Your post-draft assessment: Position of greatest stress now?

[MarcusRock]

Both tackle spots are suspect. I'd also put LB on the list.

Absolutely. Which Overshown are we going to get? I didn't expect much from him coming back from that injury and he was certainly subdued but expectations are a return to Pro Bowl form and I'm a little nervous about that besides whether he'll get injured again.

I have a wild card concern about pass rush too. Q can only help so much before the young guys and Gary take advantage of opportunities.

 

[Jarntt]

LT or outside CB opposite Bland

 

[thunderpimp91]

Absolutely. Which Overshown are we going to get? I didn't expect much from him coming back from that injury and he was certainly subdued but expectations are a return to Pro Bowl form and I'm a little nervous about that besides whether he'll get injured again.

I have a wild card concern about pass rush too. Q can only help so much before the young guys and Gary take advantage of opportunities.

Agreed. I don’t completely hate the Gary pickup but I am a little underwhelmed by it. I was hoping for a bigger primary move this offseason to upgrade the front 7.

When you have a guy like Q I think you owe it to the team to go get a high end player to stress offenses. Gary is a solid player, but not a difference maker imo.

 

[KDM256]

Just digging into the Offensive line numbers from last season since I felt like this thread was giving Steele way more heat that honestly needed to go more towards Tyler Smith

Tyler Guyton--- 7 penalties- 1 Hold, 4 False starts, 0 decline (Started 10 games)
Tyler Smith--- 7 penalties- 3 Hold, 4 False starts,2 decline (Started 16 games)
Tyler Booker--- 5 penalties- 3 Hold, 0 False starts, 0 decline (Started 14 games)
Nathan Thomas--- 4 penalties- 1 Hold, 1 False starts, 0 decline (Started 4 games)
T. Steele--- 3 penalties- 2 Hold, 3 False starts, 2 decline (Started 17 games)
TJ Bass--- 2 penalties- 0 Hold, 2 False starts, 0 decline (Started 5 games)
Cooper Bebe --- 1 penalty- 1 False start, 0 decline (Started 11 games)
Brock Hoffman--- 1 penalty- 1 False start (Started 7 games)


Numbers don't look to bad on paper but some of these penalties were absolute drive killers at the worse time possible. If any of you CZers were posting in the game day threads, could recall the lack of having a clean pocket for Dak to set his feet and make a respectable throw at times.

 

[Rayman70]

Corner

 

[_sturt_]

if Christian Parker is your number one concern with the Cowboys, I’d say you should be pretty happy.

Well, first, he's not just a concern... he is the greatest stress point of anyone who will be on the Cowboys sidelines come September.

But yeah, I'd say I'm pretty happy, all things considered.

But but, yeah, there's so much riding on him actually being exceptional in a role that he's never had before... it would be foolish to pretend we all should presume he'll be good at it.

And I choose that phrase "good at it."

Would it be foolish to presume he'll be meh at it?

Not at all. That's the justified starting point. And that might be enough, who knows.

Then again, it might not be enough.

And then again, we may get to the end of the season and look back and say, "Dang, why can't we even have a 'meh' defensive coordinator here?"

It's just well-grounded, I believe, to wait for some actual evidence beyond all the cheerleader talk. And accordingly, well-grounded to consider that to be the highest gravity question mark on the entire team.

 

[Kwyn]

Well, first, he's not just a concern... he is the greatest stress point of anyone who will be on the Cowboys sidelines come September.

But yeah, I'd say I'm pretty happy, all things considered.

But but, yeah, there's so much riding on him actually being exceptional in a role that he's never had before... it would be foolish to pretend we all should presume he'll be good at it.

And I choose that phrase "good at it."

Would it be foolish to presume he'll be meh at it?

Not at all. That's the justified starting point. And that might be enough, who knows.

Then again, it might not be enough.

And then again, we may get to the end of the season and look back and say, "Dang, why can't we even have a 'meh' defensive coordinator here?"

It's just well-grounded, I believe, to wait for some actual evidence beyond all the cheerleader talk. And accordingly, well-grounded to consider that to be the highest gravity question mark on the entire team.

Sure, I won’t disagree with most of what you said.

I will say that as a long time Parker supporter I believe he’s going to be really good. I honestly have more faith in him than anyone else in the organization.

 

[LouBrown]

They still have a crappy CB room and are one injury away from a horrific DT room.

 

[DarkVader33]

... Is that sarcasm? Honestly don't know, cause the team went 7-9.

Didn’t you see what he had to work with? No talent in D until mid season and historically bad. A horrible DC that wasn’t his doing. And JERRY. Schotty didn’t stand a chance and getting us to seven wins was the most any coach could have done under the circumstances. Since he’s arrived, we’ve assembled better talent and a seemingly much better coaching staff. And that is all on Schotty it appears. Is he the next coming of Jimmy? Most likely not but he did well with what he had and hopefully keeps improving.

