The current status of the CBA gives us a rare opportunity.

Players can be traded with less salary cap impact and as a result we have seen more players traded this year than any year I remember (or maybe it just seems that way).

Why don't we put everyone on the team except Ratliff and Ware on the block.  ALL OF THEM.

Get a bunch of draft picks and start over like an expansion team.

What do we have to lose?

We have lots of good players, but very few winners.

First, it's great to be back in the tournament.

Now, having said that, what does the draw look like?

CosbySweater outlined the steps that would be required for Dallas to get the #2 seed and accompanying buy.  I am going under the assumption that Minnesota doesn't lose out (while hoping that they do).

If Dallas wins this weekend they clinch the division b/c a 2-0 head to head record vs Philly.

If Arizona loses, that makes us the 3 seed (11-5 vs. 10-6).

If Arizona wins, we should STILL get the 3 seed on the strength of victory tiebreaker (I think we will have beaten teams w/69 wins vs. 62 wins for the teams the Cardinals beat, but there is still a weekend left).  

CORRECTION: AZ owns the tie breaker over us, so if we both win they are 3rd and we are 4th.

As the 3 seed, we play the #6 seed, which is Philly if GB wins (with both guys at 11-5 GB wins on the record vs common foes) If we win and AZ wins then we are the 4 seed and Philly is the 5 seed.

If Dallas loses, then we are on the road in Philly b/c GB has a tiebreaker over us.

so...

Dallas Wins

GB Wins PHI @ Dallas

AZ Wins PHI @ Dallas

Dallas Loses

GB Wins @ PHI

AZ Wins @ PHI

This reminds me of 2007 when we swept NYG in the regular season then lost the third game.  

I think its tough to beat a NFC eastern foe three times.

I STAND CORRECTED, IT APPEARS ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROUND 3 OF DAL  / PHI.

First, I am traveling and let me say I am so glad I ended up in a place where I could get the NFL Network.  I am glad I wasn't watching that on some internet feed.

1. Something must be done about the kicking situation.  We now have more kickers who can contribute in punt coverage than kickers who can consistently hit a 25 yard field goal.

2. The young guys are stepping up. 

 -- Class of 2009: Ogletree and Butler looked great

 -- Class of 2008: Jenkins really developing.  Scandrick sometimes look like he is regressing but I think its just that Jenkins is playing so well it overshadows him, am I wrong?

 -- Class of 2007: Spencer is breaking out, Free is filling in nicely, can he ever move to the left?

3. Phillips looks great, has he lept over 'Tellus or has Bennet hit a pothole?  I really thought the offseason conditioning program would make him a monster instead he is becoming a mystery.

4. Roy Williams is the most disappointing Cowboy since Roy Williams.

5. I like that the team didn't find a way to lose last night.  In past years they would have,  Maybe they are growing up.  To prove that they need to play well the next two weeks.

6. Witten is quietly becoming the best TE ever.  Not so much in terms of single day dominance, but his body of work could be like Emmett or Jerry Rice relative to the field.

7. I think this is the first time Garrett called a game that EVERYONE likes.  I hope its contagious.

8. Does the emergence of Spencer mean this defense can finally play to it's potential?  Last night seemed like the first time the defense helped itself out.  Other games they have had pass rush or coverage, but it all synced up last night.  I feel like I have been waiting 4 years for this to happen.

9. Romo has officially shut me up. Thank you Tony.

10. Bobby Carpenter lives! 

Looking at 2010, my understanding of the potential uncapped years is as follows:

If there is a CBA extension then Miles, Sensebaugh, Spears and Kitna are UFA's but with no extension and an uncapped year then we only look to risk losing Sensebaugh, Spears and Kitna.  Is this correct or am I overlooking something?

Given the emergence of Miles, the team has few critical needs.  A left tackle would be nice but those are scarce, a FS could help the secondary, but other than that, its sort of depth / longer term things (ILB, a third OLB, a fourth CB, a dangerous PR/KR).

Given the way the draft class is shaping up, the opportunity to take a modified best player available approach (meaning ex QB's, RB's, TE's) could pay real dividends.

