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Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet)
3/6/15, 10:35 PM
The #Cowboys are closing in on a multi-year deal to keep starting right tackle Doug Free, sources say. He’ll be off the free agent market.

Personally I love hearing this. Continuity is the best thing you can have on an o-line. I would still like them to draft a guy to groom behind Free (and Free eventually become the backup) but Free was by far the better pass blocker at RT. He also was pretty good at run blocking. Not sure what this means for Parnell. I would love irbid they can also bring him back on the cheap.

this something I found




The Cowboys are reportedly "closing in" on a multi-year deal with RT Doug Free.
This year's free agent offensive tackle class is woefully thin, so removing Free from the mix could set up Bryan Bulaga for a monster deal. Free has been highly inconsistent throughout his career, but is coming off back-to-back strong seasons. We suspect the Cowboys will pay him over $5 million annually.

Schmoopy1000 wrote:this something I found




The Cowboys are reportedly "closing in" on a multi-year deal with RT Doug Free.
This year's free agent offensive tackle class is woefully thin, so removing Free from the mix could set up Bryan Bulaga for a monster deal. Free has been highly inconsistent throughout his career, but is coming off back-to-back strong seasons. We suspect the Cowboys will pay him over $5 million annually.

I find it funny that they say he's been highly inconsistent throughout his career. He's really only had 1 bad year. Other than that one year he's been one of the most consistent linemen. They signed him to 3 yrs $15 mil by the way.

Cowboys re-signed RT Doug Free to a three-year, $15 million contract.
The deal includes $6 million in guaranteed money. Keeping Free was high on the Cowboys' wish list this offseason. One of the top right tackles in the league the last two seasons, Free is also a leader in the locker room. The deal ensures the Cowboys' league-best offensive line will remain intact for at least one more season. With Free signed, free agent Jermey Parnell will likely be allowed to walk.

Mr B wrote:

Schmoopy1000 wrote:this something I found




The Cowboys are reportedly "closing in" on a multi-year deal with RT Doug Free.
This year's free agent offensive tackle class is woefully thin, so removing Free from the mix could set up Bryan Bulaga for a monster deal. Free has been highly inconsistent throughout his career, but is coming off back-to-back strong seasons. We suspect the Cowboys will pay him over $5 million annually.

I find it funny that they say he's been highly inconsistent throughout his career. He's really only had 1 bad year. Other than that one year he's been one of the most consistent linemen. They signed him to 3 yrs $15 mil by the way.

He had two of the worst years an Offensive lineman has ever had back to back. One at LT. and one at RT

Jarntt wrote:

Mr B wrote:

Schmoopy1000 wrote:this something I found




The Cowboys are reportedly "closing in" on a multi-year deal with RT Doug Free.
This year's free agent offensive tackle class is woefully thin, so removing Free from the mix could set up Bryan Bulaga for a monster deal. Free has been highly inconsistent throughout his career, but is coming off back-to-back strong seasons. We suspect the Cowboys will pay him over $5 million annually.

I find it funny that they say he's been highly inconsistent throughout his career. He's really only had 1 bad year. Other than that one year he's been one of the most consistent linemen. They signed him to 3 yrs $15 mil by the way.

He had two of the worst years an Offensive lineman has ever had back to back. One at LT. and one at RT

You must not have been watching football for very long or you completely missed the tackles that Dallas had during those 3 straight 5-11 seasons under Campo. My point is over the length of his career Free has been pretty consistent other than a short period of time in the middle of his career. He's well worth the contract he just got.

This was an excellent signing for Dallas in many ways.
1. Sometimes consistency is better then new more talented players on the OLine.
2. Dallas nailed two interior lineman in the draft but Tackles are harder to find picking later
3. Dallas can draft a project in the later rounds to develop as a replacement for Free down the line
4. If Dallas can find another G it seems like they could kick their star rookie G out to RT when Free is done
5. You werent finding a replacement tackle in FA for that money.

Mr B wrote:

Jarntt wrote:

Mr B wrote:
I find it funny that they say he's been highly inconsistent throughout his career. He's really only had 1 bad year. Other than that one year he's been one of the most consistent linemen. They signed him to 3 yrs $15 mil by the way.

He had two of the worst years an Offensive lineman has ever had back to back. One at LT. and one at RT

You must not have been watching football for very long or you completely missed the tackles that Dallas had during those 3 straight 5-11 seasons under Campo. My point is over the length of his career Free has been pretty consistent other than a short period of time in the middle of his career. He's well worth the contract he just got.

Trust me J has watched plenty of football and if you don't think Free was one of the worst OT's for those two years it's you who wasn't watching. I names him Doug Free"Pass" because the DE's had a free pass at Romo all game long those years. When he did manage to hold off the DE it's because has was drawing frags for holding. There's a reason Dallas made him take a pay cut and he gladly took it.

We still need a swing Tackle. Maybe still go OL in the early part of the draft if we like someone enough. I thought Weems was going to grow into that spot, but now I'm not so sure and Parnell will be too costly and will be looking for a starting gig

Manster7588 wrote:

Mr B wrote:

Jarntt wrote:
He had two of the worst years an Offensive lineman has ever had back to back. One at LT. and one at RT

You must not have been watching football for very long or you completely missed the tackles that Dallas had during those 3 straight 5-11 seasons under Campo. My point is over the length of his career Free has been pretty consistent other than a short period of time in the middle of his career. He's well worth the contract he just got.

