Archer: Looking back so Cowboys don't make same 2010 mistake

Cotton

One-armed Knife Sharpener
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
119,697
Looking back so Cowboys don't make same 2010 mistake
January, 29, 2015

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas -- In 2009, the Dallas Cowboys won the NFC East, finished 11-5 and won a playoff game before losing in the divisional round to a team from the NFC North.

Wade Phillips' staff coached the Pro Bowl and everybody had a grand old time in the Fort Lauderdale sun.

The feeling then was that the Cowboys were close to contending for a Super Bowl, that they would make the jump in 2010 after Tony Romo finally got the playoff monkey off his back.

And then 2010 happened.

The Cowboys finished 6-10, Phillips was fired at the midway point and it started a four-year run without the playoffs.

Yes, Romo broke a collarbone and started only six games, but the Cowboys were 1-5 in his starts.

The jump never came and it put the Cowboys on a re-tooling process -- remember, rebuild is a taboo word at Valley Ranch -- that finally paid off in 2014.

In 2014, the Cowboys won the NFC East, finished 12-4 and won a playoff game before losing in the divisional round to a team from the NFC North.

Jason Garrett's staff coached the Pro Bowl and everybody had a grand old time in the Phoenix sun.

The feeling now is that the Cowboys will contend for a Super Bowl in 2015 and make that jump after coming within possibly an overturned Dez Bryant catch of at least making it to the NFC Championship Game.

How do the Cowboys make sure 2015 is not like 2010?

Keep Romo healthy would be a good start, but the makeup of the team is different.

"It's about building," Garrett said. "This is about building, keep building, keep bringing in the right players, keep doing things the right way and building a program. Within that you're building a football team for the 2015 season."

The 2010 Cowboys did not sign an unrestricted free agent. Since the inception of the current system, the Cowboys did not sign an unrestricted free agent in 1993, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2010. The 1993 team was so loaded it didn't need much help in winning consecutive Super Bowls. In the other five years, the Cowboys failed to make the playoffs.

Free agency is not the cure all. Teams are never a player away, but the Cowboys can make smart additions in free agency in 2015 to help grow the program.

In 2010, the Cowboys had seven starters 30 or older and three players at least 29. Four of the five starters on the offensive line -- Marc Colombo, Kyle Kosier, Leonard Davis and Andre Gurode -- were older than 30. Inside linebacker Keith Brooking was 35. Cornerback Terance Newman was 32.

With players under contract for 2015, the Cowboys have just three starters more than 30 years old: Romo, Jason Witten and Jeremy Mincey. Right tackle Doug Free (31) and fullback Tyler Clutts (30) are free agents to-be and could be re-signed.

The Cowboys will welcome linebacker Sean Lee back in 2015 after he missed last season with a knee injury. He turns 29 in July. They could also bring back defensive end Anthony Spencer (31). DeMarcus Lawrence figures to be a starter in 2015. He's turns 23 in April. Linebacker Anthony Hitchens also turns 23 in June.

Linebackers Rolando McClain and Bruce Carter are free agents as well. They will be 26 and 27 when the new season starts.

Looking back at 2010 with the perspective of what happened, that Cowboys team was one that was hanging on, not building.

"I think we're a better football team right now," Romo said. "At the same point, you've got to start over. To me, you just can't try and just recreate what you had. You're going to be a different team in certain areas. Each guy has to commit himself to being a better version of himself than he was the year before. If everybody does that, you'll come back as a whole better team than you were."
 

jsmith6919

Honored Member - RIP
Joined
Aug 26, 2013
Messages
28,407
Your OC not sandbagging you helps a bit too
 

Clay_Allison

Old Bastard
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
5,488
We'll see if things have really changed if they let Spencer go. He's a 31 year old with exploding knees who will never play a 16 game schedule healthy. If they give him a "reward" contract they might as well be bringing Ratliff back.
 

boozeman

28 Years And Counting...
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
121,730
We'll see if things have really changed if they let Spencer go. He's a 31 year old with exploding knees who will never play a 16 game schedule healthy. If they give him a "reward" contract they might as well be bringing Ratliff back.
Absolutely. I see no reason to bring him back.
 

Simpleton

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
17,412
If we give Spencer 1 million a year or something to come back as a rotational guy I won't be upset. I'd love a guy like Sheard but he should be able to get at least 3 a year, of course he'd be an upgrade and I'd much rather have him but I understand if the team wants to use that money elsewhere. Adrian Clayborn is a guy I'd look at, very injury prone but also productive when on the field, if he's willing to take a prove it deal I'd be happy to bring him on.

I'm really interested to see what a guy like Pernell McPhee gets on the open market, if his price is reasonable I'd take a long look at him, he provides position flexibility and pass rush from the interior.
 

