Chase Young or Three First Round Picks?

I suspect RR is worried about us replicating the Rams and going SB or bust so wasn't going to go all out in FA, especially with a thin crop. But I agree that we've been too cautious. We needed to strengthen at least at CB, FS, 2 or 3 LB spots, TE, WR and OL, particularly TE and OL. For me, if they decided to go all out on D we'd have at least picked up the likes of Boston, Littleton, Schobel and Jones, leaving the draft to pick up O. Instead we made a 70% effort to sign Cooper, 90% effort for Hooper and missed out on the best LB and DB prospects. So we have depth, and maybe there is a lot to be said for the impact of character and culture across the whole team. But I agree we missed out on 2-3 ideal guys at least and I'm not sure why. As said, we can't carry across cap space so what are we going to do with so much spare sloshing around this year? Who's coming up in FA next year to warrant avoiding expensive multi year contracts this year? Are we looking to make a few pre/post draft trades that eat up cap?

I like the idea of playing our cards close to our chest, but we're in danger of telling the rest of the league we don't actually have a hand if we're not careful.

70% effort on Cooper? We reportedly offered him $110 million over 5 years. More than any team in the league, including Dallas. So you're saying we should have offered $145 million? Really? Frankly, I think our offer was too much as it was, and I'm glad he didn't take it. I do like the idea of only offering big money to the very best out there in free agency, and not overpay for talent that isn't quite star quality. Otherwise, minor improvements to our roster with veteran role players with some upside at little cost or risk doesn't seem like a bad idea to me.

By the way, unused cap space can be carried forward. You are wrong about that.

I disagree with your apparent overall viewpoint that we should outbid every team on every player. Heck, we've overpaid for has-been players for years. That's been part of our problem under Bruce Allen. The "win the off-season" approach failed miserably. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what Rivera and Smith can do, and I'm willing to give them the chance to do it.

So their plan going into free agency was to spend next to nothing and to make no significant improvements in the team ?????? You know, I am NOT ok with that. I am not saying that they had to spend like crazy up to the cap. But I am saying they could have tried to add starting level talent to the team rather than adding a bunch of injured, re-tread and "never was" players and hoping to catch lighting in a bottle. I mean, look at the offensive line ......... it is bad joke. And a threat to the health of Haskins.

What exactly are you looking for? You're "not saying" that they had to spend like crazy up to the cap, yet you apparently wanted them to outbid Dallas and Cleveland for Cooper and Hooper... I like the receivers currently on the roster, and the draft is DEEP in that position, so I'm glad Cooper resigned with the Cowboys. Hooper? Well, he was probably the best TE available, which is why Cleveland overpaid for him. That is what you had to do to land him - supply & demand... I'm glad they passed.

I actually think they improved the secondary bringing in Fuller and Davis, and letting Norman, Dunbar and Nicholson hit the road. There's a lot of young talent there, and I'm sure they aren't done adding to it.

The O-line is basically what it was last year...I mean no one knew what they were going to get with Flowers at LG going into last season. He did alright, but I imagine he's replaceable with Martin, plus they added some depth...so Schweitzer missed a blitz last year? I guess he's the only O-lineman that did that huh?

I think the team can be competitive as is - with the new regime...IF Haskins (or the QB position in general) takes a step forward.

Carrying cap space forward is a good thing. There's a lot of
"potentially" core players whose contracts are up in the next couple years - Allen, Foster, Moreau, Guice, etc. Having money to retain your own is a big thing moving forward. The new regime just needs time to really evaluate what they have and who fits in their systems.

Yeah, so far I'm fine with pretty much everything that has been done - or not done...

70% effort on Cooper? We reportedly offered him $110 million over 5 years. More than any team in the league, including Dallas. So you're saying we should have offered $145 million? Really? Frankly, I think our offer was too much as it was, and I'm glad he didn't take it. I do like the idea of only offering big money to the very best out there in free agency, and not overpay for talent that isn't quite star quality. Otherwise, minor improvements to our roster with veteran role players with some upside at little cost or risk doesn't seem like a bad idea to me.

By the way, unused cap space can be carried forward. You are wrong about that.

I disagree with your apparent overall viewpoint that we should outbid every team on every player. Heck, we've overpaid for has-been players for years. That's been part of our problem under Bruce Allen. The "win the off-season" approach failed miserably. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what Rivera and Smith can do, and I'm willing to give them the chance to do it.

I meant we put 70% effort into the negotiations, not offered 70% of what we should. If we'd sounded him out on what it would take to leave Dallas, we may not have got him anyway because of the tax situation (US tax system always confuses me, but probably no worse than ours😊). What I read makes it sound like we didn't come close enough for him to consider the offer. That's all.

And I'm definitely not saying we should outbid every team, but there were guys that at least on the face of it either didn't negotiate with or didn't do so seriously. I can only go by what I can see on the web, so maybe you guys know more, but aside from the bids on Cooper & Hooper, I've seen no sign of approaches to some of the names I mentioned. From what I saw and read about Littleton, for example, he would be a good fit. Did we even try?

