Dallas Cowboys OffSeason Thread

[BGMaverick9]

Of course this is coming much sooner than people had hoped, but it's for real.

I guess everything can go in here for now...any new news (good or bad) that comes out, ideas for the future of the team and etc.

09-10: The Year...Maybe?

[alexamenos]

Mike Shanahan.

[MavsWiLLHaVeRinGs]

Originally Posted by alexamenos

Mike Shanahan.

I second that.

[Bayliss]

Jerry Jones ought to throw boatloads of money at Bill Cowher. Either that or convince Mike Holmgren to get his @ss back in the coaching business. Both of those guys would be awesome (IMO). And move Wade over to defensive coach.

[BGMaverick9]

Originally Posted by alexamenos

Mike Shanahan.

I dunno about that, especially if you're in the "Live in the Now/What Have you done for me lately" group. That was a choke job that makes you wonder what exactly does that bring to our already frail December record? Plus look at the playoff record, post Elway.

Peter King suggested two weeks ago that the Cowboys will or should push hard to talk to Holmgren for a position of some sorts in the organization. Cowher is obviously a great choice but it seems like a dead end will be met somewhere. Whether you say it's Jerry and a headstrong/non yes-man coach won't mix or you see Cowher is telling the Jets right now he'll probably want to bring in some of his own guys for personnel directors. Those both would seem to heavily conflict what's happened in the Jerry Jones era. He has full control, or really likes to have the control. Cowher doesn't seem to fit that setting.

[alexamenos]

Spags making some sense...

...he [Romo] is going to need a little help from his friends. No, sorry, from his big friends. Because Romo is human, and the more pressure defenses get on him, his percentage for making mistakes goes up. Makes sense, right?

And just as team's figured out at the end of the 2006 season, and that was with the mighty Bill Parcells as head coach and Tony Sparano calling plays, and just as they figured out by the end of the 2007 season, they figured out the last three-quarters of the 2008 season that the best way to stop the Cowboys was to stop Romo.

In other words, in the true spirit of Texas Hold 'Em, go all in on Romo with the pass rush. Blitz, blitz and blitz some more. Bet you get to Romo before Romo gets to you. And whatever you do, do not give him time to either sit in the pocket or slide in the pocket, as he did in 2006 and mostly in 2007, to buy time for his unconventional plays.

Because the more unconventionally you have to play quarterback, the lower your percentage of success. That's just the way it is.

And the poor Cowboys, they never could - have - figured out how to protect Romo. Not against these great defenses. And unfortunately for them, they lost the one element to best counter all the pressure teams put on the Cowboys - that threat to take the football to the house.

Felix Jones.

Look, who you worried about running by you on this offense? Marion Barber? Please. Tashard Choice? Not really. Terrell Owens? Not if you don't let him off the line. Miles Austin? Not proficient enough as a receiver.

So here they came, right after Romo, to be damned as the Browns and Eagles and Packers were in those first three games to get beat by his innate ability to create.

Think about it: Us creative ones need our space. They gave Romo little.

The Cowboys ability to pick up the blitz, er, inability, and that goes for the offensive line, the backs, the tight ends and the receivers to understand about cut-off routes, is why this team ultimately finished 9-7 and why this offense averaged just 16.5 points over the final month of the season when the Cowboys went, ugh, 1-3.

Check this out: In his 13 starts this season Romo was sacked 20 times. But 13 of those sacks came in the final four games - 65 percent in 25 percent of the games.

In 13 starts this season, Romo fumbled the ball 13 times, losing seven. But in the final four games, he had six of those fumbles, losing three.

In his 13 starts this season, he was intercepted 16 times. But of those 16, six of those came in the final four games - 38 percent in just 25 percent of the games.

And in two of those final four games, Romo suffered a severe enough back contusion to probably have missed at least one game - he played on - and suffered separated cartilage in the last one that would have sidelined him this week if the Cowboys had somehow won.

link

[BGMaverick9]

I didn't read the article, just saw the headline on yahoo though. Looks like the Broncos want to interview Garrett.

[FINtastic]

We fired Bruce Read (our special teams coach) the other day.

At least we are make one of the moves we needed to make.

[alby]

please leave Garrett.

[BGMaverick9]

If Shanahan did come here, I don't see them (him and Garrett) working together.
Wouldn't this become a run-first, run-heavy team?

[alby]

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

If Shanahan did come here, I don't see them (him and Garrett) working together.
Wouldn't this become a run-first, run-heavy team?

I hope so. We've seen what happens when we have Romo sling it 40 times a game.

