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Josh Ellis
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - Remember free agency?
Yeah, you know, that's what we used to call it when players who had been in the league for so long could just go and sign with whatever team wanted them. Back in the old days of, like, 2009, guys didn't have to wait until they had six years of service - basically two NFL lifetimes - before hitting the open market, and as soon as the final year of their rookie contract was up, they could do whatever they wanted, basically.
Ah, the good old days, when one "league year" flowed seamlessly to the next, and early March was as highly anticipated by NFL fans as Christmas morning rather than the expiration of a time bomb like this year.
In any event, this labor stuff is all going to be worked out eventually, and at some point the ancient ritual of free agency will return, most likely resembling its form of way back when, two years ago. Most everyone expects a salary cap, so even though the Cowboys issued restricted free agency tenders to several of their players entering their sixth season, it's quite possible those guys could be eligible to sign with whomever they please.
Granted, this list of priorities could change with the NFL Draft in a month, but rookies shouldn't be trusted with every need on the roster. By the time the free agency dust has settled, here's what your Cowboys will have needed to take care of, in reverse order of importance.
5. Pass Rush Specialist
It's not that Anthony Spencer can't rush the quarterback. He showed he could do it down the stretch in 2009, when he had 8.0 sacks in the final eight games, playoffs included, totaling more than one QB-takedown three times in that span. But if we look at the rest of his career, that stretch is an anomaly. In fact, during that eight-week span he produced more than half as many sacks as in the entirety of his 60 regular season appearances.
In 2010, he had an eight-game streak far more representative of his total production, going half the schedule without registering a single sack. He disappointed himself, and he definitely disappointed the Cowboys, who went into the year thinking they had one of, if not the best pass-rushing tandem in all of football. The Cowboys shouldn't overvalue the position in the same way this year. They need to add a proven pass-rusher to their stable, someone with more skins on the wall than a Victor Butler or Brandon Williams. And unless a player like Von Miller of Texas A&M falls to them in the draft, it's unrealistic to think that third-down specialist will come from the college ranks.
4. Guard
No matter what happens with the CBA and the terms of a new salary cap, nine-year veteran Kyle Kosier will be an unrestricted free agent. His age (32) will keep him from being highly sought-after, but the Cowboys would probably do well to re-sign him. He's been a pretty consistent guy for them, and he's the Cowboys' most athletic lineman aside from Doug Free. That may be an indictment of the guys to his right more than a compliment, but it does look like he has some solid years in front of him.
Maybe the Cowboys will come out of the draft with an alternative, which would include drafting a center, since Andre Gurode could move to guard. But in deciding how much they want to keep Kosier, the team will also have to consider the future of Leonard Davis. If coaches think they can get Bigg turned around, Kosier might be expendable. If not, it would be awfully tough to replace two of the line's three interior players. Jerry Jones expressed some interest in keeping Kosier last week, but he probably has a price in mind.
3. Spears/Bowen/Hatcher
All three of the free agent defensive ends won't be back, but the Cowboys need to figure out a way to keep at least one, if not two of them. If they all got away, the position would revert to Igor Olshansky, Sean Lissemore and, uh, Clifton Geathers. There's room for a rookie or two, and probably a quality one, but I think the Cowboys would rather have more stability.
At this point, I'm resigned to Spears leaving, and I think he is as well. Unless there's just no demand for him and he's forced to take a team-friendly deal, the Cowboys probably think they can pay both Bowen and Hatcher for the price it would take to keep their former first-round pick and long-time starter.
Some within the coaching staff are big believers in Hatcher, but if I had to choose only one, I would like to keep Bowen. There may be a pretty significant market for him, however.
2. Safety
No surprise here, of course. The big question is whether the club has to find one new safety, or two. Gerald Sensabaugh, who Jones expressed a desire to bring back, will be unrestricted no matter what, and there are probably some teams who would like to have him coming off what was his most productive season with five interceptions.
Sensabaugh appeared to be out of place at times in 2011, and his 2010 season was arguably more solid, though it lacked the turnovers. It's quite possible that when the Cowboys evaluate him, however, they will decide he was hung out to dry by the cornerbacks or the other safety, Alan Ball, or the defense's lack of a consistent pass rush. Sensabaugh is open to returning, but has made it clear he wants a fair deal. He wasn't happy playing under the one-year tender he had in 2010.
Though the draft is a distinct possibility for finding the other safety, the Cowboys might be better served addressing that spot with a veteran. That would presumably ease the process of adding a new starter to the defense, and that player wouldn't have the same learning curve as a rookie.
1. Re-sign Doug Free
The Cowboys took a substantial risk by not franchising Free when they had the chance, a measure that would have kept the rest of the league away. They did give him first- and third-round restricted free agency protection, but if the salary cap returns, that won't keep him from hitting the open market. For some team in need of tackle help, what's not to like about a 27-year old with no real injury history who has blossomed into a very solid player over the last year and a half?
At the time they made the decision, the Cowboys may have thought that the franchise tag would have inflated Free's value unnecessarily, so they took a risk. It's also quite possible they could be cap-strapped, which would make it tough to compete in a bidding war if one emerged over Free. And considering the possibility that a reworked CBA might precipitate a spending spree among some teams, this was a dangerous decision indeed.
Whenever a new deal is worked out between players and owners, there is likely to be a brief period for negotiations before free agency officially begins. The most important thing the Cowboys can do this offseason is get a contract for their left tackle worked up during that time.
