What if. Next season

[SSoup]

I'd like to see the draft go heavy on the defense again, honestly. We could be one good offseason away from a genuinely good defense that no longer needs the offense to control the ball all day to hide them. (Also, we need to build up a defense that doesn't need to be hidden anymore before we rebuild the offense, right?)

And give the offense another bite at the apple before we go nuts rebuilding that. I suspect the team isn't ready to get serious about shaking things up on offense yet anyway. The team surely continues to believe (or talk themselves into believing) in most of what we have on offense already anyway. They probably assume Beasley will bounce back, and that Switzer or Brown will push him if he doesn't. They probably assume Dez and Dak are continuing to improve their chemistry. They probably don't have the heart to move on from Witten until he's pried from their cold dead hands.

Build up the defense. And if the offense doesn't shape up, 2019 is the time to revamp -- replace Dez, replace Beasley, draft a dangerous athletic weapon at TE with a high pick. Maybe another o-lineman. Whatever.

Gimme mostly defense this year.

For offense, being realistic, I just don't see the team being open to making that much room for new blood yet anyway. Maybe a mid-round o-lineman and one dangerous athletic weapon of some kind. But, really, we'd be hard-pressed to luck into a WR the team would like enough to roster ahead of what we already have, much less actually play them. It probably wouldn't be hard to find a TE who probably deserves to be a #2, but would the team find one they like enough to let him leapfrog all the TEs they already have and seem to like? A new project to fill the #3 QB spot would be nice, but does the team care to carry more than 2 QBs if they're getting comfy with Cooper?

The team, I think, will need to see the offense flake out another year before they're ready to get bold and shake things up over there.

 

[ak47kaehu]

It was Frazier not heath.

Crap, I meant Fraizer......I typed the wrong name.....brain fart

 

[xwalker]

Some are good but others are head scratchers. I thought this was going to be a defensive draft for the Cowboys?

The defense is already really young. They need stability. Integrating more young players into the defense is more difficult because they rookies would be surrounded by other very young players.

For instance they have 4 DEs active on game day. It's not ideal for 2 of them to be Taco and a rookie. With Poe at DT Irving would possibly start at DE.

The seconday is full of young players. They'll be better next year just from experience and they already look better than the 2016 group to me.

The offense has many experienced players but needs more speed/elusiveness. Integrating a rookie WR as a starter would be straight forward because he would be surrounded by veterans. That's one reason I said to keep Witten.

Morris and Smith are good utility type players but both are slowish relative to NFL RBs. If you had a RB/WR with Tyreek Hill type athleticism it would force defenses to respect that speed and therefore open things up for the receivers. If that player got some snaps at WR, then the 5 yards Beasley gets could easily be 15. Give that player a few snaps at WR over Beasley when Witten is in the game but make certain that Beasley is in when Rico is at TE (i.e. Pair speed with Witten and experience with Rico).

A 1st round WR would likely know the offense and NFL route running better than Dez by the end of training camp. They quit having Dez run option routes because he kept screwing up the "read" on those and doing th opposite of what the QB expects. Romo would explain the play to him in the huddle but Dak has to focus on what he needs to do himself.

The 2nd round LB would be a backup if Lee stays healthy. Most decent free agents would want to sign where they have a chance to start but the Cowboys would not be offering that with Lee/Hitchens/Jaylon here.

 

[DAL1180]

Jeff Heath should take the blame for being a progress stopper in regards to Rico. If only the guy could comprehend that the goal in practice isn't to give your young up and coming athletic tight end a freaking season ending concussion! That still makes me bitter. Rico, throughout the season, would have definitey helped transition witten from full time TE to part time TE! He was already showing flashes in preseason games!

Thought it was K. Frazer. Or Frazier. Or Fraser. Or however it's spelled.Lol.