Are there any other obvious threat that I am overlooking in terms of FA's?

I have a few questions about the last capped year, uncapped year, etc and how they will impact the draft.

Does anyone have the technical knowledge to answer them?

What is the impact of:

a) the last capped year
b) the uncapped year
c) rumors of a POTENTIAL end of the draft
d) the rookie pay scale

on trading into forward years for picks?

will teams want 2010 draft picks b/c it may be the last draft?

will draft picks for 2010 be at a premium b/c a rookie pay scale might make them cheap?

what are the structural and strategic considerations for trading into 2010 and 2011?

I have a serious question.

Is it just me or is anyone else struggling to care this offseason?  

Normally I check BTB a couple times a day in the offseason.  Now I am down to once a week.  Normally I consume draft info with the restraint of a crack whore.  This year, I can hardly bother to look at 40 times.  Normally I read up on free agents and devise a strategy so if the team needed me to run the front office in a pinch I would be comfortable doing it (certifiably insane but sadly true).  This year... I have hardly looked.  Normally I am counting the days to the draft, the rookie camps and training camps.  This year... not so much.

I think its because last season ended so brutally I am still flat.  

Maybe its because with no pick until #51 (is that right -- I am embarrassed that I am not even sure of that) and people thinking that there won't be any 2nd round grades left at that point.  Maybe it's because this is the first time since Parcells took over I felt like we had more needs than the year before.

But I fear its more than that.

I fear I that this year exposed the team as a three ring circus:

RING 1: 58 guys more focussed on what they say to the media than winning.  Guys trying to get other guys cut or traded.  Guys who break down into factions, a group that at times seems on the brink of a race riot.  Players more willing to call out unnamed teammates in the press than to take on a ball carrier.  Parcells used to have a sign that said "Losers come together in groups to gripe about coaching and playing time.  Winners come together as a team."  I sometimes wonder if he has pictures of the 2007 and 2008 Cowboys around the borders of that sign.

RING 2: The coaches.  I started to say "Led by Wade Phillips" but that may not be correct. To be conservative, I will just say the Nominal Head Coach appears to be a eunuch with the motto "I'm just glad to be here."  Assisting him (and I am I use that term lightly) is our very own Boy Genius, the highest paid assistant in the league who has devised the most predictable offense seen in years.  In his defense, its hard to game plan when you are focussed on undermining the head coach and tossing your players under the bus.  When did Garrett turn into a less effective Mike Martz with freckles?  Coordinating the defense? No one, heck who needs a DC.  Especially in this economy with a lockout coming -- why spend $ on coaches you might have to pay through a lockout if you just bought the world's first 240 foot long HD TV?

THE THIRD (AKA THE CENTER) RING: Our very own Arkansas born megalo maniac.  Some see him as the only owner in the league with a radio show.  Others see him as the GM who has gone the longest without a playoff win.  But he doesn't care -- that's right Jerry is just glad people are talking about him.  He LUVS to win.  The only thing he loves more is to be in charge.  What a shame it is becoming increasingly apparent those two things may mutually exclusive.

How we got here (or a not so brief history of my love affair with this team)...

THE FIRST FOOTBALL GAME I REMEMBER WAS SUPER BOWL XIII.  I was 4 3/4.  My grandfather (who is an Annapolis grad) explained that we pulled for the team with stars on their helmets because Roger Staubach was a Navy grad.  We lost.  I remained a Cowboys fan.  By the time I was old enough to follow the game on my own it was the early 80's (The Cacth is the first game I remember actual plays from).  We were the team that almost made it.  We had a run like the Eagles.  But I left each season thinking we would be better next year -- maybe I was just too young to know better.

THEN WE LOST TO THE RAMS 20-0.  It was clear even to me we were on the decline.  The next three years were bad.  Steve Pelleur bad.  But once we went 3-13 we had to be getting better.  After all, we still had Tom Landry.  Oops.

