2013 Offseason Mocks

[D-Unit]

Originally Posted by CowboysBeastMode

for now ratliff is the projected starting 3 tech and hatcher and crawford also some could help out as a backup 3 tech and as the base end if spencer leaves and lissemore could provide some depth at those positions as well, but no one the roster has the beef to be the shaded nose and hold down that spot

I dunno about that really... coming from the 3-4, the same body type required at DE can work as your 4-3 1 tech. That means we should be fine with Hatcher, Lissemore, Spears, Ratliff...and if Price or Brent ever salvage their careers, I'm not too worried about that 1 position with the bodies we have at our disposal. Maybe I'm overly hopeful... I dunno.

[CowboysBeastMode]

Originally Posted by D-Unit

I dunno about that really... coming from the 3-4, the same body type required at DE can work as your 4-3 1 tech. That means we should be fine with Hatcher, Lissemore, Spears, Ratliff...and if Price or Brent ever salvage their careers, I'm not too worried about that 1 position with the bodies we have at our disposal. Maybe I'm overly hopeful... I dunno.

i really don't think hatcher or crawford could handle being the that 1 tech over the course of the season.the 3 tech is only playing the b-gap on the other side the 1 tech is some what of defacto nose tackle because you need some one who can cover both a-gaps to protect the linebackers. were still gonna need a big guy in the middle. maybe hatcher, lissemore, and crawford can platoon that spot for this year to get by, but i don't see any of those guys as a good fit they'll just end up wearing down like ratliff did

[D-Unit]

Originally Posted by CowboysBeastMode

i really don't think hatcher or crawford could handle being the that 1 tech over the course of the season.the 3 tech is only playing the b-gap on the other side the 1 tech is some what of defacto nose tackle because you need some one who can cover both a-gaps to protect the linebackers. were still gonna need a big guy in the middle. maybe hatcher, lissemore, and crawford can platoon that spot for this year to get by, but i don't see any of those guys as a good fit they'll just end up wearing down like ratliff did

I never mentioned Crawford, but Hatcher, Lissemore, Spears and Ratliff could definitely do it. These guys are not unfamilar to 2 gap assignment. Maybe different gaps, no longer the b, c gaps... but they have the body type and the learning curve is not major.

Boogar McFarland - 6'0, 300
Pat Williams - 6'3, 317

Couple of guys who were thought of as great Tampa 2 1 techs.

Letroy Guion - 6'4, 303
Stephen Paea - 6'1, 300

Vikings and Bears 1 techs last season. I think we got the bodies to make it work. But like I said... if you wanna beef it up with a 5th rounder, I got no issues with that. Just don't see it as a pressing need. ...then again, Hatcher is a FA next season...

IMO, the biggest issue is not a lack of being physically prepared... I think the bigger concern is our players being mentally prepared to handle the scheme changes that are coming.

[Witten4HOF]

Originally Posted by CowboysBeastMode

for now ratliff is the projected starting 3 tech and hatcher and crawford also some could help out as a backup 3 tech and as the base end if spencer leaves and lissemore could provide some depth at those positions as well, but no one the roster has the beef to be the shaded nose and hold down that spot

idk when i'm gonna come out with my next mock, i know who i'm taking rounds 4-7 but i keep changing the 2nd and 3rd

could you explain the cap-o-nomics btw straight up cut and post jun 1st cut

well gene smith the former gm of jacksonville was all about that rkg stuff and drafting HEAVILY on character, how did that work out for him, if hughes can prove during the interview process that he's matured as a person and he's want to be great football player, the cowboys should take a look at him in the 4th or 5th, after all its a talent acquisition business

dooley shouldn't have that much say on whether or not to draft a guy, he won't be coaching him and its jg butt on the line not his

parcells wasn't shy about taking flyers on guys in the later rounds with character issues IF THEY COULD PLAY, in the fifth its hard to find many guy that can compete for stating jobs

Whether you or I like it or not character is a major component of a JG draft board and thus far we have managed to still get good talent. Belichick had success drafting this way and slowly started incorporating small question marks once he felt the culture of his team was set. I'm not sure that will happen but that would be the best of both worlds.

As for Hughes, is he a bad kid, Probably not. Looks like all his issues have been academic which is the troubling part for me. To be declared ineligable twice and to be dismissed for it is insane. College teams provide a vast amount of resources to get these kids to pass classes. The players are supplied tutors, and advanced syllabus, and all the way down to help choosing classes. Teams will bend over backwards to at least get players to the minimum required GPA especially for someone who was supposed to be an impact player. That just tells me the work ethic wasn't there and he just thought he could get by without doing anything. Is that the type of player you want on your team?

