1000 yard rushers - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

Scoobay · 12-24-2003, 10:11 AM

With the up/down (mostly down) year the cowboys have had with their rushing game, isn't it interesting that Hambrick has a very good shot at going over 1000 for the year? Remember the days that this was the mark of a great back? there's already 14 over 1000 for the year with 5 others including troy sitting above 900 with the chance to go over 1000. not a good marker for an elite back. 1500 looks like more of the cut off these days...

Any hope of finding an upgrade?

Murphy3 · 12-24-2003, 10:24 AM

there's plenty of good running backs to be found....where? Well, not sure I'd want to pay for one in free agency.... find value somewhere from the second round down

Dooby · 12-24-2003, 10:59 AM

I'd give Denver a 3rd rounder for Quentin Griffin; he's shown he can produce in this league. They should be willing to move him because they have Portis and Mike Aderson and they drafted Griffin in the 4th round, so that is somewhat of a step up. Dallas might make a good trading partner because we are not in the AFC. But then that begs the question: why didn't Dallas draft Quentin Griffin in the 4th round?

Murphy3 · 12-24-2003, 11:19 AM

probably because they thought he was too small to be an every down back

maybe he is (yet to be determined)....but, at the least, he could give you 10-15 quality carries a game

sure, he'd be worth a third

grbh · 12-24-2003, 11:25 AM

I might give them a 3rd, but I think it might be premature to be certain he can produce in the NFL. He has great vision, but up until last week his numbers were pretty spare. Though I suppose you have to like Denver's track record with backs' in the draft.

Prior to his break out game:

45 Carries 135 Yards 3.0 yars per carry with 2 fumbles (one lost)

dirno2000 · 12-24-2003, 11:34 AM

I wouldn't give a 3rd for him based on one game. That's still a pretty premium pick. I would have like to see us draft him instead of Brady James. Ontario Smith and Artose Pinner were two other backs that slipped. That's my biggest problem with our draft. There was value at the position and we didn’t take advantage because Bill wanted a big linebacker. Had we picked a RB in the 4th round, he could have contributed this year.

We need to draft a back in the 1st or 2nd round. If not I wouldn’t mind throwing a couple of dollars at Deuce Staley. He may be available at a bargain rate since he only has about 90 carries this year (5 yards per). He really screwed himself with that holdout.

grbh · 12-24-2003, 11:38 AM

Here si a list of free agent backs next season. Any float your boat.

Sammy Morris - Buffalo
Rudi Johnson - Cincinnati (RFA)
Troy Hambrick - Dallas (RFA)
Shawn Bryson - Detroit
Stacey Mack - Houston
Dominic Rhodes - Indianapolis (RFA)
Kevin Faulk - New England
Ki-Jana Carter - New Orleans
Duce Staley - Philadelphia
Correll Buckhalter - Philadelphia (RFA)
Kevan Barlow - San Francisco (RFA)
Thomas Jones - Tampa Bay

dirno2000 · 12-24-2003, 11:42 AM

Do you have a list of FA QB's?

grbh · 12-24-2003, 11:57 AM

Doug Johnson
Chris Redman
Anthony Wright
Shane Matthews
Ty Detmer
Mike McMahon
Doug Pederson
Peyton Ma
Jonathan Quinn
Sage Rosenfels
Damon Huard
Todd Bouman
Jason Garrett
Rick Mirer
A.J. Feeley
Marc Bulger
Shaun King
Billy Volek

Don't know who is restricted and who isn't

Dooby · 12-24-2003, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by: dirno2000
Do you have a list of FA QB's?

I don't think there really is one. You have to go on who is going to "be available" either via trade or released. You are looking at Brunell, Kurt Warner, maybe Kitna, Drew Breis, Tim Couch.

Some guys that are free agents are Doug Johnson, Chris Redman, Anthony Wright, Mark Bulger and Peyton Manning. Baltimore will resign Wright. Colts will resign Manning. Rams will resign Bulger. Everybody else is going to cost a lot of money and/or possibly spare you to death.

Dooby · 12-24-2003, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: grbh
Here si a list of free agent backs next season. Any float your boat.

