2017 Roster

[Nasty_Magician]

Cheap option, already familiar with the system. Makes sense.

 

[es4m11]

Expected this move to happen. Makes sense. Dallas was flirting with McCown for a little bit, but looks like he may get an opportunity to start for the Jets. Maybe Dallas expects McCown to land in New York, so they moved on to Moore?

 

[jarntt]

Expected this move to happen. Makes sense. Dallas was flirting with McCown for a little bit, but looks like he may get an opportunity to start for the Jets. Maybe Dallas expects McCown to land in New York, so they moved on to Moore?

I would imagine there may be some competition for #2 before all is said and done...maybe it'll even be Romo

 

[es4m11]

I would imagine there may be some competition for #2 before all is said and done...maybe it'll even be Romo

After all that has been said by Jerry and Romo, I find it hard to believe Tony will be back.

It is interesting though, the way Dallas has gone about their off-season -- restructuring 3 large contracts -- they can keep Romo or eat all the dead money in 2017 . I thought they would have spent a little more money in the secondary, but Dallas has been pretty thrifty and seem set on giving some rookies a look next year.

There doesn't look to be anyone left on the FA market that Dallas is looking at that would require big money, and the rookie class is not going to add that much to the current salary cap when you consider the current cap holds already in place (rule of 51). With over $9m in cap space, Dallas is now in a position they can call any team's bluff, and wait this thing out as long as Romo and the Cowboys are comfortable with.

Who knows? Maybe the Cowboys have decided to roll with Tony one more year, and maybe they give him a shot in training camp to win the starting position? I don't think that is going to happen, but anything is possible now.

Just a thought, but if Dallas is not planning on keeping Romo, and they knew about Doug Free's retirement, why restructure Sean Lee? The cap room was not needed at the time, unless they had plans of going after another player in FA? Just thinking out loud...

 

[tomodach10]

Romo has to go.cannot let him compete for QB job here. His ship has sailed in Dallas.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I'm thinking Geno to the Giants might have something to do with gameplanning against Dak. As a backup/practice squad guy they'll probably heavily use him in the weeks leading up to our games.

 

[jarntt]

I'm thinking Geno to the Giants might have something to do with gameplanning against Dak. As a backup/practice squad guy they'll probably heavily use him in the weeks leading up to our games.

I can't imagine that is the case. You can pick up a practice squad player if you need to go that route and it's not like Dak is the type of QB you game plan for and he certainly has very little in common with Geno Smith when looking at how they play the QB position. Game planning for Dak is more about knowing your job because he will pick apart whatever you give him. He is very smart, very accurate and doesn't take unnecessary chances. He is the anti-Geno Smith.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I can't imagine that is the case. You can pick up a practice squad player if you need to go that route and it's not like Dak is the type of QB you game plan for and he certainly has very little in common with Geno Smith when looking at how they play the QB position. Game planning for Dak is more about knowing your job because he will pick apart whatever you give him. He is very smart, very accurate and doesn't take unnecessary chances. He is the anti-Geno Smith.

They're both mobile, that's about the extent of the comparison I was making. Obviously Geno isn't Dak, it would be crazy to make that comparison.

 

[jarntt]

They're both mobile, that's about the extent of the comparison I was making. Obviously Geno isn't Dak, it would be crazy to make that comparison.

I think Dak is going to run a lot more this year, but he really didn't run that much last year.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Also, assuming no other major signings, we should clean up with comp picks correct? I'm not 100% on how they are awarded but if someone more knowledgeable than I could shed some light on that I'd appreciate it.

 

[jarntt]

Also, assuming no other major signings, we should clean up with comp picks correct? I'm not 100% on how they are awarded but if someone more knowledgeable than I could shed some light on that I'd appreciate it.

I think so. The NFL for some reasons keeps the exact formula (if there is one) close to the vest, but basically it's a combination of salary and playing time for the guys you lose versus the guys you gain. I think the max is still 4. So far the only "big" FA we lost is Leary (and maybe Church?) and Carroll likely offsets one of the two CBs. I'm not sure how much Wilcox, Dunbar and Crawford will play or what their contracts were so it's Leary, Church and the second DB and probably McClain plus a bunch of maybes. We will probably sign a couple of guys in this range still to offset those. I think that could add up to 3 or 4 picks. It also depends on what happens with the rest of the league because I think the total # is capped. Maybe we get one or two early picks (4th and 5th) and maybe a couple later ones (7th).

 

[Earl Stevens]

I think Dak is going to run a lot more this year, but he really didn't run that much last year.

I hope this isn't true. I liked the Dak of last year. Seems like he always knew when to stay in the pocket and when to run. I don't want a Russell Wilson. I want a Steve Young.