 

[Jarv]

Coaching:

1. Remove JG as coach.
2. New OC/HC who is willing to attack the whole field. Frank Reich would be my choice, proven OC and would make Philly scramble to replace him.
3. A new DC who isn't soft when we have a team by the throat.
4. Coaching that actually develops players and makes them better.
5. Hire someone who can help us work on hamstring issues from a medical sense.

Players:

1. Bookend DE's Lawrence and Irving, backups Taco and Gregory/Tapper.
2. Solid 1T via FA or one of the 1st 3 rounds. I like Ash as a backup unless we can find a better backup, but not spend a lot of capital doing so. Collins and Crawford rotate at 3T.
3. Solid S via FA or one of the 1st 3 rounds. I'm good with our CBs, moving Jones there and the rookies.
4. Solid LB via FA or one of the 1st 3 rounds. Resign Hitch and hopefully Smith gets better.
5. Wit retires, add a dynamic speed player to the mix. A Dunbar type player that the OC actually knows how to use.

 

[Macnalty]

A realistic possible scenario:

I would prefer new coaches but realistically I don't see that happening. The offensive scheme is what I dislike the most. New WR coach added.

Keep Jerry away from the War Room on draft days. Just mention Zeke and Goodell...

Keep
DLaw - Franchise
Irving - Tender
Hitchens - Re-sign
Cooper - Re-sign

Cut
Scandrick
Dez - After training camp

Add
Poe 1-year, 8M
Backup OT -free agent
1st round WR
2nd round LB
3rd round RB/Receiver with "juice"

Witten and Rico split snaps 50-50

No Safety or RDE in top 3 rounds or FA.

Noah Brown, the new WR and Rico play 90% of snaps in the preseason.

New Coach at WR is such a small impact, Dez is not teachable at this point in his career, you know it I know it. We either ride him into the ground or flip him while he still holds value. Zeke takes all these guys up a notch in ability as it takes pressure off the passing game and slows the games down that the defense could play one less series.

 

[Verdict]

The defense is already really young. They need stability. Integrating more young players into the defense is more difficult because they rookies would be surrounded by other very young players.

For instance they have 4 DEs active on game day. It's not ideal for 2 of them to be Taco and a rookie. With Poe at DT Irving would possibly start at DE.

The seconday is full of young players. They'll be better next year just from experience and they already look better than the 2016 group to me.

The offense has many experienced players but needs more speed/elusiveness. Integrating a rookie WR as a starter would be straight forward because he would be surrounded by veterans. That's one reason I said to keep Witten.

Morris and Smith are good utility type players but both are slowish relative to NFL RBs. If you had a RB/WR with Tyreek Hill type athleticism it would force defenses to respect that speed and therefore open things up for the receivers. If that player got some snaps at WR, then the 5 yards Beasley gets could easily be 15. Give that player a few snaps at WR over Beasley when Witten is in the game but make certain that Beasley is in when Rico is at TE (i.e. Pair speed with Witten and experience with Rico).

A 1st round WR would likely know the offense and NFL route running better than Dez by the end of training camp. They quit having Dez run option routes because he kept screwing up the "read" on those and doing th opposite of what the QB expects. Romo would explain the play to him in the huddle but Dak has to focus on what he needs to do himself.

The 2nd round LB would be a backup if Lee stays healthy. Most decent free agents would want to sign where they have a chance to start but the Cowboys would not be offering that with Lee/Hitchens/Jaylon here.

This really makes a ton of sense, but I would move on from Witten. The coaches are too soft and let him play way too many plays and it's hurting the team as a result. I have noticed that they have started playing Hanna more the past couple of games (or it at least seems like it) and the offense seems to be doing better as a result.

I think we should just go BPA in the draft regardless of position. To do that and not feel pressured to cover a gaping hole, I think they need to 1. Sign Someone like Poe, 2. Sign a starting quality LB to replace Durant and 3. Resign Hitchens.

The Cowboys have done better (especially in 2016) when they let the draft come to them and went more by grade than need. 2017 they seeemed to go back to their old ways of reaching. I think they will once again let need dictate terms to some degree.