JONES BOUGHT THE TEAM.  Tom was fired.  I was crushed.  I hoped the NFL owners would not approve the deal.  They did. I was devastated... But we got Troy.  And Steve? Huh? At least things weren't boring.  I became a draftnik.  Our Coach / GM Jimmy Johnson got enough draft picks to make it  full time job. We were on the upswing. We became dominant.  Drafts became a bit less interesting, but Jimmy's wheeling and dealing kept things interesting -- until he flew to close to the sun.

IN THE TIME IT TOOK TO SAY DYNASTY, THINGS CAME CRASHING DOWN.  Jimmy out Barry in. Wow. Jerry became GM.  Noooooo.  We went from having a coach who got in Steve Young's head to a coach who bumped officials.  We went from a guy who made the difference to a guy who cost us games.  Things spun apart S L O W L Y.  It was like watching Tyson come unglued after he fired Rooney.  Still, we always had a puncher's shot and the offseason mattered. I still can feel the waves of shock at passing on Randy Moss.   He reminded of that by ending our season in 1999 and letting us know our run was over.

THEN CAMPO GOT HIS CHANCE.  Things got so bad so fast that it was easy to watch the offseason.  Parity was sinking in.  Teams made big swings and we had high draft picks -- three years in a row.  

PARCELLS TOOK OVER.  After 9 years of steady decline under the rule of JJ - GM his control was compromised.  The team got younger.  The team got better.  The draft was important because we were rebuilding.  It was important because we had a great eye for talent churning the roster. It was exciting because we were getting close. 

WADE TOOK OVER.  Jerry got more involved. After making Parcells the second coach since Landry who could hire and fire assistants, JJ hired Garrett as HC or OC (he wasn't sure) then kept interviewing to see if he could find a HC to sit over him (as much as a boss can command people he can't hire or fire).  Jerry went about building the best staff he could (provided he hired former Dallas Assistants).  Houck and Campo "came home".  But we got better, I pretended things would be ok.  Last offseason was fascinating because we had a few holes to plug.  The team looked like a fantasy lineup. WE WERE GETTING CLOSE.

THEN REALITY HIT.  There is a reason teams don't build fantasy lineups.  This may look like an All Star team, but it plays like a group of All Stars with no concept of team.  The flaws seem real.  It's hard to tell who the good guys are - Ware, Ratliff, anyone, Beuler? Beuler? Some of our best guys MAY be problem guys: Flo, Newman, James, Romo, maybe even Witten.  The potential problem players are signed to long-term contracts.   The team seems to hate each other.  

I FEAR THERE IS NO QUICK FIX.  A coaching change / transfer of control could work wonders but isn't a near-term reality.  Meanwhile the team has gone from young to not so young.  Give Jerry/Wade 09 and then hire another coach and give hime a year to make changes and it's 2011 before we can hope to be great.  The team can do it, but it won't be a young team ready to make a run, it will be an older team that hasn't had a pick in the top half of the draft for seven years.  What looked like a potential dynasty may be lucky to get to one superbowl.  We are no longer young (and aging), we are signing old players, we are giving up draft picks, we are making decisions reserved for teams that must win now but we have a locker room that can't win.  We are locking those guys into long term contracts.   Meanwhile Pittsburgh beats us to six by being a well run organization.

AS DEPRESSING AS IT IS, I THINK THE OUTLOOK FOR THE TEAM IS AS BLEAK AS THE OUTLOOK FOR THE ECONOMY.  I hope I irrationally depressed.  I hope I am selling the lows.  I hope the team plays to its talent, but this feels like the first step of a multi year decline.  I fear I am looking forward to years of watching frustrating games.  I just can't get psyched up for the offseason because I feel like the organization is covering rust with spray paint.

Is anyone else this un-enthused?

Parcells famously gave Romo a list of commandments to follow as an NFL QB.  Notable among them, "Don't become a celebrity QB."  Some have argued his social life and paparazzi following means he has violated this.  Others say as QB of the Dallas Cowboys you get more attention than most.

Calvin Watkins adds some color to this debate:

According to five sources, several offensive players lost respect for Garrett for his failure to corral quarterback Tony Romo in practice. Romo, sources said, often forced throws in practice and often did not treat practice work consistently.

The quarterback's practice habits were so bad, sources said, that they affected the way he played in games and could have factored into the offense's problems.

