10 Open Roster Spots?

[dallasdave]

Our team is so stacked we can't even fit in a draft class!

 

[dallasdave]

Maybe I missed it but receiver should be in this list.

Well said indeed SIR

 

[dallasdave]

Witten is gonna need an Asian Massage expert to keep him ready.

A must indeed, got to keep everything loose.

 

[ghst187]

Our team is so stacked we can't even fit in a draft class!

Can we draft a new coaching staff?

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

It should not even be a question whether a 9-7 team that failed to make the play-offs has 10 open spots on it's roster or not.

 

[Nightman]

I do believe that the Cowboys would be wise to keep building through the draft and use all of the 10 picks and resit the urge to use some to trade up just because they do have a couple of extra picks. There are people that say drafting, even 1st round talent is still somewhat of a gamble because there have been busts from the 1st pick and every pick after that so I don't see using picks to move up to draft a player. If that player turns out to a bust then that bust turns out to have wasted more than 1 pick.
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In general I agree with this approach...... but if you have done your work and you see a you really like is falling or a couple spots away and the other team has the same need then go up and get him

If guys like Nelson or Chubb or DJames start falling out of the Top10 then even offer next year's 1st to go get them without sacrificing 19

 

[gjkoeppen]

Between FA's, draft picks and UDFA's there will be plenty of players to overturn the roster by at least 12-14 roster spots. The Cowboys would be better off trading up with their extra picks and get more 3rd or 4th round picks. They don't need 10 draft picks. Go get the better talent by working he draft. Teams occasionally find good players with those 5th, 6th and 7th rounders but generally they are long shots to make the 53.

Hey here's just a thought because I think you need it. When you trade up you don't gain picks, it costs you picks.
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[big dog cowboy]

Hey here's just a thought because I think you need it. When you trade up you don't gain picks, it costs you picks.
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The Cowboys don't need 10 rookies to come from this draft.

Use 2-3 and move up to get better players.

7-8 better players > using all 10 draft picks.

It's called 'working the draft 101' class.

 

[Ranching]

A must indeed, got to keep everything loose.

With a happy ending!

 

[buybuydandavis]

Veteran 1. Linebacker to replace Hitchens as quality depth. (100 percent need ifHitchens leaves).
Veteran - Also, maybe developmental pick. 3. Starting LG. 100 percent need unless we resign Cooper but if we do resign Cooper we still need a guard as a backup at a minimum. It is arguable we need a starter and a backup.
No. Too many already. 7. Tight End? I'm not sure how high this one is on the priority list. Witten should be cut right after the draft, but will they do it?
S probably - no corners. 9. DB. Scandrick should be gone. If Jones moves to corner we will need one safety for sure.

I disagree with a few.

 

[gjkoeppen]

The Cowboys don't need 10 rookies to come from this draft.

Use 2-3 and move up to get better players.

7-8 better players > using all 10 draft picks.

It's called 'working the draft 101' class.

So having less players meaning that the Cowboys have to hit on EVERY player with NO BUSTS is better than getting more players with the same chance of busts but possibly getting more that make the team? Yes, players taken higher normally are better players but since the draft started there have been bust and the list is a mile long even starting with #1 over all picks being busts so to say that it can't happen with 3rd or 4th round picks is being naive . When the Cowboys have as many needs as they do they need to use all of their picks in hopes of being able to fill those needs not reduce the possibility by losing some of those picks. Am I saying that a trade won't happen, no, but to me it would be better to get as many players possible hoping that as many as possible can make the team than intentionally reducing the number of positions that can be helped by giving away picks to trade up.
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[gjkoeppen]

In general I agree with this approach...... but if you have done your work and you see a you really like is falling or a couple spots away and the other team has the same need then go up and get him

If guys like Nelson or Chubb or DJames start falling out of the Top10 then even offer next year's 1st to go get them without sacrificing 19

