Interest in Navarro Bowman

[DLK150]

Isn't Oakland pretty close to San Fransisco, you know, geographically? That likely factored...

I'm pretty sure they're right across the bay from each other.

 

[junk]

Call it the Dan Reeves Enlightenment.

What do you guys think would have happened if Garrett hadn't thrown a fit and let Reeves come in and mentor him?

 

[Cotton]

So why schedule a visit with Dallas at all?

Leverage for more money maybe?

 

[Chocolate Lab]

And that's what bothers me too.

We aren't the destination we used to be and some of that is due to the fact that we haven't won shit in a long time. But some of that is also due to a false sense of entitlement as well.

Jerry can still sweet talk with the best of them. If he really wants a guy I'm sure he'll find a way to at least make the offer very appealing. The problem that I'm seeing is that our initial effort to reach out to these guys is very underwhelming. Like you said, rarely are we the first visit these days and you just don't get the impression that we're really doing all we can to bring a guy in.

I don't know if that's due to us being lazy or because we have this false sense of reality where the Cowboys brand alone is enough to do most of the work for us.

Whatever it is, it needs to change.

I firmly believe it's Stephen's arrogance. I think Stephen believes he's some management/personnel guru, that since he gained more power 5/6/7 years ago, the team has drafted better. And therefore, if they have a need they'll simply draft a guy who will fit right in and do what the FA would do for a fraction of the cost.

And for a while there it looked like that might work, because we have drafted better. But you can never ignore smart free agent moves, sometimes even expensive ones. Even Belichick has always added vets -- sometimes even very old ones.

 

[Smitty]

We have been bad in FA for awhile. I just dont think we had a chance to be bad in this case.

We've chosen to be bad. We were and are a destination when we want to throw money around.

We choose not to do that these days.

In this instance, I'm sure it had something to do with not wanting to leave the Bay area on short notice.

 

[Smitty]

And that's what bothers me too.

We aren't the destination we used to be and some of that is due to the fact that we haven't won shit in a long time. But some of that is also due to a false sense of entitlement as well.

Jerry can still sweet talk with the best of them. If he really wants a guy I'm sure he'll find a way to at least make the offer very appealing. The problem that I'm seeing is that our initial effort to reach out to these guys is very underwhelming. Like you said, rarely are we the first visit these days and you just don't get the impression that we're really doing all we can to bring a guy in.

I don't know if that's due to us being lazy or because we have this false sense of reality where the Cowboys brand alone is enough to do most of the work for us.

Whatever it is, it needs to change.

Don't forget that we out talked like 28 other teams for La'el Collins just 2 years ago.

We don't try in free agency like we used to. That is a team decision to just not spend money.

Not the best idea, but I don't think players are spurning us.

 

[Texas Ace]

Don't forget that we out talked like 28 other teams for La'el Collins just 2 years ago.

We don't try in free agency like we used to. That is a team decision to just not spend money.

Not the best idea, but I don't think players are spurning us.

Right, because we wanted him.

But that's part of the point that I was making. We are under this false sense of reality where we are this highly successful organization that doesn't really need anyone. Hence, the half-assed attempts we've made at FAs.

Is part of that a cognizant decision to not spend money? Sure, but some of it is also an underwhelming approach at marketing ourselves and I'm sure some can even be attributed to us not being a draw like that anymore.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Don't forget that we out talked like 28 other teams for La'el Collins just 2 years ago.

We don't try in free agency like we used to. That is a team decision to just not spend money.

Not the best idea, but I don't think players are spurning us.

Yeah it's clearly part of our strategy right now to not spend big money in free agency. Hell for all I know we are trying to save cap space to splurge at some point in the future. But reality is that our organization has decided they want to keep their players and build through the draft. I see no problem with that. It's frustrating at times but it's the best way to build a team for long term success.

 

[NoDak]

Right, because we wanted him.

But that doesn't go along with what was being said earlier. That players aren't signing here because 'we suck at the free agent game. Hard.'

 

[Texas Ace]

But that doesn't go along with what was being said earlier. That players aren't signing here because 'we suck at the free agent game. Hard.'

Well, what I said is that we definitely don't seem to be very good at this right now, but I do think a lot of it has to do with us not feeling any urgency to sign these guys which leads to a lackluster effort.

If we're going to take that approach, then why even reach out to the player?

 

[Smitty]

Right, because we wanted him.

