A CB problem that many of us foresaw. Jerry's lack of foresight...

[Awakened]

I don't understand why this guy is getting so much flak. I don't agree with you on not drafting Anthony Spencer with our 1st pick, he is better than any of those other rushers you mention however I do agree that the CB position has been neglected for the last couple of years especially knowing that Glenn was in his upper 30's. Hindsight is 20/20 but we should have already begun the duty of finding his replacement even though he has been very decent for us. Maybe Parcells thought Jones and Reeves would be that future 3rd Cb and would someday push Glenn. We all know how that went.

I think we did good in taking Carp and Spencer, a 3/4 defense needs athletic lbers but it seems as we could have lookd at the Cb position alot sooner the past couple of years than 6th or 7th rds.

Thanks. You have to understand "CowboysZone" dynamics to understand why I am getting so much flak. Do you notice how many posts the guys have who are griping at me?

By the way, I never mentioned Spencer. That was another poster.

 

[JonJon]

I went back and looked at the draft since 2000 and was a little surprised by the results. I wanted to look at our history of drafting 1st day defensive backs as opposed to other positions. Turns out that the Cowboys have been quite generous at drafting DB's but have also had a high bust rate at that area. Here are the first day draft selections by position since 2000:

QB= 2 (Stanback was converted to WR)
RB = 3
TE = 2
WR = 2
OT = 3
G = 2
C = 1
DE = 4
DT = 1
LB = 4
DB = 7 (only two remain with team)
K = 0

So 2 of the last 7 DB's actually turned out pretty good, so there is a high bust factor for that position. Of course this may be due to poor scouting, but I can see why we would be cautious about going with a DB on the first day unless it is a sure thing like Newman and Williams were.

 

[Alexander]

C'mon guys. You all act like I've accused Jerry of child molestation. All I'm saying is that he should have looked harder at drafting a CB or two in the early rounds (1-4) the last couple of drafts. Heck, we've worked harder at drafting TE's than CB's.

And I'm guessing that the reason for his negligence is the large sum of money he already has invested in the top 3.

Up until right now, the impression was that had three strong CBs in Newman, Henry and Glenn.

So we were just supposed to keep drafting CBs in the high rounds? Why? They had little to no chance of playing. In fact, virtually zero unless injury occurred.

I would love to see the team that follows your blueprint and drafts corners in rounds 1-3 when you have a depth chart as we have had for the past several years.

If we were a winning team who was enjoying playoff success, I could see it. But it was only as recently as this season that we didn't have glaring holes to address going into each draft.

I won't even get into the ramifications of reaching for players when there was not a dire necessity to do so. That is exactly what your suggested approach would have led to.

And since you are second guessing, what players would you have suggested that we draft that would be making us that much better?

 

[TunaFan33]

Up until right now, the impression was that had three strong CBs in Newman, Henry and Glenn.

So we were just supposed to keep drafting CBs in the high rounds? Why? They had little to no chance of playing. In fact, virtually zero unless injury occurred.

I would love to see the team that follows your blueprint and drafts corners in rounds 1-3 when you have a depth chart as we have had for the past several years.

If we were a winning team who was enjoying playoff success, I could see it. But it was only as recently as this season that we didn't have glaring holes to address going into each draft.

I won't even get into the ramifications of reaching for players when there was not a dire necessity to do so. That is exactly what your suggested approach would have led to.

And since you are second guessing, what players would you have suggested that we draft that would be making us that much better?

Seriously-name ONE team that as DB depth(even the depth-laden Eagles don't-heck their secondary with Considine in there ain't so great either).

If you want to use educan's logic, why don't ALL 32 teams draft a corner in the first round?

 

[Rack]

Seriously-name ONE team that as DB depth(even the depth-laden Eagles don't-heck their secondary with Considine in there ain't so great either).

If you want to use educan's logic, why don't ALL 32 teams draft a corner in the first round?

You obviously don't know much about Considine.

 

[Awakened]

jdub2k4, your facts are a bit skewed. Here is a clearer picture: since 2001, we have drafted three CB's in the first four rounds. Newman, who was a great success, was obviously a first round pick. Then there was Derek Ross in the third round of 2002 and Bruce Thornton in the 4th round of 2004. So other than Newman, two picks in rounds 2-4 over the last 7 drafts.

