NFL Wide Free Agency Thread

[Calvert28]

5 minutes ago, Nextyearfordaboyz said:

There is some serious melodrama in this thread about the moves, or lack thereof, over the past 3 days.

This team has many challenges and many holes. Indiscriminate spending in the opening days of free agency is only one path to solving some of those issues, and it's not typically a very prudent one.

There are only 3 paths to filling the holes we have (giggity). Trades, FA, and the draft

We have only signed one serious FA that could be a starter, we have not traded for anything. Lastly in the draft you can hope for at best two people to start for you during the year normally. And that's if you hit the positions just right with the right talent. 

We are not going to find the talent we need to compete by waiting. Not with 20+ roster spots and what is it? 4 more starters we need to find?

[Nextyearfordaboyz]

2 minutes ago, Calvert28 said:

There are only 3 paths to filling the holes we have (giggity). Trades, FA, and the draft

We have only signed one serious FA that could be a starter, we have not traded for anything. Lastly in the draft you can hope for at best two people to start for you during the year normally. And that's if you hit the positions just right with the right talent. 

We are not going to find the talent we need to compete by waiting. Not with 20+ roster spots and what is it? 4 more starters we need to find?

It's been 3 days...

But I didn't realize we were at risk of only having 30ish players on the roster for week 1. That does sound serious.

[Texas_OutLaw7]

2 minutes ago, Nextyearfordaboyz said:

It's been 3 days...

But I didn't realize we were at risk of only having 30ish players on the roster for week 1. That does sound serious.

For the life of me, this is what I am also confused about. I don't know if it is cabin fever or what - but everyone wants the roster fully finalized right this second...it's beyond strange.

[DaBoys]

2 minutes ago, Texas_OutLaw7 said:

For the life of me, this is what I am also confused about. I don't know if it is cabin fever or what - but everyone wants the roster fully finalized right this second...it's beyond strange.

I wanted to keep Jones or Quinn or both. I like the McCoy deal alot. He is a huge upgrade from Collins. Who is out there at DE that you want opposite DLaw? Who is going to replace Byron?

[Nextyearfordaboyz]

Remember, neither Randall Cobb or Robert Quinn were Cowboys at this point in free agency last year.

There is still a lot of work to be done, and a lot of opportunities to add valuable talent at affordable prices.

[Nextyearfordaboyz]

2 minutes ago, DaBoys said:

I wanted to keep Jones or Quinn or both. I like the McCoy deal alot. He is a huge upgrade from Collins. Who is out there at DE that you want opposite DLaw? Who is going to replace Byron?

I think being concerned about our losses is very valid and reasonable. Byron and Quinn leave big holes.

One will probably be filled with a first round draft pick. Another hopefully with an FA or a Quinn-like trade. And we pray Randy Gregory can be an impactful defender this year, too.

 

[eagles suck]

Remember the Jones family is always on Vacation this time of year. When they come back they realize their behind the curve and eventually make productive moves

[Texas_OutLaw7]

12 minutes ago, DaBoys said:

I wanted to keep Jones or Quinn or both. I like the McCoy deal alot. He is a huge upgrade from Collins. Who is out there at DE that you want opposite DLaw? Who is going to replace Byron?

No idea on the Jones front. Quinn I expect a lot will rest on the hopes of Randy. Not saying that's a good idea, or if that is actually the plan. But a lot is still unknown. 

[Northland]

1 hour ago, D82 said:

That’s so cheap. Damn it. 

That it is.  Frustrating.  

[matt79511]

32 minutes ago, Nextyearfordaboyz said:

Remember, neither Randall Cobb or Robert Quinn were Cowboys at this point in free agency last year.

There is still a lot of work to be done, and a lot of opportunities to add valuable talent at affordable prices.

Re: Cobb and Quinn... if the team had actually won more games last year, I think we'd be praising those acquisitions as huge wins. Team did well to get them for what they cost last year and now reaps the benefits in terms of comp picks. They were well-executed rehabilitation projects. I'm not crying over their departures, because of what you just said.

... but we went 8-8. And now we're hemorrhaging talent. Positive close game regression should yield a better record, but that's just a dull outlook. Of course people are mad.

And FWIW, we did sign Cobb on this exact date a year ago.

Edited March 19, 2020 by matt79511

[Nextyearfordaboyz]

8 minutes ago, matt79511 said:

Re: Cobb and Quinn... if the team had actually won more games last year, I think we'd be praising those acquisitions as huge wins. Team did well to get them for what they cost last year and now reaps the benefits in terms of comp picks. They were well-executed rehabilitation projects. I'm not crying over their departures, because of what you just said.

... but we went 8-8. And now we're hemorrhaging talent. Positive close game regression should yield a better record, but that's just a dull outlook. Of course people are mad.

And FWIW, we did sign Cobb on this exact date a year ago.