[alby]

With that being said, Cutler threw it 616 times this year. 39 times a game. dammit.

[BGMaverick9]

Originally Posted by alby

With that being said, Cutler threw it 616 times this year. 39 times a game. dammit.

In all fairness to that, well...

Really though, they couldn't keep a healthy running back at all during the season. He's all about the zone blocking and running the ball with just about anyone. I'm sure as long as he doesn't sprinkle injury dust on our 3 RBs he could have a massive field day with it.

[alby]

I hope we go to a more run based offense next year with Barber/Felix/Choice. That will set up the pass and Romo won't be asked to do too much, he'll face single coverages on the outside if we punish opposing defenses with the run more often a la Giants/Ravens/Steelers/Panthers/etc.

[BGMaverick9]

That's exactly what I'm thinking. You have three talented RBs, they might not all be healthy together but you've got depth, why not use it as best as you can. If you can run the ball 25-30 times and be effective you would kill them with play action passes.

You just need a catchy nickname for the 3-headed monster.

[alby]

The Ceatles?

fail.

[ty]

The People's Barbarian Cat

[BGMaverick9]

Ed Reed (a hot name around the NFL now) was on the Michael Irvin show just a few minutes ago and when they asked him about the Cowboys game and Reed was saying the gameplan wasn't what they expected. He suggested that the scheme or gameplan was very simple and that the Ravens knew what was coming. It wasn't planned out very well or complex. He even questioned why Garrett is getting so much attention for interviews.

Wow.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

Ed Reed (a hot name around the NFL now) was on the Michael Irvin show just a few minutes ago and when they asked him about the Cowboys game and Reed was saying the gameplan wasn't what they expected. He suggested that the scheme or gameplan was very simple and that the Ravens knew what was coming. It wasn't planned out very well or complex. He even questioned why Garrett is getting so much attention for interviews.

Wow.

Ed Reed knows what he's talking about...

It would be fitting if Garrett became Detroit's head coach, but his karma is probably good enough to land him a gig in Denver (it's not like he's a bad person or anything - he's just too vanilla for a franchise like the Dallas Cowboys...)

I hope someone takes him off our hands because I don't think Jerry will fire him...


Also, I wish we could demote Wade Phillips to defensive coordinator - he's one of the best defensive managers in the league... Too bad he can't focus on that talent while he's trying to run the three-ring circus this team has become... We really need a no-nonsense coach at the helm (although those types tend to clash with Jerry Jones...)

[BGMaverick9]

Originally Posted by Underdog

Ed Reed knows what he's talking about...

It would be fitting if Garrett became Detroit's head coach, but his karma is probably good enough to land him a gig in Denver (it's not like he's a bad person or anything - he's just too vanilla for a franchise like the Dallas Cowboys...)

I hope someone takes him off our hands because I don't think Jerry will fire him...


Also, I wish we could demote Wade Phillips to defensive coordinator - he's one of the best defensive managers in the league... Too bad he can't focus on that talent while he's trying to run the three-ring circus this team has become... We really need a no-nonsense coach at the helm (although those types tend to clash with Jerry Jones...)

I agree with everything on here, but I really don't know if Garrett would accept another deal based on what he has right now and where he could possibly head to.

I don't think there is any way they can openly demote Wade to DC and let things roll cleanly.

[dalmations202]

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

I agree with everything on here, but I really don't know if Garrett would accept another deal based on what he has right now and where he could possibly head to.

I don't think there is any way they can openly demote Wade to DC and let things roll cleanly.

Don't demote him -- Make him HC of the defense -- he is anyway.
Make Shanny -- Head coach of the Offense.

Since you can't have a two headed snake running things-- there has to be a final decision maker........Jerry Jones is that person regardless of who has the title anyway.


It might work for a little while -- if WP and MS would accept the roles.

[alby]

Ed Reed pretty much just said we run a college and/or high school scheme-based offense. Thanks Garrett

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by alby

Ed Reed pretty much just said we run a college and/or high school scheme-based offense. Thanks Garrett

Unfortunately he didn't just say it - he proved it too...

[alexamenos]

Originally Posted by Underdog

Ed Reed knows what he's talking about...

Ray Lewis said the same thing.

I'm inclined to agree with Ed Reed and Ray Lewis, but the source(s) should also be considered -- Garrett turned down a choice to be Head Coach in Baltimore so both have a bit of an axe to grind with Garrett.

[alexamenos]

ad -- As you note, they not only said it but they backed it up as well....

