Jerry Jones doing Jerry Jones things

[Go Budaw]

Just a few years after trading a first round pick for Amari Cooper, they are sending him to the Browns for a 5th rounder after 2 years of giving him max money. Still only 28 years old.

Meanwhile, Zeke is due to make almost $19 million this year while not even being the most productive RB on the roster anymore.

Sorry, Dak. You’re probably doomed to another 3 years of zero Super Bowl appearances or wins, along with minimal playoff success in general. Hope you take proper stock of the shitshow in Big D and get somewhere else for that next big contract.

 

[msudawg200]

Plenty of reasons to beat up on the Joneses for personnel decisions they’ve made, but I don’t view this as one of them. They were paying Cooper as a top 5 WR (which he’s not), and they have more pressing needs.

Everyone will point to “yeah but they gave up a 1st rounder for him.” True, but have to remember the context of that move - 1. It’s a fallacy to say this is a bad move simply because they gave up a 1st rounder because that’s a sunk cost. Plus, there were plenty of detractors about that deal at the time. 2. He was on a cheap deal when they got him, so he was an excellent value at that time. As stated, now he’s really not. He’s likely being paid close to market value. 3. He was younger - he’s still got a couple good years left, but his best years are probably behind him. Certainly will be by the last year of his deal.

I think considering their roster needs and cap issues, this was the right move for them.

 

[Go Budaw]

Plenty of reasons to beat up on the Joneses for personnel decisions theyÂ’ve made, but I donÂ’t view this as one of them. They were paying Cooper as a top 5 WR (which heÂ’s not), and they have more pressing needs.

They weren’t paying him like a Top 5 receiver, they were paying him like a Top 15-20 receiver who came off his rookie contract while he was with the team. Players don’t get paid in descending order based on how good they are, that’s not at all how it works. Players that are WR1’s get paid market based on what other WR1’s around the league made on their most recent deals, adjusted for cap inflation.

Everyone will point to “yeah but they gave up a 1st rounder for him.” True, but have to remember the context of that move - 1. It’s a fallacy to say this is a bad move simply because they gave up a 1st rounder because that’s a sunk cost. Plus, there were plenty of detractors about that deal at the time. 2. He was on a cheap deal when they got him, so he was an excellent value at that time.

How was he a cheap deal when Dallas got him? If a 1st rounder is cheap, how cheap is he now that Cleveland gave up just a 5th rounder? He hasn’t lost a step….he’s still the same player as he was a few years ago.

The whole point is that it’s more evidence that the Jones’ have no cohesive, long term strategy for the franchise whatsoever. They fly by the seat of their pants every offseason. You give up heavy draft capital and a couple of years of 2nd contract money to get a great player, then turn around and deal him for way less than that when he’s still in the prime of his career….just to cover for other bad deals they made. The obvious move here is to trade Zeke to a contender who needs a workhorse RB, and can afford to pay him for 1 year before cutting him in 2023 when he goes off his guarantee, if they wish. Even if they got literally nothing in return, that would still be a great deal for Dallas. But no, they give up a far more important piece of the offense instead.

As stated, now heÂ’s really not. HeÂ’s likely being paid close to market value. 3. He was younger - heÂ’s still got a couple good years left, but his best years are probably behind him. Certainly will be by the last year of his deal.

Best years are behind him? He’s not even 28 yet. Why is that the case?

 

[Trojanbulldog19]

Well duh.

Cowboys only talk about winning Super Bowls. They don't give a **** as long as they being paid

 

[paindonthurt]

And there is this https://boxden.com/showthread.php?t=3111010

 

[msudawg200]

They weren’t paying him like a Top 5 receiver, they were paying him like a Top 15-20 receiver who came off his rookie contract while he was with the team. Players don’t get paid in descending order based on how good they are, that’s not at all how it works. Players that are WR1’s get paid market based on what other WR1’s around the league made on their most recent deals, adjusted for cap inflation.



