthy enough to play just one game if he had to. If Kitna plays and throws for 255 yards he'll have 30,000 yards for his career. That's a pretty solid but unspectacular NFL career. Who here thought he he had that many yards to his name? Not I. I forgot how long he was a starter.
 
Did you know Jon Kitna has more TD's than Troy Aikman? 169 to 165.

 

[axx]

I was wondering what they were going to do because they don't have a QB on the practice squad.
 

Of course he is now 41 but you'd think he'd be healthy enough to play just one game if he had to.

 
How much in shape can he be though? He was retired. I suppose it makes sense given that he was there in 2011 but if he appears in the game that would be a lot to ask.

 

[SMU_Sox]

Look, if he appears in the game you're not going to win anyway. What other 3rd string QBs are left who at least have some familiarity with your system and/or personnel in week 17? You'd think given how many hits Romo takes that Dallas would have two backup QBs, right? The guy takes a beating.

 

[axx]

Look, if he appears in the game you're not going to win anyway.

 
I think the Eagles will win big regardless, but stranger things have happened. It does mean that Orton isn't coming out unless he gets a concussion or has a season-ending kind of injury.

 

[( . ) ( . ) and (_!_)]

I know this isn't how lines work. But at about the same time the cowboys announced they were signing Jon Kitna to back up Orton I saw the line on the game move down from +8 to +7.

The optics there are pretty funny.

 

[ForceAtHome]

 
How much in shape can he be though? He was retired. I suppose it makes sense given that he was there in 2011 but if he appears in the game that would be a lot to ask.

 
FWIW, I remember reading (and confirmed with google) that Kitna went back to his high school and became their football coach. That doesn't speak to his fitness or game readiness, but he's at least been around the sport recently...

 

[Bosoxen]

There's only one way to go. You blow it up and try to find the closest thing you can find to the Herschel Walker trade. But of course, that's the exact opposite of what that fucking asshole Jerry will do. Instead, he'll keep doing things that will set the franchise further and further back.

 

[EP Sox Fan]

There's only one way to go. You blow it up and try to find the closest thing you can find to the Herschel Walker trade. But of course, that's the exact opposite of what that fucking asshole Jerry will do. Instead, he'll keep doing things that will set the franchise further and further back.

Thus the essential conundrum. Cowboys need to look at the 90s era 49ers as an example. They blew it up and stunk for a while in order to pay the penance of their continued salary cap mismanagement. Then they built through the draft and became successful. It wasn't overnight and there were some bumps along the way but they did make that commitment. Jerry will never do that. He will continue to kick the can on the salary cap and continue to hamper this team's ability to build a roster deep enough to contend. As I was telling my 2 month old daughter tonight, the lesson is never, ever root for a team owned by a megalomaniac. So long as he's the owner, this team will continue to be good enough to be expensively mediocre.

Garrett will be back. Kiffin will fall on the sword for this seasons failure. That is, if he's awake enough to answer the summons. They need to move away from a zone scheme and toward a man to man scheme. They matched up well with the Eagles and seemed to play man most of the night. When they went zone, teams ate them up all season. They need a lot of help along the defensive line, linebacker and safety. Holloman had a good night tonight for the most part. Hopefully he can contribute more next season. Safety is another area of need. Heath should not be starting for a playoff contender...err...pretender. Austin should be gone. Hopefully he doesn't pull his hamstring on his way out the door.

 

[LondonSox]

There aren't many teams that pull a qb out of nowhere like they did with Romo.
That aside I think they would already be in the rebuild.
As it is. What pieces do they have? Ware is aging fast and very expensive. Lee is always hurt. Carr and Bryant and maybe Murray (at least solid) anyone else?

Garrett is no solution. A disaster. No but hardly a coach to change things or stand up to Jerry.

I don't see a solution unless Romo misses time and they tank into the franchise qb.

 

[SemperFidelisSox]

Blow it up, hire a GM, give Bill O'Brien a blank check.
 
If you belive in the theory that there are an infinite number of timelines in our universe, this is happening in the one where Jerry Jones just died in a car accident.