 

[jterrell]

Staff: OL coach. He is elite but has no true LT to work with.
Off: LT
Def: LB group. Still matter of Agent 0 staying healthy and finding a 3rd guy who can play in the rotation. James and Marist both look like marginal players or special teamers.

 

[Reid1boys]

You cant have a top 5 offense and a horrible O line. We ran the ball well last year. We also threw it quite well. Was Dak in the top 5 sacked QBs?


LB is still the biggest question mark for me.

 

[DarkVader33]

You cant have a top 5 offense and a horrible O line. We ran the ball well last year. We also threw it quite well. Was Dak in the top 5 sacked QBs?


LB is still the biggest question mark for me.

We were good at run blocking. Not so good at pass blocking. Dak was under way too much pressure. Luckily, Dak is pretty good at avoiding sacks.

 

[MonsterD]

All these positions are concerning for the near future as stated. OT,ILB, and CB. I think they have to expend a first round pick on OT because they certainly won't address it in FA, so the draft has to be the answer. I would at least hope they try for real this next year to get an ILB trade or otherwise, sorry but Winters is a band-aid.

 

[conner01]

My take is they have been a challenge in the past. If they are the best we have and something happens during the season what will we be trotting out right behind them.

I know the o-line is a problem for everyone in the league. We are no exception to the challenge of building a solid front, but it feels like this is an area of concern now.

Totally agree. That’s why I’d see if there’s a vet swing we could add. And I fully expect oline to be a priority in next draft though maybe not top. My guess is that’s gonna be a WR

 

[conner01]

We were good at run blocking. Not so good at pass blocking. Dak was under way too much pressure. Luckily, Dak is pretty good at avoiding sacks.

Steele is a good run blocker but very weak pass blocker

 

[Denim Chicken]

OL (tackle), CB, ILB, & Edge are all still concerns / unknowns for me.

WRs are good, but they need to get better with situational drops.

 

[Ironicalicon]

Didn’t you see what he had to work with? No talent in D until mid season and historically bad. A horrible DC that wasn’t his doing. And JERRY. Schotty didn’t stand a chance and getting us to seven wins was the most any coach could have done under the circumstances. Since he’s arrived, we’ve assembled better talent and a seemingly much better coaching staff. And that is all on Schotty it appears. Is he the next coming of Jimmy? Most likely not but he did well with what he had and hopefully keeps improving.

To be clear, I wasn't arguing he didn't do a good job — I just wasn't sure if @kskboys was being sarcastic or not.

 

[blueblood70]

Just digging into the Offensive line numbers from last season since I felt like this thread was giving Steele way more heat that honestly needed to go more towards Tyler Smith

Tyler Guyton--- 7 penalties- 1 Hold, 4 False starts, 0 decline (Started 10 games)
Tyler Smith--- 7 penalties- 3 Hold, 4 False starts,2 decline (Started 16 games)
Tyler Booker--- 5 penalties- 3 Hold, 0 False starts, 0 decline (Started 14 games)
Nathan Thomas--- 4 penalties- 1 Hold, 1 False starts, 0 decline (Started 4 games)
T. Steele--- 3 penalties- 2 Hold, 3 False starts, 2 decline (Started 17 games)
TJ Bass--- 2 penalties- 0 Hold, 2 False starts, 0 decline (Started 5 games)
Cooper Bebe --- 1 penalty- 1 False start, 0 decline (Started 11 games)
Brock Hoffman--- 1 penalty- 1 False start (Started 7 games)


Numbers don't look to bad on paper but some of these penalties were absolute drive killers at the worse time possible. If any of you CZers were posting in the game day threads, could recall the lack of having a clean pocket for Dak to set his feet and make a respectable throw at times.

To be honest you might be picking on Tyler Smith and I understand you're saying keep some perspective, there's a reason Steele was getting 2nd chance and fans are upset, he wasn't as bad as people say he was.. coaches watch all these plays many times over and Coats also know who was supposed to be where and who was at a place in who to blame for some things..

The Tyler Smith He had a bad case of tinnitus and his hand wasn't moving well they didn't do any favor putting him out to left tackle when you're not moving well and you can't slide you grab, we can't move your feet fast enough You grab etc etc

Also look at the fact that he started the most games and was moved out of position and was injuries so I would make on him but they need to all clean it up you're right that's how we bring Prescott for a very iffy defense first half of San Francisco game that was close and yet we don't remember it was not in game and 11 penalty on the offense line 3 on defense.. 14 penalties a game oh he can come up with it must be Prescott and no running game play behind the chains the game is affect big time and even though the score was low the defense didn't play well they missed a bit of opportunities especially in first half..

Yes the offensive line matters penalties matter it all matters I mean you can hide a lot of that by having some big face and that's what they did..

 

[blueblood70]

My #1s on the staff, on the roster in each area.. listed in the order of stress...

