Analyzing the total roster and FA/draft needs

[VoR]

QB
Vinny Testaverde - as bad as he was down the stretch ,it looks like he's coming back next year. At 42 and after a full NFL season, he's not going to last 16 games in 2005 IMO.
Drew Henson - Probably won't be given a shot until Parcells retires in 2006, because Bill doesn't want talent at quarterback he just wants a QB to "manage" a game for the D and running game to win.
Tony Romo - An undrafted free agent for a reason, mediocre arm and skills. Could be a good career backup, but isn't the second coming of Kurt Warner (as an UFA).
OVERALL : MAJOR NEED (that won't be addressed)

RB
Julius Jones - Will be an all-pro in a year or two.
Eddie George - FA that will not be back.
ReShard Lee - For some reason he pissed off Bill and probably won't be getting a shot to be the backup RB, in spite of good running skills.Could be a Ricky Blake, Lincoln Coleman type if given a chance.
Keylon Kincade - unknown
Erik Bickerstaff - unknown
OVERALL : MINOR NEED

FB
Darian Barnes - Wouldn't even make any of the other 31 teams roster. Can't block, inconsistent catching the ball. Just filling a position "name" on the roster as the fullback. This is why he was available as a FA.
Richie Anderson - Probably a career ending injury, decent backup if not.
Lousaka Polite - unknown
OVERALL : MAJOR NEED

WR
Keyshawn Johnson - In his 30's and coming off a major injury. Good possession receiver if healthy and doesn't lose any more speed.
Terry Glenn - Looked like a pro bowler before the injury. Only consistent deep threat on the team, hopefully won't lose any speed after recovery.
Quincy Morgan - Hands of stone, speed is overrated, runs crappy routes. Worst trade in a decade while Antonio Bryant will be another Jimmy Smith. Possibly Bill's worst personnel decision of his career.
Patrick Crayton - As a low rounder from a small college he showed tons of promise in limited time. The WR pass interception vs. Giants was Bill's fault, not his.
Terrance Copper - Could be a good 3rd/4th guy.
Tom Crowder - Bad hands, speed overrated, crappy routes at Arkansas. At least they signed him as an UFA instead of trading Terry Glenn for him 'ala Morgan.
Randal Williams - Given chances for too long, will finally be shown the door.
OVERALL : SOLID NEED (depending on Keyshawn and Glenn's injuries)

TE
Jason Witten - Potential to be best TE in Cowboys history, stronger than Novacek.
Dan Campbell - Vastly underrated, hands not great but doesn't drop passes in the endzone. Dominating blocker, can't wait to see what he will do for Julius in 2005.
Sean Ryan - Unknown with potential. Talent to be the #3 guy, which is all he could be on this roster.
Jeff Robinson - Long snapper except when used as a goal line TE.
Brett Pierce - Unknown with potential. See Ryan.
Landon Trusty - Unknown with potential. See Ryan.
OVERALL : NO NEED WHATSOEVER (which means Bill will waste a draft pick on another one)

OT
Flozell Adams - Play deteriorated this year. Could be the offensive line coach (see Allen, Tucker, Gurode, etc.)
Kurt Vollers - Only a backup on any other of the 31 teams roster.
Jacob Rogers - Unknown with potential, but with this line coach probably will never achieve it.
Torrin Tucker - Lots of talent, mean streak, but for some reason played like crap. (line coach perhaps?)
OVERALL : MAJOR TO MINOR NEED (who knows with the way the linemen are developing, the talent is there but not the results)

OG
Larry Allen - Doesn't like this scheme or coach, still played very well.
Andre Gurode - Played better as a rookie, for a different line coach of course.
Stephen Peterman - Unkown with potential coming off a serious injury. Looked bad in his early preseason action, but looked great right before injury.
Ben Noll - Didn't show any potential when given a chance.
OVERALL : MAJOR TO MINOR NEED (see offensive tackles)

C
Al Johnson - Looked good on most plays, had some bad plays as expected for a rookie. Came off the injury well, a keeper. The only lineman making progress.
Tyson Walter - Good backup, but I don't remember seeing him much. At least not like last year.
Gennaro DiNapoli - Coming off injury, probably won't be back.
OVERALL : NO NEED

K
Billy Cundiff - See Billy kick, see Billy miss, see Billy lose the game in the last seconds from the 25 yard line.
OVERALL : MAJOR NEED (which means Bill will be sticking with him again)

