Hail Mary or a 5 Year Plan?

by jdg4660 on Feb 14, 2012 12:22 AM CST

OCC and others have argued well that we Cowboy fans and Jerry Jones should avoid quick fixes, like the trade for Roy Williams. But with $20MM in cap space burning a hole in Jerry's pocket, it's hard not to wonder how many holes the Cowboys could plug this year. And let's face it, how many of us have OCC's patience?

Me, I'm just the kind of sucker who forgets all the Jerry Jones foolishness. Come August, I'll probably allow myself to start day dreaming of one Cowboy victory after another. Demarco Murray will lead the NFL in rushing, I'll think. Nicks will fortify the line. Austen will have a monster season. Dez will be the best receiver in the NFL. Witten . . .

You're right. Ain't gonna happen. The Cowboys have too many question marks. There's not enough pass rush. We've got no lock down corner. Safety is a problem. On and on.

But there's something else. Demarcus Ware will be 30 years old next season. So will Witten, who already looked like he was slowing down. Romo will be 32. Those are the best players the Cowboys have. So a five year plan will come about two years too late for any of them.

More after the jump.

Jerry's stadium isn't getting any newer. Heck, Jerry isn't getting any younger either. Whatever the holes are on this team right now, imagine how big they will be without the best OLB in football? Or what about replacing a Hall of Fame tight-end? Think Romo isn't that great? Imagine a year of Stephen McGee.

So maybe the Cowboys could sign Nicks. Maybe they could find a DE pass rusher in the first round who actually gets ten sacks next year. Maybe they get a solid CB in round two. They somehow resign Robinson and Spencer and some better CB. And Arkin or Costa or Kowalski gets a lot better. And, and and.

You see the problem. For the Cowboys to take big steps next year, everything has to break right. And there's a lot of moving parts. Dez has to improve. Miles has to be a lot more like the guy he was in 2009. Demarco Murray has to be the back we think he'll be. Robinson has to do what he did last year. Carter will have to be next year's Sean Lee, who will have to keep in going.

Plus, just in case no one noticed, Eli Manning and the Giants won the Super Bowl. Again. And the Eagles looked like the best team in football once they got healthy. So it's not like the Cowboys are going to waltz through the East.

So now we're looking at 2013 when Witten and Ware will be 31 and Romo 34.

So you see the dilemma for Jerry Jones.

It almost makes you wonder what kind of draft choices the Cowboys might line up if they traded Witten, Romo, Ware, and even Austen. Maybe it's time to really start over. Load up on draft picks. Work the boards. Take the best player available. Build from the inside out. Find the RKGs.

Hey, maybe we could move up in the draft and get Robert Griffen or Coples or both, and . . .

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Comments

This articles sums up my feelings towards this team. Jerry screwed the pooch.

He waited too long to get serious about this team. Romo’s age and where this team currently sits talent wise is why I think Romo will never win a superbowl here.

You are correct about the Eagles and Giants. Not to mention those teams have better leadership than Dallas. Next year Dallas needs to get a top tiered Qb in the draft. Even if they have to trade up. Way up. I don’t want to go through the baseball players or Bledsoe types again. McGee is not an nfl qb.

I would trade Austin this year if it meant moving up to get Coples. I would even throw in something extra. We need impact players. We have only a few tradeable commodities and Austin I believe is one of them.

Jerry stuck too long with Spencer. Never tried to replace him with a real pass rusher. The 3-4 has never really been what it was supposed to have been. Yet many many draft choices were wasted trying to fulfill it. He let the core get old without adding any real help. He screwed around with Wade 4 years too long.

I have no problem starting over. I think you play this season and see what happens but I would trade anyone if it meant getting a young stud qb in the draft next year. Trying to build on the fly has never worked for Dallas. Jerry doesn’t know how to do it. Problem is Jerry still thinks we are just a player away.

Jerry is the end all in Dallas.

by football mensa on Feb 14, 2012 6:40 AM CST reply actions

I have said this before

Get Nicks
Keep Spencer
Trade up for Quinton Coples
Get a nice CB in round 2

If Coples and the corner are good we go to the Superbowl.

