DANIEL LOGAN - VALLEJO, CA: Would it make more sense, financial and otherwise, to try to re-sign Marcus Spears than to draft a defensive end in the first round?
Nick: I actually thought about that myself last week and we discussed it on the Lunch Break. I think that would be a better idea than drafting someone like Cameron Jordan or J.J. Watt. I feel like Spears does a fine job in the dirty-work position that a 3-4 defensive end is. That would free up another spot to draft an offensive tackle. That doesn't mean avoid the DE position in the draft, but maybe in the later rounds.
Josh: Maybe. Depends what the Cowboys think Spears will command on the open market. Especially if there is a rookie wage scale in effect this year, there's a good chance the No. 9 pick could make less than Spears, because remember, the differential in first-round pay would be diverted to veterans. If the Cowboys could re-sign both Spears and Stephen Bowen, and maybe draft some more defensive line help later, I think they would be in fine shape. But that might be expensive.
Midswat - Yes. Next question.
MAX OAKLEY - BURLINGTON, KY: Do you think the Cowboys could have or should have gotten more than seventh-rounders in the Patrick Crayton and Pat McQuistan trades?
Nick: If you look around the league at the value, that's probably about right. Santonio Holmes warranted a fifth-round pick. So to get a seventh for Crayton and McQuistan seems reasonable. You have to remember, teams know when a player is not in the plans anymore. So you're not going to get top-dollar on anyone that will probably be released as soon as you realize you can't get anyone to trade for him. That's the business right there.
Josh: I think they probably got all that was offered. Remember, both of those trades came down right before the deadline to cut guys, and the Cowboys were ready to axe both and get nothing in return. If you were another team, what would you really have been willing to spend for the services of Pat McQuistan?
Midswat - No. We were lucky to get that.
Nick: I actually thought about that myself last week and we discussed it on the Lunch Break. I think that would be a better idea than drafting someone like Cameron Jordan or J.J. Watt. I feel like Spears does a fine job in the dirty-work position that a 3-4 defensive end is. That would free up another spot to draft an offensive tackle. That doesn't mean avoid the DE position in the draft, but maybe in the later rounds.
Josh: Maybe. Depends what the Cowboys think Spears will command on the open market. Especially if there is a rookie wage scale in effect this year, there's a good chance the No. 9 pick could make less than Spears, because remember, the differential in first-round pay would be diverted to veterans. If the Cowboys could re-sign both Spears and Stephen Bowen, and maybe draft some more defensive line help later, I think they would be in fine shape. But that might be expensive.
Midswat - Yes. Next question.
MAX OAKLEY - BURLINGTON, KY: Do you think the Cowboys could have or should have gotten more than seventh-rounders in the Patrick Crayton and Pat McQuistan trades?
Nick: If you look around the league at the value, that's probably about right. Santonio Holmes warranted a fifth-round pick. So to get a seventh for Crayton and McQuistan seems reasonable. You have to remember, teams know when a player is not in the plans anymore. So you're not going to get top-dollar on anyone that will probably be released as soon as you realize you can't get anyone to trade for him. That's the business right there.
Josh: I think they probably got all that was offered. Remember, both of those trades came down right before the deadline to cut guys, and the Cowboys were ready to axe both and get nothing in return. If you were another team, what would you really have been willing to spend for the services of Pat McQuistan?
Midswat - No. We were lucky to get that.