[CowboysBeastMode]

Originally Posted by D-Unit

I never mentioned Crawford, but Hatcher, Lissemore, Spears and Ratliff could definitely do it. These guys are not unfamilar to 2 gap assignment. Maybe different gaps, no longer the b, c gaps... but they have the body type and the learning curve is not major.

its not so much about being two gap as it is the constant double teams. 3-4 de don't get double teamed nearly as much as a nose tackle. the 5 tech plays two gaps but he doesn't get double teamed. most teams would like to double the nose with the center and backside guard with maybe a chip from the playside guard to help him out, single block the tackle vs the 5 tech, the play side guard vs the playside ILB, the TE vs OLB, and the lead blocker vs the other ILB who scraping over, so the 8th guy in box would be the unblocked guy. the best guys like watt and justin smith command double team when you run their way which allow them to play only 7 in the box because there no one to block the WILB i.e. navorro bowman

you were always are proponent to move ratliff to de to get him away double teams, so what would make you think hatcher would be okay over long course of the season doing that, he was never the relentless player ratliff was. its big difference going up against a tackle in space vs having to anchor vs center and guards in that phone booth

[D-Unit]

Originally Posted by CowboysBeastMode

its not so much about being two gap as it is the constant double teams. 3-4 de don't get double teamed nearly as much as a nose tackle. the 5 tech plays two gaps but he doesn't get double teamed. most teams would like to double the nose with the center and backside guard with maybe a chip from the playside guard to help him out, single block the tackle vs the 5 tech, the play side guard vs the playside ILB, the TE vs OLB, and the lead blocker vs the other ILB who scraping over, so the 8th guy in box would be the unblocked guy. the best guys like watt and justin smith command double team when you run their way which allow them to play only 7 in the box because there no one to block the WILB i.e. navorro bowman

you were always are proponent to move ratliff to de to get him away double teams, so what would make you think hatcher would be okay over long course of the season doing that, he was never the relentless player ratliff was. its big difference going up against a tackle in space vs having to anchor vs center and guards in that phone booth

I'm not suggesting it's one man's job either. I think we got a good rotation of tackles between Hatcher, Lissemore, Ratliff, and Spears. All of whom can play either DT position. This is not really something to go back and forth about. I already said if you wanted to spend a 5th rounder on a body like Hughes, I'd be fine with that. Just didn't think it was that pressing especially if our front office has Josh Brent and Brian Price in the picture.

Our DTs are going to be attacking a lot more. These guys know how to play the position. Sometimes I think folks (including myself) over-evaluate the job that needs to get done. My problem with Ratliff was that against the pass he was fine... he did his job. Against the run, he often got bulldozed. I think the

[CowboysBeastMode]

Originally Posted by D-Unit

I'm not suggesting it's one man's job either. I think we got a good rotation of tackles between Hatcher, Lissemore, Ratliff, and Spears. All of whom can play either DT position. This is not really something to go back and forth about. I already said if you wanted to spend a 5th rounder on a body like Hughes, I'd be fine with that. Just didn't think it was that pressing especially if our front office has Josh Brent and Brian Price in the picture.

Our DTs are going to be attacking a lot more. These guys know how to play the position. Sometimes I think folks (including myself) over-evaluate the job that needs to get done. My problem with Ratliff was that against the pass he was fine... he did his job. Against the run, he often got bulldozed. I think the

i very sure brent gonna be suspended indefinetly for at least a year like stalworth did.

maybe this conversation is better suited in dallas cowboy discussion thread

[CowboysBeastMode]

Originally Posted by Witten4HOF

Whether you or I like it or not character is a major component of a JG draft board and thus far we have managed to still get good talent. Belichick had success drafting this way and slowly started incorporating small question marks once he felt the culture of his team was set. I'm not sure that will happen but that would be the best of both worlds.

As for Hughes, is he a bad kid, Probably not. Looks like all his issues have been academic which is the troubling part for me. To be declared ineligable twice and to be dismissed for it is insane. College teams provide a vast amount of resources to get these kids to pass classes. The players are supplied tutors, and advanced syllabus, and all the way down to help choosing classes. Teams will bend over backwards to at least get players to the minimum required GPA especially for someone who was supposed to be an impact player. That just tells me the work ethic wasn't there and he just thought he could get by without doing anything. Is that the type of player you want on your team?

its a fifth round pick, its not as if i'd take him with 2nd or 3rd, who the last 5th rounder that actually made the team as a rookie? david buehler?

[Trogdor]

Originally Posted by CowboysBeastMode

its a fifth round pick, its not as if i'd take him with 2nd or 3rd, who the last 5th rounder that actually made the team as a rookie? david buehler?

