like a dog
02-28-2005, 04:47 PM
...that we sign two players in free agency to the front seven, one of the older big DTs (Fergueson or Williams) and one of the younger LBs (Bell or Hartwell). I'll assume we sign Fergueson and Bell, because I like them better as players. If we don't draft anybody to the front seven this would be the age situation before the start of the 2006-2007 season:
DE - Ellis 30, Ogbogu 30
DT - Glover 31, Fergueson 31
OLB - Nguyen 30 (but 31 within the first month), Singleton 31
MLB - Bell 26
One player under the age of 30! And that's assuming we sign him!
A couple of things are clear: 1) Dallas needs to sign young guys if at all possible. Bell would be a superb signing. 2) Dallas absolutely must spend at least two or three picks, preferably early picks on the front seven.
Imagine that the first two rounds of the draft went down like so:
1a. Shawn Merriman, DE/OLB, Maryland
1b. Antajj Hawthorne, DT, Wisconsin
2. Daryl Blackstock, OLB, Virginia
The results:
DE - Ellis 30, Merriman 21
DT - Glover 31, Fergueson 31, (Hawthorne, 23)
OLB - Nguyen 30 (31 within a month), Blackstock 22
MLB - Bell 26
Obviously, a much better situation for both now and the future.
Dallas has other needs, notably in the secondary, at wide receiver, and along the right side of the offensive line, but they absolutely must add young talent to the front seven this year. Anything else would be disastrous not just for now, but for the future as well.
DE - Ellis 30, Ogbogu 30
DT - Glover 31, Fergueson 31
OLB - Nguyen 30 (but 31 within the first month), Singleton 31
MLB - Bell 26
One player under the age of 30! And that's assuming we sign him!
A couple of things are clear: 1) Dallas needs to sign young guys if at all possible. Bell would be a superb signing. 2) Dallas absolutely must spend at least two or three picks, preferably early picks on the front seven.
Imagine that the first two rounds of the draft went down like so:
1a. Shawn Merriman, DE/OLB, Maryland
1b. Antajj Hawthorne, DT, Wisconsin
2. Daryl Blackstock, OLB, Virginia
The results:
DE - Ellis 30, Merriman 21
DT - Glover 31, Fergueson 31, (Hawthorne, 23)
OLB - Nguyen 30 (31 within a month), Blackstock 22
MLB - Bell 26
Obviously, a much better situation for both now and the future.
Dallas has other needs, notably in the secondary, at wide receiver, and along the right side of the offensive line, but they absolutely must add young talent to the front seven this year. Anything else would be disastrous not just for now, but for the future as well.