Cowboys Get a Free Pass on Free Agency, 'Skins Don't

Sheriff Gonna Getcha · 03-03-2005, 01:24 PM

Prior to the start of free agency, Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones said the Cowboys would aggressivley pursue free agents this offseason. And sure enough, they have. The Cowboys signed Drew Bledsoe, age 33, to a four year $14 million deal with a $2 million signing bonus. The team also added Jason Ferguson, who will be 31 in November, to a 5 year, $22 million deal with a $9 million signing bonus. Their third big free agent acquisition is Anthony Henry, who will be 29 in November, to a 5 year, $25 million deal with a $10 million signing bonus. Finally, the Cowboys have reportedly inked former Packer guard Marco Rivera, who is 33, to a long-term deal.

Does it strike anyone else as odd that the Cowboys have invested over $20 million in signing bonuses and about $70 million in salary payments to four guys who are past their primes and average 31.5 years of age?

Apparently, the Redskins get nailed when we sign anyone to any sort of deal, but the Cowboys get a free pass for free agent spending sprees on aging players.

I'm glad Snyder, Gibbs & Company decided not to overspend on free agents whose prices are inflated because the free agent market is so piss poor. I'm also glad that the Cowboys have done a "mini-2000 Redskins'" spending binge on AARP members.

BrudLee · 03-03-2005, 01:35 PM

The Cowboys splurge appears to be Jerry Jones attempting to keep Bill Parcells happy - not necessarily help his franchise. Rivera is a good example. He is a talented lineman who doesn't make mistakes, exactly what Parcells wants. However, he will now affect the future cap of the Cowboys and retard the growth of future players. Parcells is happy (for this year) but the team (which will likely be without Parcells in a few years) will be hampered later.

BossHog · 03-03-2005, 01:40 PM

Bledsoe signed for how much? Brunell has to restructure.

SmootSmack · 03-03-2005, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrudLee

The Cowboys splurge appears to be Jerry Jones attempting to keep Bill Parcells happy - not necessarily help his franchise. Rivera is a good example. He is a talented lineman who doesn't make mistakes, exactly what Parcells wants. However, he will now affect the future cap of the Cowboys and retard the growth of future players. Parcells is happy (for this year) but the team (which will likely be without Parcells in a few years) will be hampered later.

Agree...and any post that has "Cowboys" and "retard" in the same sentence is a winner in my book

Daseal · 03-03-2005, 01:43 PM

I wonder what all those Cowboy fans who laughed at our signings are saying now that they're doing the exact same thing.

SkinsRock · 03-03-2005, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daseal

I wonder what all those Cowboy fans who laughed at our signings are saying now that they're doing the exact same thing.

"It's not the same" is what they'll say...but they'll know the truth even if they can't admit it.

As for the Cowboys getting a "free pass", I think once the some time goes by and people (i.e. the "experts") start evaluating how each team did in FA, they'll give them their due for signing all the old guys.

firstdown · 03-03-2005, 02:24 PM

It looks as if they missed all of our misstakes and are now doing the same thing. I hope they have the same results.

BossHog · 03-03-2005, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daseal

I wonder what all those Cowboy fans who laughed at our signings (of previous years) are saying now that they're doing the exact same thing.

I'm loving it. This year could be ugly for DAL. Now we have to do our part ...on the field.

Daseal · 03-03-2005, 02:30 PM

If the trends keep up Dallas will get at least two wins this year. =(

BigSKINBauer · 03-03-2005, 02:46 PM

I still can't believe we lost that second game.

we were just about eliminated due to other scores and i exepted it at the end but in the middle of saying that this season was a success due to us beating the cowboys and then THAT happened i jinxed it and take full fault. one play it was like we were destined to lose

BrudLee · 03-03-2005, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BossHog

Bledsoe signed for how much? Brunell has to restructure.

Brunell can't really restructure himself out of a bonus he's already received. Let's just learn from our mistakes.

backrow · 03-03-2005, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firstdown

It looks as if they missed all of our misstakes and are now doing the same thing. I hope they have the same results.