Danny Coale last year. He was waived/injured at camp and then went to IR. He is projected to battle Harris/Beasley for the #3 WR.

Josh Thomas was the 5th rounder in 2011 whom was released and claimed by the Pats. We did snag Dwayne Harris in the 6th though.

We didn't have a 5th rounder in 2010 but we picked up Sean Lissemore in the 7th.


My point in all this is that talent can easily be had in the later rounds. Don't expect Garrett to toss his mantle away without doing his homework though. If Hughes interviews well and convinces Garrett that this stuff is behind him then he might find himself on our draft board. The projected round of the prospect doesn't change the "Right Kind of Guy" mantra that Garrett has built though.

[CowboysBeastMode]

Originally Posted by Trogdor

Danny Coale last year. He was waived/injured at camp and then went to IR. He is projected to battle Harris/Beasley for the #3 WR.

Josh Thomas was the 5th rounder in 2011 whom was released and claimed by the Pats. We did snag Dwayne Harris in the 6th though.

We didn't have a 5th rounder in 2010 but we picked up Sean Lissemore in the 7th.


My point in all this is that talent can easily be had in the later rounds. Don't expect Garrett to toss his mantle away without doing his homework though. If Hughes interviews well and convinces Garrett that this stuff is behind him then he might find himself on our draft board. The projected round of the prospect doesn't change the "Right Kind of Guy" mantra that Garrett has built though.

what point exactly are u making b/c none of those guys made the team

[Trogdor]

Originally Posted by CowboysBeastMode

what point exactly are u making b/c none of those guys made the team

You pigeon-holed a single round in the draft. Every year we land a mid-to-late round pick that sticks with the team. Danny Coale is still on the team. Dwayne Harris is still on the team. Sean Lissemore is still on the team.

Previous misses also did not mean you "toss the pick away" since you never get anything from it anyhow. Garrett would view a departure from his team mantra as throwing a draft pick away. I'm not saying we won't target Hughes I'm saying if he doesn't interview well and show that his previous antics are completely over you can forget about him.

My point in all this is that talent can easily be had in the later rounds. Don't expect Garrett to toss his mantle away without doing his homework though. If Hughes interviews well and convinces Garrett that this stuff is behind him then he might find himself on our draft board. The projected round of the prospect doesn't change the "Right Kind of Guy" mantra that Garrett has built though.

If you read my previous post you could of easily avoided needing me to explain the exact same thing again.

[CowboysBeastMode]

Originally Posted by Trogdor

You pigeon-holed a single round in the draft. Every year we land a mid-to-late round pick that sticks with the team. Danny Coale is still on the team. Dwayne Harris is still on the team. Sean Lissemore is still on the team.

Previous misses also did not mean you "toss the pick away" since you never get anything from it anyhow. Garrett would view a departure from his team mantra as throwing a draft pick away. I'm not saying we won't target Hughes I'm saying if he doesn't interview well and show that his previous antics are completely over you can forget about him.




If you read my previous post you could of easily avoided needing me to explain the exact same thing again.

i'm not pigeon holing a round, if you look at draft pick history the fifth round is traditionally the last round to find guys with starter potential.

which cancels out guys like lissemore and coale and harris those guys are role guys

which brings back to the original point taking a guy with starting ability, which if you would taken time to read i would not have to reply back

[Witten4HOF]

Originally Posted by CowboysBeastMode

my original point none of the guys the cowboy have drafted in the later rounders has starter potential. which if you would actually read my previous post i would not have to answer.

i'm pigeon holing a round, if you look at draft pick history the fifth round is traditionally the last round to find guys with starter potential

Jay Ratliff, Tony Romo, and Miles Austin say hello. You can find starters anywhere in the draft if you have a good scouting department. Just because it is a later round doesn't mean you change your draft strategy.

[Trogdor]

Originally Posted by CowboysBeastMode

i'm not pigeon holing a round, if you look at draft pick history the fifth round is traditionally the last round to find guys with starter potential.

which cancels out guys like lissemore and coale and harris those guys are role guys

which brings back to the original point taking a guy with starting ability

Finding a starter in the 5th round is akin to finding a needle in a haystack. Without counting compensation picks AND holding the #1 pick in the 5th round you would have selected the 129th player. Sure it happens all the time but sure-fire starters are not all to common. Dallas has actually performed very well after the 5th round and with their UDFAs compared to most teams. Problem is our struggles have been 1st through 4th in terms of finding quality when the pool is the deepest.

