2012 Free Agency Predictions

by Conn Cowboy on Feb 2, 2012 5:52 PM CST

I've been reading all these posts about free agents and who Dallas will sign and for how much, and I came up with the idea that we need to have a post to discuss what price people will expect free agents to be signed at.

I've attached a few links that'll should help people in their analysis.

The first is player contract information. The link is for the Cowboys, but you'll be able to get other teams information from this:

Rotoworld's Player Contract Information

Spotrac's Player Contract Information

The following are links showing some of the important 2012 free agents:

NFL Trade Rumors Top 50 2012 NFL Free Agents

NFL Trade Rumors NFL Free Agents -- by position

Football Future's look at top free agents by position

Walter Football's look at top free agents by position

Some notables (in positions of Dallas needs) from NFL Trade Rumors Top 50 are:

2. Carl Nicks - G

5. Mario Williams - DE

6. Cortland Finnegan - CB

7. Calais Campbell - DE

14. Ben Grubbs - G

24. Brent Grimes - CB

25. Anthony Spencer - LB

26. Brodrick Bunkley - DT

29. Paul Soliai - DT

34. Brandon Carr - CB

38. Tyvon Branch - S

39. Chris Myers - C

46. Laurent Robinson - WR

49. LaRon Landry - S

You can do this anyway you want, but let me suggest that you give your predictions in the following format.

Player, Position, Old Team, New Team, Years, Total Contract, Signing Bonus -- Explanation

To start this off, I'll throw out a few predictions:

Carl Nicks, G, Saints, Cowboys, 7 Years, $63M, $18M bonus -- his contract is a little bit better than his previous running mate Jahri Evans received.

Mario Williams, DE, Texans, Texans, 6 Years, $84M, $15M bonus -- I'm giving him the Julius Peppers contract. Not quite as productive as Peppers but he is 3 years younger than Peppers when Peppers was signed, and despite the last couple of years, he has been healthy.

Laurent Robinson, WR, Cowboys, Cowboys, 5 Years, $20M, $4M bonus -- I have no comps so I'm totally making this up (although this is slightly better than the contract Patrick Crayton signed with the Cowboys in 2007 so that number could get bumped up). It isn't chicken feed, but it isn't exorbitant. He wants to stay in Dallas, and I think this make sense for the Cowboys.

Martellus Bennett, TE, Cowboys, Cowboys, 3 Years, $6M, $1.5M bonus -- The TE everybody Cowboy fan hates (except when he is opening up holes in the running game). I don't think he is going to get much interest, I think those numbers are about right (this is a bit worse than what Miami paid Anthony Fasano). He's never had an opportunity to be the "man," and Jason Witten isn't going to last forever.

BTW - my numbers are just guesses. I make no representations that my predictions are even close to being correct.

Another user-created commentary provided by a BTB reader.

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Comments

Seems reasonable

I think it would be better to draft a guard (because DeCastro is that good of a prospect). Then sign a solid corner and Mario Williams in free agency. Less money and Tyron Smith would get another young player to pair up with on the O-line.

Favorite Prospects: Martin, Burfict, Rainey, Curry

by bitterlyhonest on Feb 2, 2012 9:00 PM CST reply actions

with 20 million in cap space...

How do you expect these contracts to fit? And Nicks, while older, would pair better with Tyronisorismith!

"Fear the Star" -A WISE Man!

by mho on Feb 3, 2012 1:25 AM CST via iPhone app up reply actions

He was just estimating

the cost of the contracts, not saying that we are going to sign them all.

by TheCowboyWay on Feb 3, 2012 8:33 AM CST up reply actions

Nicks is only 26 right?

We're here to win football games. The way to do that is to tell him and to get on him at the right times. I do that when you guys (media) don't see and watch.''

What else makes a strong leader?

"You win,'' Romo said. "You're a very good leader once you win.