So we have a QB who doesn't like to practice.  Perhaps even though he loves the game, he doesn't really like to practice.  Ugh.

Romo, according to a source, was also personally offended when Garrett was critical of his play late in the season.

If this is true, we may be looking at a future with an extremely talented, somewhat lazy, prima donna. Ugh.

Say it ain't so Romo.

link

And to those of us who thought the team was more disciplined under Parcells, but weren't sure how much, well the answer may be 50-120 times more undisciplined.  Late to a Parcells' meting it cost you $5k, miss a session in the training room - you are out $12k.  Under Wade it's only a C-note.  Oh well, as Jerry points out, you can't fine the guys - they need to talk to the media!

I think this team may have to stink for anther year or two before Jerry want's to win badly enough that he gets out of the way for the third time.

Ugh.

1. can you name a well coached team that lost an important game by 38 points?

2. don't good offensive coordinators with pro bowl qb's, wr's, rb's and te's get in the end zone against division opponents?

3. other than ken hamlin, didn't players underperform in accordance with how much money JJ gave them in the last 12 months: romo, newman, flo, roy, barber??

4. isnt that a bad sign about the instincts of the guy who bought the team 19 years ago and has been gm for 15 years now?

5. is it a coincidence that a that our 11 years w/out a playoff win overlaps with JJ's 15 years as a GM?

6. the only player who stepped was nick folk, how bad is it that an nfl team needs the kiker to be the man in the locker room.?

7. what does it mean that our qb of the future is a turnover machine?

8. jj seems to suggest he wants to keep wade b/c there will be a work stoppage, as a fan why shouldn't we believe management is giving up (at least for a few years)?

9. wade why didnt you challenge that 3rd down conversion? and if wade got a quicky lobotomy midgame, do you really think you could tell?

10. zach arent you livid?

1. The Defense is peaking at the right time.  Defense wins championships and the play on that side of the ball is better than anything I can remember seeing Dallas do.   Even under JJ the defense never felt this intimidating. They were fast and suffocating, but this is an overwhelming D.

2. We have a clutch kicker.  A stifling defense and a clutch kicker can take us far.

3. (knock on wood) It seems like the injury report is moving the right way now. (knock on wood). It seems like more guys are getting healthy than getting hurt and while we are thin at safety, I think having Henry play FS and Hamlin at SS might be the best secondary line up we can field. With Pac back and Jenkins getting better than is possible.

4. The offense (though overshadowed by the D) is still explosive.  Tashard choice is giving us some newfound energy and a never say die attitude and we still have enough weapons to hold our own in a shoot out.

5. The press is still skeptical.  After the win some one on ESPN said "Dallas delayed their implosion."  Peter King's comment after the Giant win was that we couldnt afford to lose to Pittsburgh.  This team has seemed to do the exact opposite of what the pundits expect and they seem to expect an implosion.

After 24 hours, I am still in a funk but I am slowly gaining some perspective and here are my takeaways.

1) Wade may not be a great head coach but he is a great Defensive Coordinator.  I was excited when Jerry hired Wade b/c I envisioned a young hungry defense flying at the QB from all angles.  It didn't happen until Wade pushed Stewart aside, but it's great to watch now.  I have no idea what took him so long (or why he let Stewart do a bad job for 18 months until he took th) but I like what I am seeing - especially since Ware was hurt, TNew looks hurt, Jenkins is out and Pac is not at full speed.  Draft a young LB and a safety and this defense could be special.

2) TNew may be hurt, or may not have the heart to play now that he got a huge contract, but he has not been a special player this year.  I like him a lot, so I make excuses for him, but he has not been good. 

3) Ratliff gets better every game. It really is a pleasure to watch.

4) A first and a third is a lot to pay for a WR you aren't going to use.