Lissemore has starter quality but has been buried on the depth chart. He also was miscast in the 3-4 in the same way Ratliff is miscast there. Coale is pretty much a rookie this year given that he was injured for the majority of camp and went to IR. Same with Matt Johnson. Dwayne Harris is certainly a role guy but a considered a starter due to return man position.

Finding a starter in the 5th round means you had a huge hole on the roster. Teams that draft "well" by snaps played from their picks typically perform the worst (Cardinals and Chiefs) are perennial drafting champions and the snaps played by their rookies/2nd year players are much higher than league average.

Irregardless I'll drop it since this really isn't the thread for this conversation :) I'll try putting up a new offseason mock tonight or early tomorrow.

[CowboysBeastMode]

Originally Posted by Trogdor

Finding a starter in the 5th round is akin to finding a needle in a haystack. Without counting compensation picks AND holding the #1 pick in the 5th round you would have selected the 129th player. Sure it happens all the time but sure-fire starters are not all to common. Dallas has actually performed very well after the 5th round and with their UDFAs compared to most teams. Problem is our struggles have been 1st through 4th in terms of finding quality when the pool is the deepest.

Lissemore has starter quality but has been buried on the depth chart. He also was miscast in the 3-4 in the same way Ratliff is miscast there. Coale is pretty much a rookie this year given that he was injured for the majority of camp and went to IR. Same with Matt Johnson. Dwayne Harris is certainly a role guy but a considered a starter due to return man position.

Finding a starter in the 5th round means you had a huge hole on the roster. Teams that draft "well" by snaps played from their picks typically perform the worst (Cardinals and Chiefs) are perennial drafting champions and the snaps played by their rookies/2nd year players are much higher than league average.

Irregardless I'll drop it since this really isn't the thread for this conversation :) I'll try putting up a new offseason mock tonight or early tomorrow.

last thing i'll say and i'm done

notable 5th round picks

2005 -trent cole, michael boley, gerald sensabaugh
2006 - rob ninkovich, jerome harrison, dawan landry, tim dobbins, mark anderson, kris kuper, charlie peprah, kyle williams
2007 - steve breaston, breaston, tarell brown, kevin boss, brent celek
2008 - brandon carr, orlando scandrick, tim hightower, letroy guion, matt slater, kroy biermann, carl nicks
2009 - johnny knox, jasper brinkley
2010 - kam chancellor, kendrick lewis, perrish cox, mitch petrus, arthur jones, rile cooper, marshall newhouse
2011 - jacquizz rogers, denarius mooore, jeremy kerley, richard sherman

there other guys who had injuries hurt their career or are role players that i didn't put down. as you can see its a little more a than a needle in haystack. next time do your research

as for lissemore, you don't think the cowboys would've wanted him to play over journeyman kenyon coleman. he started the last 5 games and got beat up and pushed around against the more physical running teams like cincinati and washington.

[D-Unit]

2013 Dallas Cowboys Offseason - Part 1 of 8


Restrutures



Stephen Jones will need to get to work quickly just to figure out a way for the current roster to get under the cap. According to Todd Archer (ESPN), the Cowboys are over the projected $121 million cap for 2013 by roughly $20 million with only 44 players under contract. Link

So here's some things we can do. I didn't want to make up all of the restructured numbers out of my own head cause it would've been a total utter guess. So I looked around and found these suggestions which came from: TheLandryHat.com


Tony Romo
First things first, it all starts with Romo. Expected to count $17.2M against the cap next season, the Cowboys can extend Romo by giving him a new deal. Giving Romo a three year extension that reduces his cap hit in 2013 by $7M is a good way to start reducing our cap number.
2013 Cap Savings: $7M

Brandon Carr
He has a ridiculous $14.30 base salary and $16.3 cap hit in 2013. Dallas could reduce his cap hit in half by spreading out $8 million over the final four years of his deal which would give the Cowboys an additional $8M in relief.
2013 Cap Savings: $8M

Jay Ratliff
A poor season followed by a DWI accident has put the heat on Ratliff. Expect him to be hesitant, yet coorperative in not just restructing, but totally reconstructing his deal. Right now, Ratliff is guaranteed $6M in Signing Bonus money if he is cut. The Cowboys will agree to increase the guaranteed portion to $10M if Ratliff reduces his cap hit from $7M to $2M in 2013 along with redoing his contract over the same period of time.

