Howard Trade Revived?

i like this deal it gives a solid player and no worry about drafting a bust or letting take a year to learn the nfl. plus it gives us a third which i dont think we have. i worry about unproved de’s in the draft are history isnt good with them plus we would possibly have the best dline in football. ellis, ferguson, glover, howard. damn i like it

I say pass. Look, New Orleans, for all their rhetoric about keeping Howard if they can’t deal him, needs to trade him. There’s nothing preventing Dallas from revisiting this after the draft. Plus, if they can hit on the guys they want, they save a TON of money cap wise. Don’t forget that Roy Williams is coming up on a new deal soon.

The Cowboys have all the leverage here. Had Howard not suffered a herniated disc in his neck last year, I’d be more enthusiastic. But haven’t we dealt with enough herniated discs in one offseason?

That may have been a bulging disc and not a herniated one. Still, if that disc goes, Howard’s career is in jeopardy, and then where are you. And his contract will drawf Jason Ferguson’s and Marco Rivera’s.

You cant buid this team for the long run when you keep trying to win NOW. All you have to do is look at what the eagles and the patriots do year in and year out.Philly has 13 picks this year and the Patriots have 12. They must be doing something right. I dont want anymore of these bulging disc, over paid players. More Young blood is needed on this team. Howard’s cost is too much….I’ll pass

do it up

I don’t like giving the 20th up. I would only offer the 2nd round pick. Howard’s deal would be bigger then that of a Shawne Merriman, Marcus Spears, or DeMarcus Ware, plus their younger.

It’s tempting, but no. Derrick is right. You build a team through the draft. You use free agency only when the opportunity to improve is not available in the draft.

Saturday we have the opportunity to hit 3 home runs. Of course it’s risky, and if we blow it, then we are probably going to be subjected to another 3-5 years of terrible football. But if we take the right players, then this Dallas competes at the top of the NFC for the next 5 or 6 years.

I say — Bill, earn your money!!!!!!! Get us the best players in the draft.

Don’t get me wrong, I love what Dallas has been doing this spring in free agency, but I don’t want to lose our picks – we have to put some young blood around the nucleus that we already have in place.

IF they do this then I would like to see them drop back with the 11th pick. The second level of players are said to be after the first two (Smith and Braylon). After that, the second level is said to be deep and stocked with the kind of players Dallas needs.

If they pick up the 3rd rounder and drop back from 11 this could be a solid draft.

Is it Saturday yet?

Don’t like the trade at all. with the 2 first rounders we can grab spears and another dl. We need another big DL to stop the run. Remember the cowboys of the 90’s casillas/hennings/lett/maryland. it might not be a bad idea to take a cb if available at 20.

Derrick i agree with u 100%.Hook this draft up right and we got a contender for years to come.

I say keep the draft picks. Pick 2 DEs in the first round. Say Merriman for the 11th and Pollack with the 20th. True DE in the draft historically haven’t done well here. But Merriman is that nasty, mad dog DE that we’ve needed forever. Shante Carver and Greg Ellis have been mediocre at best and I’m being nice as far as Carver is concerned. Neither had the “mad dog” intensity that Haley showed. Then with the 2nd round pick you can go with a WR – say maybe Mike Williams (if he drops – and I’m thinking he does).

Great column Raf…

I say pass as well…look there are more holes to fill than just DE…There are only a few home runs in this draft and they will be long gone by 11.

Trade down with both 11 and 20…get the best you can for this year or next year if that gets you better trade value…I would love to say the Super bowl is a possibility this year but i think that would be dreaming…pick some solid players this year and rearm for next year and then make a run…it will all depend on how good they are this year at judging talent. If they make solid picks in the 2nd to 3rd round this year, let them get a year of experience under their helmet and then pick a couple of gems next spring and then look out for the next 5 years…JJ could also fill in with free agents if we are sitting pretty next spring…my 2 cents…lets not get in a hurry and blow it.

I understand everything thinks that youth should be served but you can’t ignore the statistics of mises of DE’s in the draft.