5) Calling Ralph Cramden! Someone needs to teach Tony Romo to be a busdriver.  There are times when you throw caution to the wind, and there are times when you use caution before throwing the ball into the wind.  I am not ready to say Tony can't be great, but last night was the first time I really have questioned his big game ability.  He is reminding me of Favre in the bad way.  I think he needs to watch Aikman, Brady and Montana and learn that sometimes you just manage the game.  It would have been nice to have Parcells on the sideline tearing him in half last night.  Maybe John Garrett can take his "high and tight Martellus" intensity and put pressure on Romo.  He has tons of talent, and manages the team (and egos) well, but he need better discipline with the ball.  The real winners don't create unnecessary turnovers.  for all the talk about big games etc, what really matter is will Romo learn to play mistake free when it matters.  It certainly isn't too late for him to do it.  I see no reason why he can't do it.  But at some point he needs to learn to make safe plays instead of big plays.

6) Scandrick really looks like a player.

7) Tashard Choice just reminded us why we should never draft a RB in the first round or sign one to a contract extension again.  I love Felix, but I would have rather had Slaton and kept my first rounder.  I love MB3 but I would have rather kept him for one more year and had the cap space. I also loved TChoice's moxia all game.

8) As frustrated as I am with the season, the team hasn't done that badly given the injuries.  Kosier, Felix, Hurd, some Autin and some Romo and then Roy Williams, Watkins, some Jenkins, some Henry, some Newman and of course McBriar.

9) Boy did I miss McBriar last night.  His leg would have helped mightily in the field position game.

10) Did Jerry really throw MB3 under the bus?  That seems lousy.  By all accounts MB3 is a respectful, hard-working guy who plays hard and shuns attention.  He won't appreciate that at all.

11) Why did they give the ball to Cricket on 4th and short? I like Anderson, but I am not sure I like him running the ball.

12) I can't wait to see 'Tellus next year.  I think an offseason in the conditioning program and increased familiarity with Tony will make him an absolute beast.

13) Can we gag Troy?  Aikman is one of my alltime favorites, but he sure cursed when he said "this is what an offense looks like when they are completely lost." I think the game turned within six seconds of him saying it. Ugh.

14) What's up with left handed passes this year?  Eli has thrown a few this season, now Romo is getting in the mix... I can't recall seeing a pro QB throw it with his non dominant hand in a game before this year (although I am sure Favre lieks to do it the 4th Q  of playoff games).

15) Who woke Marcus Spears up? And can they speak to Canty? Have Canty, Spears and Hatcher ever played well on the same day?  Sometimes it feels like there is a really good defensive end on this team and every week he puts on either a 96, 97 or 99 jersey and on then puts the other 2 jerseys on guys he finds on the side of the road then switches the numbers around the next week.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/12/07/cowboys-playing-the-probable-game-too/

yikes, that would be just awful.   the season hinges on this game and we are missing MB3 and Demarcus.  the injuries this season have been insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane .insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insaneinsaneinsane.insane.insane.insane.insane. insane .insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insaneinsaneinsane.insane.insane.insane.insane insane .insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insaneinsaneinsane.insane.insane.insane.insane  insane .insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insane. insaneinsaneinsane.insane.insane.insane.insane

What is the real problem with this team?

In two words: JERRY JONES.

Twice since he has bought the team Jerry has hired strong-willed, ill-tempered disciplinarian coaches who were total control freaks.  Each time that has happened the team's roster was almost completely purged within 24-36 months and the team began to win.

Four times he has hired the "I'm just glad be here crew" Switzer-Gailey-Campo-Phillips. The Swi-Gai-Cam-Phi's group have been puppets.  How can you tell? First, none of them have had the right to hire and fire assistants.  How can any coach be the head coach if he has assistants picked by others?  Heck, in Wade's case he had an offensive coordinator selected before he was made head coach.  How can you even pretend that you are the final authority and enforce discipline and control thourgh the locker room if the team knows that the Head Coach has no real power over the OC and that the OC has been guaranteed that he will be the next head coach? 

When you look at the team, the most disappointing units are the secondary and the offensive line.  Both units were stocked with pro-bowlers and "improved" the coaching situations by replacing Parcells' guys with people hand picked by Jerry and then went straight to hell.  This is a pro team.  Screw the "Dallas Guy's" on their second and third tour of duty in Big D.  Hire winners, hire guys who will make the team win and the players play.  We don't need more Hudson Houk's, we need more Russ Grimm's.  