 

[Mrhappi06]

I hope this isn't true. I liked the Dak of last year. Seems like he always knew when to stay in the pocket and when to run. I don't want a Russell Wilson. I want a Steve Young.

I think he missed a few opportunities to keep drives alive with his feet, but that said, I agree with you. we don't want another RG3(ever)

 

[jarntt]

In no way am I saying I want him to run the ball a lot. My point was there were clearly times last year where he could have safely picked up a first down where nothing was there and should have ran. His legs are a huge weapon and he needs to learn how/when to use them.

He also needs to learn to wait a little longer when sliding feet first. There were a few times where you could see on the replay that the ball should have been marked short of the first down.

 

[jarntt]

We currently sit with around $5.5M in cap savings. Thoughts on this:
1) Free retires and we save $5M.

2) Cut/trade Romo and it's $5M more. that puts us at $15.5M in savings.

3) Cut Crawford post 6/1 and it saves us $7.25M in 2017. Yes, this leaves $7.3M unallocated which will hit in 2018 for Crawford, BUT if we keep him we pay an additional $7.25M in 2017 and still incur the $7.3M if we cut him next year or incur a $9.1M cap hit if we keep him in 2018 and no chance he looks to be worth that. So there is little chance he is on the team in 2018 unless he becomes a totally different player, so do it now

4) use Crawford's savings to sign Hankins. You get a much better player with not much 2017 or 2018 cap impact.
Teaming Hankins with Collins would be a very solid middle IMO. Our run defense gets way, way better and I don't think our pass defense suffers much. This also allows us to not have to worry about DT in the draft and if we focus on DE we may get our better pass rush there. Also, since this is kind of cap neutral we still are way under the 2017 salary cap since #1 and #2 are happening anyway, so we could still sign a DB or DE now or post 6/1 if some guys are cut.

 

[Manster7588]

We currently sit with around $5.5M in cap savings. Thoughts on this:
1) Free retires and we save $5M.

2) Cut/trade Romo and it's $5M more. that puts us at $15.5M in savings.

3) Cut Crawford post 6/1 and it saves us $7.25M in 2017. Yes, this leaves $7.3M unallocated which will hit in 2018 for Crawford, BUT if we keep him we pay an additional $7.25M in 2017 and still incur the $7.3M if we cut him next year or incur a $9.1M cap hit if we keep him in 2018 and no chance he looks to be worth that. So there is little chance he is on the team in 2018 unless he becomes a totally different player, so do it now

4) use Crawford's savings to sign Hankins. You get a much better player with not much 2017 or 2018 cap impact.
Teaming Hankins with Collins would be a very solid middle IMO. Our run defense gets way, way better and I don't think our pass defense suffers much. This also allows us to not have to worry about DT in the draft and if we focus on DE we may get our better pass rush there. Also, since this is kind of cap neutral we still are way under the 2017 salary cap since #1 and #2 are happening anyway, so we could still sign a DB or DE now or post 6/1 if some guys are cut.

I haven't thought about cutting Crawford but it makes sense. He's just an average player making above average money.

 

[DALLAScornhusker]

Man, I'd have to feel a lot better about our DE's than I do right now to just cut Crawford. Yes - I understand his best position is not DE, but since the rest of our clan of ends can't seem to stay healthy or eligible, to lose Crawford by our own doing is a step back right now that we can't afford to do. I feel a whole lot better about our interior guys than I do about the ends. Knowing that you have a swing piece in TC is a great CYA card for RM to use.

 

[jarntt]

Man, I'd have to feel a lot better about our DE's than I do right now to just cut Crawford. Yes - I understand his best position is not DE, but since the rest of our clan of ends can't seem to stay healthy or eligible, to lose Crawford by our own doing is a step back right now that we can't afford to do. I feel a whole lot better about our interior guys than I do about the ends. Knowing that you have a swing piece in TC is a great CYA card for RM to use.

Somewhat Agree, but we can't send out the same old same old and McClain was our best DT last year. Crawford has not been any more than just another guy. You add talent anywhere along the DL and the other 3 automatically get better. We need to upgrade the talent. Scenario holds true for bringing in a DE or DB too, but not many left out there that could be game changers for us. Plus, the reason I brought it up is the team talked about switching Crawford back to DT (which I would not to). IMO he is an LDE on early downs and a DT in the nickel. Unless he plays much better losing Crawford has no more impact than losing some of the other guys and nowhere near the impact of adding Hankins. So the step part is a little confusing. i think i read he is the #9 highest paid DT in the league in terms of cap hit. That's crazy and it gets worse next year.

 

[PDay8810]

I'll trust the cowboy brain trust here.
I think they feel fairly good about the d-line and will push to upgrade the overall talent level on the back-end

 

[PDay8810]

there is also something to be said about the right kinda guys on your team.
again....the Dallas brass has earned the right. I think they have a good handle on all that