I think bargain hunting is a plan when you are cap strapped; and let's not pretend that you weren't all thrilled that we signed Hardy last offseason. Adding him and Gregory definitely got people excited about our prospects this year as bolstering the pass rush might have been enough to put us in the championship game had all other performances remained of the same level.
Obviously that didn't happen and a lot of things fell off, but those two pass rushers had "final pieces" type vibes and everyone on here was echoing it. I certainly was in the "go for it" camp to an extent.
I actually don't think we are 4-12 far away from where we were in 2014. I'm not gonna say "Super Bowl" cause a black cloud follows this franchise around, but if we are wise about the additional money we have to spend this year -- and I think if we can get a reliable running attack in here -- our offense will be back to where it was more or less. Obviously that is counting on health from Romo.
Of course the defense is off on the wrong foot with Hardy likely gone and Gregory suspended. Getting Scandrick back will help but the defense feels a bit more patchwork right now than you'd have any right to be confident in it.
My free agent wish list would be:
1) Starting running back, preferably Miller, Forte or Martin, though a guy like Ivory would at least be a nice addition.
2) One or two mid level corners. This depends on what we do with Carr and Claiborne as well. Even if both of them
returned I'd want at least one mid tier FA here. I'm looking at Carr-Scandrick-Claiborne/FA-2nd FA-camp body.
3) Pass rusher - even if not on Hardy's level you have to get someone better than Mincey in here to hold the fort for Gregory.
4) Big splash player at some other position - safety, linebacker, defensive lineman.
5) Fill in the gaps on offense - backup TE, swing tackle, utility lineman, special
teams WR, etc.
Do'that stuff, then in the draft you are free to either take a QB at 4, or another big splash player at any position (a fifth star OL, a big play WR, a jack of all trades LB, etc), and I would then think this team is winning the division going away.