Sorry misunderstood about carrying cap space. But don't we have a requirement to spend at least 89%? With the numbers being talked about, we must be a way under that right now?

I meant we put 70% effort into the negotiations, not offered 70% of what we should. If we'd sounded him out on what it would take to leave Dallas, we may not have got him anyway because of the tax situation (US tax system always confuses me, but probably no worse than ours😊). What I read makes it sound like we didn't come close enough for him to consider the offer. That's all.

And I'm definitely not saying we should outbid every team, but there were guys that at least on the face of it either didn't negotiate with or didn't do so seriously. I can only go by what I can see on the web, so maybe you guys know more, but aside from the bids on Cooper & Hooper, I've seen no sign of approaches to some of the names I mentioned. From what I saw and read about Littleton, for example, he would be a good fit. Did we even try?

Again, Dallas offered $37mil more in guarantees. It probably wasn't a tough decision for Cooper to make.

I think perhaps they might like to see what they have in Hamilton, Bostic, Clemons, Foster, Holcomb, Anderson, Pierre-Louis, etc, before ponying up $32mil for another linebacker.

Chief X I am looking at their offensive line which is a really bad joke right now with just two proven legit NFL players on it right now. Heck they should have been looking to upgrade from Moses and instead he is now pretty much a lock to make the team. With a young QB, RR should have been looking to provide him with the best protection possible. He has not done that. Heck it does not even look as if he tried to develop a good quality offensive line to protect his young QB.

I want to be clear, I am not as concerned about the receivers. But to me he has failed in acquiring talent for a reliable offensive line.

Second, I am concerned about his failure to get a strong replacement for Dunbar. If he wants to be a defense first team, he should have spent the money to acquire a very good DB to replace Dunbar and have a true "lock down" defense. Derby IS NOT what I or any reasonable football should have had in mind.

The fact is the only "hole" RR seems to have filled is depth at RB if Guice is hurt again. Beyond that he has done nothing much. His acquisition for Fuller is off set by his loss of Dunbar.

Chief X I am looking at their offensive line which is a really bad joke right now with just two proven legit NFL players on it right now. Heck they should have been looking to upgrade from Moses and instead he is now pretty much a lock to make the team. With a young QB, RR should have been looking to provide him with the best protection possible. He has not done that. Heck it does not even look as if he tried to develop a good quality offensive line to protect his young QB.

I want to be clear, I am not as concerned about the receivers. But to me he has failed in acquiring talent for a reliable offensive line.

Second, I am concerned about his failure to get a strong replacement for Dunbar. If he wants to be a defense first team, he should have spent the money to acquire a very good DB to replace Dunbar and have a true "lock down" defense. Derby IS NOT what I or any reasonable football should have had in mind.

The fact is the only "hole" RR seems to have filled is depth at RB if Guice is hurt again. Beyond that he has done nothing much. His acquisition for Fuller is off set by his loss of Dunbar.

Develop is the key word. I have heard more than once that they like the current roster, and are eager to see what they can get out of the current roster with better coaching and leadership.

Fact is, they have added to the O-line. Time will tell, but Lucas is probably equal to or better than Penn at this point in their careers. Martin showed what he's capable of and is probably equal to or better than Flowers - higher ceiling. The rest is the same, with arguably better depth now. They still have the TW situation to unfold, and I doubt they are done...

Patience is a virtue...

(US tax system always confuses me, but probably no worse than ours😊).


Actually, they have simplified our system. We have a new 2-line tax return form:

Line 1: How much did you earn in 2019?

Line 2: Send it in.

Chief X I am looking at their offensive line which is a really bad joke right now with just two proven legit NFL players on it right now. Heck they should have been looking to upgrade from Moses and instead he is now pretty much a lock to make the team. With a young QB, RR should have been looking to provide him with the best protection possible. He has not done that. Heck it does not even look as if he tried to develop a good quality offensive line to protect his young QB.

I want to be clear, I am not as concerned about the receivers. But to me he has failed in acquiring talent for a reliable offensive line.

Second, I am concerned about his failure to get a strong replacement for Dunbar. If he wants to be a defense first team, he should have spent the money to acquire a very good DB to replace Dunbar and have a true "lock down" defense. Derby IS NOT what I or any reasonable football should have had in mind.

The fact is the only "hole" RR seems to have filled is depth at RB if Guice is hurt again. Beyond that he has done nothing much. His acquisition for Fuller is off set by his loss of Dunbar.

You apparently seem certain that Darby won't return to his career norm. I'm not so sure about that and apparently RR isn't, either.

You apparently seem certain that Darby won't return to his career norm. I'm not so sure about that and apparently RR isn't, either.

Players with Darby's injury history rarely do ,I think it was a decent signing for depth.