Regarding your Cobb semantics, free agency started on an earlier date last year.

Regarding everything else, fine! Be mad! I'm mad too! Just be mad about the right things. Being prudent and patient with free agency is not a bad thing.

[matt79511]

1 minute ago, Nextyearfordaboyz said:

Regarding your Cobb semantics, free agency started on an earlier date last year.

Regarding everything else, fine! Be mad! I'm mad too! Just be mad about the right things. Being prudent and patient with free agency is not a bad thing.

I expect us to fill in the gaps at some point on the DL. Snacks is still out there, wouldn't be surprised if he's the main target at NT. And I'm honestly not that scared off by a Gregory/Armstrong RDE tandem, when you look at what some of these borderline starting-caliber edge rushers are getting. And guys like Suh and McCoy lasted into May/June last year. There's certainly talent out there.

But the secondary... potential upgrades are few and far between at this point. Every year we're dying for upgrades at safety and we don't get them. IMO, we seem pretty comfortable going into the draft with what we have and just adding some cheap young contracts to replace Awuzie/Lewis/Woods in a year, which would make the 2020 draft a rinse-repeat of 2017. That's what I find frustrating, refusing to spend at either DB spot. But I guess we'll see.

[Nextyearfordaboyz]

1 minute ago, matt79511 said:

I expect us to fill in the gaps at some point on the DL. Snacks is still out there, wouldn't be surprised if he's the main target at NT. And I'm honestly not that scared off by a Gregory/Armstrong RDE tandem, when you look at what some of these borderline starting-caliber edge rushers are getting. And guys like Suh and McCoy lasted into May/June last year. There's certainly talent out there.

But the secondary... potential upgrades are few and far between at this point. Every year we're dying for upgrades at safety and we don't get them. IMO, we seem pretty comfortable going into the draft with what we have and just adding some cheap young contracts to replace Awuzie/Lewis/Woods in a year, which would make the 2020 draft a rinse-repeat of 2017. That's what I find frustrating, refusing to spend at either DB spot. But I guess we'll see.

I think it's totally reasonable to be concerned about the roster construction. I just find the overreactions to every ebb of the first three days of free agency to be silly.

Yeah, I think our secondary is probably going to be a problem this year. I really wish we had retained Byron. But I do think we'll invest some fairly heavy draft prospects there.

[Northland]

7 minutes ago, matt79511 said:

I expect us to fill in the gaps at some point on the DL. Snacks is still out there, wouldn't be surprised if he's the main target at NT. And I'm honestly not that scared off by a Gregory/Armstrong RDE tandem, when you look at what some of these borderline starting-caliber edge rushers are getting. And guys like Suh and McCoy lasted into May/June last year. There's certainly talent out there.

But the secondary... potential upgrades are few and far between at this point. Every year we're dying for upgrades at safety and we don't get them. IMO, we seem pretty comfortable going into the draft with what we have and just adding some cheap young contracts to replace Awuzie/Lewis/Woods in a year, which would make the 2020 draft a rinse-repeat of 2017. That's what I find frustrating, refusing to spend at either DB spot. But I guess we'll see.

I share your concerns about the secondary. Do we do something a little different than what you are suggesting? Do we live with what we have in the secondary and look at upgrading the DL through free agents like Harrison and the draft?  If you can't build a quality secondary then get the guys who can get after the QB and help a suspect secondary out.    Just a thought.

[matt79511]

Just now, Northland said:

I share your concerns about the secondary. Do we do something a little different than what you are suggesting? Do we live with what we have in the secondary and look at upgrading the DL through free agents like Harrison and the draft?  If you can't build a quality secondary then get the guys who can get after the QB and help a suspect secondary out.    Just a thought.

Right now our DL looks something like...

 

RDE: Crawford (?) / Gregory (?) / Armstrong / Jackson

NT: Woods / ?

UT: McCoy / Crawford / Hill

LDE: Lawrence / Armstrong / Jackson

 

Not great. But there are still some NTs out there to split snaps with Woods, could see us retaining Covington if nothing else. In general I do think more size at DT to stop the run will be a priority for the new defensive staff, even if we haven't seen it yet. I think, ultimately, this DL will settle in "good, not great," We've shown we're willing to invest $ and picks there, so I'll exercise patience.

As for the pass rush, we'll obviously need a lot from Gregory, could see us taking someone like Chaisson at 17... but what sticks out to me is how we had Quinn, Lawrence, Collins and Bennett last year and still found a way to get torched aerially. With the way the game is played now, QBs getting the ball out in less than 2.5 seconds on average, I think it's easier for offenses to nullify a good pass rush than it is for defenses to hide a bad secondary. I'm not saying coverage > pass rush, I'm not all the way there yet... but I think it's pretty effing close, and our team is way behind the curve thinking they're gonna win big while skimping at cornerback and safety.