Here's the problem I see with that. Fans aren't privy to teams draft board in the war room and "draft gurus" are wrong often enough on where any given player should go in the draft so just because a player is sliding because of where draft gurus had him doesn't necessarily mean that he should have been originally valued that high to start out with. Second often teams get some info about a player that some of the draft gurus didn't have access to and it's because of that info that a player may begin to slide. In other words there may be reasons for the slide and to jump up a take a player that fans think they should because some draft gurus have that player higher on the draft list isn't always the smartest thing to do. If the team really wants that player then if he's sliding there could be every reason he will continue to slide 1 or a few spots further to the team that wants him. To me a player sliding more than just a couple of spots is a red flag about that player and there's reasons for it.
.

 

[northerncowboynation]

You've made a couple of assumptions that have nothing to back it up other than just your opinion and one of them is in way left field. First, the only ones saying or are even hinting at cutting Witten are some wannabe GM fans. I've not heard anything about Witten from anyone with the Cowboys or any actual analyst, or even any of the "NFL insiders" who often are not totally right. Second I've not heard anything from the Cowboys concerning Scandrick other than he considered retiring last season but then there have been many many players who have hinted a retirement but then didn't retire for a couple of years. I believe the Cowboys know they have a extremely good deep snapper and will resign him to at least a 3 year deal so the need this year to find another deep snapper isn't there. I do believe that the Cowboys would be wise to keep building through the draft and use all of the 10 picks and resit the urge to use some to trade up just because they do have a couple of extra picks. There are people that say drafting, even 1st round talent is still somewhat of a gamble because there have been busts from the 1st pick and every pick after that so I don't see using picks to move up to draft a player. If that player turns out to a bust then that bust turns out to have wasted more than 1 pick.
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Agree with you on most players being a gamble G. They can pass the eye test, the workout test, the wonderlic test, the college tape test and still flop at the next level. That being said though, the chances of finding a difference maker are greater for players who pass those tests than ones who don't. Not advocating trading compensatory picks to get the "one" either. We have lots of needs, talent infusion being one and depth being another. Stick with the board. My hope in this draft is that it doesn't become all about the defense or the offense. The needs are still there on both sides of the ball.

Call me crazy but I'm optimistic McClay and his merry band of scouts can get 3-4 starters out of 10 picks. That's a great success rate in the draft. Could we parlay 10 picks into 6 by trading around, sure, but 3-4 starters out of 6 is too much to expect knowing that they all are gambles. In many ways the draft is like determining the chances of getting a head or a tail in a coin flip. 10 flips of the coin will get you closer to 50/50 than fewer flips

 

[big dog cowboy]

So having less players meaning that the Cowboys have to hit on EVERY player with NO BUSTS is better than getting more players with the same chance of busts but possibly getting more that make the team?

The Cowboys need fewer but better players. 10 draft picks won't make the 53.

For example (I can't believe I have to go through this exercise) if there is someone in the mid 2nd the Cowboys want and have a high grade on, use the 50th pick and a 4th to go get him. The chances of finding an impact player in the 4th is very very low. In fact, the chances of them making the 53 and ever reaching starter status is low.

There are only so many FA's, draft picks and UDFA's that are going to make the team. Better players > more players. It's not that hard to figure out.

 

[Nightman]

Here's the problem I see with that. Fans aren't privy to teams draft board in the war room and "draft gurus" are wrong often enough on where any given player should go in the draft so just because a player is sliding because of where draft gurus had him doesn't necessarily mean that he should have been originally valued that high to start out with. Second often teams get some info about a player that some of the draft gurus didn't have access to and it's because of that info that a player may begin to slide. In other words there may be reasons for the slide and to jump up a take a player that fans think they should because some draft gurus have that player higher on the draft list isn't always the smartest thing to do. If the team really wants that player then if he's sliding there could be every reason he will continue to slide 1 or a few spots further to the team that wants him. To me a player sliding more than just a couple of spots is a red flag about that player and there's reasons for it.
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You don't have to be a draft 'guru' or what ever that means for guys like Nelson, Chubb and DJames

Sometimes they fall because of a QB run or just plain Draft for Need by other teams

If guys like that get close don't hesitate to move up

Beyond superstars falling, I do think in general there is much better value in moving back

 

[Alexander]

Absolutely.