"That's' what we're going to do.''

by TARHEEL PAUL on Feb 3, 2012 3:22 PM CST up reply actions

correct, 27 at the start of next season though, not old at all for a guard

by DCB* on Feb 3, 2012 3:33 PM CST up reply actions

Great article!

Thanks for the links and info. Those four signings seems logical predictions of salaries

by livemontana on Feb 3, 2012 8:14 AM CST reply actions

Bennett doesn't have "the man" ilk about him.

Grimes willbe 29 in July. Too old.
Bunkley is a 4-3 dt.
Meyers is 30. Too old.
Grubbs isn’t worth what you will have to pay him.
Mario isn’t coming here unless we switch ot a 4-3.
Nicks is the only player worth busting the bank on or we could draft Brandon Brooks and let him be the mauler in the middle.
Spencer , blah.

Jerry is the end all in Dallas.

by football mensa on Feb 3, 2012 8:35 AM CST reply actions

I agree....

Hate to spend all the money on one player who could turn out to be Leonard Davis clone.

Let Rob Ryan get the players he wants to run his D.I don’t know who they are but I believe J.Jenkins and Dennard are the WKGs.

We seemed to do a better job last year of pickikng the RKGs for our team.Continue this trend and who knows.The Giants are not that much better than us and look where they are.

by TCB Orange Dino on Feb 3, 2012 8:56 AM CST reply actions

Leonard Davis went to the pro bowl a couple of years with the Cowboys.

…. then he got slow/disinterested??

by Conn Cowboy on Feb 3, 2012 9:57 AM CST up reply actions

Yeah, he was really good those first few years.

We're here to win football games. The way to do that is to tell him and to get on him at the right times. I do that when you guys (media) don't see and watch.''

What else makes a strong leader?

"You win,'' Romo said. "You're a very good leader once you win.

"That's' what we're going to do.''

by TARHEEL PAUL on Feb 3, 2012 3:35 PM CST up reply actions

I'd love to get Robinson, Myers and Campbell signed

but Campbell more than likely will re-sign with the Cards or franchised

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Feb 3, 2012 9:07 AM CST reply actions

Signing Robinson is a priority

Hey Washington... D.C. stands for Dallas Cowboys

Jerry the GM…if we could only find a way to get rid of that guy…

Twitter: @silva918

by Antonio S on Feb 3, 2012 9:11 AM CST reply actions

Great links, thanks!

By singing bonus do you mean guaranteed money?

I think Nicks will see more guaranteed money than just 18M. But 7Y/63M sounds about right.

And I think Mario Williams will get more. He is younger than Peppers and his effort has never been questioned.

4M/Y sounds about right for Laurent Robinson, I hope they resign him.

And if they can get Marty B back for 3Y/6M I am all for it. He sucks as a receiver, but as a blocker he is outstanding.

by PhilipKDick on Feb 3, 2012 10:58 AM CST reply actions

Pipe Dreams...

With so many holes to fill (and upgrades we could possibly make) why in the world would any fan be hopeful the Cowboys go out and break the bank with any 1 player in FA?

The Giants aren’t that much better? What about the Eagles? Are they “that much better”? What was our record against those teams again this year? Oh right…0-4!!!!!!!

Whether anyone wants to accept it or not, the Cowboys are closer to the Rebuilding side of the ledger then the Contending side.

Better to get solid players that are upgrades at various positions on the cheap than overspend and drain the Cap on one or two “studs”.

by D Rock 76 on Feb 3, 2012 1:04 PM CST reply actions

I agree.

And I think the Cowboys do too. I think all the people who are constantly begging for mega priced stars like Williams and Nicks are going to be disappointed (and if last year was anything to go by they’ll be hysterically disappointed!!).

by Luke. on Feb 5, 2012 12:57 AM CST up reply actions

Perhaps you didn't notice ...

but I predicted that Mario Williams would resign with the Houston Texans.

by Conn Cowboy on Feb 5, 2012 10:24 AM CST up reply actions

Sure.