Anyway, my main complaint is over the last couple of drafts. It is becoming obvious that our CB's are aging, and efforts should have been made to draft one or two young guys in rounds 2-4 whom we could develop. Yes, I would rather have seen a young CB with potential picked instead of Fasano (2nd round 2006), Skyler Green (4th round 2006), or Marten (3rd round 2007).

I'm not going to say "we should have picked so and so, because he was still available." That wouldn't be fair. Hindsight is 20-20. Drafting is always a gamble - especially past the 1st round. I'm just thinking we should have been thinking "CB" among other things in rounds 2-4 the last couple of drafts. I know we supposedly are looking for "best player available," but that is bull. Every NFL team recognizes their areas of perceived strength or weakness, and draft accordingly.

I went back and looked at the draft since 2000 and was a little surprised by the results. I wanted to look at our history of drafting 1st day defensive backs as opposed to other positions. Turns out that the Cowboys have been quite generous at drafting DB's but have also had a high bust rate at that area. Here are the first day draft selections by position since 2000:

QB= 2 (Stanback was converted to WR)
RB = 3
TE = 2
WR = 2
OT = 3
G = 2
C = 1
DE = 4
DT = 1
LB = 4
DB = 7 (only two remain with team)
K = 0

So 2 of the last 7 DB's actually turned out pretty good, so there is a high bust factor for that position. Of course this may be due to poor scouting, but I can see why we would be cautious about going with a DB on the first day unless it is a sure thing like Newman and Williams were.

 

[zrinkill]

We already have 2 number one picks in the secondary ..... how many do you want?

Half the secondary is all pro ..... and the other half is real good.

We have an injury ...... no one could predict who gets hurt .....


Get over it ..... Newman will probably play all year anyway.

 

[JonJon]

jdub2k4, your facts are a bit skewed. Here is a clearer picture: since 2001, we have drafted three CB's in the first four rounds. Newman, who was a great success, was obviously a first round pick. Then there was Derek Ross in the third round of 2002 and Bruce Thornton in the 4th round of 2004. So other than Newman, two picks in rounds 2-4 over the last 7 drafts.

Anyway, my main complaint is over the last couple of drafts. It is becoming obvious that our CB's are aging, and efforts should have been made to draft one or two young guys in rounds 2-4 whom we could develop. Yes, I would rather have seen a young CB with potential picked instead of Fasano (2nd round 2006), Skyler Green (4th round 2006), or Marten (3rd round 2007).

I'm not going to say "we should have picked so and so, because he was still available." That wouldn't be fair. Hindsight is 20-20. Drafting is always a gamble - especially past the 1st round. I'm just thinking we should have been thinking "CB" among other things in rounds 2-4 the last couple of drafts. I know we supposedly are looking for "best player available," but that is bull. Every NFL team recognizes their areas of perceived strength or weakness, and draft accordingly.

I understand the point you are making, but consider this:
In 2000, we didn't have a 1st round selection, but two CBs with our top selections in round 2 and 4, both of which were colossal disasters and set the team back even further than we already were. Goodrich, last I checked, is still in federal prison. Non of our draft picks from that year remain on the roster, and that year may very well be the worst draft in the history of the Cowboys.

In 2001, we didn't have a 1st round again, but needed a QB to groom, so we took Quincy in round 2 and then S Tony Dixon in the second...another colossal failure.

Judging by past failures, it is safe that the gamble is against DBs unless you draft one in the first round. Of course this isn't true in all cases, but we couldn't afford another DB bust. In 2002, we finally got it right with probowler Roy Williams. Terrance Newman came in 2003. 2004, we needed a RB bad, and chose to trade out of the 1st to get Jones. 2005, it was obvious that we needed an OLB and Ware fit that role perfectly.

Now, I do agree with you that we may have reached a bit with Carpenter and Spencer in the 1st rounds of 2006 and 2007, and should have went after a quality CB or FS, with the odds being better to find a quality LB in rounds 2-4 better than finding a quality DB.