Old deal:

2013 $5,000,000 base + $2,000,000 SB = $7,000,000 cap hit
2014 $5,500,000 base + $2,000,000 SB = $7,500,000 cap hit
2015 $7,000,000 base + $2,000,000 SB = $9,000,000 cap hit
2016 $7,500,000 base + $0 SB = $7,500,000 cap hit
2017 $10,000,000 base + $0 SB = $10,000,000 cap hit

New deal:

2013 $200,000 base + $2,000,000 SB = $2,200,000 cap hit
2014 $2,500,000 base + $2,000,000 SB = $4,500,000 cap hit
2015 $3,500,000 base + $2,000,000 SB = $5,500,000 cap hit
2016 $7,500,000 base + $2,000,000 SB = $9,500,000 cap hit
2017 $10,000,000 base + $2,000,000 SB = $12,000,000 cap hit
2013 Cap Savings: $5M


Estimated 2013 savings: $20M

Cowboys are now somewhere near the cap limit for 2013, but one player has refused to restructure his contract.


Miles Austin
Austin has hit a wall in discussions with the Dallas Cowboys. The front office wants him to do more than just shuffle money around to save them cap space. They want him to take a dramatic pay cut. Refusing to do so has created tension between parties, and there are rumors that Dallas has put him on the trade block.

[D-Unit]

2013 Dallas Cowboys Offseason - Part 2 of 8


Early Cuts



The contract restructuring of Romo, Carr and Ratliff got us back to the salary cap limit, so more decisions will need to be made in order to create usable cap space. The following players are those who I think need to be cut at the start of FA.


Dan Connor
Dallas can save $3M off the cap with his release, so this one is a no brainer. Connor was no better than the guys we brought in off the streets.
2013 Dead Money: $1,350,000


All of these players are currently under contract for 2013, but none of them have guaranteed signing bonus money. So cutting them would create more room under the cap without adding any dead money.

Anthony Armstrong -- $630,000
Chris Jones -- $555,000
Carlton Mitchell -- $555,000
Brandon Underwood -- $555,000
Phillip Tanner -- $555,000
Colin Cochart -- $555,000
Rob Callaway -- $480,000
Ray Dominguez -- $480,000
Ben Bass -- $480,000
Darrion Weems -- $480,000
Andre Smith -- $480,000
Cameron Sheffield -- $480,000
Vince Agnew -- $480,000
Charley Hughlett -- $405,000
Monte Taylor -- $405,000
Tim Benford -- $405,000
Aderious Simmons -- $405,000
Micah Pellerin -- $405,000
Jared Green -- $405,000
Donavon Kemp -- $405,000
Brashton Satele -- $405,000
Nick Stephens -- $405,000
Ikponmwosa Igbinosun -- $405,000


Estimated 2013 Savings: $13,815,000

The Cowboys now have an estimated $14M to spend in FA.

[D-Unit]

2013 Dallas Cowboys Offseason - Part 3 of 8


Free Agency - Part I

Resigning our own Free Agents



The Cowboys have some work to do to retain some of their key players entering FA. Here are the players that I'd like to see back. Obviously, not all of these signings will happen before the draft, but more according to the affordable time line. ie. Some may happen after June 1st.

Designate Franchise Tag on Spencer

Anthony Spencer
Using the tag on Spencer is the Cowboys means to giving them extra time to work out a long term deal. With an expected cut of Doug Free and possibly others after June 1st, Spencer may have to wait on a new deal until then. Depending on how things go, the Cowboys still might think Franchising him could be the way to go. The deadline for a new deal occurs in July. Meanwhile, with the current cap space, the Cowboys can do a little spending.


Phil Costa -- $800,000 Cap hit in 2012
Gotta face the music. The team is high on Costa. For the price, I think he returns ready to start. Hopefully he picks up where he left off in Baltimore.

Brian Moorman -- $925,000 Cap hit in 2012
Had no complaints about him and he nailed several nice ones inside the 10 yard line.

L.P. Ladouceur -- $790,000 Cap hit in 2012
Safety net. No need to mess with what's not broken.

Ernie Sims -- $700,000 Cap hit in 2012
Earned himself a spot, but let's not kid ourselves about how good he is. Back up fodder.

John Phillips -- $565,000 Cap hit in 2012
I'd like to see him return and get more involved in the offense. Not just being used as a blocker.

Estimated 2013 Spending: $5M

These are the salaries each player made in 2012 and I don't see a significant raise coming to any. Maybe Costa but not by much.

[D-Unit]

2013 Dallas Cowboys Offseason - Part 4 of 8


Free Agency - Part II


Bringing in new Free Agents



This offseason, the Cowboys will have to look for the low hanging fruit in Free Agency. Without a whole heck of a lot to spend, they'll be limited to the easy pickin's. So here's a few names that I thought could be reasonable and at least semi-realistic.