Trust me J has watched plenty of football and if you don't think Free was one of the worst OT's for those two years it's you who wasn't watching. I names him Doug Free"Pass" because the DE's had a free pass at Romo all game long those years. When he did manage to hold off the DE it's because has was drawing frags for holding. There's a reason Dallas made him take a pay cut and he gladly took it.

He was far from one of the worst RT's of all time. Were they two bad years for him? Definitely but he was good enough to get that huge contract, smart enough to realize he didn't deserve it and took a pay cut, and has proved over the last two years that he's not nearly as bad you some of you thought he was. Over the length of his career he's proven to be good more years than he was bad. Again on an o-line continuity cannot be overlooked. Keeping Free will help Zach Martin continue to improve. Also regardless of what you think about him Doug Free was the best RT on the market. He's only 31 so it slows the Cowboys to draft a guy later in the draft, or even bring in an undrafted guy and groom as Free's replacement.

Mr B wrote:

Manster7588 wrote:

Mr B wrote:
You must not have been watching football for very long or you completely missed the tackles that Dallas had during those 3 straight 5-11 seasons under Campo. My point is over the length of his career Free has been pretty consistent other than a short period of time in the middle of his career. He's well worth the contract he just got.

Trust me J has watched plenty of football and if you don't think Free was one of the worst OT's for those two years it's you who wasn't watching. I names him Doug Free"Pass" because the DE's had a free pass at Romo all game long those years. When he did manage to hold off the DE it's because has was drawing frags for holding. There's a reason Dallas made him take a pay cut and he gladly took it.

He was far from one of the worst RT's of all time. Were they two bad years for him? Definitely but he was good enough to get that huge contract, smart enough to realize he didn't deserve it and took a pay cut, and has proved over the last two years that he's not nearly as bad you some of you thought he was. Over the length of his career he's proven to be good more years than he was bad. Again on an o-line continuity cannot be overlooked. Keeping Free will help Zach Martin continue to improve. Also regardless of what you think about him Doug Free was the best RT on the market. He's only 31 so it slows the Cowboys to draft a guy later in the draft, or even bring in an undrafted guy and groom as Free's replacement.

Free played great, got a huge contract, decided he sucked and played like it, took a pay cut rather than being released and probably never playing again.

At least that's the way I remember it.

Manster7588 wrote:

Mr B wrote:

Manster7588 wrote:
Trust me J has watched plenty of football and if you don't think Free was one of the worst OT's for those two years it's you who wasn't watching. I names him Doug Free"Pass" because the DE's had a free pass at Romo all game long those years. When he did manage to hold off the DE it's because has was drawing frags for holding. There's a reason Dallas made him take a pay cut and he gladly took it.

He was far from one of the worst RT's of all time. Were they two bad years for him? Definitely but he was good enough to get that huge contract, smart enough to realize he didn't deserve it and took a pay cut, and has proved over the last two years that he's not nearly as bad you some of you thought he was. Over the length of his career he's proven to be good more years than he was bad. Again on an o-line continuity cannot be overlooked. Keeping Free will help Zach Martin continue to improve. Also regardless of what you think about him Doug Free was the best RT on the market. He's only 31 so it slows the Cowboys to draft a guy later in the draft, or even bring in an undrafted guy and groom as Free's replacement.

Free played great, got a huge contract, decided he sucked and played like it, took a pay cut rather than being released and probably never playing again.

At least that's the way I remember it.

Free played great, got a huge contract, got fat and lazy for 1 year after the deal, then struggled with the transition to RT, took a pay cut after realizing he was about to be cut, then stepped up his game for last two years and played back up to his potential.

That's the way I remember it.

Back to back two worst years of any starting Tackle that I can remember that wasn't an injury replacement and didn't lose his job (although Parnell did start to rotate with him). The topic wasn't about his previous or subsequent years, just those two. And there was no struggle with "the transition to RT". His best years were at RT.

Parnell to the Jags for $32M over 5 years... wow. Good for him.

I guess Free is a bargain.

Jarntt wrote:Back to back two worst years of any starting Tackle that I can remember that wasn't an injury replacement and didn't lose his job (although Parnell did start to rotate with him). The topic wasn't about his previous or subsequent years, just those two. And there was no struggle with "the transition to RT". His best years were at RT.

Considering we're talking about the contract he just signed we are definitely talking about the last two years and not just the two years he was bad. As for the two years he was bad one of them was his first year at RT so it's obvious he had trouble with the transition. Either way his last two year have been pretty good and he definitely deserves the contract he just signed. He's also regarded as the leader of that o-line. Continuity is key!

Roadhog Moran wrote:Parnell to the Jags for $32M over 5 years... wow. Good for him.

I guess Free is a bargain.

That is just a stupid contract for Jacksonville to give him.

Mr B wrote:

Jarntt wrote:Back to back two worst years of any starting Tackle that I can remember that wasn't an injury replacement and didn't lose his job (although Parnell did start to rotate with him). The topic wasn't about his previous or subsequent years, just those two. And there was no struggle with "the transition to RT". His best years were at RT.

Considering we're talking about the contract he just signed we are definitely talking about the last two years and not just the two years he was bad. As for the two years he was bad one of them was his first year at RT so it's obvious he had trouble with the transition. Either way his last two year have been pretty good and he definitely deserves the contract he just signed. He's also regarded as the leader of that o-line. Continuity is key!

Again, no it wasn't his first year at RT. Check your history.

Also, the comment I made (pasted below for your reading pleasure) absolutely was only addressing his two bad years.

"He had two of the worst years an Offensive lineman has ever had back to back. One at LT. and one at RT"