D82 Posted December 25, 2017 Share Posted December 25, 2017 COACHING CHANGES Despite another season without a playoff berth, the fifth such season in seven seasons under Jason Garrett, Jerry and Stephen Jones elect to retain the former Cowboy QB as head coach. However, coordinators Scott Linehan and Rod Marinelli are relieved of their duties and sent packing. In their place, current Philadelphia QBs coach John DeFilippo is hired as offensive coordinator while linebackers coach Matt Eberflus is promoted to defensive coordinator. Thus, the 2018 Cowboys coaching staff is as follows:Head Coach: Jason GarrettAssistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator: Rich Bisaccia Offensive Coordinator/QBs: John DeFilippoRunning Backs: Gary BrownWide Receivers: Derek DooleyTight Ends: Steve LoneyOffensive Line: Frank Pollack Assistant Offensive Line: Marc Colombo Defensive Coordinator: Matt EberflusDefensive Line: Leon LettLinebackers: Dat Nguyen Secondary: Joe BakerSafeties: Greg Jackson Assistant Special Teams: Keith O’Quinn ROSTER CHANGES The Cowboys come to terms with All-Pro guard Zack Martin on a four-year extension worth $64.75MM, including $31.75MM in guaranteed monies along with a $12.5MM signing bonus. Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick agree to rework their contracts in order to create additional room for the Cowboys heading into free agency. These deals free up an additional $14.74MM in cap space. Veteran corner Orlando Scandrick is traded to the San Francisco 49ers in return for a 2018 5th round pick and DE Benson Mayowa is released. The Cowboys tender DE/DT David Irving with a 2nd Round RFA Tender and come to terms with DE DeMarcus Lawrence on a five-year $84.75MM extension with $52MM in guaranteed money and a $15.5MM signing bonus. The team also agrees to deals with long-time long snapper L.P. Ladouceur and G Jonathan Cooper. The following players are either released or not retained: - QB Zac Dysert - RB Alfred Morris - FB Keith Smith - WR Brice Butler - G Joe Looney - DE Datone Jones - DT Brian Price - DT Daniel Ross - LB Justin Durant - LB Justin March-Lillard - LB Anthony Hitchens - LB Kyle Wilber - CB Bene Benwikere Heading into free agency, Dallas has available to them $28.86MM in cap space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D82 Posted December 25, 2017 Author Share Posted December 25, 2017 FREE AGENCY Dallas signs the following players: - QB Ryan Fitzpatrick - RB Kenjon Barner - G Xavier Su’a-Filo - C John Sullivan - DT Bennie Logan - MLB Karlos Dansby 2018 NFL DRAFT Rashaan Evans LB, Alabama (1st Round, 18th Overall Pick) Mark Andrews TE, Oklahoma (2nd Round, 49th Overall Pick) Isaiah Oliver CB, Colorado (3rd Round, 82nd Overall Pick) Deontay Burnett WR, USC (4th Round, 119th Overall Pick) Royce Freeman RB, Oregon (4th Round, 136th Overall Pick) Marcus Davenport DE, UT-San Antonio (5th Round, 147th Overall Pick) Godwin Igwebuike FS, Northwestern (5th Round, 173rd Overall Pick) Bentley Spain OT, North Carolina (5th Round, 176th Overall Pick) Skai Moore OLB, South Carolina (6th Round, 195th Overall Pick) Riley Ferguson QB, Memphis (6th Round, 213th Overall Pick) Khalid Hill FB, Michigan (7th Round, 240th Overall Pick) UDFAs Kyle Hicks RB, TCU Evan Brown C, SMU Drew Bailey DT, Louisville Matt Elam DT, Kentucky Ro’Derrick Hoskins LB, Florida State Taylor Young LB, Baylor Marcell Harris S, Florida Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D82 Posted December 25, 2017 Author Share Posted December 25, 2017 2018 PRE-CAMP COWBOYS ROSTER QB: Dak Prescott | Ryan Fitzpatrick | Cooper Rush | Riley FergusonRB: Ezekiel Elliott | Rod Smith | Kenjon Barner | Royce Freeman | Kyle HicksFB: Khalid Hill WR: Dez Bryant | Terrence Williams | Cole Beasley | Ryan Switzer | Noah Brown | Deontay Burnett TE: Jason Witten | James Hanna | Geoff Swaim | Mark Andrews | Rico Gathers | Blake Jarwin OT: Tyron Smith | La’el Collins | Chaz Green | Bentley Spain OG: Jonathan Cooper | Zack Martin | Xavier Su’a-Filo C: Travis Frederick | John Sullivan | Evan Brown LDE: Taco Charlton | Tyrone Crawford | Charles Tapper1-Tech: David Irving | Richard Ash | Matt Elam3-Tech: Bennie Logan | Maliek Collins | Drew BaileyRDE: DeMarcus Lawrence | Randy Gregory | Lewis Neal | Marcus DavenportSLB: Rashaan Evans | Damien Wilson | Ro'Derrick Hoskins MLB: Jaylon Smith | Karlos DansbyWLB: Sean Lee | Skai Moore | Taylor YoungCB: Byron Jones | Isaiah Oliver | Duke Thomas FS: Chidobe Awuzie | Xavier Woods | Godwin Igwebuike SS: Jeff Heath | Kavon