DE
Greg Ellis - Underrated. Very solid left defensive end I see like a Tony Tolbert type, who can get 8-10 sacks a year although that's not the left defensive ends first priority. Plays the run well.
Marcellus Wiley - If he had been an undrafted free agent receiving 10 snaps a game that would have been acceptable. But getting 4 mil a year as a starter is rediculous. Was the 2 mil saved from signing Bert Berry really worth it after all? If Bill changes to the 3-4 I could see him starting again. Worst FA signing since Anthony Miller.
Kenyon Coleman - Talent, but barely received playing time in place of Wiley???
Eric Ogbogu - Really not a bad 3rd end. Can pass rush and play the run, better than Wiley of course, and could have started over him with better results.
Tron LaFavor - Practice squad guy.
OVERALL : MAJOR, MAJOR NEED !!

DT
La'Roi Glover - Another good year from him, hopefully will hold up next year. Getting older and was always small.
Leonardo Carson - Played like a backup, because that's what he his to the other 31 teams. Occasional good play, but usually invisible.
DeVone Claybrooks - If he played I didn't notice.
Jermaine Brooks - Practice squad guy.
OVERALL : MAJOR, MAJOR, MAJOR NEED !!!


OLB
Bradie James - Talent, hopefully will make improvement next year because he will probably be starting.
Dexter Coakley - Probably won't be back.
Al Singleton - Decent 'ala Coakley, but another small backer who gets pummeled in the running game.
Dat Nguyen - More of an outside type with less speed. Can't play the run head on.
Scott Shanle - Some big hits, but dissapeared alot. Maybe because the defensive line couldn't keep the O-Line off the backers?
Keith O'Neil - Unknown, but Bill likes him
Ryan Fowler - Big hitter, but can he play in a scheme?
Kalen Thornton - Showed pass rush potential in preaseason, then Bill din't play him. Sleeper if given a chance.
OVERALL : MAJOR NEED

CB
Terence Newman - Horrible early, better late. Should bounce back next year.
Lance Frazier - Can he improve in 2005? Inconsistent good/ bad plays.
Nathan Jones - Seems to have potential as a nickel back.
Pete Hunter - Talent, coming of injury. Who knows what he can do, hasn't played enough.
Jacques Reeves - Decent, not spectacular. Could improve from rookie year.
Bruce Thornton - I see another Dwayne Goorich here, bad pick coming off major injury.
Jeff Sanchez - PS guy.
Lenny Williams - PS guy.
OVERALL : MAJOR NEED

FS
Roy Williams - Tough mofo WILL be back in 2005 better than ever.
Lynn Scott - Played better than some have given him credit for. Still, he's a backup not a starter.
Tony Dixon - Don't let the door hit ya.......everyone except for Jerry and Larry knew this pick sucked. Good riddance!
Keith Davis - Never given a chance, but probably better than Scott.
Steve Cargile - PS guy.
Darren Woodson - Retiring, possibly the best safety to ever play for Dallas. Really gonna miss this guy! I personally witnessed him signing autographs at training camp over an hour and talked to everyone in attendance, great lockerroom/on-off field personality.
OVERALL : MAJOR NEED

P
Mat McBriar - Awesome leg, will get better and more consistent with time.
OVERALL : NO NEED

[Woods]

I wonder what the odds are of getting 3 starters with our first 3 picks?

Agree with your analysis.

[VoR]

Originally Posted by Woods

I wonder what the odds are of getting 3 starters with our first 3 picks?

Agree with your analysis.

Depends on Lacewell, Jerry, Bill
3 starters would be very nice through the draft though, especially if we could add 2-3 starters via free agency.

[30yrheel]

Agree also. Saw somewhere else on here that the o-line was o.k. Bullcrap, this is one of the worst lines in the NFL.
I watch alot of football, much like many of you, and I don't think any line gives up so many negative plays as ours. You watch good teams like NE and Pitt, their backs aren't hit as soon as they get the handoff, or their qb's blindsided because Flozell has completlely wiffed.
Winning teams have good lines on both side of the ball, that's where you start.

[VoR]

Originally Posted by 30yrheel

Agree also. Saw somewhere else on here that the o-line was o.k. Bullcrap, this is one of the worst lines in the NFL.
I watch alot of football, much like many of you, and I don't think any line gives up so many negative plays as ours. You watch good teams like NE and Pitt, their backs aren't hit as soon as they get the handoff, or their qb's blindsided because Flozell has completlely wiffed.
Winning teams have good lines on both side of the ball, that's where you start.