S Ronde Barber



After completing his 16th season in the NFL, and the Bucs clearly in rebuilding mode, Barber is likely leaning towards retirement... BUT his old mentor, Monte Kiffin could be the key to convincing him to prolong his retirement for just a little while longer and join the Cowboys. Barber still has his legs as proven by his 2012 Pro Bowl season. Even PFF grades him as the 2nd highest rated S available in FA, so it wasn't a Pro Bowl season without merit. As the new QB of our secondary, Barber could help expidite the installment of Monte's scheme and be that glue that finally holds the unit together.


His 2012 base salary was $3M with no signing bonus. I think we can compete with that.

Our offer: 2 Years / $7,00,000 - Signing Bonus $3M
2013 - $2M base salary, $1.5M signing bonus.
2014 - $2M base salary, $1.5M signing bonus.


SLB Thomas Howard



Howard had several highly productive years in Oakland before a collapse in his contract season which lead to his departure as a FA to Cincinnati in in the 2011 offseason. Thomas bounced back successfully finishing with 99 tackles in 15 starts that year. But in 2012, he tore his ACL in Week 1, and combined with his age (30), these factors are sure to impact his stock in free agency. This is the kind of low cost, stop gap solution that the Cowboys should try to bank on. Thomas has spent his entire career in the 4-3 at both WLB and SLB. Standing 6'3, 245 he is the kind of low risk investment that could provide nice dividends. He would allow us to ease in Wilber and not have to count on a rookie to start. He might chose Dallas for a chance to return to his home state too!

His 2012 base salary was $1.5M with no signing bonus.

Our offer: 2 Years / $2,500,000 - Signing Bonus $0
2013 - $1M base salary, no signing bonus.
2014 - $1.5M base salary, no signing bonus.


DT Sedrick Ellis



After being drafted as one of the premier 3 tech prospects, Ellis has mostly gone on to be a bust... and he wasn't a lot of help as the Saints were at the bottom of the league against the run. Saints fans are already looking at future replacements in the draft... BUT he is still relatively young, and the Cowboys don't have a lot of money to spend, so he could be affordable. If Marinelli can work some magic, there might still be a chance for Ellis to still realize his talent. Despite a rocky career, Ellis did stand out as a pass rusher accumulating 20 QB Hurries last season. In quick comparison, top FA DT Henry Melton had 24 QBH. The Cowboys already have pretty good run stuffing guys, but we need a front 4 that can generate pressure. I'm willing to take a risk on him for added depth.

His 2012 base salary was $5.8M with no signing bonus. He won't be getting near that much in the open market. Going to base his contract off the one we gave Marcus Spears. Similar players (former 1st rounders who were generally a bust, but still serviceable - potential tick in upside)

Our offer: 4 Years - Based on Marcus Spears contract (5 yr(s) / $19,200,000 Signing Bonus $3,500,000)

2013 - $750,000 base salary, 700,000 signing bonus.
2014 - $2,000,000 base salary, 700,000 signing bonus.
2015 - $2,000,000 base salary, 700,000 signing bonus.
2016 - $3,000,000 base salary, 700,000 signing bonus.
2017 - $4,000,000 base salary, 700,000 signing bonus.


CB Sheldon Brown



Brown's career is trademarked by his physicality at the CB position, a trait endeared by new DC Monte Kiffin. This offseason Brown is a FA looking for a contract that takes him into his 12th season in the NFL and ESPN Cleveland's Tony Grossi says impending free agent CB Sheldon Brown "won't be back" with the Browns. The Browns want to get better longevity from the position. My guess is that no team in the NFL will want to sign Brown as a starter, so his pay day won't be big. However, as a backup we may have the inside track with former Browns secondary coach Jerome Henderson now with the Cowboys. Henderson spoke very highly of Brown in his time in Cleveland, especially as a mentor. See 3:02 of this clip for Henderson's thoughts on Brown.



Brown would be great for Claiborne as he was for Haden. Some part time work might keep him fresh too, as Brown played 900+ snaps last season. PFF rated his performace as the 4th best FA CB. Not too shabby.

His 2012 base salary was $3.7M with $1.6M signing bonus. He won't get that much at this stage of his career as that was the last year of a backloaded contract.

Our offer: 2 Years / $4,000,000 - Signing Bonus $2
2013 - $1M base salary, $1M signing bonus.
2014 - $1M base salary, $1M signing bonus.


Estimated 2013 Spending: $8M

[leroyisgod]

Mehhh on Barber and Howard

[D-Unit]

2013 Dallas Cowboys Offseason - Part 5 of 8

The Draft



Round 1

TRADE - LG Chance Warmack, Alabama -- 6'2, 322



We trade our 1st and a future 2nd rounder to move up and secure Warmack. Garrett could go into the draft well prepared mentally to easily dispose of future draft picks because in the end, it may not matter to him if he's fired at the end of the season. You can bet he'll be aggressive in getting his top target. ...and if that isn't Warmack, then he deserves to be canned. lol.

