What saves this off-season?

[cmd34]

I think we all agree that we shouldn't have paid DeMarco anywhere near what he got from Philadelphia. Most of us would be okay with not matching the deals that Parnell, Carter, Harris, etc. received.

Where I think most objective fans would agree is that we have not improved and the window for this team is shrinking. The McFadden deal is decent, since it's low risk. The other random signings are guys who would be available three weeks from now. The team has taken a significant step backwards in overall roster talent and seems to be willing to not want to get involved in any sort of bidding war. There are almost no, if any at all, free agent defensive linemen left that would impact the defense. We seem to be willing to pay Brandon Carr top CB money for below average production. The 27th pick in the 1st round offers some opportunity for improvement, but is not going to be world beater.

What could save this off-season for you?

Trading for Adrian Peterson, or signing him if he forces Minnesota to release him?

I'm not sure anything else would do it.

 

[Sheik]

Literally nothing at this point seems possible. I don't see any options out there left, not unless Hardy is on the radar. Even then, Hardy alone doesn't suddenly make the defense legit.

I would have never imagined this team would be this bad on paper just a few days into free agency. I was really looking forward to an all-in, win now, approach to this FA period.

Very disappointed with what little they've done this far.

 

[Sheik]

Your mention of possibly still landing Peterson/Hardy. That would be awesome.

I'd like the McFadden signing a bit more.

Its just not something that seems even remotely possible.

 

[jnday]

Other than drafting Gurley to replace Murray, I don't see much. The defense is screwed. I was against any big money signings , but damn this offseason my end any chance of Romo and Witten playing in a Super Bowl. Think about it, they couldn't even close the deal with Dez.

 

[Midswat]

Continuing to be a prudent franchise. None of the people we lost were irreplaceable. We are, and will continue to be, a not very good team.

Last year was an anomoly. A what should have been putrid defense was masked by a run game anchored by a running back who had a miracle season which he will never come close to duplicating. We were on the receiving end of a lot of fluke bounces, one in a million catches etc. Played against a number of back up and rookie QBs. All in a weak division where our staunchest competition came from a Mark Sanchez quarterbacked team.

We're not a legit 12-4 team who lost staple, established studs/depth. We're a mediocre team losing mostly underachievers who all broke out because the stars aligned.

Oh we lost Bruce Carter? Shit... many of us wanted him cut before the season.

We lost Justin Durant? THE Justin Durant?

I mean.. come on. Lets be realistic. Last year was an anomoly. It won't be duplicated. Not at all. We're lucky to win 10 games even if we brought everyone back from last year.

Save the offseason for me? Keep making smart decisions. Draft a stud RB early. Focus the draft on the defense. Defensive line, specifically. Incorporate Beaseley and (can't believe I'm going to say this) Escobar into the offesnse more. Find a serviceable, preferrably young, back up QB.

 

[Doomsday]

Last year was an anomoly. A what should have been putrid defense was masked by a run game anchored by a running back who had a miracle season which he will never come close to duplicating. We were on the receiving end of a lot of fluke bounces, one in a million catches etc. Played against a number of back up and rookie QBs. All in a weak division where our staunchest competition came from a Mark Sanchez quarterbacked team.

We're not a legit 12-4 team who lost staple, established studs/depth. We're a mediocre team losing mostly underachievers who all broke out because the stars aligned.

I mean.. come on. Lets be realistic. Last year was an anomoly. It won't be duplicated. Not at all. We're lucky to win 10 games even if we brought everyone back from last year.

^^ And the sooner folks realize and embrace this reality, the sooner they will get over this offseason.

I've said this many times, this is at its heart a 8-8 team, one of 20 or so every year who with the right breaks can get deep in the playoffs and possibly even win the Super Bowl. That's not just Dallas, it's most of the NFL. You have maybe 4-5 actually good teams, 20 or so mediocre ones, and 5-6 perpetually bad ones like Oakland and Cleveland. That's just the reality of this league.

 

[cmd34]

I don't think it's about missing Bruce Carter and Justin Durant. It's about a team that seems to be a contender being remarkably worse than they were last year.