But that's part of the point that I was making. We are under this false sense of reality where we are this highly successful organization that doesn't really need anyone. Hence, the half-assed attempts we've made at FAs.

Is part of that a cognizant decision to not spend money? Sure, but some of it is also an underwhelming approach at marketing ourselves and I'm sure some can even be attributed to us not being a draw like that anymore.

I don't think they are saying they don't want anyone. I think they are saying that they think free agent signings backfire more often then they help, so they are just choosing to abstain, unless it's on decidedly team friendly terms.

I don't necessarily agree with their approach, but I don't think they are under a "false sense of reality." I think they know they need help. I just think their average evaluation says "This guy can't help us more than he'll hurt us if we overpay."

None of this is applicable to this situation though. I think they reached out, but absent offering him a mega deal sight unseen, I don't think he was leaving Oakland to visit Dallas.

 

[Texas Ace]

I don't necessarily agree with their approach, but I don't think they are under a "false sense of reality." I think they know they need help.

With the lack of urgency that they've shown at trying to sign guys like Weddle, Long, etc., I'm not sure I would agree with your latter statement.

 

[Smitty]

With the lack of urgency that they've shown at trying to sign guys like Weddle, Long, etc., I'm not sure I would agree with your latter statement.

Uh, Dallas outbid Baltimore for Weddle. So he's not a great example for you.

Chris Long, who gives a fuck. Guy wouldn't even be starting here right now. He didn't start in New England and he's not starting in Philly. We have enough 4 sack rotational guys. Not shedding any tears that we didn't pursue him hard.

Ace, I love ya bro, but this is all part of your "The team coaching and administration doesn't know what they are doing" spiel, but you aren't looking at it objectively. There is plenty to criticize them about, but you take it overboard. It's not as bad as you make it out to be.

 

[midswat]

Don't forget that we out talked like 28 other teams for La'el Collins just 2 years ago.

We don't try in free agency like we used to. That is a team decision to just not spend money.

Not the best idea, but I don't think players are spurning us.

I think this is it. We've (finally) learned you don't build a team through free agency, and instead bargain hunt. Where we have problems, IMO, is I still think this team has a problem (a) identifying talent and (b) developing talent.

I mean, I can't really explain how you look at how close we were last year to being in a position to get to the Super Bowl, and then decide to overhaul the secondary with rookies and elevate Jeff Heath as a starter. Retarded decision making behind that.

 

[boozeman]

I think this is it. We've (finally) learned you don't build a team through free agency, and instead bargain hunt. Where we have problems, IMO, is I still think this team has a problem (a) identifying talent and (b) developing talent.

I mean, I can't really explain how you look at how close we were last year to being in a position to get to the Super Bowl, and then decide to overhaul the secondary with rookies and elevate Jeff Heath as a starter. Retarded decision making behind that.

Goof Son has already defined the organizational view of free agency:

"I've always said it about free agency. Sometimes you are required to use it, but you better go into it with your eyes wide open that you are overpaying. You are going to pay good players like they're great, average players like they are good, below average players like they're average. It's just not a great way to build a football team."

 

[midswat]

Goof Son has already defined the organizational view of free agency:

"I've always said it about free agency. Sometimes you are required to use it, but you better go into it with your eyes wide open that you are overpaying. You are going to pay good players like they're great, average players like they are good, below average players like they're average. It's just not a great way to build a football team."

I honestly see no fault with anything that he said.

The hope is, you have a strong personnel department, draft well and build your team that way. Then maybe fill occasional holes in free agency.

I question whether we have a strong personnel department. Or coaching staff to develop talent.

 

[DLK150]

I do think that the team is trying to be more selective with FA signings because they've been burned by "risk" signings in the not so distant past. In retrospect, this guy has only played 16 games one year out of the last four or something like that and missed a lot of games due to injury. To me, that qualifies as a risk.

 

[boozeman]

I honestly see no fault with anything that he said.

The hope is, you have a strong personnel department, draft well and build your team that way. Then maybe fill occasional holes in free agency.

I question whether we have a strong personnel department. Or coaching staff to develop talent.

I have a problem with what he said when we sign trash like Carroll and Paea, paying below average like average.

 

[midswat]

I’d rather sign Carrol for cheap and shit can him than pay Carr like he’s Deion and get stuck with 4 years of bad play.

 

[Cotton]