Sammy Morris - Buffalo
Rudi Johnson - Cincinnati (RFA)
Troy Hambrick - Dallas (RFA)
Shawn Bryson - Detroit
Stacey Mack - Houston
Dominic Rhodes - Indianapolis (RFA)
Kevin Faulk - New England
Ki-Jana Carter - New Orleans
Duce Staley - Philadelphia
Correll Buckhalter - Philadelphia (RFA)
Kevan Barlow - San Francisco (RFA)
Thomas Jones - Tampa Bay

You could really test Cincinatti's wherewithal if you made a run at Rudi Johnson; take a lot of $$$ up front, though. Nobody else really interests me.

kingrex · 12-24-2003, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: grbh
Here si a list of free agent backs next season. Any float your boat.

Sammy Morris - Buffalo
Rudi Johnson - Cincinnati (RFA)
Troy Hambrick - Dallas (RFA)
Shawn Bryson - Detroit
Stacey Mack - Houston
Dominic Rhodes - Indianapolis (RFA)
Kevin Faulk - New England
Ki-Jana Carter - New Orleans
Duce Staley - Philadelphia
Correll Buckhalter - Philadelphia (RFA)
Kevan Barlow - San Francisco (RFA)
Thomas Jones - Tampa Bay

If I were Dallas, I'd make a play for Rudi, Barlow and Duce. The others would not be significantly better than Hambrick now.

I like Mack's size, but not an every down back rather as a change of pace back (only if he had a scat back as a starter now).

Sammy's not bad, but isn't he injury-prone?

Is Ki-Jana still playing? Really?

Otherwise, I would take my chances in the draft for another back.

grbh · 12-24-2003, 12:01 PM

Yea the list I found doesn't have a lot of interesting names., and as you mentioned those that are interesting are resigning with their team.

I would be shocked if this team began the 2004 season with a new quarterback. Too many other needs, and frankly I think think Carter has done an adequated (not great job).

I am starting with a running back and d-line in the draft and free agency.

Dooby do you or anyone else for that matter have any idea what kind of cap room the Cowboys will be looking at in the off season. I know it is difficult to get a hard number, but I would be interested in a ball park figure assuming they release Galloway.

Dooby · 12-24-2003, 12:34 PM

Somebody posted and article on here about the Cowboys' 2004 cap situation. Frankly, I thought it was a little suspect. There are always so many variables at play. Who to re-sign; who to restructure; who to cut. If I recall correctly, the Cowboys are about $1M under this years cap anyway.

Generally, I think you have to consider the cap situation to be very good.

If you look at where the cowboy's production comes from on the offense, everybody is a bargain when you factor in the QB position, the RB position, the tight ends, the wide receivers (save Galloway). Flozell makes a lot of cash. Larry Allen has a big bag, but that is about it.

On defense, Eckuban is a FA and gone after this year. Bob Sturm had an interesting comment on Leroi Glover's contract being one of the best bargains in FA history. Woodson costs a lot of money, but when you add in the rest of the secondary as a whole, they are a bargain. The linebackers as a unit are average-salary wise.

In short, there are no glaring holes where money is being dumped. The flip side is that there are few contracts to restructure to add cap room because nobody makes much money.

The Cowboys' worst contract is Joey Galloway's. The Cowboys face a decision there (keep, cut or restructure?). Similar question about Larry Allen, but I think his cap number answers the question for both Bill and Jerry-he stays, but he may not play.

I address the needs in this order:

1. pass rush DE. You could spend a lot of $$$ or a high draft pick there.

2. I spend a high draft pick on the right guy, but nobody gets a lot of FA $$$, save maybe Johnson, as I said above.

3. And then to another OL.

4. And then to a 2nd or third corner.

5. And then 3rd WR depending on Galloway.

6. And then to QB. Note on QB: Let's see how far Dimwiddie from Boise State falls in the draft. If he lasts to the second day (possible), then I'd jump on him.

dirno2000 · 12-24-2003, 12:39 PM

Hard to tell. At the beginning of the year I heard we had about 4 mil. Since then we have extedted Ogbogu and Ellis and they're still talking about extending a couple of other guys. Mario Edwards is free and we probably need to sign him.

Galloway is on the books next year for about 6 mil next year, but I don't know what the pro-rated portion of his signing bonus would be. Bottom line: we should have enought to sign a big name FA if that's the direction we choose to go. We're in good shape cap wise. Emmitt is off the boods next year so we don't have a lot of dead money.

kingrex · 12-24-2003, 01:40 PM

I believe part of the reason Parcells agreed to come here was because he knew that in 2-3 years he would have enough cap-space to make a difference. Parcells did an amazing job this year to work with what he got and bring in key guys that made a difference in the locker room. Now, in his second year, he can really start putting in the pieces for his 3rd year masterpiece. I'm looking forward to see what he does.