3-4 Update

[Nors]

Glover not in our 3-4 plans. Pretty clear he was a 1 year Vet stop gap transition player. Good guy - hope he finds a 4-3 team like Indi, Rams, Bucs that like to shoot gaps and play a small fast cover 2 scheme.

Now its to rebuilding this 3-4 to a DOMINANT defense.

NT - Free Agency is 340 pound NT Ma'ke Kemeatu. He is going to be a major add for us. If not where he goes in 3-4 NT world will impact draft BIG.

Browns at #12 - Bills go NT or LT or TE?

Draft has 2 Stud NT's and a bunch of Jags later in draft.

Ngata
Watson

340 pound stud NT's - 36/37 reps that will be highly valued draft day.

I go in draft today -

Watson - NT
Carpenter OLB
Anderson 4-3 DE nickel rusher
Schlegel - 5th round ILB

Canty, Coleman
Ferguson, Watson*
Spears, Ratliff, Anderson*

Ware, Thornton
James, Schlegel
Shanle, Fowler, Burnett (pup)
Carpenter, Chattam

Read BP's comments last weak on Glover, "labor uncertainty". JJ on not talking to Glover - haven't done it cuz its going to be an uncomfortable discussion. There was no cap reason to cut Glover - $1.5M bonus is peanuts and could have been restructured. He's not a fit or in plans forward.


Ellis needs to call - Merriman. BP/JJ have him in the breach, and are looking to max trade value and see what they can do in draft. They at best may bring him back for a 1 year transition - see Coakley, Glover how that works.


Parcells just getting it done and not nostalgic on at best a so so soft 4-3 defense. Onward to 2006!

Now go get Bledstud some weapons! Pope at 6-8 4.62 or that "Davis" guy!:

Super Bowl in 2006!

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I would be ok with Ngata...but I don't think I would care for Watson...something about that guy just seems like he would not be a 100% guy.

 

[joseephuss]

Ellis already has done the 1 year transition thing just like Glover. The same situation.

Glover's $1.5 million bonus might be peanuts, but you have to add that to the rest of his salary. It is a fiscal decision. A very tough one because Glover can still play and he does contribute even in the 3-4. His presence also give the team flexibilty in their fronts and that is a key to being a dominant defense. He certainly brings more to Dallas than Kenyon Coleman. Money is the reason Glover is not here and that would have been the same with a cap figure of $104 million.

 

[ravidubey]

We haven't drafted offense in the 1st round in almost ten drafts. As important as defense is to a team and as easy it is to build, IMO we can't afford to have the entire young core of our team all on one side of the ball.

Ngata, Watson-- yeah they'd help us, but RT is a critical need. I don't see how we can pass up on an elite offensive player if one coughMCNEILLcough falls to us. We also need at least one LB, but we can still find one in the 2nd or 3rd round.

 

[JohnsKey19]

Does Sam Adams have anything left in the tank? Assuming he does, he'd be a nice addition for 1-2 years giving us more time to find a young 3-4 stud NT.

 

[Hostile]

Glover not in our 3-4 plans. Pretty clear he was a 1 year Vet stop gap transition player. Good guy - hope he finds a 4-3 team like Indi, Rams, Bucs that like to shoot gaps and play a small fast cover 2 scheme.

I think he played the 3-4 NT slot better than Fergy. A bit of a step backwards, but we'll recover.

Now its to rebuilding this 3-4 to a DOMINANT defense.

Won't hurt my feelings at all. I think we need our defense to be dominant because our offense can't be.

NT - Free Agency is 340 pound NT Ma'ke Kemeatu. He is going to be a major add for us. If not where he goes in 3-4 NT world will impact draft BIG.

I'd be kind of shocked if we went NT in FA 2 years in a row.

Browns at #12 - Bills go NT or LT or TE?

My money would be on Ngata to the Bills after they cut Sam Adams

Draft has 2 Stud NT's and a bunch of Jags later in draft.

Ngata
Watson

340 pound stud NT's - 36/37 reps that will be highly valued draft day.

I'm not as high on Watson. I like the idea of Rod Wright at the top of the 2nd round if we trade down and add picks. Texas DTs have had some great success in the NFL lately. Casey Hampton of Pittsburgh might be the best NT in the NFL. Wright reminds me of him.

I go in draft today -

Watson - NT
Carpenter OLB
Anderson 4-3 DE nickel rusher
Schlegel - 5th round ILB

I think Schlegel will go higher than the 5th. His linemate Carpenter and Manny Lawson remain my top draft hopes.