Josh Ellis
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - Remember free agency?
Yeah, you know, that's what we used to call it when players who had been in the league for so long could just go and sign with whatever team wanted them. Back in the old days of, like, 2009, guys didn't have to wait until they had six years of service - basically two NFL lifetimes - before hitting the open market, and as soon as the final year of their rookie contract was up, they could do whatever they wanted, basically.
Ah, the good old days, when one "league year" flowed seamlessly to the next, and early March was as highly anticipated by NFL fans as Christmas morning rather than the expiration of a time bomb like this year.
In any event, this labor stuff is all going to be worked out eventually, and at some point the ancient ritual of free agency will return, most likely resembling its form of way back when, two years ago. Most everyone expects a salary cap, so even though the Cowboys issued restricted free agency tenders to several of their players entering their sixth season, it's quite possible those guys could be eligible to sign with whomever they please.
Granted, this list of priorities could change with the NFL Draft in a month, but rookies shouldn't be trusted with every need on the roster. By the time the free agency dust has settled, here's what your Cowboys will have needed to take care of, in reverse order of importance.
5. Pass Rush Specialist
It's not that Anthony Spencer can't rush the quarterback. He showed he could do it down the stretch in 2009, when he had 8.0 sacks in the final eight games, playoffs included, totaling more than one QB-takedown three times in that span. But if we look at the rest of his career, that stretch is an anomaly. In fact, during that eight-week span he produced more than half as many sacks as in the entirety of his 60 regular season appearances.
In 2010, he had an eight-game streak far more representative of his total production, going half the schedule without registering a single sack. He disappointed himself, and he definitely disappointed the Cowboys, who went into the year thinking they had one of, if not the best pass-rushing tandem in all of football. The Cowboys shouldn't overvalue the position in the same way this year. They need to add a proven pass-rusher to their stable, someone with more skins on the wall than a Victor Butler or Brandon Williams. And unless a player like Von Miller of Texas A&M falls to them in the draft, it's unrealistic to think that third-down specialist will come from the college ranks.
4. Guard
No matter what happens with the CBA and the terms of a new salary cap, nine-year veteran Kyle Kosier will be an unrestricted free agent. His age (32) will keep him from being highly sought-after, but the Cowboys would probably do well to re-sign him. He's been a pretty consistent guy for them, and he's the Cowboys' most athletic lineman aside from Doug Free. That may be an indictment of the guys to his right more than a compliment, but it does look like he has some solid years in front of him.
Maybe the Cowboys will come out of the draft with an alternative, which would include drafting a center, since Andre Gurode could move to guard. But in deciding how much they want to keep Kosier, the team will also have to consider the future of Leonard Davis. If coaches think they can get Bigg turned around, Kosier might be expendable. If not, it would be awfully tough to replace two of the line's three interior players. Jerry Jones expressed some interest in keeping Kosier last week, but he probably has a price in mind.
3. Spears/Bowen/Hatcher
All three of the free agent defensive ends won't be back, but the Cowboys need to figure out a way to keep at least one, if not two of them. If they all got away, the position would revert to Igor Olshansky, Sean Lissemore and, uh, Clifton Geathers. There's room for a rookie or two, and probably a quality one, but I think the Cowboys would rather have more stability.
At this point, I'm resigned to Spears leaving, and I think he is as well. Unless there's just no demand for him and he's forced to take a team-friendly deal, the Cowboys probably think they can pay both Bowen and Hatcher for the price it would take to keep their former first-round pick and long-time starter.
Some within the coaching staff are big believers in Hatcher, but if I had to choose only one, I would like to keep Bowen. There may be a pretty significant market for him, however.
2. Safety
No surprise here, of course. The big question is whether the club has to find one new safety, or two. Gerald Sensabaugh, who Jones expressed a desire to bring back, will be unrestricted no matter what, and there are probably some teams who would like to have him coming off what was his most productive season with five interceptions.
Sensabaugh appeared to be out of place at times in 2011, and his 2010 season was arguably more solid, though it lacked the turnovers. It's quite possible that when the Cowboys evaluate him, however, they will decide he was hung out to dry by the cornerbacks or the other safety, Alan Ball, or the defense's lack of a consistent pass rush. Sensabaugh is open to returning, but has made it clear he wants a fair deal. He wasn't happy playing under the one-year tender he had in 2010.
Though the draft is a distinct possibility for finding the other safety, the Cowboys might be better served addressing that spot with a veteran. That would presumably ease the process of adding a new starter to the defense, and that player wouldn't have the same learning curve as a rookie.
1. Re-sign Doug Free
The Cowboys took a substantial risk by not franchising Free when they had the chance, a measure that would have kept the rest of the league away. They did give him first- and third-round restricted free agency protection, but if the salary cap returns, that won't keep him from hitting the open market. For some team in need of tackle help, what's not to like about a 27-year old with no real injury history who has blossomed into a very solid player over the last year and a half?
At the time they made the decision, the Cowboys may have thought that the franchise tag would have inflated Free's value unnecessarily, so they took a risk. It's also quite possible they could be cap-strapped, which would make it tough to compete in a bidding war if one emerged over Free. And considering the possibility that a reworked CBA might precipitate a spending spree among some teams, this was a dangerous decision indeed.
Whenever a new deal is worked out between players and owners, there is likely to be a brief period for negotiations before free agency officially begins. The most important thing the Cowboys can do this offseason is get a contract for their left tackle worked up during that time.