Yep, the lines are where it all starts. The O-Line does suck, but there is talent there. My question is is it lazy players, or bad coaching.

[Westcoasthabsfan]

Originally Posted by VoR

QB
Patrick Crayton - As a low rounder from a small college he showed tons of promise in limited time. The WR pass interception vs. Giants was Bill's fault, not his.

Totally disagree with you on this one.... man that pass was one of the worst passes I have ever seen I thought he was throwing it to the Giants player. Crayton couldve brought the ball down and took off with it instead of throwing the pic which probably cost the team the game, enough ranting whats done is done

[VoR]

Originally Posted by Westcoasthabsfan

Totally disagree with you on this one.... man that pass was one of the worst passes I have ever seen I thought he was throwing it to the Giants player. Crayton couldve brought the ball down and took off with it instead of throwing the pic which probably cost the team the game, enough ranting whats done is done

Yeah it was bad, but who puts a rookie WR from a small college in a situation like that? Bill
The offense was moving just fine, yet he had to put in a stupid trick play they worked on all of probably 2 practices.

[junk]

Originally Posted by VoR

Yeah it was bad, but who puts a rookie WR from a small college in a situation like that? Bill
The offense was moving just fine, yet he had to put in a stupid trick play they worked on all of probably 2 practices.

Put some air under that ball and put it in the back corner of the endzone and I think it was six.

[VoR]

Originally Posted by junk

Put some air under that ball and put it in the back corner of the endzone and I think it was six.

Yeah Witten was open, but if I never see Crayton pass again in the NFL I'll be happy. I would rather see him catching TD's.

[Boy's fan in Giant land]

Originally Posted by junk

Put some air under that ball and put it in the back corner of the endzone and I think it was six.

Exactly. That ball only needed to be one foot higher and it would have been a TD. I'm sure they've worked on it in practice. And isn't this kid a converted QB? If so, it's not like he's never thrown the ball before.

Trick plays are long shots. The coach is either a genius or a putz depending on the outcome.

[Razz]

Originally Posted by VoR

FB
Darian Barnes - Wouldn't even make any of the other 31 teams roster. Can't block, inconsistent catching the ball. Just filling a position "name" on the roster as the fullback. This is why he was available as a FA.
Richie Anderson - Probably a career ending injury, decent backup if not.
Lousaka Polite - unknown
OVERALL : MAJOR NEED

Parcells TRADED for Barnes, and cut Martin as a result.
Anderson hit the wall. RBs go downhill fast at that point. Even w/out the injury, Anderson was done

[Hostile]

Very nice analysis VoR. I agree with some things and disagree with some. Overall it is very good.

[zagnut]

Originally Posted by Boy's fan in Giant land

Exactly. That ball only needed to be one foot higher and it would have been a TD. I'm sure they've worked on it in practice. And isn't this kid a converted QB? If so, it's not like he's never thrown the ball before.

Trick plays are long shots. The coach is either a genius or a putz depending on the outcome.

But the fans get to be genius (genii) all the time.

I agree. The trajectory was too low. Never seen a WR throw it that way. Usually, they can't help but loft the ball because they throw like girls (no offense to girls). Witten was open by a lot. It was a good call, just didn't work. Stuff happens.

[zagnut]

Originally Posted by VoR

Quincy Morgan - Hands of stone, speed is overrated, runs crappy routes. Worst trade in a decade while Antonio Bryant will be another Jimmy Smith. Possibly Bill's worst personnel decision of his career.

Not even the worst trade the last in five years. Pretty sure most Cowboys fans can name two others that blow this one out of the water. Always love hearing about the legend of Jimmy Smith, too.

According to STATS, Inc., Morgan was a target 68 times this year and dropped 3 passes; Bryant 99 passes and 7 drops. Bryant had more dropped passes than Morgan each of the last two years, yet Morgan has the hands of stone. OK.

His problem, as you correctly mentioned, is his lazy routes which make him much easier to cover and hurt his productivity. If he corrects this, he's as good a #2 WR as Bryant. This trade was much ado about average.

[PlayMaker88]

ZAG You forgot another plus about Quincy Morgan is that he does not try to fight his QB when he quits on a route and it causes an INT, after the QB jumps his butt about it.