 

[Al Zarilla]

Blow it up, hire a GM, give Bill O'Brien a blank check.
 
If you belive in the theory that there are an infinite number of timelines in our universe, this is happening in the one where Jerry Jones just died in a car accident.

You need to go outside this universe to a parallel one. This universe's Jerry appears to be staying on forever.

 

[Greg29fan]

You need to go outside this universe to a parallel one. This universe's Jerry appears to be staying on forever.

 
and as noted ad nauseum Stephen shows no indication he's any better, so even when Jerrah is gone, the status quo keeps on going.

 

[Bosoxen]

 
and as noted ad nauseum Stephen shows no indication he's any better, so even when Jerrah is gone, the status quo keeps on going.

Exactly. Our only hope is that Gene takes over the team when Jerry finally dies in a fire.

My fantasy is that she'd squeeze every penny out of the team at that point and sell it to John Henry. That would be epic.

 

[Super Nomario]

I don't know if they need a full "blow-up," but it's really not even an option.
 
http://www.overthecap.com/teamcap.php?Team=cowboys&Year=2014
 
In 2014, it will cost more to cut than to keep Romo, Lee, Carr, Scandrick, Free, and Witten, so I think they're stuck with most or all of them. Ware is really their only source of significant potential savings ($7.4 MM if they cut him), but he's also got $8.5 MM in dead money and is their best defensive player; a re-structure is more likely. Currently their obligations are $21 MM over the projected 2014 cap but their flexibility is really poor. Probably they need to restructure Ware, Carr, Witten, and Austin just to field a team, and then they're looking at draft picks and tinkering around the edges. I don't really see a lot of other options.
 
BTW, did Jerry win the draft day trade he got killed for? Travis Frederick was PFF's 5th-rated C, while Terrance Williams (the pick they got to move back) had 700+ receiving yards.

 

[EP Sox Fan]

I don't know if they need a full "blow-up," but it's really not even an option.
 
http://www.overthecap.com/teamcap.php?Team=cowboys&Year=2014
 
In 2014, it will cost more to cut than to keep Romo, Lee, Carr, Scandrick, Free, and Witten, so I think they're stuck with most or all of them. Ware is really their only source of significant potential savings ($7.4 MM if they cut him), but he's also got $8.5 MM in dead money and is their best defensive player; a re-structure is more likely. Currently their obligations are $21 MM over the projected 2014 cap but their flexibility is really poor. Probably they need to restructure Ware, Carr, Witten, and Austin just to field a team, and then they're looking at draft picks and tinkering around the edges. I don't really see a lot of other options.
 
BTW, did Jerry win the draft day trade he got killed for? Travis Frederick was PFF's 5th-rated C, while Terrance Williams (the pick they got to move back) had 700+ receiving yards.

 
If I remember correctly, the the chart indicated that the Cowboys should have received another second round pick from the 49ers instead of the third rounder they received.  I think that most people saw Frederick as a good player at a position of need but that he was rated as a third rounder. To me, the much more questionable pick was Gavin Escobar in the second round. I would have rather them stay at home and take Sheriff Floyd at 18 and then nab Frederick in the second round.  Frederick was excellent all year and Williams has made Mile Austin expendable. The picks turned out well. But that doesn't cancel out the fact that they should have received a second rounder from the 49ers instead the third rounder they used to draft Williams.
 
And since I'm feeling excessively negative this morning, for every Frederick and Williams success, you have failures LIKE THE ENTIRE 2009 DRAFT. 

 

[Super Nomario]

If I remember correctly, the the chart indicated that the Cowboys should have received another second round pick from the 49ers instead of the third rounder they received.  I think that most people saw Frederick as a good player at a position of need but that he was rated as a third rounder. To me, the much more questionable pick was Gavin Escobar in the second round. I would have rather them stay at home and take Sheriff Floyd at 18 and then nab Frederick in the second round.  Frederick was excellent all year and Williams has made Mile Austin expendable. The picks turned out well. But that doesn't cancel out the fact that they should have received a second rounder from the 49ers instead the third rounder they used to draft Williams.