The chances of Dallas hitting on both picks and them both being studs are LOW. I’m talking LOW.

If you knew you were coming out with two studs that’s great but one of those guys are going to completly stink.

A bird in the hand as the saying goes and you get a 3rd with it. You come away with a solid line next year and still have a solid pick at 9 or trade down and pick two (or push one to next year again).

The risker decision BY FAR is to pass on Howard and take two stabs at this draft in the first round.

BTW, just because it’s being reported as the 20th pick on the rumor mill doesn’t make it so. As it’s been stated. Dallas holds the leverage in this thing.

Sorry, meant to say pick 11, not 9.

But everything else I was 1000% right on ;)

I would love Merriman and Ware, or Merriman Clayton and Tuck. I pray Mike Williams drops but don’t think he will

Don, with all due respect. That is typical Cowboy fan mentality. Win now. Big Bill thrives off of it. Let’s just say for s*$#s and giggles that Dallas puts in place a great D-line with proven veterans who are injury plagued and within the next few years we do get to the Super Bowl. What happens after than? Load up again with another string of battle worn veterans to win just right now. People have forgotten that the Aikman’s, the Emmit’s, the Irvin’s and Larry Allen’s were not proven. Someone took a chance on them out of the drafts and said let’s build a team. That’s how dynasty’s are made my friends. It’s the win now attitude that will allow us to never see another Trinity here in Dallas. Don, don’t mean to pick on you. You were just the last to reply. No offense.

If Bill Parcells did not have input on our selection in this draft………I would say do not even pick a DE. We have failed so often and for so long…….but since he does………and he has a pretty darn good history…….I would say go to the draft first and then consider Howard or Abraham if the Saints or Jets are on the phone during the draft…….nothing like being on the clock to get their pressure pumping.

I would like the Risk vs. Reward of Bill Parcells at 11 and 20 and 42. I think we have the chance to get a DE, LB maybe a good FS or CB…….possibly a WR although I think he may go after that later in the draft. I think 11, 20 and 42 can and will be starters next year………and can and will have impact. Especially the FS and WR. DE may play some but harder to be impact as a rookie……..hopefully they will be……..We need it……….

No way! The risk is paying all the money and paying the price of the trade. We want Howard, either his price comes down or the Saints price comes down. Next year he will be a F.A., so wait around ’til then. Right now Dallas has to take its chances in the draft, unless N.O. gives Dallas a good deal … and a good deal right now is in the range of a 3rd round choice, not a 1st.

RSmithson, excellent post. That was a very compelling argument for building a team through the draft. I was on the fence, even leaning towards the Howard trade, but you are soooo right. Man, what if Jimmy Johnson took that attitude of drafting aging veterans instead of following his gut in the draft. Fuhget aboudit, our run would never have happened. Let’s take our shot in the draft and may the Bill be with us.

jon, One thing I think alot of you dont know about Abraham. He has not signed his franchise tag offer which means he cannot be traded under any circumstances. He is the property of the jets but cant be traded unless he signs the franchise tag offer and they cant negotiate a contract until june and I cant see Abraham signing the franchise tag offer

Guys, can you imagine what it’s like in the Draft War Room right now. They’re going over the same things we are. Man, I love this game and I love the Boys in silver and blue. How cool would it be to be a fly on the wall in that room. Better yet how cool would it be to have a voice in their discussions.

Derrick,

There is a lot of issues between the Jets and Abraham right now.

Jets just traded away first round pick for a TE from Raiders. If they do desire a 1st Round Pick do not be surprised if J.A. is the way they get it done. They still have needs on both sides of the ball, and want to keep Abraham………..however……….if Abraham wants out of NYJ the Boys make as much sense as it did for John Ferguson.

He is in play as much as he can be. Not worth trading the farm for, but hey if the Jets do not think he will play or wants too much they could call up JJ and BP to help out.