[Kirobaito]

Pacman project in Dallas is over
Associated Press

IRVING, Texas -- Troubled cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was released by the Dallas Cowboys following a season in which he was suspended six games for an off-field fight.

The announcement came Wednesday, but the transaction will not become official until Feb. 9, the first day NFL teams can make waiver requests.

The Cowboys traded for Jones before the season even though he had been suspended for the 2007 season because of a series of off-field incidents.

He missed six games this season for violating the league's player conduct policy after an Oct. 7 scuffle with a team bodyguard at a Dallas hotel. He missed a seventh game with an injury.

Jones averaged just 4.6 yards per punt return and had no interceptions.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3817195

[BGMaverick9]

Hey, at least Jerry cut ties with one mistake so far...

[Underdog]

[dalmations202]

They have a few more needing the axe as well.

[u2sarajevo]

The only news that could have been better than that would be involving Garrett and Detroit or Denver...... or anywhere else....

[mkat]

why shanahan? dude's done nothing since elway left...

[MavsX]

Originally Posted by alby

The Ceatles?

fail.

epic fail.

[ty]

Originally Posted by MavsX

epic fail.

My avatar = epic fail.

[Underdog]

re-uninstated?

[ty]

Originally Posted by Underdog

re-cut?

fixed

[MavsX]

Originally Posted by ty

My avatar = epic fail.

my face is epic fail.

[Underdog]

Priority Lists
Cowboys Have Tough Free-Agent Decisions To Make

link


IRVING, Texas - Whether or not the Cowboys thought they'd be ready to evaluate their free agents here in early January, that is certainly the business at hand.

Instead of preparing for a playoff game, the Cowboys are now fixated on formulating the off-season game plan.

And while the NFL Draft is a big part of that - especially for the Cowboys this year with nine draft picks, although excluding a first-round draft pick - first things are first.

Before they can get to the draft, the Cowboys will have to figure out free agency.

For the second straight year, it appears the Cowboys will have more decisions to make regarding their own players, than scanning the open market for new additions.

There will always be a little bit of both. Despite owner Jerry Jones stating after the team's season-ending loss to the Eagles that the Cowboys will not be major players in the free-agent market, it's likely a new player or two will be added to the mix.

More importantly, the Cowboys must make some tough decisions on their own free agents, particularly the eight unrestricted players whose contracts are up at the start of March.

The headline of that group could be defensive end Chris Canty, a restricted free agent last year who played for the one-year tender. Starting all 16 games, Canty finished seventh on the team with 64 tackles. He also had three sacks and had seven pass deflections, leading all non-defensive backs.

The Cowboys wanted to re-sign Canty during last year's off-season, but the club opted to re-sign players such as Terence Newman, Marion Barber, Terrell Owens and Ken Hamlin, pushing Canty's contract to the backburner.

This year, the Cowboys would again like to get a deal in place with the defensive end, presumably before the start of the NFL's free-agent signing period. If they don't, then the Cowboys would have another dilemma on their hands, maybe one that will become more obvious this time next season.

Without Canty, the Cowboys could possibly get by with Jason Hatcher or Stephen Bowen - a restricted free agent - at defensive end. Pro Bowl nose tackle Jay Ratliff could move back to his regular position at end, but then that would leave a huge void at tackle.

One of the eight free agents is Tank Johnson, whose return to the club next season is doubtful.

Also, if the Cowboys fail to re-sign Canty this season that would put added pressure on the club re-signing Spears and Hatcher - both are free agents after the 2009 season. And arguably, Canty has been the most productive of those three.

Another position figured to be affected by free agency is linebacker, particularly the inside spots.

Both Zach Thomas and Kevin Burnett are free agents, and Thomas even said after the Eagles loss that he doesn't expect to return to the Cowboys in 2009. However, the 35-year-old linebacker somewhat softened his stance the following day and said he would weigh all of his options.

Thomas recorded 177 tackles this season, second on the team to Bradie James (202) but good for third-most in Cowboys history. However, Thomas said he wasn't as comfortable in this particular 3-4 system and said he could try and play on another defense next year.

As for Burnett, it will be interesting to see what kind of market is out there for him.

He's had seven surgeries during his four-year career, although only one was considered major, when he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery at the end of the 2005 season. Burnett has only missed three games in his career, and is arguably coming off his best season, when he was a mainstay on the team's dime defense. Burnett had 38 tackles and two sacks in a limited role on defense, but finished second on special teams with 19 tackles.