Why not?

by Jonathan Stern on Feb 14, 2012 7:46 AM CST reply actions

I too share these delusions :-)

But then I sober up and remember the reasons:

1. mediocre safety
2. Nicks can’t block Costa’s guy
3. Coples only got 7.5 sacks in college. Is he going to be, as a rookie, the answer to our lack of pass rush.
4. Rookie CB taken in the second round is probably going to get lit up like a Christmas tree, especially by the Giants
5. Carter took about six snaps last year. Are we sure he’s the answer at ILB?
6. The Giants and the Eagles

Galveston Dave

by jdg4660 on Feb 14, 2012 7:54 PM CST up reply actions

I understand but I think even has a rookie Coples would be an upgrade at DE,

Any upgrade at DE makes Spencer seem ok. With a decent DE Spencer goes from a 6 sack guy to an 8 sack guy.

We got to believe in Bruce Carter. I think he is the answer. We passed up Bowers to get him.

by Jonathan Stern on Feb 14, 2012 10:22 PM CST up reply actions

Anyway if we get Coples we get to see him and Tyron Smith face off in practice.

by Jonathan Stern on Feb 14, 2012 10:40 PM CST up reply actions

and i hope Coples could do what JJ Watt did last year 5.5 sacks

by Jonathan Stern on Feb 14, 2012 10:41 PM CST up reply actions

I truly believe even with our holes

That we aren’t that far away from really contending. Our offense would be phenomenal with an improved line i.e.. Nicks, Grubbs or FA C. Of course pass rush and secondary need improvement, but even with an average or slightly above average D, we have the parts on O to outscore any team on a given night.

by Bermystar on Feb 14, 2012 9:32 AM CST reply actions

this is what Jerry thinks, too

Galveston Dave

by jdg4660 on Feb 14, 2012 7:54 PM CST up reply actions

5 year plans don't work

no coach can go five years without establishing themselves. If Dallas could trade Romo for 3 1st round picks I’d do it, but otherwise, any winning Dallas does in the near term will be accomplished by Romo

check out my bands nanoSMASH and Day vs Night

by AustonianAggie on Feb 14, 2012 4:47 PM CST reply actions

5 year plans remind me of Stalin

so I’m going to illogically link the two and say no. We have the guys at key positions. We’re more than a few players away, and it’ll take a few years (assuming JG keeps Jerry in check and we have good drafts….a big IF), but in say 2-3 years, the players will still be in the their low thirties. Heck, Brady is like 34 and Brees is 33 and those two even have a few years left.

"How 'Bout them Cowboys!"---Jimmy Johnson

"...and the Cowboys...STUN the Bills!"--ESPN MNF

by ScottB1985 on Feb 14, 2012 6:15 PM CST reply actions

let's just hope we don't have another 2009 draft

Galveston Dave

by jdg4660 on Feb 14, 2012 7:55 PM CST up reply actions

Youre the only person I think has some grasp on this team

Id wait to get a qb early though maybe in 2 years. Just keep the influx of youth going on this team, that’s what it needs.

Favorite Prospects: Martin, Burfict, Rainey, Curry

by bitterlyhonest on Feb 14, 2012 8:05 PM CST reply actions

We don't need a 5 year plan, just a two year plan

We are in an era where teams frequently go from last to first in their divisions.

The Cowboys have a lot of holes to fill and will not be able to fill them all this year. If Jerry tries to fill them all this year by mortgaging the future (creating a lot of probable dead money in free agent contracts or trading future picks), we will continue the mediocrity. If I recall correctly, we have about $28 Million in dead money this year that we are fighting against, but next year is not too bad – maybe only Newman’s amount if he is released after June1.

If the Cowboys go into team building with a two year mentality, thy could put together an awesome team while Romo and Ware are still very effective (not sure about Witten, though).

by doomsdayreturns on Feb 15, 2012 9:44 AM CST reply actions