I would love to see Darren Howard come into the fold, but not at the cost of a draft pick, or at such a high cap number. I think the team would be much better served by trying to parlay that #20 pick into two second rounders, or a second and a third. There are too many holes in the starting lineup, and little depth anywhere. The team really needs an infusion of youth and bodies in general. Yeah, I know Bill wants to win now, but looking ahead, by the time 2007 rolls around, we are going to be cap strapped with a team of 35 year olds. Examples: Bledsoe, Keyshawn, Glenn, Glover, Allen, Rivera, Ferguson, and Ellis. Henry, Nguyen, and Adams wont be youngsters either. Let’s not forget what happened to the Raiders and Redskins in the late 90’s and early 00’s when they tried to “win now.” Neither franchise is has recovered yet.

In addition, adding Howard pretty much spells the end of the 3-4 plans. No more dreams of DeMarcus Ware or Shawne Merriman coming off the edge from the OLB spot. No more Spears or Cody anchoring the line. Just more of Dat Nguyen getting beat up in the middle all by himself and more of Terence Newman getting beat after trying to chase a reciever around for 10 seconds due to the lack of a pass rush.

It would be nice to win now but I would rather see the Cowboys build a team through the draft that will be a perennial contender.

Jon, I have heard Abraham wants to stay with the jets, he just wants the long term big dollar deal, and the jets can’t come to terms with hime.

On topic, I also say pass. As much as Howard would be great on our line, he is still a risk, with injury being a big concern, plus he will be expensive. Heck we could probablly get both our first round guys for the cost of him, and while I don’t have the actual numbers, I don’t think we have as much cap room as many others think we do.

RSmithson – no offense taken. It’s all about the discussion.

On those that say Jimmy Johnson built through the draft. I agree but one of the key moves he made was picking up Haley from the 9ers. Without that move I question Dallas making those runs at the SB.

I’d love to see that pick be lower than the 20th pick from Dallas but at the end of the day, Howard would be a solid starter at the end position and Dallas can work on filling other holes.

Last comment, the guy is 28 years old. It’s not a win now mentality by picking him up. He’s got plenty of years left in the league and would probably play out any reasonable contract signed. I’m not talking about grabbing a Warren Sapp here.

I think this is a great trade. There doesn’t seem to be anyone who would compare to Howard in the long run at pick #20. I think they should stay in the 4-3, draft Troy Williamson or maybe a conerback with #11, then at #20, unless Erasmus James or Marcus Spears are still on the board, make the trade. Then they should draft a LOLB and a FS in the second and third rounds.

i dont think the boys should do it. parcells has had excellent first round choices in the past ie ty law, bledsoe, shaun ellis, etc… give him 2 first rounders and you’re looking at a great team, maybe not this year, but definately in the future!!!!!

I’d not give up the equivalent of a 33rd pcik for Darren Howard. While I don’t know too much about him I know that (a) he’s a small DE that fits only in the the 4-3 (b) has a history of back trouble and has had few complete seasons © he’s older than anyone we’d draft with the theoretical 33rd pick.

I agree with many posts that the Saints have little leverage. I’d consider giving up the equivalent of a late 2nd rounder, and that’s all. For instance, if we give up the 20th, I’d want back the Saints 1st next year (which I assume the saints won’t do), plus the 3rd round this year.

Here’s hoping the ’boys come away with Spears and either Merriman or DeMarcus somehow in the first. Perhaps they can trade down a few (not sure how) with the 11th and trade up a few with the 20th (again… not sure how – depends how the cards fall).

Let’s hope the Cowboys negotiators bring their A-game.

All that said I say we only give up the #42 spot or a later round for this guy. Let’s not forget that the herniated disc problem is the same thing that caused the Moose to retire. Meaning this guy is one hit away from retirement. Then what do we have? Go young and build. I agree that Jimmy went out and snatched Haley from the 9’ers but not at the expense of a first round draft pick either. Look at how the Pats are doing this thing. They’ve got a ton of people that they have drafted and built around. The Redskins tried to put together a bought team a couple of years ago with Bruce Smith and the like – effect: Failure.

what happens when we dont do it and the 20th pick we have is a bust then everyone will be saying “see i knew we shouldve traded for howard”….