Cowboysrock55

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
52,453
If we give Spencer 1 million a year or something to come back as a rotational guy I won't be upset. I'd love a guy like Sheard but he should be able to get at least 3 a year, of course he'd be an upgrade and I'd much rather have him but I understand if the team wants to use that money elsewhere. Adrian Clayborn is a guy I'd look at, very injury prone but also productive when on the field, if he's willing to take a prove it deal I'd be happy to bring him on.
Not sure where else our team would rather spend the money. DE/pass rusher is the biggest need on our team. We need more then one guy on this D-line and I think someone like Sheard is young and has the talent to still turn into an excellent starter in the league.
 

Genghis Khan

The worst version of myself
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
37,468
The feeling after 2009 was that we were close to contending for the Super Bowl? That's not how I remember it.

I don't think anyone thought we'd be as bad as we were in 2010, but after losing so badly to Minnesota in the playoffs I feel like the general consensus was our offensive line was pretty bad and a big obstacle to contending.

2014 feels way different to me. We were right there with anybody already.
 

Carp

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
15,127
Another FA I'd be interested in is Greg Hardy, depending on suspension, etc. A one or two year make good contract would work for me.
 

Cotton

One-armed Knife Sharpener
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
119,697
The feeling after 2009 was that we were close to contending for the Super Bowl? That's not how I remember it.

I don't think anyone thought we'd be as bad as we were in 2010, but after losing so badly to Minnesota in the playoffs I feel like the general consensus was our offensive line was pretty bad and a big obstacle to contending.

2014 feels way different to me. We were right there with anybody already.
Plus Uno.
 

ravidubey

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
20,162
The feeling after 2009 was that we were close to contending for the Super Bowl? That's not how I remember it.

I don't think anyone thought we'd be as bad as we were in 2010, but after losing so badly to Minnesota in the playoffs I feel like the general consensus was our offensive line was pretty bad and a big obstacle to contending.

2014 feels way different to me. We were right there with anybody already.
I still feel this is probably the best team in the NFL (certainly the NFC) on a neutral field. The offensive front is strong enough to make up for the defense.

But that extra game vs. Detroit did us in. While GB and Seattle rested, Romo hurt his hand in that game and it caused the muffed shotgun snap on 3rd and 1 to end the first half vs. Green Bay. Murray had lost some of his explosiveness. Just two examples of how a week off can make a big difference.
 

Cowboysrock55

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
52,453
Another FA I'd be interested in is Greg Hardy, depending on suspension, etc. A one or two year make good contract would work for me.
He would be a pretty awesome signing. I wonder what he will command based on the charges against him. His talent without the charges would have garnered a pretty big contract.
 

Chocolate Lab

Mere Commoner
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
19,842
The feeling after 2009 was that we were close to contending for the Super Bowl? That's not how I remember it.
Maybe they shouldn't have thought that, but a lot of people did. There was a lot of talk about us playing the SB in our own stadium... Even Jerry got caught up in that. (What a surprise.)
 

Cowboysrock55

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
52,453
Maybe they shouldn't have thought that, but a lot of people did. There was a lot of talk about us playing the SB in our own stadium... Even Jerry got caught up in that. (What a surprise.)
Jerry didn't seem to get nearly as full of himself and the team this year as he did that year though. Part of that is I think Jerry really expected the Cowboys to be in rebuild mode this year, much like a lot of fans on this board thought. I hope that the Cowboys continue to do what they did last off season as opposed to thinking we are one big star away from winning the Superbowl. We need a continuation of the building process that we started last year by cutting bloated contracts on declining players and building through youth and numbers. Not that I wouldn't love to see Suh in a Cowboys uniform.
 

Chocolate Lab

Mere Commoner
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
19,842
Jerry didn't seem to get nearly as full of himself and the team this year as he did that year though. Part of that is I think Jerry really expected the Cowboys to be in rebuild mode this year, much like a lot of fans on this board thought. I hope that the Cowboys continue to do what they did last off season as opposed to thinking we are one big star away from winning the Superbowl.
Just to play a little devil's advocate, though, they didn't exactly go the "one player away" route last time, when they basically didn't sign anyone. And they did draft Dez and Sean Lee that year.

I think too much is made of all this youth talk, like FA is a bad thing. Parcells and Belichick have always added older FAs, so there's nothing wrong with that. I mean, it would be ideal to just have a team of under-27 year olds, but the problem with that is you basically have to hit big on your draft picks every single year, and that really isn't realistic.

I actually think we have to pay some defensive FAs if we want to substantially improve next year. Like you said, Suh would be a great one.
 
Top Bottom