Canty, Coleman
Ferguson, Watson*
Spears, Ratliff, Anderson*

Ware, Thornton
James, Schlegel
Shanle, Fowler, Burnett (pup)
Carpenter, Chattam

Ellis will be here, especially over Coleman. Shanle will not start. He'll be lucky to make the team if we focus on LB again as we should. Burnett will nto be on the PUP.

Read BP's comments last weak on Glover, "labor uncertainty". JJ on not talking to Glover - haven't done it cuz its going to be an uncomfortable discussion. There was no cap reason to cut Glover - $1.5M bonus is peanuts and could have been restructured. He's not a fit or in plans forward.


Ellis needs to call - Merriman. BP/JJ have him in the breach, and are looking to max trade value and see what they can do in draft. They at best may bring him back for a 1 year transition - see Coakley, Glover how that works.

I bet you're wrong on Ellis. Wishful thinking is good though.

Parcells just getting it done and not nostalgic on at best a so so soft 4-3 defense. Onward to 2006!

Now go get Bledstud some weapons! Pope at 6-8 4.62 or that "Davis" guy!:

Super Bowl in 2006!

Interesting avatar. I don't see how you can call Bledsoe a crow though.

 

[joseephuss]

I don't see Rod Wright as a 3-4 NT. Hampton always seemed like a hard worker at UT and the guy that did the dirty work and did it proudly. He played along side Shaun Rogers. Rogers seemed to have moments of laziness at UT and still exhibits those tendencies in Detroit. Wright reminds me more of Rogers. All three guys are very talented, but only Hampton seems suitable for the grinding position of 3-4 NT. Rogers and Wright would be poor fits in that scheme.

 

[Clove]

I would go full speed after Kemoeatu in FA, which would leave me to moving out of the 1st.

I think we bring in a stop gap RT like we did not do last year, and I think we give Rogers a chance to get back his status.Jerry said he would not pay left tackle money with draft picks, which means to me that he's not drafting a RT in 1st round.

And I don't think BP will ever trust a Rookie Tackle for the rest of his coaching career (which is only 2 years) Fabini played left tackle, but will be moved to RT which would make him better.

I would trade out of 1st for 2/3/4.
And then out of our 4 1st day picks and our number 4, I would atleast get FS Jason Allen & OLB Stanley McClover out of this draft. Jets may be willing to make a trade since Abraham will be gone and they would want to get a young impact player or even a vet (Ellis).

Another possibility is that we trade down just a little and pick up Lawson (since BP has shown interest in Lawson) and then still try and get Jason Allen.

I just think that Jason Allen (after running a 4.39 40) has become one of the best FSs in the draft. He was a 1st rounder until his hip injury earlier last season. He's tall and always wins jump balls. He's physical and fast fast fast. He can cover anyone one on one so that leaves RW to roam the field and the LOS.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

Does Sam Adams have anything left in the tank?

Yeah, NcDonald's Extra-Value Menu. Maybe we can buy him for $1.
**

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I think he played the 3-4 NT slot better than Fergy. A bit of a step backwards, but we'll recover.

Won't hurt my feelings at all. I think we need our defense to be dominant because our offense can't be.

I'd be kind of shocked if we went NT in FA 2 years in a row.

My money would be on Ngata to the Bills after they cut Sam Adams

I'm not as high on Watson. I like the idea of Rod Wright at the top of the 2nd round if we trade down and add picks. Texas DTs have had some great success in the NFL lately. Casey Hampton of Pittsburgh might be the best NT in the NFL. Wright reminds me of him.

I think Schlegel will go higher than the 5th. His linemate Carpenter and Manny Lawson remain my top draft hopes.

Ellis will be here, especially over Coleman. Shanle will not start. He'll be lucky to make the team if we focus on LB again as we should. Burnett will nto be on the PUP.

I bet you're wrong on Ellis. Wishful thinking is good though.


Interesting avatar. I don't see how you can call Bledsoe a crow though.

My thoughts on all that exactly Hos.

Well said.

 

[superpunk]

I'm not as high on Watson. I like the idea of Rod Wright at the top of the 2nd round if we trade down and add picks. Texas DTs have had some great success in the NFL lately. Casey Hampton of Pittsburgh might be the best NT in the NFL. Wright reminds me of him.

6-5, 305? Hand him over. I'd be all over that. Not at all interested in Watson, because of his rep as a sort of slacker.

Interesting avatar. I don't see how you can call Bledsoe a crow though.

Is anyone as dismayed as I am that Nors has taken to calling Bledsoe - Bledstud as well?

 

[AsthmaField]

Watson, I'm not high on. From what I've heard he just doesn't give good effort a lot of the time. Although it's a little difficult to find a high motor guy who is in the 340 range, I'd like to find someone who at least isn't known for taking plays off.