Darren McFadden is significantly worse than Murray.
Jasper Brinkley is significantly worse than Carter.
Parnell was a better swing tackle than anything we have now.

The defensive line needed 3 or 4 upgrades and everyone worth signing has signed. The draft can't fix it all.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Stephen Jones drew the line at $5 million, and he was not going north of that. I think Peterson is out. Look to the draft boys.

 

[Midswat]

I don't think it's about missing Bruce Carter and Justin Durant. It's about a team that seems to be a contender being remarkably worse than they were last year.

Darren McFadden is significantly worse than Murray.
Jasper Brinkley is significantly worse than Carter.
Parnell was a better swing tackle than anything we have now.

The defensive line needed 3 or 4 upgrades and everyone worth signing has signed. The draft can't fix it all.

Don't see how anyone could be "significantly" worse than Carter when Bruce was garbage most of his time here.

 

[cmd34]

Remember Bruce Carter being 10-15 yards behind Danny Woodhead on the wheel route?


Jasper Brinkley would be laying down at the line of scrimmage. Significantly worse.

 

[Midswat]

So neither would make the play. Gotcha.

 

[jnday]

I don't think it's about missing Bruce Carter and Justin Durant. It's about a team that seems to be a contender being remarkably worse than they were last year.

Darren McFadden is significantly worse than Murray.
Jasper Brinkley is significantly worse than Carter.
Parnell was a better swing tackle than anything we have now.

The defensive line needed 3 or 4 upgrades and everyone worth signing has signed. The draft can't fix it all.

I agree 100%. The executive of the year award went to Jerry's head. This 12-4 season will set the team back for years.

 

[Omegasupreme]

Getting a big run stuffer in the middle like BJ Raji or Ahtyba Rubin and then sturdy the line and LBs with Greg Hardy and Rolando McClain.

A free safety like a Stevie Johnson would also show something.

At this point I think Dallas could probably trade Hanna.

 

[dbair1967]

We're doomed. We don't have a LB who missed half the games the last two yrs and another who was so inconsistent he was benched 19 times.

Doomed I say. Probably 1-15

 

[bbgun]

We don't have a LB who missed half the games the last two yrs

Nah, Lee is still on the team

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

Oh shit, even dbair is off the bandwagon

 

[dbair1967]

Remember Bruce Carter being 10-15 yards behind Danny Woodhead on the wheel route?


Jasper Brinkley would be laying down at the line of scrimmage. Significantly worse.

I guess you have sources that says Brinkley was signed to actually play a significant role.

Dude might not even make the team out of training camp. Quit being a whiny bitch.

 

[dbair1967]

Oh shit, even dbair is off the bandwagon

I was excited about next season until I read all the expert opinions here about how awful we'll be

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

I've said this many times, this is at its heart a 8-8 team, one of 20 or so every year who with the right breaks can get deep in the playoffs and possibly even win the Super Bowl. That's not just Dallas, it's most of the NFL. You have maybe 4-5 actually good teams, 20 or so mediocre ones, and 5-6 perpetually bad ones like Oakland and Cleveland. That's just the reality of this league.

I've been saying the same. Well, actually I'd say we were more like a 9-7, 10-6 type team, but of course we know Garrett is going to blow at least a game per year.

But the point stands, we're not a Patriots/Ravens/Packers/Seahawks type well-managed team that is in it pretty much every year. We're a tier below that, but last year pretty much everything broke right for us, as it will for some teams every year. It was just our turn.

Doesn't mean next year it will repeat, but I'm afraid Garrett and Steve think it will. And Jerry doesn't really care because last year bought him at least a full year of fan optimism, which equals ticket and jersey sales. Cha-ching, cha-ching.

 

[Doomsday]

And Jerry doesn't really care because last year bought him at least a full year of fan optimism, which equals ticket and jersey sales. Cha-ching, cha-ching.

And that's the actual goal in Dallas. To make a buttload of money every year, and if the team wins that's neat and all too but if it doesn't, who really cares?

And it's managed exactly that way.