Staff = Defensive coordinator

Fact of the matter is, a brand new DC can be excellent in interviews and can have all the recommendations you could ever hope to get... but until there's actual experience in that role and outcomes that allow the guy to be empirically assessed as solid, he's a question mark.

And the fact that there is no one individual whose 2026 contribution will be more pivotal in comparison to the 2025 results... like it or not... the pressure is on, and our new DC is a stressor until he's not any more.

Ya know what would relieve a chunk of that stress? Not all of it, but maybe enough of it to chop it down to something more like "concern"...

Hire me someone on that defensive staff who will serve Parker in the same way that Kellen Moore was served by the hiring of Brian Schottenheimer back when. I'm sorry, but not really... experience means something, and success means something, and there's not even one hire on that staff who can boast enough of both of those to support Parker with insight when Parker's worst day... and his worst day will happen, as it does for all of us inherently in our jobs... happens.


Offense = Left tackle

There is no player who will go to Oxnard with more riding on his shoulders than Guyton, imo. He's had the time now to get himself in optimal position both cognitively and physically, and the time has come for him to definitively establish his draft slot was merited. He's this year's Mazi, glass half-empty. Or, glass half-full, he's this year's Javonte... the guy who, this time last year, I have to acknowledge, I had very little faith would earn the starting job. He proved me terribly wrong. Maybe Guyton will, too.


Defense = ?

Weirdly, I have no specific stress with any specific position on defense beyond the staff. Concerns? Sure. But it feels like we have enough decent options at every position now that I'm not especially stressed by any one spot.


Special Teams = ???

Not so weirdly, I have no specific stress with any role on special teams, but similar to defense, there is a generalized concern given that we'll evidently be looking for a CJ Goodwin clone to emerge.

Exactly what are you trying to say?/!! parker hired his entire staff, got to pick who he was comfortable with, that gives him leg up ,not a leg down.. It's not the same thing as moore, and please stop the nonsense about Kellen Moore, he's overrated, his success on the Eagles team where all he had to do is not screw it up.. Make sure it's the team was loaded on offense and just about any OC which is salt could have done the same thing when you lean out heavily on the run game your quarterback has no extra pressure on him that he's very comfortable and easy to call plays..

But just like Brian Schottenheimer such stay in the now, the current staff, Schottenheimer's allowed to hire guys like Riley and Adams and it helped transition and just like that Parker hired his entire coaching staff, picked whoever he wanted, you watch the draft and free agency also got to pick his own groceries..

So he fails that's on him just like it was a Matt EberPOO, he's the one that picked up all those Lbers, he's the one coached that team ,he's the one that all decisions ,so it's all him..

Parker's been given every opportunity to make sure his first year as DC starts out well the rest of that will take time..

 

[blueblood70]

My #1s on the staff, on the roster in each area.. listed in the order of stress...

Staff = Defensive coordinator

Fact of the matter is, a brand new DC can be excellent in interviews and can have all the recommendations you could ever hope to get... but until there's actual experience in that role and outcomes that allow the guy to be empirically assessed as solid, he's a question mark.

And the fact that there is no one individual whose 2026 contribution will be more pivotal in comparison to the 2025 results... like it or not... the pressure is on, and our new DC is a stressor until he's not any more.

Ya know what would relieve a chunk of that stress? Not all of it, but maybe enough of it to chop it down to something more like "concern"...

Hire me someone on that defensive staff who will serve Parker in the same way that Kellen Moore was served by the hiring of Brian Schottenheimer back when. I'm sorry, but not really... experience means something, and success means something, and there's not even one hire on that staff who can boast enough of both of those to support Parker with insight when Parker's worst day... and his worst day will happen, as it does for all of us inherently in our jobs... happens.


Offense = Left tackle

There is no player who will go to Oxnard with more riding on his shoulders than Guyton, imo. He's had the time now to get himself in optimal position both cognitively and physically, and the time has come for him to definitively establish his draft slot was merited. He's this year's Mazi, glass half-empty. Or, glass half-full, he's this year's Javonte... the guy who, this time last year, I have to acknowledge, I had very little faith would earn the starting job. He proved me terribly wrong. Maybe Guyton will, too.


Defense = ?

Weirdly, I have no specific stress with any specific position on defense beyond the staff. Concerns? Sure. But it feels like we have enough decent options at every position now that I'm not especially stressed by any one spot.


Special Teams = ???

Not so weirdly, I have no specific stress with any role on special teams, but similar to defense, there is a generalized concern given that we'll evidently be looking for a CJ Goodwin clone to emerge.

Look special teams was bad because typically they're made up of groups that are borrowed from defense and offense mostly on defense and when that much turner and that much injuries and you have players that are 3rd 4th on depth chart playing defensive starters now you have almost nothing or you have a very worn out group trying to block do their job on special teams and it's less as the failure of the ST coach and that's why he's still here as it is there was too much player Turnover.. Not worried about it at all i'm betting Turpin gets back to form this year if they stay healthy and we have now a probably better group on defense and a lot of those guys play Sts..