Frazier | Marcell Harris CB: Jourdan Lewis | Anthony Brown K: Dan BaileyP: Chris JonesLS: L.P Ladouceur Red = FREE AGENT Blue = Drafted/Undrafted Rookies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingmonkey30 Posted December 25, 2017 Share Posted December 25, 2017 Not sure I'd want to spend a first rounder on a guy who won't play a significant role as a SLB. That's why I like Roquan Smith so much, he can be eased in as the WLB of the future. Strongside linebackers don't do as much in today's pass happy NFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D82 Posted December 25, 2017 Author Share Posted December 25, 2017 9 minutes ago, flyingmonkey30 said: Not sure I'd want to spend a first rounder on a guy who won't play a significant role as a SLB. That's why I like Roquan Smith so much, he can be eased in as the WLB of the future. Strongside linebackers don't do as much in today's pass happy NFL. With Eberflus having also learning under Phillips...I’d hope he’d shake things up a little bit defensively and utilize some different formations. I mean imagine coming out in a 3-4 formation with Lawrence and Gregory as your edge guys with Lee and Evans as your inside backs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingmonkey30 Posted December 25, 2017 Share Posted December 25, 2017 3 hours ago, Desperado82 said: With Eberflus having also learning under Phillips...I’d hope he’d shake things up a little bit defensively and utilize some different formations. I mean imagine coming out in a 3-4 formation with Lawrence and Gregory as your edge guys with Lee and Evans as your inside backs. You could, but I don't think he'd do anything too crazy. With so much nickel being played, it seems like a waste to draft a SLB early, especially because Wilson wasn't too bad this year. If we needed a MIKE, I would be fine with Evans, but with Jaylon improving throughout the season, and the addition of Dansby in this case, it just doesn't seem very beneficial IMO. Love the rest of the draft though, if we could pull it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas_OutLaw7 Posted December 25, 2017 Share Posted December 25, 2017 I'd be exceedingly disappointed with an off-season like this. First, while I don't want Rod on as DC - I *do* want him on the staff. Shift him into the same role Kiffin held at the end. Rod has developed some serious talent along the DL. I don't want to lose that. Scotty can go kick rock, though. Irving, I am confident, will require a 1st round tender. I literally like none of the FA's: - QB Ryan Fitzpatrick - while I agree that Dak likes having a Vet around, Fitz isn't the guy. And, frankly, year 3 Dak needs to be the vet or is replaced. - RB Kenjon Barner - I lied, this is fine. But I would prefer to draft someone late. - G Xavier Su’a-Filo - Fine with this. - C John Sullivan - Dom't see if the value if Cooper is retained. - DT Bennie Logan - Will cost WAAYYYY too much money. Awesome player, though. - MLB Karlos Dansby - Old and slow. No thanks. Regarding the draft, I think you landed some solid players - but they were not players I would want: Rashaan Evans LB, Alabama (1st Round, 18th Overall Pick) - I hate drafting Bama players. I like a lot of other LBers. Mark Andrews TE, Oklahoma (2nd Round, 49th Overall Pick) - I know I am in the minority, but I don't want a TE - especially early.Isaiah Oliver CB, Colorado (3rd Round, 82nd Overall Pick) - Solid pickDeontay Burnett WR, USC (4th Round, 119th Overall Pick) - Know nothing about him. Is he fast?Royce Freeman RB, Oregon (4th Round, 136th Overall Pick) - Makes the Barner signing pointless, no?Marcus Davenport DE, UT-San Antonio (5th Round, 147th Overall Pick) - Know nothing about him. Godwin Igwebuike FS, Northwestern (5th Round, 173rd Overall Pick) - Great value.Bentley Spain OT, North Carolina (5th Round, 176th Overall Pick) - Probably my favorite pick. Skai Moore OLB, South Carolina (6th Round, 195th Overall Pick) - Great valueRiley Ferguson QB, Memphis (6th Round, 213th Overall Pick) - YES!Khalid Hill FB, Michigan (7th Round, 240th Overall Pick) - Meh, know nothing about him. It is not a bad off-season. But I would absolutely want more. And, the cherry of what makes this off-season awful? I could live with everything else, in fact, but this: Quote The team also agrees to deals with long-time long snapper L.P. Ladouceur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WizardHawk Posted December 25, 2017 Share Posted December 25, 2017 7 minutes ago, Texas_OutLaw7 said: I'd be