Did the Dallas Cowboys improve at defensive tackle in 2018?

CPanther95 said:

No, not at all.

But in all fairness, they didn't really try to.

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They could have tried a smidge more to upgrade, Jihad Ward trade was an attempt. But drafting 3tech Mo Hurst after 4th round would have been so much better. Plus it would have been a low risk/high reward move. All reports from Raiders is that Mo Hurst is 100% healthy and already tearing it up with 1st team.

Signing 1tech Jonathan Hankins to a 1 year prove it/incentive laden deal would have made it a great DT corps.

Techsass said:

First off I'm not as sold on Collins as most, especially @ 1tech. I'm sort of upbeat about Ward & Jones, but can't say I'm excited - yet. Keep thinking about Hurst (my pet cat) lasting all the way into the 5th. That was almost a freebie risk pick, but we weren't interested.

Next year's draft is supposed to be loaded with Dlinemen. Maybe they're working with a 2 year window in mind. Or maybe the guys we have are actually a lot better than I realize.

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That's why I wouldn't mind over paying on a one year deal for a guy like Hankins.

Anytime someone sees a thread that asks a question, there's normally not an answer as yet.

I believe this case belongs in that category. So, who knows if he'd be in improvement or not?

This year we arent going to be doing anything, so take the year off. Dont get excited. Fix things for next year. If anyone mocks, critiques, call us Next years CHamps. Suck it up. Team isnt doing anything about it why should the fans.

Alexander said:

I am still amazed at the lack of action in the undrafted free agent market.

That just tells me the team did not view the position as important after ignoring it in the draft.

Then I look back at the trash picks of Joey Ivie and Jordan Carrell last year and I just chuckle softly to myself.

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cant blame the guy
hes so used to getting scraps and guys asking for price checks on isle 5 that a genuine pick even in the 7th round is like gold

but to the op
having McClain would be really nice coming into camp

we know the type of lineman Marinelli does and doesnt want
but i would love to hear what he really thinks when they pass over premium talent to address other positions with him standing by

PAPPYDOG said:

Major issue when we face a good running team......

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Which both the Commanders and Giants are gearing up to be.

Wrong time to get smaller and weak at the position.

waving monkey said:

[In this series, we’ll take a look at the additions and subtractions at every position on the Dallas Cowboys roster. We’ll compare where the Cowboys were to where they currently sit and ask the ultimate question. Did the Cowboys improve or not? In other words, do you feel better about the state of the roster going into the 2018 season?]

This season:
Maliek Collins - 16 games played, 22 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries

David Irving - Eight games played, 22 tackles, seven sacks, six pass deflections, one forced fumble, missed four games due to PED suspension, missed four games with concussion

Stephen Paea - Four games played, seven tackles, one TFL, retired October 13th (chronic knee condition)

Brian Price - Eight games played, eight tackles, one pass deflection, placed on IR November 8th, re-signed two-year deal in free agency

Richard Ash - 10 games played, 12 tackles, one pass deflection

Datone Jones - Signed in November, four games played, nine tackles, one sack

Lewis Neal - Practice squad, promoted in November, seven games played, eight tackles

Daniel Ross - Signed off Chiefs practice squad in November, three games played, five tackles, one sack, one forced fumble

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...s-cowboys-improve-at-defensive-tackle-in-2018

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Honestly, I think OP is asking the wrong question. The real question IMO is did FO wanna improve this position? If you look at the last few years of DTs drafted or signed as FA, seem pretty clear it's not a priority position. In fact, Collins as a 3rd rounder is the highest draft pick invested over the last 4-5 years. How many quality DTs we've seen FO pass over in draft or free agency over the last few years? They instead settled for other teams 3rd or 4th stringer, expecting them to come here and play like All pros. Hell, you can make case DT sits LAST on the pole of all defensive positions based on premium they've invested.....here's the FO priority ranking IMO ( based on high picks and/or contracts).



1st .....DE ( high draft picks and now franchise tag)
2nd ...CB ( high draft picks and large free agent contract ( Carr) )
3rd.....LB ( high draft picks and 2nd contracts (Lee) )
4th.....S ( high draft pick ( Jones) )
5th ....DT ( 3rd rounder the highest vs 1st for each position above)

Alexander said:

I am still amazed at the lack of action in the undrafted free agent market.

That just tells me the team did not view the position as important after ignoring it in the draft.

Then I look back at the trash picks of Joey Ivie and Jordan Carrell last year and I just chuckle softly to myself.

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Yeah, I mean this is like Matt Millen idiocy.

Hawkeye0202 said:

Honestly, I think OP is asking the wrong question. The real question IMO is did FO wanna improve this position? If you look at the last few years of DTs drafted or signed as FA, seem pretty clear it's not a priority position. In fact, Collins as a 3rd rounder is the highest draft pick invested over the last 4-5 years. How many quality DTs we've seen FO pass over in draft or free agency over the last few years? They instead settled for other teams 3rd or 4th stringer, expecting them to come here and play like All pros. Hell, you can make case DT sits LAST on the pole of all defensive positions based on premium they've invested.....here's the FO priority ranking IMO ( based on high picks and/or contracts).