The Cowboys would like to retain Burnett, who is probably the team's best cover linebacker, but at the right price. Don't be surprised if Burnett waits to sign until he tests the open market. And what happens with Burnett might affect what the Cowboys do with Thomas, if not the other way around.

The player who finished just ahead of Burnett in special teams tackles was Keith Davis, the special teams captain. He's also one of the overall team leaders and for that, the Cowboys can see his value.

It's unlikely the club will make the same mistake twice in two seasons and let Davis walk to another team. He signed with the Dolphins last year with hopes of starting at safety. Instead, Miami cut him just before the season, allowing him to return to Dallas.

The Cowboys should be able to re-sign Davis for the right price and with the idea that Davis would again spearhead the special teams, and be the team's third or fourth safety.

Don't be surprised if linebacker Carlos Polk, a mid-season addition for special teams, is also re-signed.

Quarterback Brooks Bollinger is also a free agent, and it wouldn't be surprising if the Cowboys brought him back. In fact, Bollinger has a better chance of returning than Brad Johnson, who still has another year remaining on his deal.

The Cowboys could get Bollinger back, along with drafting a rookie to groom as possibly the No. 3 quarterback.

As for restricted free agents, the Cowboys have just five - wide receivers Sam Hurd and Miles Austin, defensive end Stephen Bowen, tight end Tony Curtis and guard Cory Procter.

Since all five were undrafted free agents, the Cowboys would get no draft pick compensation should they sign tenders with other clubs this year - assuming the team designates them all as right-of-first-refusal tenders, for the minimum $1.01 million.

And the Cowboys would probably do that with four of the five. Austin might get a higher tender, considering his speed and upside. If the Cowboys designated a second-round tender, he would get a one-year, $1.545 contract. Should another team sign him to an offer sheet, the Cowboys would get the chance to either match the deal or sign him to their own long-term contract. If not, they would get a second-round pick in return.

Last year, the Cowboys tendered Marion Barber with a first- and third-round offer - the highest possible designation - only to sign him to a seven-year deal later in the summer.

Here's a look at the Cowboys' 2009 free agents:

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
OG Joe Berger
LB Kevin Burnett
QB Brooks Bollinger
DE Chris Canty
S Keith Davis
DT Tank Johnson
LB Carlos Polk
LB Zach Thomas

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
WR Miles Austin
DE Stephen Bowen
TE Tony Curtis
WR Sam Hurd
OG Cory Procter

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS
RB Alonzo Coleman
TE Rodney Hannah
P Sam Paulescu

[Underdog]

Writing On The Wall
Ghosts Of Pacman's Past Swallow Him Up

link


IRVING, Texas - Part of me just wanted to make this day easy, like just send you into the archives here to read my column from March 24 or April 24.

Part of me wanted to go back to some April emails, one accusing me of being "such an angry person," another saying "you drive me absolutely bonkers with the stupid stuff you picked up along the way" and a bunch of you simply irritated with my habit on Talkin' Cowboys for overly using the word "knucklehead."

But that would be too easy, an uncontested layup of sorts, and when it comes to one of those I-told-you-so's, well, nobody likes that guy.

Hmmmm.

So it took exactly 224 days for Pacman Jones to wear out his welcome with the Dallas Cowboys, who basically on Wednesday stamped his walking papers with NWTT - Not Worth The Trouble.

Though officially unspoken, there was an array of reasons why the Cowboys finally washed their hands of this sociopath, who cunningly conned the likes of former Cowboys like Michael Irvin and Deion Sanders to publicly go to bat for him when he was just looking for another in a long line of another chances once the Tennessee Titans cleansed their hands of their former first-round draft choice.

After all, he had only attracted the authorities a dozen times since he entered the league in 2005, and that heavy-handed and mean Roger Goodell simply picked on him in 2007 when suspending him a year for conduct unbecoming of not only an NFL player but, come to think of it, a U.S. citizen. Right, since all those incidents were circumstantial? Plus, my gosh, he was a first-round talent who just needed some guidance, as if Nashville was some sort of jungle out there.

Well, let's see, Pacman lasted only six games before he gave the NFL commissioner enough reason to suspend him for six more, of all things getting into a public disturbance with the very man hired him to keep him out of trouble - his bodyguard. That's what he got caught doing, but evidently there were various other troubling signs with his petulant behavior and why the commissioner mandated he spend two weeks in a rehab center.

Then there was the neck injury he suffered when sticking his nose in on a punt return in Pittsburgh at the five-yard line where he had no business even attempting to field the ball, muffing and having to dive into an onslaught of Steelers just to recover the ball. Who knows, maybe medically no one liked the look of his spinal column upon closer inspection.

