Cowboys Free Agent Watch Thread...

Cotton

One-armed Knife Sharpener
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
119,703
Cowboys free agent watch: Kyle Wilber can fill multiple roles
12:19 AM ET
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer

The Dallas Cowboys have 16 players set to become unrestricted free agents in March. In this series, we determine why a player should or should not return in 2016 and beyond.

Kyle Wilber

Position: Linebacker

Age: 26

NFL experience: Four years

2015 salary: $660,000

2015 statistics
: The coaches credited Wilber with 27 tackles, one tackle for loss and four quarterback pressures in 16 games (six starts). He tied for the team lead in special teams’ tackles with nine.

Why he should be back: Jason Garrett speaks a lot about position flexibility and Wilber offers a lot of flexibility. He is mostly a strong-side linebacker but he can also put his hand on the ground and rush the passer if necessary. Last summer he also spent some time as a nickel linebacker, working in pass coverage. He is also a core special teamer, serving on the kickoff return, kickoff coverage, punt return and punt coverage teams.

Why he should not be back: Wilber was drafted in the fourth round in 2013 to play as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme and the Cowboys changed to the 4-3 scheme in 2014. They initially moved him to defensive end but found him to be better as a strong-side linebacker. Wilber could look to get back to his roots as a pass-rusher. He could also look to find a bigger defensive role. If he stays, he will remain a spot starter at best.

Chance to return: Moderate. The best part of position flexibility is cost effectiveness. Wilber is a solid role player who knows what he is and what he isn’t. He will not command a big contract.
 

Cotton

One-armed Knife Sharpener
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
119,703
Five Cowboys free agents most likely to depart: After decline last season, veteran defensive lineman checks in at No. 5

By Brandon George , Staff Writer

The free agency period for NFL players begins March 9, and the Dallas Cowboys won't try to re-sign all 16 of their unrestricted free agents.

Over the next five days, I'll count down the five Cowboys free agents who are most likely to depart in 2016:

No. 5 free agent most likely to depart in 2016: Jeremy Mincey, defensive lineman

Type: Unrestricted

2015 impact: Mincey went from a full-time starter in 2014 to mostly a reserve last season for the Cowboys. A year after leading the Cowboys with eight sacks, including six in the regular season, Mincey didn't record a sack in 2015 in his second season in Dallas. Mincey finished the 2015 season with 19 tackles (only one for loss) and 15 quarterback pressures. Mincey started only six games last season after starting all 16 in 2014. He played at both defensive end and tackle.

Why Mincey won't likely be back: Mincey is 32 and will play in his 10th season next year somewhere, but it might not be in Dallas after his production declined in 2015. Mincey is a strong locker room presence, but finishing 2015 without a sack won't help him in free agency. Mincey did say, however, that he played all season in 2015 without being able to fully extend his right arm because of bone spurs near his elbow.

A possible hint about Mincey's future with the Cowboys: He pushed for a contract extension by holding out the first three days of training camp. The Cowboys wouldn't extend his deal, however, but did give him $500,000 more after he fell a few plays shy of a play-time escalator clause in 2014 that would have pocketed him the same amount of money. The Cowboys could have tacked on another year to Mincey's deal before the season without much headache but decided against it.
 

Cotton

One-armed Knife Sharpener
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
119,703
Cowboys free-agent watch: Mackenzy Bernadeau has versatility
1:30 PM ET
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer

The Dallas Cowboys have 16 players set to become unrestricted free agents in March. In this series, we determine why a player should or should not return in 2016 and beyond.

Mackenzy Bernadeau

Position: Guard/center

Age: 30

NFL experience: Eight years

2015 salary: $1.5 million

2015 statistics: He started one game at left guard and was active for all 16 as the backup interior lineman on gameday.