1st .....DE ( high draft picks and now franchise tag)
2nd ...CB ( high draft picks and large free agent contract ( Carr) )
3rd.....LB ( high draft picks and 2nd contracts (Lee) )
4th.....S ( high draft pick ( Jones) )
5th ....DT ( 3rd rounder the highest vs 1st for each position above)

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We have never won, or played in, a super bowl w/o great DT play.

Hawkeye0202 said:

Honestly, I think OP is asking the wrong question. The real question IMO is did FO wanna improve this position? If you look at the last few years of DTs drafted or signed as FA, seem pretty clear it's not a priority position. In fact, Collins as a 3rd rounder is the highest draft pick invested over the last 4-5 years. How many quality DTs we've seen FO pass over in draft or free agency over the last few years? They instead settled for other teams 3rd or 4th stringer, expecting them to come here and play like All pros. Hell, you can make case DT sits LAST on the pole of all defensive positions based on premium they've invested.....here's the FO priority ranking IMO ( based on high picks and/or contracts).



1st .....DE ( high draft picks and now franchise tag)
2nd ...CB ( high draft picks and large free agent contract ( Carr) )
3rd.....LB ( high draft picks and 2nd contracts (Lee) )
4th.....S ( high draft pick ( Jones) )
5th ....DT ( 3rd rounder the highest vs 1st for each position above)

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We need BALANCE! Why isn't Calais Campbell a Cowboy today? Well at the time our cap wouldn't allow it so we drafted Taco who still could go either way but has made no significant contribution.
We then went ahead once again and picked up another OFF LINEMAN with our no 2 pick this season and spent 90 million on Martin G. Our Defense and congrats to Marinelli has hung in there but let's be honest here folks is not capable of winning games or stopping a quality QB from scoring at will.
Until we start coaching some 3rd 4th round off lineman and stop this one-sided orgy of spending all our picks and our cap on the Dallas Wall going nowhere plan our woes will continue year in year out!
And by the way even if Smith was injured at some point last season how would you rate the Dallas Walls performance,are they worth the Cap investment and the starvation of Talent for our Defense NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.....

Today D-law should have had Calais Campbell on the other side and a mean tough to the bones DT (Drafted) should be starting in the Middle of our line with Thomas (hawks) back there this would be a different team today!

And for you Draft Guru's out there ask yourself one question ....has our drafted core of defense players been a success? Most of them are talents still in the air if they will be able to excel in the NFL or even start such as Gregory,Byron,Jaylon,Taco,Collins,Trapper,Woods, etc etc so even here Jerry and Will are not a success story!

And the cherry in on the cake is that even though we have invested all this cap on the offline we are still not guaranteed a offense that will score 30 pts a game as we have major question marks with Dak, our new Wr and the TE position and add to that Kicker. The above combo could make this coming season a disaster......lets keep our fingers crossed i guess.

Sydla said:

No. They might actually be worse if Collins' foot is a lingering issue and, at least to start the year, Irving being out.

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CCBoy said:

The term for the Dallas defensive tackles is serviceable.

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The starters are pretty good, but have health and suspension issues.

After the starters, I don't see "serviceable", I see "warm bodies". I'm hopeful on Ward, but he's done nothing to elevate himself above "warm body" yet.

With Irving *already* scheduled to miss 4 games, we should be getting a quality backup in here pronto.

The very annoying thing is having an ok 3Tech who we signed and paid tons of money to be a 3tech now seriously slimming down to RDE, where he doesn't fit at all, and where we actually have a lot of young depth.

Besides the dreams of Hankins, is there any quality DT available we could swap out for Crawford this year?

BAT said:

Signing 1tech Jonathan Hankins to a 1 year prove it/incentive laden deal would have made it a great DT corps.

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Suppose Hankins will play a 1 year for 6. Seems possible. Hankins in, Crawford out.

Assuming Hankins still has something, that looks like an improvement to me, even if you think Crawford is the better player. Hankins fulfills a serious need and Crawford doesn't.

IMO, if Ward pans out, we’ve improved at DT when compared to last year. I think improvement in the other areas of the defense will help us at DT as well.

I expect the Dallas defense to kick *** this year.

buybuydandavis said:

The starters are pretty good, but have health and suspension issues.

After the starters, I don't see "serviceable", I see "warm bodies". I'm hopeful on Ward, but he's done nothing to elevate himself above "warm body" yet.

With Irving *already* scheduled to miss 4 games, we should be getting a quality backup in here pronto.

The very annoying thing is having an ok 3Tech who we signed and paid tons of money to be a 3tech now seriously slimming down to RDE, where he doesn't fit at all, and where we actually have a lot of young depth.

Besides the dreams of Hankins, is there any quality DT available we could swap out for Crawford this year?

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I think that the team's scout system is getting pretty good now. I also think that Rod Marinelli is able to bring back a veteran that he has in his program during Training Camp. I think that respectability is now something fans should start to get acquainted with...as well as serviceable.