I think you will see them try to force a pick on:

1. Swing tackle/future OT starter. I think you could see this in the third round, but could be earlier. Tyron and Collins BOTH have back issues now and Green isn't the answer. This board might melt down if they go OT in the first round, but if the highest rated player on the board is an OT I think it will happen. If not they will probably force a pick of an OT in the next two rounds.

2. WR. They desperately need a WR that has size, speed, range and who can catch the ball. They could be looking for a Dez replacement in the first.

3. Witten's replacement. If they don't think Hanna or Rico can do it all and replace Witten you could also see a tight end taken as high as the first round. If Engram was on this team instead of Witten, it would look like a much better team.

 

[Verdict]

New Coach at WR is such a small impact, Dez is not teachable at this point in his career, you know it I know it. We either ride him into the ground or flip him while he still holds value. Zeke takes all these guys up a notch in ability as it takes pressure off the passing game and slows the games down that the defense could play one less series.

Yes. Zeke is that important to this team. We should have grabbed a running back like Mixon high in the draft. We could have traded back, grabbed Mixon instead of Taco and picked up a developmental end somewhere in the draft, which is what we have in Taco.

There were a couple of DEs rated with 3rd round grades and that would have been the value we could have grabbed in a trade down. If we had Mixon on this team we would still be in the playoff hunt.

Taking Zeke out of some of the earlier games contributed to the losses. Letting Leary go hurt is too. The OL wasn't the same early in the year, but it is getting better.

 

[jazzcat22]

Oh great, another cut / bash Dez thread.
When Dak gets his Tony like contract, then has some bad games, or does not live up to your expectations for his pay, are you all going to say cut him or he must take a pay cut.

 

[Verdict]

New Coach at WR is such a small impact, Dez is not teachable at this point in his career, you know it I know it. We either ride him into the ground or flip him while he still holds value. Zeke takes all these guys up a notch in ability as it takes pressure off the passing game and slows the games down that the defense could play one less series.

No Dez has shown that he isn't going to be any more than he is now. Limiting targets to him instead of forcing him the ball may motivate him but I think he is too weak minded for that. He would melt down.

He is just so mentally limited/limited mental motivation that he is far less of a receiver than we should be. His contract was a really poor decision for the Cowboys. Very poor decision.

 

[Bullflop]

I'm hoping we'll give the defense help in the upcoming draft but also supplement our needs for a WR and TE as well. There's no doubt that a MLB and run-stuffing DT would be a welcomed addition as well. I think a DE with obvious pass rushing skills would help augment what we already have in house -- can't see much doubt about that, either.

I seriously doubt the FO will see fit to send Dez packing, though. I would imagine he'll likely get another year with us and perhaps even more if he accepts a pay cut, which is highly indefinite. Like others here, I'd like seeing him being utilized in the slot and another WR, possibly an experienced vet FA, taking his old spot over.

 

[jazzcat22]

I say Keep Dez, move him to slot, trade for Martavis Bryant, sign Josh Brown...offense complete...Unstoppable...Defense....drink heavily....

The only issue is this coaching staff don't know how to use Dez in the slot. They never have. And when they do find certain plays that work well, rather slot or on the outside. They never go back to them.

The slant, the crossing routes, they worked well in the past. I don't recall them using them with Dak. Well the slant once in a blue moon.

 

[jazzcat22]

It's time to turn the page on Scandrick

Please

I am ok with them moving on from Scandrick, if they know for sure he has been replaced. He does show up in games, though not as much lately. I am ok if they keep him as a role player too. If his contract warrants keeping him.
So I a good either way. Stay or go.

 

[Verdict]

Oh great, another cut / bash Dez thread.
When Dak gets his Tony like contract, then has some bad games, or does not live up to your expectations for his pay, are you all going to say cut him or he must take a pay cut.