Why he will be back: The Cowboys do not have another player on the roster with in-game experience at center and guard to handle the spot. They could make Zack Martin the backup center on gameday, or they could have Ronald Leary, who is a restricted free agent, learn the position this summer. Bernadeau, who signed a four-year, $11 million deal in 2012 to join the Cowboys and had the deal re-worked two years in, provides the Cowboys with stability and experience on the interior. He can be a spot-starter at either guard spot as well as center.

Why he will not be back
: Bernadeau did not miss a game in his four-year run with the Cowboys, and he turned 30 in January. The Cowboys rebuilt their starting offensive line in the draft since 2011 and will have to look to do the same with their backups. They have to plan for the future with Travis Frederick and Zack Martin’s contracts expiring in consecutive years. Leary will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. Finding an interior linemen in the draft would seem to be an under-the-radar need.

Chance to return
: Low to moderate. It all depends on what the Cowboys do in the draft. Frederick is signed through 2017, once the Cowboys pick up his fifth-year option this spring, but they don’t have another center in the pipeline. Bernadeau’s price should keep him in the Cowboys’ ballpark.
 

Cotton

One-armed Knife Sharpener
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
119,703
Cowboys free-agent watch: Robert Turbin provided relief
3:58 PM ET
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer

The Dallas Cowboys have 16 players set to become unrestricted free agents in March. In this series, we determine why a player should or should not return in 2016 and beyond.

Robert Turbin


Position: Running back

Age: 26

NFL experience: Four years

2015 salary: $660,000

2015 statistics: In 10 games he had 32 carries for 139 yards and a touchdown, and he caught five passes for 15 yards.

Why he will be back
: Turbin impressed many by playing four days after signing with the Cowboys in November. He carried seven times for 35 yards against the Miami Dolphins in his Cowboys debut. He had a season-high 51 yards on seven carries and a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers. He showed a reliability that Christine Michael never did after the Cowboys picked Michael up from Seattle. The Cowboys are not flush with running backs at the moment and could keep Turbin on a short-term, low-money deal that will give him a chance to win a roster spot in training camp but not chew up much salary-cap space. If they keep him, it would not preclude them from adding a back in free agency or the draft.

Why he will not be back: The Cowboys also have a soon-to-be free-agent running back in Lance Dunbar, who is coming back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The Cowboys have invested time in Dunbar and might want to see that through by bringing him back in 2016. Dunbar can be a vital third-down back and special-teams piece. Turbin does not have the same traits as Dunbar. Turbin did everything right in his tenure with the Cowboys, which would leave the door open at least a little

Chance to return
: Low. Turbin did nothing wrong in his time with the Cowboys, but he could be looking for a better opportunity with more security than what Dallas can offer.
 

boozeman

28 Years And Counting...
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
121,736
I would be perfectly fine with letting all of our free agents walk.
 

Rev

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
19,327

UncleMilti

This seemed like a good idea at the time.
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
17,981
Shit...we gotta keep Dunbar.

Its Garretts Dink-N-Dunk version of Air Coryell.
 

dallen

Senior Tech
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
8,466
Did anyone here know that Dolph actually has a Masters in Chemical Engineering? I'm flabbergasted!
He also speaks like 5 different languages. Dude's really smart
 

Cotton

One-armed Knife Sharpener
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
119,703
Cowboys free agent watch: Matt Cassel plan went awry

Feb 19, 2016
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer

The Dallas Cowboys have 16 players set to become unrestricted free agents in March. In this series, we determine why a player should or should not return in 2016 and beyond.

Matt Cassel


Position: Quarterback

Age: 33

NFL experience: 11 years

2015 salary: $2 million

2015 statistics: He joined the Cowboys via a trade from the Buffalo Bills and started eight games, finishing with a 1-7 record. He completed 119 of 204 passes for 1,276 yards with five touchdowns and seven interceptions. He was sacked 14 times and had a passer rating of 70.6.

Why he will be back: The Cowboys will look for a quarterback in free agency, provided the price is right. Numerous times during the season, owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he wished Cassel had the benefit of an offseason and training camp with the Cowboys so he could be more familiar with the scheme and the coaches. The free-agent market is not filled with veterans with the starting experience Cassel possesses. If you look at the backups the Cowboys have had for most of Tony Romo's tenure – Brad Johnson, Jon Kitna, Kyle Orton – Cassel fits into the same mold.