The truth is that Jerry gets frustrated by the lack of credit he gets when a good coach runs the team, so he goes out and picks guys who are desperate and willing to let him put his fingers in the pie, host more press conferences, invite in hard knocks, etc and the then team falls apart.  How freaking dysfunctional can a team be? (Quick answer: look at Oakland, they are more screwed up, but barely)

I mean Jerry tore into the team after the Rams loss.  How stupid and screwed up is it that the OWNER has to yell at the players.  Can you imagine that under Jimmy or Bill?  Jerry has made Wade the equivalent of a 50 year old woman teaching a class of 9th grade boys.  I can almost see Wade scolding the class and saying he will call the principal (or the football coach) and have him paddle anyone who acts up.

The team needs a coach.  That coach needs to be an authority figure.   He needs to hire and fire assistants at his whim and he needs to have the right to scare players straight and ban Jerry from the sideline.  Wade isn't that guy.  My fear is that this team has to slide lots further before Jerry hits bottom and hires a football coach.

This team appears to have lots of problems.  Some may go away as the injury list gets shorter.  One problem that can't be blamed on injuries is the incredible amount of penalties that Jerry's Team keeps racking up.  It's easy (and popular) to blame Wade, but the problem pre-dates him and his no-penalty contract.  It was a problem under Parcells even though he didn't coach penalties (or coach players not to make penalties).  Maybe Campo coached them?  I don't know where the problem started, but I can't see an end to it.

There are some things endemic to this team that suggests we will have more penalties than the average team.  Heck, we have three specific penalties named after us: The Roy Williams Rule / Horsecoller, the Marian Barber Rule / Stiff arm to the face/neck and the Flozell Adams Rule / False Start.  Even if we acknowledge that Flo is partially deaf and will jump once a game (at least), we are still generating too many penalties.

How does a team get this penalty disease? How does it survive from one coaching regime to another?  I know its popular to blame Wade and soft coaching, but Parcells was anything but soft and he had the same problems.  I have no idea what causes this, what it takes to fix or who to blame.  So I will just blame it on Jerry, as I do most things...

Like most fans I have gone through my highs and lows with Jerry Jones.  I remember sitting around as an overwhelmed 8th grader and being devastated by the news that a guy out of Arkansas was buying the Cowboys and his first move was to unceremoniously fire Landry and replace that icon of class with Jimmy Johnson -- out with the fedora, in with the hairspray.  I remember hoping that the NFL owners would vote against the sale and save the legacy of my team.

Then he traded away our only good player and I was floored.  Then I realized they were stockpiling draft picks and building for the future.  As Aikman and Emmitt arrived, I saw that the core of a real team forming.   The horse trading of players and draft  picks, the energy with which Jimmy and Jerry attacked free agency showed that they really got the changes in the NFL.

Then they started winning.  Winning made me forgive a lot.  Unfortunately, winning made Jerry start thinking he was an NFL GM (and even that he could coach).  

Time has shown that Jerry is a great owner.  He has helped the league become more profitable and been instrumental in TV deals, stadium naming, etc.  The league is better off because of Jerry Jones.

As for the Cowboys, I am not so sure we are better off with JJ.  Jerry seems to flip flop between Good Jerry (who wants to win and hires head coaches who stand up to him) and Bad Jerry (who replaces them with coaches who invite HBO into training camp and make Jerry a central part of the TV show).  Good Jerry hires Jimmy and Bill, Bad Jerry replaces them with Switzer, Phillips, Campo and Gailey.  Good Jerry trades down and stock piles picks, Bad Jerry trades draft picks to sign good but not great WR's to HUGE contracts.

If the most important decision a GM makes is to hire a head coach, then how good can a GM be who consistently picks weak coaches?

This article is interesting:

http://www.star-telegram.com/332/story/989574.html

It points out that post Jimmy, Jerry is 90-98.  Ex-Jimmy Jerry is a long term loser.  If you strip out the wins that Switzer got with Jimmy's team it would look even worse.