I feel like criticisms along these lines are a little unfair. The trade value chart may say you "should" be able to get a second, but that doesn't mean a team will trade it to you. The Kipers of the world may have said they "should" be able to get Frederick in the second or third, but that doesn't mean he's going to be there. The OL were pretty much all drafted ahead of where the draft cognoscenti expected.
 
The "big board" thing that leaked paints a picture: Dallas had rated 5 OL as first-rounders; all were gone in the first 10 picks. Fluker (DAL rated as a 2nd) went #11. Pugh (also 2nd) went 19th and Long (3rd) went 20th. The only OL they'd left rated in the first three rounds were Frederick (2nd) and Menelik Watson (3rd). Watson was gone by their second round pick. So if they went into the draft saying "we need help on the OL" (a reasonable statement), taking Frederick there was probably the best bet.
 

And since I'm feeling excessively negative this morning, for every Frederick and Williams success, you have failures LIKE THE ENTIRE 2009 DRAFT.

Everyone has crappy drafts (especially with no 1sts / 2nds) - look at NE's 2006 / 2007. I actually think Jones' draft record is OK. It's his cap management that's been lousy. It's funny; you'd think a guy with no football credentials but business success would suck at player evaluation but be good at the business side, but his record suggests kinda the opposite. 

 

[SMU_Sox]

Jones post Parcell has been a mess. http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/mac-engel/2013/03/jerry-drafts-vs-parcells-drafts-the-results-are-scary.html
 
Now that one is a slightly older article because I can't find the one that broke it down in 2012 and 2013 but the consensus is that JJ's drafts have been a huge step back from the Parcell's drafts and that isn't just due to where Dallas picked.

 

[Super Nomario]

Jones post Parcell has been a mess. http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/mac-engel/2013/03/jerry-drafts-vs-parcells-drafts-the-results-are-scary.html
 
Now that one is a slightly older article because I can't find the one that broke it down in 2012 and 2013 but the consensus is that JJ's drafts have been a huge step back from the Parcell's drafts and that isn't just due to where Dallas picked.

I don't see these as that different. The four best players are probably Ware (Parcells), Witten (Parcells), Bryant (Jones), and Lee (Jones). The Bobby Carpenter pick was probably a bigger bust than any of Jones', and both had drafts without a first-rounder (2004 for Parcells, 2009 for Jones) where they got little. I'd probably take the Parcells picks all-in-all (better value in late-round guys like Ratliff, Canty, and Crayton), but I don't see a huge gulf here.

 

[SMU_Sox]

Barnwell's take:
 

This, for many years now, has been the Jerry Jones plan. After Jimmy Johnson left, Jones's drafts were terrible and his coaches were mostly bad until Parcells came around. Now, since Parcells has left, Jones's drafts have mostly been bad (2010 aside) and he has traded away valuable draft assets for hunches on players who weren't worth it. Jones traded first- and third-round picks for wide receiver Roy Williams at the trade deadline in 2008 when Williams was about to become a free agent at the end of the season. He dealt a second-round pick to St. Louis in 2012 to trade up and grab cornerback Morris Claiborne, a move that has been an unmitigated disaster so far.

 

[SMU_Sox]

Parcells had 4 years of drafting.
 
He drafted 2 HoFer's in Witten and Ware. 
 
2003 draft:
 
Newman was an above average corner for many years.
Witten - HoF TE
Bradie James - LB - about league average but played for a long time.
 
Pretty solid draft year
 
2004 draft:
 
Julius Jones: serviceable NFL platoon RB
Stephen Peterman: Serviceable guard for the Lions.
Patrick Crayton: 3rd (sometimes 2nd) WR for a long time. Solid player.
Nate Jones, Jacques Reeves, and Sean Ryan: all were NFL players for 5+ years. All were about average to below average but that's still a hit.
 
The bottom line for this draft was you got a ton of NFL players but not all of them stuck with Dallas. Still have to say you drafted a lot of NFL talent even if they didn't catch with you.
 