exceedingly disappointed with an off-season like this. First, while I don't want Rod on as DC - I *do* want him on the staff. Shift him into the same role Kiffin held at the end. Rod has developed some serious talent along the DL. I don't want to lose that. Scotty can go kick rock, though. Guys don't take demotions. Only reason Kiffin did it was because he was like 80 when he was hired. Nobody was going after him. I don't know about Eberflus. His job title includes Passing Game Coord. so he does have some say in scheme/coverage right now. Would much rather look outside organization for new DC. Like DeFilippo hire, suspect Philly would either block attempt or he'll get a HC gig. I figure his work in Philly will probably make him a fairly hot candidate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas_OutLaw7 Posted December 25, 2017 Share Posted December 25, 2017 5 minutes ago, WizardHawk said: Guys don't take demotions. Only reason Kiffin did it was because he was like 80 when he was hired. Nobody was going after him. I don't know about Eberflus. His job title includes Passing Game Coord. so he does have some say in scheme/coverage right now. Would much rather look outside organization for new DC. Like DeFilippo hire, suspect Philly would either block attempt or he'll get a HC gig. I figure his work in Philly will probably make him a fairly hot candidate. Maybe. But he also didn't want to be DC - and only did so as a favor to Redball and Kiffin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northland Posted December 26, 2017 Share Posted December 26, 2017 You had me with the team retaining Ladoceur. Long live LP the gold standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
resilient part 2 Posted December 26, 2017 Share Posted December 26, 2017 First off Des, if I had to vote, I would give you top honors overall at coming up with "off-season" adjustments/mocks. But despite your current update as still being very good, it still leaves my top 2 off-season wishes blank. NO more JG and a Top/Stud playmaker at WR. After that you are all good. Merry Xmas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D82 Posted December 26, 2017 Author Share Posted December 26, 2017 Trust me - I'm not a fan of retaining JG, but unless Jerry is lying it looks like that's what will happen. Fitzpatrick I feel gives us a better chance than say a 2nd year Cooper Rush should anything happen to Dak. I know he's not the best, but I think he could at least be smart with the football and maintain some semblance of a passing game while Zeke and the running game shouldered the load. You could argue that signing Barner makes drafting Freeman pointless - but I feel it provides depth and more competition. Barner would come cheap as would Freeman, so what do you lose? Sullivan is a cheap vet to backup Frederick should Cooper win the starting LG job. If Su'a-Filo does instead, cut Sullivan and keep Cooper as your backup G/C. With the cap room I freed up, Logan is someone we could sign in this scenario. The numbers all worked out and his contract was based on what he'd likely get this off-season. He'd be a hell of a pickup to add in the middle with Irving. I get the hate for Evans, but honestly he's a talented player. A good coach should be able to find a way to get his best players on the field, so if Evans is BPA and we take him - it's on Eberflus to make it work with what we have. I'm not quite sure Witten doesn't decide to hang it up after the season...even if he doesn't, I don't want to rely on what we have behind him as it's honestly a bunch of nobodies and a huge "maybe" in Rico. Andrews is a TE that could provide us a deep threat down field that Witten can't. Burnett is a shifty, speed wideout that could give us another threat downfield. Watch film on Davenport. It's highly likely he goes late 1st/early 2nd after off-season workouts. Dude is a beast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WizardHawk Posted December 26, 2017 Share Posted December 26, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D82 Posted December 26, 2017 Author Share Posted December 26, 2017 5 minutes ago, WizardHawk said: Makes me happy. But still, we need more at the position than he can give us right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
resilient part 2 Posted December 27, 2017 Share Posted December 27, 2017 12 hours ago, WizardHawk said: I have mixed feelings on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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