Then there is this impending ESPN report supposedly airing in its entirety on Sunday claiming that Pacman asked an accused murderer to shoot a person he had a verbal disagreement with in an Atlanta strip club back in June of 2007, just three months into his NFL suspension, but just three months after being involved in a similar incident in Las Vegas. While police investigated this story and failed to press charges at the time, evidently the men who were shot at have been more than willing to anonymously air their side of the story on camera, Pacman's presence in the club backed up by a video surveillance camera poised at the entrance of the club.

Oh those past ghosts.

And finally there is this: Was Pacman really worth all this trouble? Seriously? His kick returns were fraught with more panic than production. Given a choice between Pacman and Anthony Henry when Terence Newman was injured, opposing quarterbacks targeted passes his way more times than not, a good reason for those 13 pass breakups. The percentages were with him. And within a 52-second span in the final game at Philadelphia, he totally lost his composure, giving up a 13-yard completion to Reggie Brown, then compounding his problem with a 15-yard flag for hitting him out of bounds, all leading to a Philadelphia touchdown, and then on the ensuing kickoff fumbling the ball away with three seconds left, just enough for the Eagles to kick a half-ending field goal. Look, already bad-enough 17-3 turned into an unrecoverable 27-3 deficit just like that.

If you can't trust a guy off the field, how are you going to trust him on the field when the pressure is really on?

So take your pick as for why the Cowboys pulled the trigger when they did, but there was certainly enough reason to do so even before ESPN began beating its chest for forcing the Cowboys' hand. Heck, who would have argued the point back after Thanksgiving when the NFL reinstated him - again?

But at some point, enough is enough.

The only good to come out of gambling on Pacman is the Cowboys hedged their bet, and for that, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones must get credit for being a shrewd businessman. First of all, the Cowboys didn't give Pacman any money, as in a signing bonus when executing the sign-and-trade deal with Tennessee. He had to earn it, game by game, so he ended up costing them $411,765 for 10 games of service. Releasing him come Feb. 9 will not cost them a dime on the 2009 salary cap.

Then the Cowboys did not cave in to the Titans outrageous trade demands, thinking they were going to get a first in return for the knucklehead. The Cowboys ended up giving the Titans a 2008 fourth-rounder, which ended up being wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins, and promised them a 2009 sixth if Pacman completed the season with a clean slate.

Of course, he did not, which not only voided the sixth-round pick the Cowboys would have owed the Titans, but now forces the Titans to give the Cowboys their 2009 fifth-round pick in return. So if you are scoring at home, the Cowboys essentially gave up the difference between last year's 28th pick in the fourth round for - depending on the playoff outcome - no higher than the 30th pick in the fifth round or potentially, if Tennessee should win the Super Bowl, the 32nd - no more than 36 spots in the draft.

You'd roll the dice on that draft chump change.

And, on top of all that, as was advocated back in April, the Cowboys also had to insure their bet, meaning still draft a first-round quality cornerback because, as Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones pointed out at the time, they had to treat the draft as if Pacman wasn't even there. He would be considered no more than a bonus, not a solution.

And they did, not only taking cornerback Mike Jenkins in the first round but also Orlando Scandrick in the fifth to repair what had been a previously sore position.

Pacman then became the parlay that never paid off.

So the lasting repercussions are minimal. Nothing financial. No trader's remorse. No serious cornerback vacancy. And there can't be any locker room backlash to this move.

Really, just one body guard with bruised feelings.

In the Joneses' previous business parlance, a free drilling of what turned out to be a dry well.

Now as the Cowboys frustratingly brace to watch the second round of the NFL playoffs this weekend, there were those way back in September who predicted this inevitable ending to Pacman's stay in Dallas, already having seen through his temperamental temperament and transparent words. Too bad for Pacman, he had his chance, now squandering another $1.5 million he didn't have to squander.

All meaning in the end, sometimes it's just OK to call a knucklehead a knucklehead.

[Dtownsfinest]

I don't get this whole Pac-Man nonsense. His play at corner was probably the best on the team. If not him second behind Scandrick(Newman's injured first half of the season sort of discredits him). Then we allow him back after the suspension. I just don't get it. I think its for the best though. I think honestly there are players on this team who didn't want him back or even here to begin with. I thought his play on the field for his 1st year back was pretty solid. Maybe he's already hit his wall.

[GermanDunk]

Originally Posted by Underdog

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Underdog again.