2005 draft:
 
Ware: HoF
Kevin Burnett: Still playing well for MIA.
Spears: Solid DT for years
Chris Canty: Solid DE for years.
Barber: Had a few good years but his physical style of play ended his career early.
Ratliff: pro-bowl caliber NT for years.
 
5 starters - one HoFer and definite pro-bowl caliber guys. Huge hits.
 
2006 draft:
 
Barbie Carpenter: huge bust.
Fasano: solid TE but with MIA
Hatcher: Solid DT still with Dallas
Skyler Greene and Pat Watkins played 3+ years with Dallas and were NFL starters/good depth.
 
Bad year but overall you have 2 starting caliber players and 2 guys who are good depth.
 
Parcells didn't just hit on the studs he consistently got depth players, some of whom were very good in the later rounds. 
 
Compare that with JJ:
 
Let's look at the non first round picks:
 
2007:
Doug Free - solid RT but has had an up and down career
Nick Folk - Decent kicker but... why use a pick on a K?
D. Anderson - decent FB.
Courtney Brown - terrible DB for 2 years
Alan Ball - serviceable NFL DB.
 
Pretty good start for JJ
 
2008:
Felix Jones: lol
Mike Jenkins: one good year then he sucked. And by sucked I mean goddawful.
Bennett: Fantastic player.
Choice: 3rd RB. Fringe player
Walken and Scandrick: both were average to above average players for a long time.
 
Decent draft. Lots of NFL caliber players.
 
2009:
 
Nothing. 
 
2010:
 
After Dez? Nothing.
 
2011:
 
Great draft - Smith is an amazing tackle, Murray a great RB and Bruce Carter is above average when he can stay healthy. No depth though.
 
2012:
Mo Claiborne: traded a lot for a guy who hasn't produced yet. He was supposed to be a shut down guy. I know corners develop slower but for what they gave up he is a disappointment. James Hanna is a cruddy backup TE. That's it.
 
2013:
Frederick: Average Center.
Escobar: Disappointment so far
Terrance Williams: Stud in the making - great WR3/WR2.
Wilcox and Webb have played but neither are good.
Randle is mediocre if not bad.
Holloman has also been shit.
 
Lots of below average NFL players here who might not make any other roster but Dallas is very thin.
 
 
Parcells was good at acquiring depth players with talent and doing that consistently. JJ might be good at his first round picks but in 3 out of his 7 years drafting he has only had his 1st round pick and maybe one backup position hit. That's pretty bad man. Parcells might ave had two first round let downs but got pro bowl talent later on. 

 

[Super Nomario]

Julius Jones: serviceable NFL platoon RB
Felix Jones: lol

This is the stuff I don't get. Why is Julius Jones a serviceable platoon RB but Felix Jones is "lol?" The numbers are pretty close. Felix was a worse pick because he was a (late) first, but it's not a massive difference.
 

Parcells didn't just hit on the studs he consistently got depth players, some of whom were very good in the later rounds.

I agree on this and this is the biggest difference in their records; Parcells got quality late-round depth and Jones' drafts have been top-heavy.
 

Compare that with JJ:
 2007: Pretty good start for JJ
2008: Decent draft. Lots of NFL caliber players.
2009: Nothing.

I'm with you here. That's 2/3 decent though.
 

2010: After Dez? Nothing.

Sean Lee (second round) is a really good LB. That's basically it for that draft, but Bryant and Lee is a good haul.
 

2011: Great draft - Smith is an amazing tackle, Murray a great RB and Bruce Carter is above average when he can stay healthy. No depth though.

Sure. But now we're at 4/5 drafts decent, mostly with not a lot of depth, and one complete stinker in 2009.
 

2012:
Mo Claiborne: traded a lot for a guy who hasn't produced yet. He was supposed to be a shut down guy. I know corners develop slower but for what they gave up he is a disappointment. James Hanna is a cruddy backup TE. That's it.
 
2013:
Frederick: Average Center.
Escobar: Disappointment so far
Terrance Williams: Stud in the making - great WR3/WR2.
Wilcox and Webb have played but neither are good.
Randle is mediocre if not bad.
Holloman has also been shit.
 
Lots of below average NFL players here who might not make any other roster but Dallas is very thin.

