Let's Talk Draft Needs in the first 3 Rounds!

[RW Hitman]

Originally Posted by Big D

We will not draft OL in the first round.. 3 and beyond would be my guess.

so we are gonna trade down both our first and 2nd round picks for more lower round picks then?

I think we could use a WR maybe if we were to wait on OL, but other than that we need OL

[RW Hitman]

Originally Posted by SWG9

I'd rather be rid of him too, I'm just trying to be somewhat realistic. Bringing in six new OL (with three new starters) is next to impossible to begin with.

Browsing some of these threads, I think people are seriously underestimating just how far away from contention Dallas is right now.

well the fact that 6 new OL is next to impossible does not change the fact that that is what the team needs, and yeah like you say it puts us a good ways away from contention

[mgcowboy]

Round 1: A Quarterback..
next round do whatever you want

[SWG9]

Originally Posted by RW Hitman

well the fact that 6 new OL is next to impossible does not change the fact that that is what the team needs, and yeah like you say it puts us a good ways away from contention

Yes, you're right. It's going to take AT LEAST two offseasons to overhaul this line, and that's only if absolutely everything goes Dallas's way (which just won't happen).

And that doesn't even account for other areas of need.

This team is in horrendous shape; we're much closer to the Campo years than what most realize.

Actually, the parallels between this team and the Cowboys of 98-99 (right before we fell off the cliff) are uncanny.

[mrmason67]

Okay, I'm seeing what everybody is thinking that we need.

Trade down has to be a serious option to add more picks.

Okay, Jerry. It is time to open up your wallet.
FA 1 OL, 1 OLB AND 1 FS

ROUND 1 OL
ROUND 2 OL
ROUND 3 RB
ROUND 3 OL
ROUND 4 CB
ROUND 5 NT
ROUND 6 DE

[Eskimo]

Originally Posted by RW Hitman

so we are gonna trade down both our first and 2nd round picks for more lower round picks then?

I think we could use a WR maybe if we were to wait on OL, but other than that we need OL

I think we have shown that we can get good production out of late round WRs. We got it out of Miles before his injuries sidelined him. We got it out of Crayton. We got it out of a street FA in Robinson. Now it looks like we might get it out of Harris (6th round) and Beasley (UDFA) with still a possibility of getting it out of Coale (5th round).

I'd like to WR more in the 4th to 6th round range. I think this offense works well with medium sized WRs who know how to read defenses - we need to pay more attention to intelligence than athleticism, IMO.

Right now we already have our one dynamic WR who creates headaches for defenses in Dez. We don't necessarily need to go high in the draft to find another similar talent. We'd get more out of spending that pick on the OL.

[Star Guard_31]

I think our top three draft needs are two offensive linemen and an outside linebacker of the passrushing variety (i.e. not another Spencer clone). I think the best player available relative to draft position in each round should dictate what order we fill these needs.

Personally I think Bernadeau has played much better at C than at LG. If this continues I'd be in favor of leaving him there. If we're in position to nab a top LT prospect with our first round pick I think it would be tough to pass. It would be too easy to move Smith back to the right side and tell Doug Free to take a long walk off of a short pier. He has done nothing to warrant another chance. Generally speaking, I'm in favor of building through the draft, but if the Bill's Andy Levitre makes to to free agency I'd target him. He is a versatile guard in his mid twenties with a lot of football left in front of him.

LT: Rookie
LG: Nate Livings
C: Mackenzy Bernadeau
RG: Andy Levitre (or) Rookie
RT: Tyron Smith

[Teague31]

Ol
Dl
Dl

[MichaelWinicki]

I don't think you should go into any draft saying or thinking, "OK, I'm definitely taking a "blank" in round 1".

You let the draft come to you.

That being said here are some need position:

Level 1 (Biggest need):
Offensive tackle (I wouldn't be surprised to see Free cut)
Offensive guard
(For me Costa lives another day)
OLB (to replace Spencer)
DT/NT (can't rely on Ratliff)

Level 2
WR (I wouldn't be surprised to see Austin cut)
RB (Felix won't be back & Murray hasn't proven he's durable enough)
Safety

Level 3
CB (Jenkins is gone)
QB (have to start thinking about a replacement for Romo)
TE (have to start thinking about a replacement for Witten)

That's 9 spots.

Obviously the best draft in the world will not cover those 9 spots.

I would think the team would hope to fill 4 of the spots through free agency.

[big dog cowboy]

Who did we sign in FA?

Exactly.

[BraveHeartFan]

O-line, o-line, o-line, o-line, with possibly a little D-line help sprinkled in there.


That needs to be the only focus for this team this offseason.

[FiveRings]

1.) O tackle
2.) Nose guard allowing Rat to move to DT
3.) Safety

Also, if Elam out of Flirida is available in the second, get him. We won't because we're paying subpar safety's pro bowl money, but we should.

[Eskimo]

Originally Posted by FiveRings

1.) O tackle
2.) Nose guard allowing Rat to move to DT
3.) Safety

Also, if Elam out of Flirida is available in the second, get him. We won't because we're paying subpar safety's pro bowl money, but we should.

Rat is done. He gets nicked up every game - he's worse than Miles and Felix yet people constantly complain about those two. He is just worn out and won't ever be the player he once was. I'd let him go rather than continue to pay him a premium salary.

If the contract was set up to only pay him a small salary next season then we might as well keep him on the hopes that he turns it around. If he is making somewhere around $7M or more, we should spend that money elsewhere.

[slick325]

1st round Guard (Warmack from Alabama or Cooper from UNC)
2nd round Tackle
3rd round Center

[FiveRings]

Originally Posted by Eskimo

Rat is done. He gets nicked up every game - he's worse than Miles and Felix yet people constantly complain about those two. He is just worn out and won't ever be the player he once was. I'd let him go rather than continue to pay him a premium salary.

If the contract was set up to only pay him a small salary next season then we might as well keep him on the hopes that he turns it around. If he is making somewhere around $7M or more, we should spend that money elsewhere.

His contract is extremely back loaded as he is only set to make 5 million next year and 2015 marks a two year span of 7 million dollar years, so I say keep him.

Get a big body nose guard and if Rat produces a rush of Ware, Hatcher and he (Spencer optional) is a damn good one