They will not get a "Free pass"! All of those cowroid lovers will turn angry when the "roids" go 6-10 again! Then, they will be closer to the cap, and unable to see their way out. It takes a while for all of this Free Agency to settle down, and the Talking heads to evaluate teams based on paper! Then, translating what they have on paper to what actually happens on the field, will make the paper yellow more quickly! I only wish they had Norv for coach, and not Tuna!

skinsguy · 03-03-2005, 03:50 PM

Yeah you would think all the NFL teams would have looked at us a few years back when we signed Sanders, Smith, George, etc....

Daniel Synder had the "we're going to change it around now!" attitude; same as Jerry Jones this off-season. I think he is loading the team up to make Parcells happy. Its quite obvious that Dallas is thinking win now so we can have a reason to suck later on!

sportscurmudgeon · 03-03-2005, 04:04 PM

The Bledsoe signing is a good one because the signing bonus is so low. Suppose Bledose totally bombs out this year and has to be cut next January. HIs signing bonus was $2M over 4 years meaning that $500K was counted in 2005 and the "dead money hit" is only $1.5M. That's not such a horrible risk to take.

I also like the Ferguson signing. Absent a serious injury, Ferguson is a bona fide run stopper on the DL. He will have to play there for three years to make his dead money hit reasonable, but there isn't any reason yet to assume he can't do that. He may not be an All-Pro, but he can still play.

Rivera is a guy who just gets the job done without and flourish or fanfare. He is awfully long in the tooth for an offensive lineman - despite the Ray Brown example - and so he is a much bigger gamble.

Anthony Henry is the biggest gamble of the lot since I'm not sure he is good enough to deserve a $10M signing bonus no matter what he age is.

Sheriff Gonna Getcha · 03-03-2005, 04:11 PM

I concede SC that Bledsoe's signing isn't bad for the cap. I also admit that Rivera is a pretty good guard.

But I do not agree that the signing of Ferguson was smart. He's solid, but old and costly. $9 million is a lot of guaranteed money for a guy his age (see, Brunell).

My point is that they are overpaying (except for Bledsoe) older guys who have had very solid, if unspectacular, careers.

03-03-2005, 01:24 PM	#1
Sheriff Gonna Getcha Franchise Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Age: 44 Posts: 8,317	Cowboys Get a Free Pass on Free Agency, 'Skins Don't Prior to the start of free agency, Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones said the Cowboys would aggressivley pursue free agents this offseason. And sure enough, they have. The Cowboys signed Drew Bledsoe, age 33, to a four year $14 million deal with a $2 million signing bonus. The team also added Jason Ferguson, who will be 31 in November, to a 5 year, $22 million deal with a $9 million signing bonus. Their third big free agent acquisition is Anthony Henry, who will be 29 in November, to a 5 year, $25 million deal with a $10 million signing bonus. Finally, the Cowboys have reportedly inked former Packer guard Marco Rivera, who is 33, to a long-term deal. Does it strike anyone else as odd that the Cowboys have invested over $20 million in signing bonuses and about $70 million in salary payments to four guys who are past their primes and average 31.5 years of age? Apparently, the Redskins get nailed when we sign anyone to any sort of deal, but the Cowboys get a free pass for free agent spending sprees on aging players. I'm glad Snyder, Gibbs & Company decided not to overspend on free agents whose prices are inflated because the free agent market is so piss poor. I'm also glad that the Cowboys have done a "mini-2000 Redskins'" spending binge on AARP members.

03-03-2005, 01:35 PM	#2
BrudLee Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE Posts: 3,494	Re: Cowboys Get a Free Pass on Free Agency, 'Skins Don't The Cowboys splurge appears to be Jerry Jones attempting to keep Bill Parcells happy - not necessarily help his franchise. Rivera is a good example. He is a talented lineman who doesn't make mistakes, exactly what Parcells wants. However, he will now affect the future cap of the Cowboys and retard the growth of future players. Parcells is happy (for this year) but the team (which will likely be without Parcells in a few years) will be hampered later. __________________ There's nowhere to go but up. Or down. I guess we could stay where we are, too.