I think you're being really harsh on drafts that are too soon to judge. Claiborne hasn't been great but he's had injury issues and it's too soon to write him off. Tyrone Crawford, the 2012 3rd-rounder (second pick) tore his Achilles and missed the whole year; it's too soon to evaluate him. The 2013 guys are all rookies, obviously.
 

Parcells was good at acquiring depth players with talent and doing that consistently. JJ might be good at his first round picks but in 3 out of his 7 years drafting he has only had his 1st round pick and maybe one backup position hit. That's pretty bad man. Parcells might ave had two first round let downs but got pro bowl talent later on.

Parcells was definitely better later in the draft. Two first-round letdowns (I think JJones was actually a second) in four years is pretty bad though.

 

[SMU_Sox]

My bad on sean lee. Simple error of omission. He puts the LB in LB u.

Felix Jones vs JJones. Julius was a 2nd round pick 43 overall. Felix Jones was 22nd overall.

The Cowboys traded down. Bills selected JP Losman.

As a 2nd round pick I think he gave a lot more value than a guy taken 22nd overall.

If you look at it that way its onky 1 miss in the 1st round for Parcells.

 

[SMU_Sox]

Yes, it's early for 2012 2013 drafts. I agree with you there.

 

[SMU_Sox]

Parcells:
HoFers': Witten, Ware
Pro Bowlers: Ratliff, Newman, Barber.
Above average starters: Burnett, Spears, Hatcher. How Hatcher or Burnett haven't somehow lucked into a pro-bowl is beyond me. Hatcher is severely underrated. 
NFL Starters: Bradie James, Julius Jones, Peterman, Crayton, Canty, Fasano
Backups/ Part-time Starters/ Depth: Nate Jones, Jacques Reeves, Sean Ryan, Skyler Greene, Pat Watkins.
 
4 drafts:
HoFers': 2
Pro Bowlers: 3
Above Average Starters: 3
Starters: 6
Backups/ Etc: 5
 
Average per draft:
 
HoF: .5
Pro Bowlers: .75
Above Average Starters: .75
Starters: 1.5
Backups/ Etc: 1.25
 
JJ: Let's say from 2007-2012.
 
6 Drafts:
 
Speculative HoFers': Bryant, Smith?
Pro Bowlers: Lee, Spencer
Above average starters: Bennett, Carter (if healthy)
NFL Starters: Mike Jenkins (pro bowl 2009 but... come on), Folk, Scandrick, Ball, F. Jones, Claiborne
Backups/ Part-time Starters/ Depth: Hanna,D. Anderson, Choice, Walken?
 
6 drafts:
HoFers': 2
Pro Bowlers: 2
Above Average Starters: 2
Starters: 6
Backups/ Etc: 4
 
Average per draft:
 
HoF: .333
Pro Bowlers: .3333
Above Average Starters: .3333
Starters: 1
Backups/ Etc: .66666
 
Even if Crawford is an above average guy... I think Parcells wins.
 
Let me know if you disagree with where I placed guys. I am open to moving them.

 

[Bosoxen]

Can't get into things too in depth at the moment (wife is trying on maternity clothes), but I wanted to add that you've completely omitted Dan Bailey in the draft evaluations. I know the conventional wisdom is that you don't draft kickers but he may go down as the best in franchise history when he's done. Kills me to say it, but Jerry deserves credit for that one.

 

[Super Nomario]

6 drafts:
HoFers': 2
Pro Bowlers: 2
Above Average Starters: 2
Starters: 6
Backups/ Etc: 4
 
Average per draft:
 
HoF: .333
Pro Bowlers: .3333
Above Average Starters: .3333
Starters: 1
Backups/ Etc: .66666
 
Even if Crawford is an above average guy... I think Parcells wins.
 
Let me know if you disagree with where I placed guys. I am open to moving them.

I think Parcells wins, too, but my point is that Jones' draft record is pretty good. That's one above-average+ starter every year, plus another OK starter, plus a backup / etc. most years. I'd take that any day.
 
