Dallas Cowboys: Do undrafted players need four preseason games?
Did all four weeks of the preseason help Dallas Cowboys undrafted free agents like Jeff Heath, Dan Bailey and Tony Romo make NFL rosters?
The NFL preseason debate is a controversial topic for the Dallas Cowboys. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told USA Today earlier this week that he was unsure four preseason games were still necessary any more for teams to prepare for the regular season. I am inclined to agree.
Personally, I haven’t been a fan of the NFL preseason since former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was injured in a meaningless game against the Seattle Seahawks. However, the Cowboys are one of the few teams in the NFL where undrafted free agent rookies can become future NFL Hall of Fame candidates like safety Jeff Heath and Romo, the most prolific passer in Cowboys history.
Wide receiver Cole Beasley was also an undrafted fan favorite before he was traded to the Buffalo Bills earlier this season. Reaching back in time, Nate Newton, one of the best offensive guards the league has ever seen was also undrafted. It’s proof that preseason is a legitimate opportunity for players to have their name listed on an NFL roster. Especially when their name wasn’t announced among the approximately 250 players selected during the NFL draft.
While the Dallas Cowboys NFL season officially starts Sunday, September 8th against the New York Giants, most players participated in the organized team activities (OTA) offseason workouts and rookie minicamp which started in May. For rookies, the NCAA regular season ended in December, unless the team was lucky enough to reach the NCAA playoffs which ended in January. Those players immediately began rehabbing injuries and preparing for the NFL combine which started at the end of February.
I state this to illustrate that from the outside, it’s easy to overlook that players have been officially preparing for September 8th since May. How much longer does a front office or coaching staff need to evaluate a player’s ability? Teams have typically scouted a player since their collegiate career and watched them in team practices and meetings. Were those final four preseason games really helpful in deciding that former offensive tackle Chaz Green wasn’t better than Tyron Smith?
I’m not the type to mess with another person’s money, yet I think it would be good for the longevity of the game and benefit the players if all contracts were incentivized per position. The root of the problem is teams are paying players with contracts based on future expectations and that’s a risky value from a business perspective.
The first overall pick of the 2018 NFL draft, quarterback Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns, signed a contract for approximately $33 million, with a $22 million signing bonus – before he threw an NFL pass. Only in sports does this somehow make sense. As a blue collar guy that believes in being paid for my productivity, I probably have a minority opinion. Besides, this system doesn’t look like it’s going to change unless the league faces financial peril.
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Players definitely need to find the owner that agreed with the first person that said: I might throw 4 touchdowns or 24, you never know! Give me $250,000 up front and let’s find out. They are currently the real MVP’s.
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