03-03-2005, 01:40 PM	#3
BossHog Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Norfolk, Va Posts: 665	Re: Cowboys Get a Free Pass on Free Agency, 'Skins Don't Bledsoe signed for how much? Brunell has to restructure.

03-03-2005, 01:43 PM	#5
Daseal Puppy Kicker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arlington, Virginia Age: 41 Posts: 8,341	Re: Cowboys Get a Free Pass on Free Agency, 'Skins Don't I wonder what all those Cowboy fans who laughed at our signings are saying now that they're doing the exact same thing.

03-03-2005, 02:24 PM	#7
firstdown Living Legend Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: chesapeake, va Age: 59 Posts: 15,817	Re: Cowboys Get a Free Pass on Free Agency, 'Skins Don't It looks as if they missed all of our misstakes and are now doing the same thing. I hope they have the same results.

03-03-2005, 02:30 PM	#9
Daseal Puppy Kicker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arlington, Virginia Age: 41 Posts: 8,341	Re: Cowboys Get a Free Pass on Free Agency, 'Skins Don't If the trends keep up Dallas will get at least two wins this year. =(

03-03-2005, 02:46 PM	#10
BigSKINBauer Pro Bowl Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Washington, DC Age: 35 Posts: 5,688	Re: Cowboys Get a Free Pass on Free Agency, 'Skins Don't I still can't believe we lost that second game. we were just about eliminated due to other scores and i exepted it at the end but in the middle of saying that this season was a success due to us beating the cowboys and then THAT happened i jinxed it and take full fault. one play it was like we were destined to lose

03-03-2005, 03:50 PM	#13
skinsguy Pro Bowl Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Greensboro, North Carolina Posts: 6,766	Re: Cowboys Get a Free Pass on Free Agency, 'Skins Don't Yeah you would think all the NFL teams would have looked at us a few years back when we signed Sanders, Smith, George, etc.... Daniel Synder had the "we're going to change it around now!" attitude; same as Jerry Jones this off-season. I think he is loading the team up to make Parcells happy. Its quite obvious that Dallas is thinking win now so we can have a reason to suck later on! __________________ "Fire Up That Diesel!"

03-03-2005, 04:04 PM	#14
sportscurmudgeon Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 3,159	Re: Cowboys Get a Free Pass on Free Agency, 'Skins Don't The Bledsoe signing is a good one because the signing bonus is so low. Suppose Bledose totally bombs out this year and has to be cut next January. HIs signing bonus was $2M over 4 years meaning that $500K was counted in 2005 and the "dead money hit" is only $1.5M. That's not such a horrible risk to take. I also like the Ferguson signing. Absent a serious injury, Ferguson is a bona fide run stopper on the DL. He will have to play there for three years to make his dead money hit reasonable, but there isn't any reason yet to assume he can't do that. He may not be an All-Pro, but he can still play. Rivera is a guy who just gets the job done without and flourish or fanfare. He is awfully long in the tooth for an offensive lineman - despite the Ray Brown example - and so he is a much bigger gamble. Anthony Henry is the biggest gamble of the lot since I'm not sure he is good enough to deserve a $10M signing bonus no matter what he age is. __________________ The Sports Curmudgeon www.sportscurmudgeon.com But don't get me wrong, I love sports...

03-03-2005, 04:11 PM	#15
Sheriff Gonna Getcha Franchise Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Age: 44 Posts: 8,317	Re: Cowboys Get a Free Pass on Free Agency, 'Skins Don't I concede SC that Bledsoe's signing isn't bad for the cap. I also admit that Rivera is a pretty good guard. But I do not agree that the signing of Ferguson was smart. He's solid, but old and costly. $9 million is a lot of guaranteed money for a guy his age (see, Brunell). My point is that they are overpaying (except for Bledsoe) older guys who have had very solid, if unspectacular, careers.

Cowboys Get a Free Pass on Free Agency, 'Skins Don't

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