Round 2

WR Tavon Austin, West Virginia -- 5'9, 175



OH OH, say waaaat?!! Surprise, a typical Jerry pick right here. After being forced to take an offensive lineman in round 1, Jerry feels the need to take a name off the top of his "Sexy List". We've seen the trend of WRs falling in the draft (or draftniks overrating them to begin with), and Austin's size could definitely make him a player on the board when we are up to draft in Round 2. Tavon also plays right into Romo's strength as a QB. Romo hates throwing into tight windows even when we have big physical WRs to beat 1 on 1 coverage. So why draft a big physical WR? Romo has his big target in Witten. Tavon on the other hand, has the ability to create space between him and a defender, and Romo will love that. He also could be the recipient of many of Romo's dump offs (which he has seeminly grown to love - often appearing to be captain checkdown) OR get the nod from Jason to utilize his 4.3 speed on a vertical go route. With this pick the Cowboys could end up replacing their slot WR without having to change the name on the back of the jersey. By cutting Miles, the Cowboys save almost $6M. If you think a DT should be taken here, consider that cutting Ratliff only saves $1M. Money talks.

Round 3

OT Menelik Watson, Florida State -- 6'6, 320



Back to the OL in Round 3. Watson is extremely raw and at times showed it(see Bowl game), but in many other instances he flashed pure dominance! If he can work out his inconsistencies as he continues to learn the position, Watson could end up becoming one of the best in the business. This multi-sport athlete is in the mold of Tyron Smith and is one of my favorite prospects in the whole entire draft.



Like Miles Austin, Doug Free should be very worried about June 1st. Watson will battle Parnell for the chance to start.

Round 4

RB Jawan Jamison, Rutgers -- 5'8, 200



If the message isn't clear yet, it should be now. Jason Garrett is panicking or majorly determined (how ever you wanna look at it) to make this offense as potent as possible. Fielding multiple game breakers on offense. He's gonna do everything in his power to make sure he can't be blamed for an anemic offense in 2013. This is his 4th offensive pick in the first 4 rounds. He knows his slack is gone and another failed season is the end to his dream job so beefing up the offensive side of the ball is his main priority. Jamison would be the ideal type of RB to add to our our rushing attack. Diminutive at an advantage, his thunder thighs, balance and juke ability make him a tough object to spot and stop.

Round 5

S Earl Wolff, NC State -- 5'11, 206



The Cowboys signing of Ronde Barber eliminated the need to use a high draft pick on a Safety, but the Cowboys still need to retool, so the scouts get to make use of their heavy homework. NC State's Wolff is one of those guys who flies under the draft radar, and when the Cowboys draft him, you ask yourself, "who?". Then when you find out more about him, he's easy to fall in love with! His coach calls him the heart of their defense. He's a team motivator, leader and his job at Safety has made it easy for his teammate, David Amerson to take more risks and be a big time playmaker. If the Cowboys can get Safeties that allow their Corners to make plays on the ball, then the music will really start to harmonize on D.

Round 6

DE Cornelius Washington, Georgia -- 6'4, 264



I really like the pass rushing skillset that Washington possesses. He's got long arms, flexible hips and plays with typical Georgia Bulldogs violence. That said he is a tweener and there are major concerns about his run stuffing ability. Learning from Ware and Spencer who are similarly sized should be a big boost to his learning curve as he works through his weaknesses. As of now, he's strictly a part time player as a pass rushing specialist. He was also voted a team captain by the coaching staff, and we know Garrett likes that. Definitely a player worth grooming who will also give us depth at DE.

Below is an excerpt from nflmocks.com:

"I can’t emphasize this enough; I don’t think Washington will be an every down player in the NFL. He is terrible against the run, and, at this point, it’s safe to assume he always will be. That being said, I think he has a bright future as a purely situational pass rusher in the NFL. I think he’s a guy who can get at 8-10 sacks a year playing exclusively on third downs that also has the potential to dominate in coverage against many of the NFL’s tight ends. He’s a role player, but a pretty good one, who can give a team some nice snaps when asked. And he’s worth keeping an eye on." -- NFL Mocks
http://nflmocks.com/2012/10/20/corne...outing-report/

Draft Recap
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Round 1: OG Chance Warmack
Round 2: WR Tavon Austin
Round 3: RT Menelik Watson
Round 4: RB Jawan Jaimison
Round 5: S Earl Wolff
Round 6: DE Cornelius Washington

* Player availablity based on nfldraftscout.com's round estimates
-----------------------------------------------------------------

[D-Unit]

Originally Posted by leroyisgod

Mehhh on Barber and Howard

So that means you like everything else so far? SWEET! lol

It's all good man. Trying to stay within our means and still find decent fits.