In looking over these lists, one of Dallas' big problems appears to be evaluating their own talent. There are a lot of guys who made their mark elsewhere. They gave up on Stephen Peterman after two seasons; he's been a regular starter for the Lions. Nate Jones left after 4 years and probably had his best seasons with Miami. Burnett was gone after 4 starts in 4 years and has started 71 games in the 5 years since. Canty was gone after 4 years. Fasano lasted just 2. Folk just 3. Martellus Bennett broke out after leaving. Erik Walden didn't even make the team but has gone on to play 80+ games, starting 40+.

 

[EP Sox Fan]

What about the Joey Galloway / Roy Williams trades? Don't you have to look at that too when you evaluate GM Jerry's draft performance? The Roy Williams trade was an unmitigated disaster.  I think we may agree on a larger point: salary cap management and roster construction are far worse problems for GM Jerry than his drafting.  I think salary cap mismanagement is the reason why we can't keep players and let them develop into regular starters .  Two examples I can think of off the top of my head are Stephen Bowen and Chris Canty.  Two guys that were at the point of being good core players on the defensive line that we had to let walk because we couldn't afford to keep them.
 
Barnwell had a good piece on the Cowboys on his Week 17 recap.  I also thought his reference to the Raiders was instructive to Dallas' present salary cap problems. The Raiders had $50 million + in dead money on the cap this season resulting from poor salary cap management by Al Davis, who was re-animated into Jerry Jones.. They made a commitment to get out from under salary cap hell.  They will have something like $69 million in cap room next season. That's really what Dallas needs to do instead of  restructuring contracts every year.  So long as they have salary cap issues, the roster won't have enough depth to contend over a 16 game schedule.

 

[SMU_Sox]

I agree with you but sn and I were just talking about purely the draft.

 

[SMU_Sox]

Can't edit. By purely the draft I mean his draft choices. I think we can all agree his cap management and draft trade deals for Roy Williams and the like were beyond bad.

 

[Super Nomario]

What about the Joey Galloway / Roy Williams trades? Don't you have to look at that too when you evaluate GM Jerry's draft performance? The Roy Williams trade was an unmitigated disaster.  I think we may agree on a larger point: salary cap management and roster construction are far worse problems for GM Jerry than his drafting.  I think salary cap mismanagement is the reason why we can't keep players and let them develop into regular starters .  Two examples I can think of off the top of my head are Stephen Bowen and Chris Canty.  Two guys that were at the point of being good core players on the defensive line that we had to let walk because we couldn't afford to keep them.

Agreed 100%. That was the thing that got us into this tangent - Jones has been decent at the stuff you'd expect him to suck at (drafting), and awful at the stuff you'd think he might be competent in (salary cap management).
 

Barnwell had a good piece on the Cowboys on his Week 17 recap.  I also thought his reference to the Raiders was instructive to Dallas' present salary cap problems. The Raiders had $50 million + in dead money on the cap this season resulting from poor salary cap management by Al Davis, who was re-animated into Jerry Jones.. They made a commitment to get out from under salary cap hell.  They will have something like $69 million in cap room next season. That's really what Dallas needs to do instead of  restructuring contracts every year.  So long as they have salary cap issues, the roster won't have enough depth to contend over a 16 game schedule.

The problem is that Dallas has gone so far down this road they don't have much choice. Overthecap.com pegs them at ~$21MM over the cap for 2014. The only guy they can cut and save more than $1.5 MM is Ware. They basically have to restructure guys like Romo, Lee, Carr, and Austin (and Ware, if they want to keep him) just to field a team for next year. And that restructuring is just going to lead to more cap problems in 2015, 2016, etc. But they don't have a ton of choice. The only thing they can really do is try to maneuver things so there's a time horizon on cap hell - like, they'll take their lumps in 2016 so they'll structure all the big money contracts so they can fix things then. And that would might letting someone like Dez walk.

 

[SMU_Sox]

Can't get into things too in depth at the moment (wife is trying on maternity clothes), but I wanted to add that you've completely omitted Dan Bailey in the draft evaluations. I know the conventional wisdom is that you don't draft kickers but he may go down as the best in franchise history when he's done. Kills me to say it, but Jerry deserves credit for that one.

