Cowboys Free Agency Thread

[Genghis Khan]

If you can pick on the other guys, why wouldn't you? Awuzie is a much easier target than Jones is, but I don't think that makes Jones great, I think it's a point of least resistance approach. If the Cowboys had a better corner? Jones would be targeted more. That speaks more to me about Awuzie's struggles than any greatness from Jones.

The Aikman quote gets play because it's true. If the worst thing you have to worry about is an incompletion (and with Jones that's clearly all you need worry about), nobody is scared.

You pay big money for difference-makers. Jones isn't one. Deion set the cornerback market because he was great. Feared, dangerous, and a playmaker. Jones will set the market because he's "the next guy" in an ever-expanding salary cap.

If both corners were easy targets the difference would be much closer to even. Awuzie gets picked on because Jones is good at coverage, not the other way around.

The Aikman quote gets play because it helps the narrative about Jones, not because it's "true" in a universal sense. I'm sure it was true for Aikman, but most other QBs don't seem to follow that creed. Otherwise Jones would be among the most targeted CBs in the league, simply because he doesn't get interceptions so it wouldn't matter if Awuzie was struggling.

Deion is the best ever by a wide margin. Similar to comparisons to Brady for a QB, if that is your barometer you'll always be disappointed.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

If you can pick on the other guys, why wouldn't you? Awuzie is a much easier target than Jones is, but I don't think that makes Jones great, I think it's a point of least resistance approach. If the Cowboys had a better corner? Jones would be targeted more. That speaks more to me about Awuzie's struggles than any greatness from Jones.

The Aikman quote gets play because it's true. If the worst thing you have to worry about is an incompletion (and with Jones that's clearly all you need worry about), nobody is scared.

You pay big money for difference-makers. Jones isn't one. Deion set the cornerback market because he was great. Feared, dangerous, and a playmaker. Jones will set the market because he's "the next guy" in an ever-expanding salary cap.

Free agents get big money. I'd bank on a third round comp pick I want to sign some guys instead.

 

[Stasheroo]

If both corners were easy targets the difference would be much closer to even. Awuzie gets picked on because Jones is good at coverage, not the other way around.

Jones is better than Awuzie. That's not a very high bar.

The Aikman quote gets play because it helps the narrative about Jones, not because it's "true" in a universal sense. I'm sure it was true for Aikman, but most other QBs don't seem to follow that creed.

Brady certainly didn't seem to fear him, when he went after him for that game's only touchdown, did he? And when did you become the spokesperson for the league's quarterback's "creed"?

Otherwise Jones would be among the most targeted CBs in the league, simply because he doesn't get interceptions so it wouldn't matter if Awuzie was struggling.

Not at all. Jones isn't targeted because he's better than the others, not because he's great or scaring anybody with his incompletions.

Deion is the best ever by a wide margin. Similar to comparisons to Brady for a QB, if that is your barometer you'll always be disappointed.

And if you're accepting of a player that is incapable of being a playmaker, while looking to "force turnovers", you will be disappointed too.

 

[Stasheroo]

Free agents get big money. I'd bank on a third round comp pick I want to sign some guys instead.

Same here. Give me the 3rd round comp pick next year, I'll keep my $15 million a year-plus, and you can gladly take Jones. I'll somehow make due with 0 interceptions from someone else. Heck, I might even get by with a bunch of castoffs back there like the Chiefs did and win a Super Bowl?

 

[L.T. Fan]

I hate when people get deliberately obtuse like that because they're defensive or sensitive.

Byron Jones is a quality player, no doubt. But truly elite players are who deserve that type of money and he's not an elite player.

Nobody is saying the guy sucks, so Mosher needs to stop being a baby about it. But the truth of the matter is that the guys you ideally want to pay that type of money for are the ones who make game-changing plays and do things that help win big games.

Byron Jones does none of that.

Here's an example....

Terence Newman was underrated by our fanbase. He was very much like Byron Jones in that people undervalued him because he didn't pick off a lot of passes (which is kinda funny because compared to Jones, Newman was Deion Sanders in that regard).

So what happened is that Cowboys fans made Newman out to be some average player when he wasn't. In fact, Newman was one of the better corners in all of football but his reputation for not making plays and for seemingly getting beat at the worst times left a negative impression of him that he never really broke from. But Newman was in fact a very good player for a long time for us, and yet there was feeling like we needed more from that position.

Put it this way -- Newman was a better cover guy than Aqib Talib was. But I would take Talib over him every day of the week because Talib was a playmaker. Same for a guy like Charles Tillman. Newman was a good notch or two above both of them in pure cover skills, but those latter two guys were far more impactful in the outcome of football games because they had a knack for picking off passes or knocking the ball loose.