We are so insanely talented, we don't even have room for ten rookies.

It is unfortunate, but that is what happens when you are so damn good.

 

[Bleu Star]

I have seen this subject hinted at in other threads but I think it deserves its own thread. We obviously have 10 draft picks and I have seen some people say we don't have that many roster spots open. I'm not sure about that.

Let's survey what we need/think we need this year as if we do not have room for 10 players then there would be some pressure to trade up.

1. Linebacker to replace Hitchens as quality depth. (100 percent need ifHitchens leaves).
2. 1 Tech. 100 percent need if you want to improve the defense and keep the linebackers clean.
3. Starting LG. 100 percent need unless we resign Cooper but if we do resign Cooper we still need a guard as a backup at a minimum. It is arguable we need a starter and a backup.
4. Tackle/Swing Tackle. We definitely need a guy here. Tyron's back may indicate we need two if Tyron's back is worse than what we think it is.
5. Starting caliber linebacker. Most would say this might be our highest priority even if Jaylon is healthy and we get a full year out of Lee as Lee will need to be replaced in two years max.
6. A third linebacker. I'm not sure what we have on the roster but Wilson is probably a short timer and Wilbur'sdays are probably numbered. Unless we have a guy in the wings no one knows about there is a pretty good chance that we could use three guys out of this linebacker class.
7. Tight End? I'm not sure how high this one is on the priority list. Witten should be cut right after the draft, but will they do it?

Hanna was signed to a pretty decent contract because the team valued him but they never play him. I think Hanna is a more than adequate replacement for Witten. He is an upgrade. If Witten goes, we would have Hanna, Rico and Swaim. Andrews from OU in the 4th would be a significant improvement over Swaim. I think we will take a tight end out of this class, I'm just not sure where it will be.

If we keep Witten, we could forego tight end completely this year unless they elect to save a few million by cutting Hanna. So this one is a total crapshoot. If RICO isn't going to be the answer we could draft as many as two or three if we clean house. It's really hard to know what we are going to do here.

8. Backup running back. I think it is almost a certainty we will pick up a running back in the draft. How high that player is selected is debatable. Right now we have Elliott and Smith and that's it. We will need one more.

9. DB. Scandrick should be gone. If Jones moves to corner we will need one safety for sure.

From that list it is pretty easy to see that we have enough holes to use all of the draft picks, and the team should be looking to upgrade every position. It wouldn't be hard to fathom us drafting a stud DB and replace Brown who had a rough second season.

It wouldn't be shocking to see us draft a backup QB at some point.

One of these years the long snapper's days will also be over. I could see us using a late pick on that at some point.

#1 WR

 

[Jumbo075]

Cowboys need 1 safety if they move Jones to CB, 3 linebackers, 3 defensive tackles, 1 defensive end, 3 offensive linemen, 1 backup quarterback, 1 fullback, and 1 backup running back. That is 14 open positions.

Assuming the Cowboys resign David Irving, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Keith Smith, that still leaves 11 open positions.

 

[Alexander]

It should not even be a question whether a 9-7 team that failed to make the play-offs has 10 open spots on it's roster or not.

It has been like this for a very long time.

It was even that way after the 8-8 years.

We are just too good. We had injuries or something. Only a few open roster spots. No room at the inn.

 

[DHCBF66]

No NEED to draft a long snapper, we have one signed. He may eventually retire but I would say that's no less than 3 years away. Scandrick may be gone but we drafted enough talent last year to fill the void. Back up QB's are a dime a dozen, we rode with Cooper Rush last season and I do not see that changing. Back up RBs are easy to find via FA. The rest I agree with. Love J_Witt and it will be a sad sad day when he is gone but we need his replacement on the roster asap. A speedy, big WR is on my wish list.