NFL
By: Greg Rector
I write this as the news of Odell Beckam Jr being released by Cleveland has the NFL universe all aflutter as to where he will land after clearing waivers (he could be claimed) and what team is the best fit for him. Well, you guessed it in more than one article posted by major sports news outlets, the Dallas Cowboys are being mentioned as a landing spot. I’m looking at you CBS Sports for one. The easy answer for every big-name player that gets released is the Dallas Cowboys. This narrative has gone on forever. It’s also the most idiotic easy “CLICKBAIT,” tactic out there. The writers and editors at all the major outlets know as soon as they mention the Cowboys, they guarantee themselves views. Here’s why this nonsense drives me nuts. Sorry Beckham fans but he’s been living off his 2016 Pro Bowl season for a long time. He’s also now 30 years old. The Cowboys have 5 receivers they really like already, not to mention the 6th guy in Simi Fehoko a 2021 draft pick. OBJ would be no higher than the 4th wideout. So why even bring the Cowboys up as a destination? Because the national media feeds off of the low-hanging fruit.
The Cowboys Philosophy
The Cowboys no longer operate the way they did in pre salary cap era. Jerry Jones, unlike how the lazy national media reports haven’t made any arbitrary player personnel decisions for many years. If any of these “reporters,” had spent any time at “The Star,” in Frisco, Texas they would know full well the Cowboys’ decision-maker in this area is Stephen Jones, along with Will McClay. Jerry might have the title of General Manager, but he’s unlike all 31 others in the position. Jerry doesn’t scout players be it at the college or pro level. The scouts will get Jerry on board when they give him a player comparable, such as player X reminds us of Demarcus Ware or a Larry Allen. That’s how it works at the Cowboys headquarters. The mere mention of Jerry deciding things is simply FALSE.
The Cowboys have a three-step approach to building their team. Step one of course is the draft. Step two is development, followed by step three which is to keep as many of their own guys on the roster as the salary cap will allow. The last reason is why so many in the media and yes even the Cowboys fanbase drive me insane as soon as a player with a big name is released or is about to become a free agent. The Cowboys simply approach free agency as a way to keep their own guys, the other reason is they also don’t like giving any team a compensatory pick in the draft, it’s okay to receive them when they can’t keep a player, but they really don’t like the idea of giving other teams extra draft picks. I have written about this in the past but the message apparently is lost on so many, especially within the national media.
The Draft
Every team has hits and misses at the draft. The Cowboys have been getting a lot more hits versus misses lately. Not our fault that 16 teams passed on drafting Ceedee Lamb or that Trevon Diggs was available in round two in 2020. Not our problem that they identified Micah Parsons as the best player available after the position of need (Corner) top two guys were off the board in this past draft. Yes, they have made a mistake or two along the way in recent years, drafted for need, and took Taco Charlton in 2017 when the best player available would have been TJ Watt or Budda Baker. That happens to every team.
Player Development
This has been the harder part as it is for every team. Going from a college player to an NFL player is no easy task. However, when you see the growth of players like Lamb, whose route tree is far better this year, or a Diggs who has gone from just getting his hands on 14 balls last year to now leading the league in interceptions, you see the player development process take shape. Just as they have given Micah Parsons more responsibilities or have gotten Jayron Kearse a player who has never been tasked with calling the defensive signals that responsibility is now his as he has developed from a backup/ special teams guy into a solid Safety.
Free Agency
The Cowboys as I mentioned earlier do not sign big-name free agents, it’s that simple and when the big media outlets start throwing out the Cowboys as a landing spot, it’s CLICKBAIT folks. Stop falling for it. Same with the “fans,” stop thinking the Cowboys are going to sign those types of players. It’s not happening. Fre agency to the Cowboys is keeping as many of the guys they draft and develop, it’s that simple. They will certainly sign the likes of Kearse, Malik Hooker, and Damontae Kazee, players they can sign cheaply and see what turns out from there. I can tell you now they will make a push to sign Kearse to a long-term deal after his play this season, they won’t look at a big name safety, if they can’t keep the other two guys, they will again see what cheaper free agent opportunity is there or it’s something they look at in the draft. There’s a reason why Amari Cooper and Demarcus Lawrence’s contracts weren’t touched, the Cowboys might decide to move on from one or both this off-season. It’s a “Big Picture,” outlook that escapes so many. If they want to and I believe the Cowboys do want to sign Randy Gregory to a long term deal, well he is a couple of years younger than Lawrence and has had a very good season, does it make sense from a salary cap perspective to have two DE’s making huge money? The same applies to Cooper and the WR’s. Lamb will be due a contract after next year, Gallup is a pending free agent though and the team loves him. Those decisions do not lie with Jerry Jones, it’s Stephen Jones that decides contracts and the player decisions for the exact reason that Jerry failed at it for so many years.
So let’s stop with the easy low-hanging fruit narratives that the national media puts out there. Do some research folks, don’t be spoon-fed by the typical media outlets. They get you to click on the Cowboys’ headlines for their own selfish reasons. It generates revenue!!! I haven’t spent a million hours learning how the Cowboys operate, it takes paying attention to the reality of what the Cowboys have been doing for several years. Pretty simple folks.