As a fan I like Jerry because he is committed to winning.  I know that he wants to win every bit as much as we want the team to win.  I know that he will stop at nothing to make the team competitive.  Having said that, I think he has the discipline of a crack addict.  Dallas made the model for winning in the 90's.  New England has defined the model for winning this decade.  Dallas's model was easier, be aggressive and be willing to spend.  New England's is tougher.  They have shown that it's about disciplined spending, stockpiling draft picks and collecting cheap role players.  Jerry lacks the discipline to do this.  Maybe as we careen towards an uncapped year Jerry's model will work again -- but if the league doesn't go uncapped this team is in real trouble.

I think this commitment to winning, he constant efforts and spending make Jerry a lovable loser, but I am ready to win again.  I hope this season shows Jerry that he needs a real coach and that Cowher rides into town this winter.

A lot of talk has been made about signing Terry Glenn or Joe Horn.

While adding an experienced wideout (especially one familiar with the playbook) could have merit, it doesn't answer the teams nagging special teams problem.  With Burnett and Auatin out we are short coverage guys . Furthermore, we are dependent on Hurd to be a key special teamer and the third WR.  that in itself isnt a problem, but it puts the team an injury away from being short a couple of important positions.

I read that Jarrod Cooper was cut by the Raiders.  While the thought of needing one of the Raiders early cuts scares the hell out me, it seems like we might need to do something like that....

Does anyone else have any special teams coverage guys we rent for a couple of weeks? 

http://www.mercurynews.com/sabercats/ci_10302080

Realistically, if I were told a week before training camp that either Austin or Stanback would not make the roster I would not have been that concerned.  With TO, (hopefully) Glenn and Crayton as the mainstays and Hurd, Austin and Stanback as the hopefuls and Lowber, Amendola and Jefferson as the long shots it could have actually been good news if there was too much talent to have both of them on the team. Not now... What a difference a month makes.

Now the WR depth is:

1. TO

2. Crayton

3. (Austin)

4. Hurd

5. (Stanback)

6. Amendola

7. Jefferson

8. Lowber

With the #3 and #5 guys out, we are now one shaken-up player from looking at Amendola or Jefferson in a 3 WR set (which could limit our ability to take advantage of a paper thin Cleveland secondary).  Also given the combined youth and inexperience of the WR corp ex TO its tough to expect any of the guys to be comfortable at multiple wide out positions.  Given the increasing complexity of Redball's offense, this is a mild concern -- not as a big a concern as the ultimate talent level of the 4th WR but still a concern.  

It increasingly looks like we will start the season with 4 players who cant play on the roster and two WR's unable to suit up.  My question is:  What does this mean for the rest of the roster?  

1. Is this the end for Danny Amendola?  I would not be surprised to see the team wait until the first week of the season (or whatever the date is that you can sign a vested veteran and not have his salary guaranteed for the full year) and sign Glenn or Horn to a low risk contract.  If that doesn't happen I wouldn't be surprised us to pick through another teams final cuts for a potentially less talented but more experienced WR.  It is starting to look like hiding an street free agent on the roster to see if he develops is a luxury we can't afford - especially if he can't fill in on coverage units.

2. Does this mean we carry 7 WR's? If we carry 6 with 2 hurt, we are dangerously thin.

3. If we are looking at starting the season with 4 players who cant play (3 of whom were special teams contributors) do we start the season with fewer offensive linemen who can't help on special teams?  Is Martin, McQ, Berger or Lek the loser here?  Do we have to cut one (or more) and hope we can pick them up when if we sign a vet WR after week 1 and cut him in week 4 or 5?

4. What is the impact of the increased need for gunners?  Does it impact the secondary situation?  I think we can make up for the loss of return men (Scandrick, Pac, Felix, Jenkins, Newman, and others can return the ball in  a pinch) but we need people to step up and handle coverage.  Does this mean a guy like Hannah gets a second lease on life he can be effective?