How was he a cheap deal when Dallas got him? If a 1st rounder is cheap, how cheap is he now that Cleveland gave up just a 5th rounder? He hasn’t lost a step….he’s still the same player as he was a few years ago.

The whole point is that it’s more evidence that the Jones’ have no cohesive, long term strategy for the franchise whatsoever. They fly by the seat of their pants every offseason. You give up heavy draft capital and a couple of years of 2nd contract money to get a great player, then turn around and deal him for way less than that when he’s still in the prime of his career….just to cover for other bad deals they made. The obvious move here is to trade Zeke to a contender who needs a workhorse RB, and can afford to pay him for 1 year before cutting him in 2023 when he goes off his guarantee, if they wish. Even if they got literally nothing in return, that would still be a great deal for Dallas. But no, they give up a far more important piece of the offense instead.



Best years are behind him? He’s not even 28 yet. Why is that the case?

Ok, so let’s use your 15-20 range. 15-20 is probably about where he would rank among NFL WRs, so let’s just say they’re paying roughly market value. So he’s not some great bargain, and they need his salary cap hit elsewhere on the roster.

I’m not saying the 1st round pick was cheap, I’m saying his salary cap hit was cheap when they got him because he was on his rookie contract. And that’s partially why they had to pay a 1st rounder to get him. Regardless, what they gave up for him then is immaterial because it’s sunk cost.

He’ll be 28 when the season starts and 30 in the last year of the deal. You think his best years are ahead of him? Maybe, but it better happen this year because it only gets less likely as he enters the last two years of this deal.

You mention trading Zeke. To who? Who is going to take on that contract without Dallas sending draft capital or taking some bad contract in return? The league knows Zeke is a bad contract. I don’t see where there’s a trade to be had there.

I’m not arguing at all about how the Joneses run their franchise. I alluded to that in my original response. No doubt they’ve made horrible moves - we all agree there. One of which, to your point was the Zeke deal. And then they made that worse by restructuring it to where they gave up their easy way out of that deal this off-season. Another will probably end up being giving Schultz the franchise tag. I guess time will tell on that.

My only point is, I don’t think this move was bad. I’m not saying it was a home run - it wasn’t. In a vacuum, it was an ok move. In the context of their salary cap issues, it happened to be pretty necessary for them.

 

[Go Budaw]

Zeke’s contract was and is horrible, but there’s only one year left on it before the guaranteed portion is done. There are plenty of contending teams who could use a between the tackles guy and have all the pieces elsewhere, and would likely pay for a one year fix….especially if they can also unload a bad deal for a player that might benefit Dallas in the short term. Miami, Buffalo, KC to name a few. Conversely, there are a few teams who are several years away from contending who would likely take on one year of the contract if it’s no other skin off their back, just to pump some energy and excitement into the franchise. NYJ, Houston, maybe Atlanta, a few others perhaps.

Bottom line, Zeke and Amari both offer about the same cap space if you get rid of either for 2022. If you are an owner, GM, fan, or other Cowboys stakeholder, ask yourself two questions:

1) Who would you rather have on the team for next season only?

2) Who would you rather have on the team for the next 3 seasons?

The answer to both of those questions is Cooper….by a mile. So, you find a way to deal Zeke. Even if you get nothing in return, even if you have to foot the bill for a couple million on his 2022 deal to get it done. It doesn’t matter. It’s foolish to deal the better player short term and long term and keep the asset who has already passed his prime.

 

[msudawg200]

We agree on who the better player is. We disagree on the interest of other teams. No one wants Zeke for $18M this year AND almost $12M of dead cap space next year when he’s cut. Not when you can get a free agent like Leonard Fournette for half that without the dead cap space.

 

[StateJCP]

Would you say Cooper is an upgrade for Browns compared to OBJ?

 

[Mr. Cook]

Sorry and thanks for playing. CD Lamb is the future.