I wasn’t referencing you in particular Conn, just a theme that’s been going for a while now where people continually predict that the Cowboys will be able to sign almost everyone under the sun. It’s just silly. I think Williams will hit FA but his contract will be massive and probably out of reach for Dallas anyway.

by Luke. on Feb 5, 2012 4:41 PM CST up reply actions

Williams isn't

coming here but Nicks is a possibility. Nicks only said he wants “what’s fair.” You can’t say a guy is “mega priced” if that is what the market is for his talent. You can probaly get Nicks for somewhere between what Logan Mankins got and Jahri Evans got. Just give him a little something extra either in the gurantee or signing bonus. Do you really want more Elams? I mean really??

by jevans1729 on Feb 5, 2012 12:51 PM CST up reply actions

Who said I wanted more Elam's?

A $60 million dollar guard is a mega-priced guard in my opinion. Not sure how you anyone can disagree with that.

If we don’t want more Elam’s maybe giving a massive contract to a single superstar player and then having to skimp on the other numerous positions we need help is exactly the strategy that leaves us signing the Elam’s of the world to fill other crucial spots.

by Luke. on Feb 5, 2012 4:47 PM CST up reply actions

Get Mario Williams , Draft Quinton Coples

you get this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRA8nKxxBcY

by Jonathan Stern on Feb 3, 2012 7:32 PM CST reply actions

FREE AGENCY: Our 1st Free Agent priority should be to sign a quality pass rushing DE. Yes, signing Mario or Calais may be a pipe dream (as some posters suggest) but my point is to FILL THE BIGGEST VOID ON THE TEAM (passing rush DE) that could help BOTH our average PASS RUSH and our smallish SECONDARY!!! I explain WHY in the last paragraph. Our 2nd Free Agent priority should be to sign a quality bull-dozing OG to replace aging Kyle Kosier which would help our RUN GAME improve on 3d&short or 1st&Goal. This should be very doable for Stephen Jones to figure out.

DRAFT: Our 3rd priority should be to draft at least one good CB (two preferrably). Janoris Jenkins is the best man-cover CB that may be available at pick#14. If not, pick another man-cover CB. This draft has a few good man-cover CBs that would help make Rob Ryans defensive schemes work better…..especially IF we address Priority Nbr#1!!! Trumaine Johnson may be the sleeper CB in this draft. If his speed improves, he will be drafted to help cover the bigger 6’2"-6’4" WR’s in the league. Our practice squad CB, Mario Butler, may be ready this year after working on his body and technique this past season and during the off-season. Mario is also a bigger CB then what we have our roster currently. We also signed quite a few of good Practice Squad prospects from other NFL Teams and one or two may actually compete for some quality playing time. Our 4th Priority should be draft a quality RB that could take over if Demarco goes down again. If you haven’t seen RGIII’s side-kick at Baylor, look at RB Terrance Ganaway. He has crazy running skills (power with speed) and at 6’1" and 241lbs of man-beef, this dude could be a younger version of ‘brandon jacobs’ but with crazy speed.

Bottom Line: The DRAFT can be a crap-shoot!! Use the Giants model and sign a quality FA to fill your MOST GLARING NEED. For the Cowboys, its the need for a 2nd Pass Rushing DE . Spencer as rushing OLB is very serviceable. If Jerrah found a really huge NT (FA or DRAFT) to push the pocket and moved RAT to a DE spot, opposing QB’s couldn’t step up in the pocket to avoid Ware or Spencer outside rush!!! If they did step up, RAT and our other pass rushing DE would make the SACK!!! Additonally, this huge NT would also pay HUGE dividends against our opponent’s RUN Game. Our weakest link besides only our average Pass Rush was our smallish NT in RAT. There were too many 4-6yds gains on 1st down which made our opponent’s Play-Action passing game work to perfection…..especially with playing against Eli or Vick or A. Rogers, or Brees.

by Pacerman on Feb 7, 2012 7:55 AM CST reply actions