Ngata, now that's a guy who I like. I've been on his bandwagon for a while now. However, a couple of things kind of nag at me about him: One, he's awfully tall for NT, although he's so strong it may not matter; and two, he has a real mellow personality and I'd like to see us add guys to the defense that have that killer instinct, ala Charles Haley. We have a team full of good guys... and I'd like to see us keep that up... but I'd like a little Haley attitude on D too. Ngata will most likely be gone well before 18 anyway, so I'm not going to think on it too long. DT's go fast and early in the draft.

Like Hos, my first round wishes include Carpenter and Lawson. As quickly as DT's tend to go in the first round... LB's tend to fall in the first round. Like I've said a hundred times before, 4-3 LB's are a dime-a-dozen so teams tend to wait on those guys and go other positions first. There are a few more 3-4 teams than there used to be, but still, you can get very good value (athletically speaking) by going LB in the first round. The LB's that will be available at 18 will probably be better prospects than the DT's that are sitting there... so I say take advantage of that as long as we have a need at LB and take the best player available... which will probably be Lawson. Assuming his character checks out and he's got the football smarts that Parcells wants, I think Lawson can be a game changer for us.

That's my $0.02 worth.

 

[Nors]

Ellis already has done the 1 year transition thing just like Glover. The same situation.

Glover's $1.5 million bonus might be peanuts, but you have to add that to the rest of his salary. It is a fiscal decision. A very tough one because Glover can still play and he does contribute even in the 3-4. His presence also give the team flexibilty in their fronts and that is a key to being a dominant defense. He certainly brings more to Dallas than Kenyon Coleman. Money is the reason Glover is not here and that would have been the same with a cap figure of $104 million.

1) Kenyon Coleman is a backup 3-4 and has nothing to do with NT depth like Glover

2) Yes, they could have restructured Glover but did not. Its not a Cap decision - they had till Sunday to retract his cut. It did not happen in fact DC.Com reaffirmed his cut. He's NOT in our plans - CBA or not. I love all this he's coming back hope - its really misguided!


Canty
Watson
Spears

Ware
Shanle
James
Carpenter

Good to go for a decade!

 

[Nors]

We haven't drafted offense in the 1st round in almost ten drafts. As important as defense is to a team and as easy it is to build, IMO we can't afford to have the entire young core of our team all on one side of the ball.

Ngata, Watson-- yeah they'd help us, but RT is a critical need. I don't see how we can pass up on an elite offensive player if one coughMCNEILLcough falls to us. We also need at least one LB, but we can still find one in the 2nd or 3rd round.

You can still find RT in the 2nd or 3rd round. I'm not fixin to watch yet another rookie type thrown to a new position (RT). Go get Fabini, Ashworth in FA and get Petitti healthy. When Flo was healthy we were fine......

With Glover gone we need NT Depth. Game is won in the trenches. Go draft Bledose a TE/WR and let him downfield undress secondaries forward. Thats what we need - weapons. We can shore up Oline after round 1.

 

[aikemirv]

1) Kenyon Coleman is a backup 3-4 and has nothing to do with NT depth like Glover

2) Yes, they could have restructured Glover but did not. Its not a Cap decision - they had till Sunday to retract his cut. It did not happen in fact DC.Com reaffirmed his cut. He's NOT in our plans - CBA or not. I love all this he's coming back hope - its really misguided!


Canty
Watson
Spears

Ware
Shanle
James
Carpenter

Good to go for a decade!

What is misguided is you coming in here and saying that those who hope he comes back are misguided!!!

If Glover had the cap hit that Ellis has, I would bet that he would be back.

Does he fit the 3-4 - obviously not, but he can play it because he is that talented. People who hate to see him go are ones who actually like good football players on their team. I understand the decision, but if you are going to make it you better replace that quality with quality in another position - LB I would hope.

 

[Nors]

What is misguided is you coming in here and saying that those who hope he comes back are misguided!!!

If Glover had the cap hit that Ellis has, I would bet that he would be back.

Does he fit the 3-4 - obviously not, but he can play it because he is that talented. People who hate to see him go are ones who actually like good football players on their team. I understand the decision, but if you are going to make it you better replace that quality with quality in another position - LB I would hope.

Dallas actions speak on Glover. If they wanted him they would have restructured. Talent - yes we need to go get Kemoeatu, Ngata, Watson to plug NT with Fergi. Glover is better served in 4-3 somewhere.

Draft LB!

Carpenter/Lawson - OLB
Anderson/Wimbley - my LB/DE sleepers

 

[aikemirv]

Dallas actions speak on Glover. If they wanted him they would have restructured. Talent - yes we need to go get Kemoeatu, Ngata, Watson to plug NT with Fergi. Glover is better served in 4-3 somewhere.