Why wouldn't you say a player should take a pay cut/get cut if he is under performing his contract? If your motivation is to win games, then you have to expect players to perform up to their contracts. To think otherwise is really putting the player over the organixzation.

I don't get your ardent Dez is above reproach theory. Quite frankly it really doesnt make any objective sense. Jason Witten is one of the greatest players in the history of the Dallas Cowboys and the league, and one of my favorite players but he is well past his prime, and a liability in many regards.

Witten should have been shipped out several years ago but he is still here because of the player he used to be. Nostalgia doesn't win games for you going forward. Dez needs to go. Then you can root for him to have a great game against us.

 

[Sydla]

Yes, you can use the cap savings.

If you negotiate to buy a car for $500 per month at 60 months and you say that's too much, then they offer $500 per at 48 months, you save $6000 but you don't see the savings for 4 years.

You said use his cap savings to sign another defensive free agent. You can't use his cap savings this year to do that if you cut him when you do......

 

[Verdict]

I am ok with them moving on from Scandrick, if they know for sure he has been replaced. He does show up in games, though not as much lately. I am ok if they keep him as a role player too. If his contract warrants keeping him.
So I a good either way. Stay or go.

Scandrick probably shouldn't start, but with his contract he could be kept around for cheap insurance and he can still play some. Like Lee, he has been injured, a lot. If we played him less he may be more effective because he may stay a little bit healthier.

 

[Verdict]

People say that the coaching staff don't know how to use Dez. The problem is that Dez runs lazy routes and is mentally limited as a receiver. Dez limits what he can run.

 

[Sydla]

Coaching:

1. Remove JG as coach.
2. New OC/HC who is willing to attack the whole field. Frank Reich would be my choice, proven OC and would make Philly scramble to replace him.
3. A new DC who isn't soft when we have a team by the throat.
4. Coaching that actually develops players and makes them better.
5. Hire someone who can help us work on hamstring issues from a medical sense.

Players:

1. Bookend DE's Lawrence and Irving, backups Taco and Gregory/Tapper.
2. Solid 1T via FA or one of the 1st 3 rounds. I like Ash as a backup unless we can find a better backup, but not spend a lot of capital doing so. Collins and Crawford rotate at 3T.
3. Solid S via FA or one of the 1st 3 rounds. I'm good with our CBs, moving Jones there and the rookies.
4. Solid LB via FA or one of the 1st 3 rounds. Resign Hitch and hopefully Smith gets better.
5. Wit retires, add a dynamic speed player to the mix. A Dunbar type player that the OC actually knows how to use.

I think you overestimate the effect on Philly if Reich leaves. Pederson calls plays there and if Reich leaves, they would probably elevate their QB coach to OC. They think the QB coach is a stud and the Eagles blocked him from interviewing for OC jobs last year.

In fact, DeFilippo, their QB coach, is a guy to keep your eye on as a HC down the road.

I'd look for a more experienced head caller than Reich as well IMO.

 

[jazzcat22]

Why wouldn't you say a player should take a pay cut/get cut if he is under performing his contract? If your motivation is to win games, then you have to expect players to perform up to their contracts. To think otherwise is really putting the player over the organixzation.

I don't get your ardent Dez is above reproach theory. Quite frankly it really doesnt make any objective sense. Jason Witten is one of the greatest players in the history of the Dallas Cowboys and the league, and one of my favorite players but he is well past his prime, and a liability in many regards.

Witten should have been shipped out several years ago but he is still here because of the player he used to be. Nostalgia doesn't win games for you going forward. Dez needs to go. Then you can root for him to have a great game against us.

I didn't say Dez was above reproach. Do not make up stuff.

 

[Sydla]

People say that the coaching staff don't know how to use Dez. The problem is that Dez runs lazy routes and is mentally limited as a receiver. Dez limits what he can run.

This is such an overstated myth.

Yes, he can be lazy at times but this idea that he's some idiotic moron that can onl learn how to run a slant and go route is preposterous.