[D-Unit]

2013 Dallas Cowboys Offseason - Part 6 of 8


Undrafted Free Agency



Over the years, UDFA has been pretty kind to the Dallas Cowboys... from big names like Tony Romo and Miles Austin to smaller names like Barry Church, Phil Costa, Lance Dunbar, Phillip Tanner, Cole Beasley and Ronald Leary, the Cowboys have found a place for hidden talent to groom. This year, many are brought in again, but only a few make the 53 man roster.


MLB Jonathan Stewart, Texas A&M -- 6'4, 245



Every season it seems like the Cowboys find a player or two through their annual "Dallas Day" event. The Dallas Day allows the Cowboys Coaches and Executives to meet with players who have ties to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Up to a maximum of 30 players can attend, but not workout. This year, Jonathan Stewart finds his way to the Cowboys after not being picked in the draft. Cool article on Stewart: http://www.12thmanfoundation.com/mem...tory-buff.aspx


RB Matthew Tucker, TCU -- 6'1, 219



Another Dallas Day standout, Tucker finds his way on the squad by beating out Dunbar and Tanner. Tucker is a big back who flashes straight line power, good balance and isn't taken down easily. He had a down season slowed by an ankle injury, but overall has had a nice career at TCU, finishing 10th on TCU's all-time rushing list with 2,602 yards. He ranks third with 33 rushing touchdowns.


WR Zach Rogers, Tennessee -- 6'0, 180



New WR coach Derek Dooley knows all about Zach Rogers and he is a big fan. One of those guys that gives his best effort every minute of the day. You can bet the light will go on in Dooley's head when he hears about the type of player Jason Garrett seeks.

[pocketaces]

Originally Posted by D-Unit

So that means you like everything else so far? SWEET! lol

It's all good man. Trying to stay within our means and still find decent fits.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to D-Unit again.

Love it D! My draft will be different but love your work

[D-Unit]

2013 Dallas Cowboys Offseason - Part 7 of 8


June 1st Cuts



With the draft completed, the Cowboys have a better idea of their options in regards to keeping or cutting players. Here are the names of the players who they should cut on June 1st.


Doug Free
Oh what a blunder. How did he collapse so fast? His cap hit goes from $3.2M last season to $9M next season. Bye Bye Doug Free. Cutting Free will save the Cowboys $7M. However, they will still owe him $2M per season in each of the next 3 years (dead money). Ouch.
2013 Cap Savings: $7M

Gerald Sensabaugh
Cutting Sensabaugh saves the Cowboys $3M dollars in 2013. They will still be penalized $750K in each of the next 3 seasons (dead money), but that's not back breaking.
2013 Cap Savings: $3M

Marcus Spears
Rather than pay him $2.7M next season to be a back up, it's worth it to take the $700K cap hit next season. Overall we save $9M left on his contract and only pay the $700K cap hit in each of the next 3 years. Dead money.
2013 Cap Savings: $2M

Mackenzy Bernadeau
Bernadeau will have his 2013 base salary increase from $1.75 million to $2.25 million because of incentives in his contract. Unfortunately for him, that becomes back breaking for the Cowboys. Combines with his signing bonus, that would make him the highest paid offensive lineman, more than Smith and Warmack... and more than a lot of other more valuable players. Cowboys can't afford that for a guy who will be a backup. $812,500 in dead money over the next 3 years.
2013 Cap Savings: $2.25M


Estimated 2013 Cap Savings: $14M


The Cowboys find themselves with some money left to work the contracts for Spencer and Austin. Let's see what they do.

Anthony Spencer
Spencer has finally won our hearts. We've been saying he'd be better in the 4-3 for years now. This is our chance to see. The Cowboys commit to Spencer by giving him a new 5 year deal that starts with a $6M dollar cap hit in 2013.
2013 Cap Hit: $6M

Miles Austin
After the offseason action, Austin softens his stance with the Cowboys. Not wishing to move on at the threat of getting cut and finding a new team, Austin mans up and reconstructs his contract. He'll be getting a lot less money over the term of his contract but will make more guaranteed money. So if the Cowboys threaten to cut him in the future, he will walk away with more than he would this season.
Using the estimate that Trogdor used in his mock.
2013 Cap Hit: $2.4M