Draft LB!

Carpenter/Lawson - OLB
Anderson/Wimbley - my LB/DE sleepers

Jerry and Stephen are not stupid and neither is Glover. If they had an offer for Glover who would be a part time player it would be significantly less than an offer that a 4-3 team would give him. Why go through the exercise when he does not fit and would make significantly more money elsewhere.

His bonus and Cap number were the #1 reason he was cut and it is not worth a 6 mill cap charge to have him here. You make it sound as if his Cap charge were 1.5 or 2 million he still would be cut and I don't believe that for one minute. He might not fit for 6 mill but he would fit for 1.5 to 2 - even for the nickel D!

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Here’s how I would set up the defense within the reasonable means of the cap:

FA Signings

- Corey Chavous
- Scott Fujita

Cuts

- Glover

DRAFT

- Go with best player available between Wimbley, Lawson, or Hali or one of OT’s in the first round. If an OT is selected in the first round, choose an LB in the second round.

- Nose Guard in the Third Round

- DE late in day two


Roster (starters first)

RDE – Canty, Ellis
NG – Ferguson, Johnson, and Rookie Nose Guard
LDE – Spears, Ratliff

Eventually they can move Johnson to RDE since that better suits him and he could switch off as a DE and NG sort of like Ty Warren and Jarvis Green do for the Patriots sporadically. The late round DE pick could probably wind up on the practice squad with no problem. Ellis will be utilized to take some snaps in the 3-4, but be more of a threat in the nickel.

ROLB – Ware, Thornton
SILB – James, Fowler
WILB – Burnett, Shanle
LOLB – Rookie LOLB, Fujita or Singleton (competing for final spot)

I would also look into signing Willie McGinest if the price is right. He can still play the position, he’s a lockerroom leader, and he knows the 3-4 OLB position down pat to teach the rookie LOLB. I’m more into Hali, Lawson, and Wimbley because they have far greater pass rushing ability than Bobby Carpenter and they need that in the 3-4.

LCB – Newman, Glenn
RCB – Henry, Reeves
SS – Williams, Davis
FS – Chavous, Beriault or Pile (competition for final spot)


Nickel Roster

LDE – Ellis
DT – Spears
DT – Ratliff
RDE – Ware
LB – Burnett
LB – Shanle
LCB – Glenn
RCB – Henry
Slot – Newman
SS – Roy
FS – Chavous


4-3/ 3-4 Hybrid Roster

LDE – Ellis
DT – Spears
DT – Johnson
RDE – Ware
WLB – James
MLB – Burnett
SLB – Rookie OLB Pick
LCB – Newman
RCB – Henry
SS – Williams
FS – Chavous

I’m assuming that the play of the young players will at the very least get slightly better and they’ll stay reasonably healthy. The CB play should be at least as good as it was last year if not better since they are still reasonably young, the pass rush will most likely get better and having a competent FS will only help matters.

With that, I think the key spot on this roster is Weakside Inside Linebacker. If the production is still lackluster from there, they’ll probably won’t be as good as they could be since they’ll struggle against the run again.

I think McGinest would be a good signing, but they also have to address the O-Line. The O-Line could still use a good left tackle so they can move Flozell to right tackle where he could likely dominate. They also need to find a young guard to replace Allen and Rivera for the future, if not right now.

I do believe it is easier to draft for the 3-4 than the 4-3. But one of the positions that is hard to find is a good, big nose guard. You must have a good NG in the 3-4. But, they have bigger issues now at OLB and O-Line. So, this year’s draft may be as important to the Cowboys future as any draft has been in years.

If they foul it up, Ware probably won’t reach his full potential since opposing teams will just put a tight end his way, forcing him to drop back in coverage or give him a double team.

If the O-Line doesn’t get resurrected, they will wind up having to make drastic moves over the next couple of years to do that. And if they don’t find a good nose guard, chances are that Ferguson may only have enough gas to get him through 2008.

I think Dallas has to be a bit active again in free agency and make some good decisions there because if they want to win right now, they’ve got just enough issues with their roster that won’t be addressed by just going through the draft.


Rich………

 

[CaptainAmerica]

The word is we paid a "LOT" of attention to Watson at the Sr. Bowl.

I know he's considered an underachiever, but from the action I saw of the practice drills that week, Watson absolutely DOMINATED several good quality offensive linemen he faced.

Also, the word is he owned up to his problems this past season at Michigan and took full responsibility for them. He's a risky player because he's apt to let his weight balloon and get lazy, but he could be a force in the middle, ala Vince Wilfork with the Pats who was picked in about that same spot in the draft.

 

[BigDFan5]

I highly doubt we take a backup NT in Rd 1 when we need starters