 
Technically he was an UDFA - and neither SN nor I looked at any UDFA's. It's hard to know who exactly to give credit to for them. Tony Romo was a 2003 UDFA but it was Sean Payton who might have liked him the most. I know Payton tried to get him to the Saints at some point before he succeeded for Dallas. 
 
If you want to get a list of UDFA's from 2003-2013 you are more than welcome to . I am going to pass for now.

 

[Super Nomario]

 
Technically he was an UDFA - and neither SN nor I looked at any UDFA's. It's hard to know who exactly to give credit to for them. Tony Romo was a 2003 UDFA but it was Sean Payton who might have liked him the most. I know Payton tried to get him to the Saints at some point before he succeeded for Dallas. 
 
If you want to get a list of UDFA's from 2003-2013 you are more than welcome to . I am going to pass for now.

Miles Austin is another notable UDFA; that was under Parcells.

 

[SMU_Sox]

Right. I have no objections to UDFA analysis but - sometimes with UDFA's it's a scout's binky and the GM just gives them a nod. Or one coach lobbies for them and the GM says fine. From what I understand it's not quite like the draft in that there is more leeway for scouts and coaches to lobby and even though a GM ultimately has to give the final signoff he might not have had as much to do with the decision as he would in the draft itself. Fair enough? Look, including UDFA's does nothing but bolster my argument about Parcell's as Austin and Romo are both pro-bowlers 2x for Austin and 3x for Romo. But how much did Parcells have to do with their signings? I suppose at the end of the day he presided over their signings and should get credit for them. And if we include those 2 this is becoming a one sided discussion, right? 

 

[Bosoxen]

 
Technically he was an UDFA - and neither SN nor I looked at any UDFA's. It's hard to know who exactly to give credit to for them. Tony Romo was a 2003 UDFA but it was Sean Payton who might have liked him the most. I know Payton tried to get him to the Saints at some point before he succeeded for Dallas. 
 
If you want to get a list of UDFA's from 2003-2013 you are more than welcome to . I am going to pass for now.

That's what I get for posting from the mall. I could have sworn he was drafted but wasn't able to verify that. My apologies for the tangent.

 

[SMU_Sox]

That's what I get for posting from the mall. I could have sworn he was drafted but wasn't able to verify that. My apologies for the tangent.

 
No problem bro. JJ drafted Nick Folk - so it's not like he won't draft a kicker. Just remember that the right answer is the answer she wants to hear until the pregnancy hormones go away. Then feel free to give your actual opinion. Until then, if you want to preserve life and limb, stay safe.

 

[EP Sox Fan]

No problem bro. JJ drafted Nick Folk - so it's not like he won't draft a kicker. Just remember that the right answer is the answer she wants to hear until the pregnancy hormones go away. Then feel free to give your actual opinion. Until then, if you want to preserve life and limb, stay safe.

Don't forget the key draft of David Buehler in the 5th round for the vastly underrated position of kickoff specialist. He wasn't just a kicker, he was a special kicker.... Seriously though, thank god for Bailey. First kicker since Chris Boniol that I have real confidence in.

I would also like to echo SMU Sox's sentiments here. I have a 2 month old daughter and those damn hormones are still there. I only interject on occasions when the train is about to jump the tracks and go off the cliff. See e.g., "We should buy a new house."

 

[LondonSox]

I thought ware was on franchise but I'm wrong it was Spencer who has been back to back franchised.

Then I laughed.

This is the shit that kills a team. Missing on later draft picks kills depth. Fucking your cap kills depth.

The Cowboys have done both and there is no solution to the cap near term. Longer term maybe, but only if jerrrrrrry changes.

I just don't see a solution here. Bar luck.

Btw why is Murray a good rb? He's been serial injured, if IF he can stay healthy he's a solid back. I don't get the love affair. He's solid. If they ever penalize him for the lowering his crown running style (which is officially a penalty now but never enforced) he's got a problem. Cowboys fans were sacking his dick vs the Eagles but he averaged 3 yards a carry.