With Dan Quinn staying as the team's defensive coordinator, do you think that might help keep some of the Cowboys' defensive free agents? I thought Donovan Wilson would follow Quinn for sure. – Chad Everett/Lexington, KY
Nick:Yes and no. I know that's not really how we're supposed to be answering these questions on here, but I could see both scenarios. But like everything in football, or the entire world itself, it comes down to money. If the Cowboys aren't in the same ballpark as another team, I don't think any player, as much as they love Dan Quinn, would take the hometown discount just to play with him again. And to be honest, I don't think Quinn would advise the player to do that. You have to remember, the "second" contract in a player's career is the most important. This is probably the biggest deal these guys are ever going to get, so they have to go for the money if they can. Now, all that being said, if the offers are close, then yes, I see Quinn being a tiebreaker for defensive guys, especially someone like Wilson. But I'll also say this, don't discount the part about Quinn and the Cowboys bringing in other players that need a fresh start. He's resurrected both Jayron Kearse and Donovan Wilson the last two years and could do the same with another player, too.
Kurt: Having Quinn return certainly won't hurt when it comes to those free agents, as he's definitely earned a great deal of loyalty from his players. He and the Dallas defense were a force last year, ranking fifth in the NFL with an average of just 19.7 points allowed per game, which was also the team's lowest total surrendered since 2009. In addition, the Cowboys topped the league in takeaways for the second straight season so, hey, let's get the band back together! Unfortunately, though, there is that dreaded salary cap to contend with. While we often hear players in every sport talk about staying with a certain team or coach, the reality is money talks. So all things being equal, Quinn could be a deciding factor, but if some other club comes along offering the player (and his agent) a significantly larger payday, that loyalty will understandably only go so far.