My point is, Byron Jones is a really good to great cover guy but I'd rather have a solid cover guy who makes plays because those guys are gonna help you win games more than the Byron Jones's of the world will.

And if Byron Jones will never be more than a great pure cover guy, then he's not worth 14 million a year.

Yeah Newman became a whipping boy because he was drafted so high. He was expected to perform like Dion Sanders despite the fact that he never was a high interception DB. his srtrengts was closing speed to break up completions. Few DB can have both closing speed and anticipation to jump the route.

 

[ravidubey]

You need two playmakers up front, a space-eater, one blue chip DB, athletic, durable LBs, and no liabilities at any spot— especially up front.

If you can keep that kind of base funded, you’re then just a player away from a strong playoff run each year.

 

[data]

You need two playmakers up front, a space-eater, one blue chip DB, athletic, durable LBs, and no liabilities at any spot— especially up front.

If you can keep that kind of base funded, you’re then just a player away from a strong playoff run each year.

You just described the Pro Bowl

 

[p1_]

Fat boy Harrison is soon to be available.

 

[DontCryWolfe]

Yeah Newman became a whipping boy because he was drafted so high. He was expected to perform like Dion Sanders despite the fact that he never was a high interception DB. his srtrengts was closing speed to break up completions. Few DB can have both closing speed and anticipation to jump the route.

I don’t know, maybe i’m being overly hard on the guy, but I seem to always remember getting pissed at him because he screwed up late in games.

 

[boozeman]

I don’t know, maybe i’m being overly hard on the guy, but I seem to always remember getting pissed at him because he screwed up late in games.

He did. Newman may have had a long career, but he was not an elite corner at any point. He was overdrafted.

 

[data]

He did. Newman may have had a long career, but he was not an elite corner at any point. He was overdrafted.

Paid the price for a Mercedes and got a Honda.

 

[DontCryWolfe]

He did. Newman may have had a long career, but he was not an elite corner at any point. He was overdrafted.

That’s what I thought. For a while he was my most despised Cowboy, but he eventually gave way to Flozell Adams.

 

[Cotton]

That’s what I thought. For a while he was my most despised Cowboy, but he eventually gave way to Flozell Adams.

I forgot about his bitchy ass.

 

[Couchcoach]

Fat boy Harrison is soon to be available.

Wrong side of 30 in my opinion. Also saw that his performance dropped this past season

 

[Couchcoach]

Question for the anti-Jones crowd:
How many corners out there are consistently getting picks? I understand that FA overpays players and the trend is that it will only get worse. But Jones is a damn good corner. Only knock is lack of int's.
But who do we replace him with that will be consistently good in coverage? A free agent will be expensive and won't be as dependable. Draft a rookie who may be an all out bust? At least we know what we have with Jones.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Fat boy Harrison is soon to be available.

Wrong side of 30 in my opinion. Also saw that his performance dropped this past season

I think part of the drop in stats is that they limited his snaps a bit. He played like 46% of defensive snaps.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Question for the anti-Jones crowd:
How many corners out there are consistently getting picks? I understand that FA overpays players and the trend is that it will only get worse. But Jones is a damn good corner. Only knock is lack of int's.
But who do we replace him with that will be consistently good in coverage? A free agent will be expensive and won't be as dependable. Draft a rookie who may be an all out bust? At least we know what we have with Jones.

If he wasn't going to cost over 16 mil a season I would agree. But if you want a defense that creates turnovers you can't really have every down players who get 0 ints year after year. You need to get mutiple guys who create turnovers. So it makes sense to replace Jones with someone who is cheaper and has some ball skills. Maybe he isn't as sticky in coverage but in the end you'll be happier.

 

[DontCryWolfe]

I forgot about his bitchy ass.

Always good for a drive killing false start. Like f’n clockwork.

 

[boozeman]

Question for the anti-Jones crowd:
How many corners out there are consistently getting picks? I understand that FA overpays players and the trend is that it will only get worse. But Jones is a damn good corner. Only knock is lack of int's.
But who do we replace him with that will be consistently good in coverage? A free agent will be expensive and won't be as dependable. Draft a rookie who may be an all out bust? At least we know what we have with Jones.

I think the "consistently good in coverage" aspect is overrated.

He is not Deion Sanders. He does not blanket WRs and then make plays when they present themselves.

That is the difference. If I am paying $18M, he better erase a guy and make plays.

Gilmore is a classic example. He is an elite corner. 6 INTs and two TDs in 2019. Averages 3 INTs a season over his career.

Jones? Not in the same league.

 

[Sheik]

This team rarely intercepts passes going back a lot of years.

I wonder if Byron is the best CB in the league, but just plays for a team that never intercepts the ball.