5.  Any other ways Jerry can manipulate the roster?

I saw a link to a Denver Post article on the joint practice that had this nuggett:

Lowlight

If one thing was clear from Wednesday's morning practice it was that the Broncos could have some serious trouble in the trenches against bigger offensive and defensive lines this year. The Broncos' biggest bodies on both sides of the ball were bullied repeatedly by the Cowboys in one-on-one drills. The defensive line had it especially rough, as Tim Crowder, Josh Mallard, Kenny Peterson, John Engelberger and Ebenezer Ekuban all found themselves tossed to the grass by various Cowboys.

I know the zone blocking guys are smaller and the 1x1 drills may take away a lot of their advantages (a nice way of saying its tougher to hit a guy in the back when he is looking at you) but its nice to see our guys are taking it to them.  Its also nice to see Ekuban still stinks.  I am floored that he is still in the league.

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_10194054

HI guys, long time no post.  Hope all is well. Work has bee busy and other than watching the draft (and I give it a B minus) I haven't been that active. 

Still a coworker sent me this link on Friday and I howled.  Pretty funny stuff.

Can't wait for pre-season.

By the way, the great thing about having two first round picks is it feel near as bad when we read that Jenkins looks bad in minicap.

Anyway, enjoy this link:

http://www.bangcartoon.com/2007/pacmandallas.htm

there is some strong language (before you play it at work)

here is another (albeit less relevant)

http://www.bangcartoon.com/2007/pacman2.htm

I have been meaning to post this for a few weeks but have been swamped.

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interesting link http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/... i am not sure what kind of player this guy is, but he is a heck of young man.  what a story.

Darren McFadden is a great college running back.  He has excelled against top botch competiton and appears to be a rare talent.  Rumors that Dallas might trade up to grab DMac are becoming louder.  I think it could be a mistake to trade up for the player.  Why?

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Profootballtalk.com had some great stuff on Parcells / Ireland /etc

here is the link http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumor...

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Ok guys, the offseason is here.  Players are commodities, like cattle.  It's harsh but true.  Overpaying for favorites got us in salary cap hell last time we were good.  The Pats and the Eagles have showed us the way to run a franchise these days and its by being ruthless with your roster.  

It's no fun to cut name guys, trade down in the draft or sign mid level free agents as role players, but it is the best model for success in the NFL these days.

** Please note I have not done all the work on the cap hits for these guys like DeRat did, so not all the guys would help the cap this year.  This is less a pure salary cap impact question, as much as it is "Would you rather have the player or the cash"

Hat tips to mgssmith100 and DeRat for their outstanding work.  

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Looking at the the roster and our needs here are my thoughts on the off season.  Some of the things I will suggest are non-standard.  Here are my basic precepts:

• The draft gives a chance at below market prices on young players.  It is unfair to players but provides great value to teams.
• Free agency forces teams to pay market (or above market) prices for players.
• Teams get better by stock piling draft picks and building through the draft.
• Teams get in cap hell by building through free-agency.

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Wow.

What a loss.  

It was so out of character.  I think this was the first time all season I didn't expect Romo to win the game for us in the 4th q.  It was jsut obvious that something was off all day.  I thought we had a chance to to run the table but now its obvious we are steps behind the Pats.

It stinks to come up so small and to have so few guys establish themselves as playmakers.  Its frustrating that it just looked like the other team wanted it more.

Whatever speach Wade gave at half time should be retired....

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Who would people rather face next week??????????????????

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I have had an uneasy feeling about Ireland leaving ever since BP took over the Fins.  After reading the article KingBillito posted in his diary http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cf... I feel worse.

The way I see it there aren't that many reasons a person leaves his job.  The standard reasons are:

+ More Money

+ A Great Opportunity / Real Promotion

+ Ego / A Better Title (even if it isn't more money or a real promotion)

+ A True Desire to Start Something New / A Project

+ Better Work Environment

+ Geographical Change

+ Fear Current Job is in Danger

So I tried to think through things...

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OK, I have a bizarre question... Do the coaches spend anytime preparing for the Washington game?  It doesn't matter, starters will likely rest, etc.

So do they try to tailor a game plan for the Skins or do they start preparing for Green Bay?

I guess since the Skins are a potential Divisional Rd opponent they might as well breakdown game film...

Does anyone actually know what teams with byes do typically?