Why he will not be back
: He wasn’t the player the Cowboys expected when they acquired him in the trade from Buffalo. He appeared to have a difficult time cutting it loose, which was something was a knock of Brandon Weeden as well, which could say something about the message they were receiving from the coaches. The Cowboys scored more than two offensive touchdowns in just one of his starts. He failed to throw for more than 200 yards in three of his full games. There was plenty of evidence that he just did not fit with the offense or the coaches had a difficult time trusting he could be the guy.

Chance to return: Extremely Low. Early on as a starter he showed some promise of being able to be Romo’s backup in 2016, but the offense just floundered with him for too long to see him returning.
 

boozeman

28 Years And Counting...
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
121,736
Someone paid Archer to write about that piece of shit Cassel?
 

Cotton

One-armed Knife Sharpener
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
119,703
Someone paid Archer to write about that piece of shit Cassel?
I thought the same thing. Why even bother writing about someone you know damn good and well won't be back?
 

Cotton

One-armed Knife Sharpener
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
119,703
Cowboys free-agent watch: Jeremy Mincey's return could come after all
11:36 AM ET
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer

The Dallas Cowboys have 16 players set to become unrestricted free agents in March. In this series, we determine why a player should or should not return in 2016 and beyond.

Jeremy Mincey

Position: Defensive end

Age: 32

NFL experience: Eight years

2015 salary: $2 million


Jeremy Mincey didn't produce a single sack in 2015 after coming off elbow surgery. James D. Smith/AP
2015 statistics: A year after leading the Cowboys in sacks with six in 2014, Mincey did not have a sack in 2015. The coaches credited him with 19 tackles, 15 quarterback pressures and one tackle for loss in 14 games (six starts).

Why he will be back: At this point in his career, Mincey is not going to get a contract with a large amount of guaranteed money. He battled through an elbow injury that required offseason surgery. Mincey was unable to straighten his arm for most of the season and as a result had difficulty shedding blockers. In 2014, he became one of the defensive leaders and that is a unit that could use help. The Cowboys have plenty of questions up front with Mincey, Greg Hardy, Nick Hayden and Jack Crawford set to become unrestricted free agents. Hardy is not likely to be back. Crawford could receive a bigger-than-expected contract as a free agent. Mincey also has some position flexibility and can move to defensive tackle in certain situations. But what really might help is the four-game suspension handed down to Randy Gregory.

Why he will not be back: He is 32 and coming off a year in which he did not record a sack. He was viewed as a bridge player when he signed a two-year deal as a free agent in 2014. The Cowboys have since drafted DeMarcus Lawrence and Gregory in the second round. They also like the potential of David Irving, who was signed off the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad. As they prepare for the upcoming draft, defensive line figures to be a prominent need, and they could use the fourth overall pick on Joey Bosa.

Chance to return: Low to moderate. The low cost helps Mincey’s case to return, but his lack of production last year, injury or no injury, hurts his case.
 

boozeman

28 Years And Counting...
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
121,736
I have no desire to bring Mincey back. Zero, especially after he did nothing after pouting for more money. Fuck that guy.
 

Cowboysrock55

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
52,457
I have no desire to bring Mincey back. Zero, especially after he did nothing after pouting for more money. Fuck that guy.
I honestly see nothing worth bringing back. He can't generate a pass rush any more. He isn't as stout against the run as some of our DT/DE type D-lineman already on the roster. To me David Irvin would be a better choice. Not touting the guy as a future starter but I think Irvin flashed enough last year to at least be in consideration for some rotational time.
 

p1_

DCC 4Life
Joined
Apr 10, 2013
Messages
26,454
Im not impressed either. I did like Turbin, though. Runs with purpose and authority.
 
Top Bottom