What Has Dallas GM Jerry Jones Been Smoking?
By cowgirlcas
I know a lot of Dallas Cowboys fans like to say that the Pro Bowl is a joke, a popularity contest etc. Maybe in some cases it is. I decided to do an investigation in to that. My questions were: How many Pro Bowlers did the Cowboys have when they won the Super Bowl? How many do they have now?
I am going to put Jerry Jones under a microscope because I cant help but wonder:
“What has the Dallas Cowboys Owner /GM Jerry Jones Been Smoking?”
December 9, 2012; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones walks on the field before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
When Jerry Jones said that there would be a change in Dallas, the first thought that came to my mind was that it would start at the top with the firing of the unqualified and inexperienced Dallas Cowboys Head Coach, Jason Garrett. Why? Lets take a look at his resume. Where did he ever get any experience as a head coach? You guessed it: He has never even coached a Pop Warner team. Where did Garrett ever get any experience as an offensive coordinator? You guessed it again: The only experience Jason Garrett really has is carrying Troy Aikmans’ clip board as a back-up for the Dallas Cowboys. I have to ask one final question: Who in their right mind would hire a guy with zero experience to run the largest franchise in the country and the second largest in the world? Again I ask: what has Jerry been smoking?
When I turned on the television and heard that Dallas Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan had been fired, I was like “WHAT?” Let’s face it, the guy never had a chance. I previously wrote an article titled Dallas Cowboys DC Rob Ryan is getting a raw deal. The facts are all explained there. I said to a friend of mine: that like Wade Phillips, Rob Ryan would probably be the fall guy. He was. What makes Jason Garrett bullet proof? Let’s face it, he has been part of the problem all along. Now, right out of the blue, Jerry Jones is switching to a defense that requires an entirely different type of personnel than what the Dallas Cowboys currently have. What does this mean? In order to make it work, he will need to draft players to fill roles that were already being filled. The problem with that is, he has too many holes that need to be filled now. What positions will he have to short change to accommodate the new scheme? Knowing Jerry, it will once again be the offensive line. He drafted pretty much all defense last year and will have to do the same again this year. Again I ask: what has Jerry been smoking?
Nov 22, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick (left) greets team owner Robert Kraft before the game against the New York Jets on Thanksgiving at Metlife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
I refer to the New England Patriots a lot because they are currently the only team in the NFL with a shot at attaining what the Tom Landry led Dallas Cowboys did: 20 consecutive winning seasons with 18 trips to the playoffs during those 20 years. New England is about half way there now. What is the common denominator? A solid head coach and quality personnel. Jerry Jones” theory of buying a championship and the win now attitude has netted 17 years of mediocrity. Dallas has one of the highest salaries in the NFL and some of the poorest production.
The way things stand right now, the Dallas Cowboys are about $20 million over the cap. They have about 17 free agents and no money. QB Tony Romo is due $16 million in 2013, and it is a contract year for him as well. How is Jerry going to be able to afford to resign him? There is no way he can accommodate the $16 million Tony is due with the big contract they gave CB Brandon Carr in free agency last year. Not to mention the fact that LT Doug Free, OLB DeMarcus Ware, S Gerald Sensabaugh, NT Jay Ratliff, and WR Miles Austin etc, all have inflated salaries. What if Tonys’ hiring a new agent is a sign he wants to test the market? Tony Romo has restructured a few times to help Jones and the Dallas Cowboys out; what if he doesn’t sign an extension and says hey, I waited a long time to get this money I want paid? This is the money I let you spread out. People will say that Jerry can just franchise him in 2014 if he doesn’t sign an extension. Really? Do they realize that by 2014 the tag amount will be about $20 million a year based on the top 5 QB salaries in the NFL? If this happens, Jerry will be forced to either trade him now or release him in 2014. Jerry Jones did nothing to prepare for this situation. In fact he got himself in deeper by giving Brandon Carr $50 million and giving up 2 draft picks for Morris Claiborne (Claiborne will really get exposed in a Tampa 2 defense because he is NOT a physical tackler who can handle being a run stopper). In fact, he can’t get off of blocks now.
I have to refer back to the New England Patriots. They are once again in the championship. They also acquired two cornerbacks in 2012. The cost? One was a 7th round pick and the other they acquired in a trade for a late round pick. (Their other CB Arrington was an undrafted free agent who not only attended the Pro Bowl in 2011, but led the entire NFL in interceptions.) Both of the new corners had a good season, and if healthy, both will play in the Championship game. If my gut is right, they will both play in the Super Bowl. Jerry Jones spent $50 million and two draft picks on cornerbacks and the Dallas Cowboys are on the couch. Again I ask: what has Jerry been smoking?
AP Photo/Mike McCarn
I guess I need to get to the point here. The Dallas Cowboys only have 2 players in the 2013 Pro Bowl (both are second team selections). The NE Patriots have 7 and the SF 49ers have 9. When the Troy Aikman led Dallas Cowboys won the Super Bowl ,they had over 10. You can say whatever you want, but having All-Pro players matters. It’s not what I would call just a popularity contest. Name one player on that 90’s team who made the Pro Bowl that was a joke? The fact remains that the only Pro Bowl players on this team came under Bill Parcells, if Sean Lee can stay healthy he may make it. Jerry Jones will sit in interview after interview, year after year trying to sell a losing team. Always making excuses and firing coaches. He will say no one loves the Cowboys more than he does. He will say no one hates losing more than he does. Then this same man will put a guy in charge with no coaching experience what-so-ever and fired the coach who has 3 super bowl rings with the New England Patriots as a LB coach. He fires Rob Ryan, the coach who managed to keep the Dallas Cowboys defense in the top 3rd of the league despite having 7 starters out due to injury.
Yet Jason Garrett, the coach who had the Cowboys ranked 31st running the ball, 26th in red zone scoring, tied for the most penalized team in the NFL, and 15th in points with most of his starters healthy, still has a job. If Jerry loves the Dallas Cowboys as much as he says. If Jerry hates losing as much as he says. If Jerry wants to win as as much as he says then:
He needs to put down the pipe and hire an experienced head coach that has experience at evaluating players, running an offense and game management. Hire a real general manager that can bring in the right personnel that fit the scheme and last but not least, do it without being in cap hell year after year. Sooner or later you run out of fall guys and have to accept the fact that you are not qualified to be the general manager of this franchise. Much like Al Davis, you will learn that the Dallas Cowboys “Brand” wont sell forever. To think that a neophyte like Jason Garrett has even a prayer at coaching against the Bill Belichicks of the NFL forces me to ask:
“What has the Dallas Cowboys Owner /GM Jerry Jones Been Smoking?”