Archer: Cowboys are getting younger

[Cotton]

Cowboys are getting younger

March, 12, 2014

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com


IRVING, Texas -- These are not your father's Dallas Cowboys, so to speak.

Once a team stocked with enough players to field a softball team in an over-30 league, the Cowboys are getting young.

With the releases of DeMarcus Ware and Miles Austin, the Cowboys have three starters over 30 years old in Tony Romo, who turns 34 next month, Jason Witten, who turns 32 in May and Doug Free, who turned 30 in January.

The only other thirty-somethings on the roster are backup quarterback Kyle Orton, who is 31, and long-snapper L.P. Ladouceur, who turns 33 on Thursday.

Not included on the list are free agents Anthony Spencer (30) and Jason Hatcher (31).

Ware turns 32 in July and Austin turns 30 in June.

The Cowboys have refused to use the word "rebuild" over the last three seasons but they have re-tooled their roster moving away from Leonard Davis, Kyle Kosier, Andre Gurode andMarc Colombo on the offensive line and Ware, Jay Ratliff, Marcus Spears and Kenyon Coleman on the defensive line.

They have made the decision to not restructure the contracts of Witten and Brandon Carr, who turns 28 in May, unless absolutely necessary so they do not push more money into the salary cap in future years.

For years people have called the NFL a young man's game. The Cowboys are moving to a younger man's team.

 

[hstour]

It's part of "the plan" that they have been executing the last three years. Don't know if it is the right plan or if it will work, but it is the first time since Jimmy left that there has been a cohesive plan.

 

[Genghis Khan]

There's no plan.

 

[Cotton]

It's part of "the plan" that they have been executing the last three years. Don't know if it is the right plan or if it will work, but it is the first time since Jimmy left that there has been a cohesive plan.

Yeah, okay.

 

[jsmith6919]

It's part of "the plan" that they have been executing the last three years. Don't know if it is the right plan or if it will work, but it is the first time since Jimmy left that there has been a cohesive plan.

 

[BipolarFuk]

Take a look at the defense. It could be the worst of all time this year.

What do we have?

Nothing on the DL.

One good LB.

An overpaid CB, a bust CB, and a decent Scandrick.

One OK safety.

 

[Deuce]

Take a look at the defense. It could be the worst of all time this year.

What do we have?

Nothing on the DL.

One good LB.

An overpaid CB, a bust CB, and a decent Scandrick.

One OK safety.

It'll look even better when we take 2 more CBs in May.

 

[VA Cowboy]

If the plan is to just get younger without adding better talent then it's a retarded plan.

 

[hstour]

There's no plan.

I'll just take your word on it. What position do you hold in the Cowboys organization that you would be able to speak to this directly?

 

[hstour]

Yeah, okay.

Yeah.

Wow, such stirring conversation.....

 

[Deuce]

I'll just take your word on it. What position do you hold in the Cowboys organization that you would be able to speak to this directly?

CB for starters. We spent $50M and a 1st round pick (plus trade up picks) on 2 man press corners 2 years ago and a year later switched to a zone scheme.

 

[Cotton]

I'll just take your word on it. What position do you hold in the Cowboys organization that you would be able to speak to this directly?

Flip that around. What position do you hold with the Cowboys or near the Cowboys that would make you privy to this master plan?

 

[hstour]

Take a look at the defense. It could be the worst of all time this year.
What do we have?

Nothing on the DL.

Tyrone Crawford, Spencer trying to prove himself on probably a 1 year deal so he can get one final contract from somebody, and the rotational/backups. Now they need to get a DT or DE (preferably both) in the draft who can play.

One good LB.

Kyle Wilber played well at SLB

An overpaid CB, a bust CB, and a decent Scandrick.
One OK safety.

Hard to be a DB when you have no push from the DL. Fix that and they will look much better.

 

[Genghis Khan]

Flip that around. What position do you hold with the Cowboys or near the Cowboys that would make you privy to this master plan?

Exactly.

I at least have logic on my side.

So which part of the plan was it that called for spending 50 mil on Carr, spending a first and second on Claiborne, then switching to a scheme that doesn't fit their style a year later? That's some plan.

 

[Genghis Khan]

Tyrone Crawford and Kyle Wilbur have done nothing to make it anything more than retarded optimism yo think they can be valuable contributors ob a good defense.

 

[hstour]

Flip that around. What position do you hold with the Cowboys or near the Cowboys that would make you privy to this master plan?

Ahhh the standard answer for someone who doesn't really have anything to bring to the table. Site me specific evidence that supports the fact that there is no plan.

Evidence that there is a plan (over the last three years).

1. They have stopped paying older players to long overpriced contracts that they will outlive and end up being cut to put large dead money on future years. (I know you will point to Romo, but when you have a QB playing well, you have to pay him. He can still be cut in two seasons with a net $9M gain to the salary cap).

2. Over the last two years, they dead money has gone down each year.

3. They have rebuilt the OL (which was horrible) through the draft.

 

[hstour]

Exactly.

I at least have logic on my side.

So which part of the plan was it that called for spending 50 mil on Carr, spending a first and second on Claiborne, then switching to a scheme that doesn't fit their style a year later? That's some plan.

Then point out your logic. All you did was make a statement with no logic to back it up. And then claimed you have logic on your side.

That is just moronic.

 

[NoDak]

I'll just take your word on it. What position do you hold in the Cowboys organization that you would be able to speak to this directly?

Could you explain the power structure in the Cowboy's F.O. for us football novices? Who does what? Who has what responsibilities?

Maybe you could do a football 101 thread.

 

[hstour]

If the plan is to just get younger without adding better talent then it's a retarded plan.

Tyron Crawford and Travis Frederick aren't better talent?

Come on, take your "everything sucks" blinders off.

I'm not saying the team is going to take the NFL by storm, but at least that some things have gotten better.

 

[Deuce]

3. They have rebuilt the OL (which was horrible) through the draft.

2 good players does not a rebuild make.