No, you haven't. I saw someone write here that the other improvements you've made will somehow cover up the lack of an mprovements at DT. How? What have you done in the middle of your defense to insure a more than adequate run defense? LVE? One of his biggest weaknesses is not being able to get off blocks. Without a big DT centers and guards will live in his chest. Until he shows he can hold his own there he will be tested.
The really bad thing is you've done nothing at safety. In any sport the strength of any defense is up the middle. If a defense is weak up the middle at some point it will fold. And honestly, can any one here say you are stout at the core of your defense? I don't think you are. And it's not just about the run. Look at the teams in division. All of them have really good TEs. The middle of the field is where all of them want to establish themselves.
What happens then is so much pressure is put on the edges of your defense, your strength, that you'll have to use elements of that to cover up deficiencies in the middle. Whenever you have to use a strength to cover a weakness it weakens the whole. Will it be a total collapse? No. Marinelli is a professional D.C. But it will, over time, have an adverse effect on the defense as a whole.
This is the NFL people. There simply is nothing that I know of that has the same predatory instinct as a NFL coach when a weakness is exposed. It would be pounded and pounded until it gives in. It's culminative effects will show themselves later in the season when players start missing games. Yes you've helped yourself with OL depth, but where's the defensive help coming from? At DT? At safety? At MLB? Like I said Marinelli is a pros pro. But at the NFL level any weakness gets exposed.

Rod is a all time great Dline coach and Kris is a all time great secondary coach. Expectations should be high from Cowboys fans especially coming off of a 8th defensive ranking just a season ago. For me personally defense is the last thing I am worried about regardless of who we have or do not have at DT.

ItzKelz said:

Rod is a all time great Dline coach and Kris is a all time great secondary coach. Expectations should be high from Cowboys fans especially coming off of a 8th defensive ranking just a season ago. For me personally defense is the last thing I am worried about regardless of who we have or do not have at DT.

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You mean 8 in yards against? That my friend does not mean you’re 8th ranked. And if you think it does stop reading now because you want to believe what you want to believe, lol. Teams chose to run on you. That’s it. Teams knew the best way to beat you was TOP.
They weren’t looking for chunk plays. They knew you didn’t have a offense that could run and hide. That’s why you couldn’t beat teams that were play off ready. Most play off teams can run the ball.
And a coach can only do what the talent he has allows him to do. Belichek is a defensive genius but his defense gave up 41 points in the SB. You simply don’t have the horses to be a top defense.

BAT said:

They could have tried a smidge more to upgrade, Jihad Ward trade was an attempt. But drafting 3tech Mo Hurst after 4th round would have been so much better. Plus it would have been a low risk/high reward move. All reports from Raiders is that Mo Hurst is 100% healthy and already tearing it up with 1st team.

Signing 1tech Jonathan Hankins to a 1 year prove it/incentive laden deal would have made it a great DT corps.

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I wanted Hurst to be drafted as well.

It still amazes me that the Hankins is still out there and the FO hasn’t made an attempt to pursue him knowing there are unknowns and little to no talented DTs behind Collins.

However, I keep forgetting the type of FO we have in Dallas.

1nfljunky said:

You mean 8 in yards against? That my friend does not mean you’re 8th ranked. And if you think it does stop reading now because you want to believe what you want to believe, lol. Teams chose to run on you. That’s it. Teams knew the best way to beat you was TOP.
They weren’t looking for chunk plays. They knew you didn’t have a offense that could run and hide. That’s why you couldn’t beat teams that were play off ready. Most play off teams can run the ball.
And a coach can only do what the talent he has allows him to do. Belichek is a defensive genius but his defense gave up 41 points in the SB. You simply don’t have the horses to be a top defense.

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8th in defense is 8th in defense which is measured the same way for all teams in the NFL. I did stop.

Hawkeye0202 said:

Honestly, I think OP is asking the wrong question. The real question IMO is did FO wanna improve this position? If you look at the last few years of DTs drafted or signed as FA, seem pretty clear it's not a priority position. In fact, Collins as a 3rd rounder is the highest draft pick invested over the last 4-5 years. How many quality DTs we've seen FO pass over in draft or free agency over the last few years? They instead settled for other teams 3rd or 4th stringer, expecting them to come here and play like All pros. Hell, you can make case DT sits LAST on the pole of all defensive positions based on premium they've invested.....here's the FO priority ranking IMO ( based on high picks and/or contracts).



1st .....DE ( high draft picks and now franchise tag)
2nd ...CB ( high draft picks and large free agent contract ( Carr) )
3rd.....LB ( high draft picks and 2nd contracts (Lee) )
4th.....S ( high draft pick ( Jones) )
5th ....DT ( 3rd rounder the highest vs 1st for each position above)

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If the FO really feels this way, which it very well might after looking at this, I completely disagree with the FO.To be a reallly good D you have to be stout at the Line of Scrimmage.We are not. Look at their tackles per game and especially tackles for losses. We have a bunch of mediocre tackles and one meat head, Irvin who can't stay on the field. We should have signed McClain. I don’t know about Hankins though. He looks like a big mass of Jello since leaving the Giants. What was all the talk this off season about having a dominant D line? Does anyone still think this group can be dominant. Come on!!!!!!