CFZ A review of our defense

[kskboys]

What 1st round DT though? There has to be one worthy of taking.

I could still get on board with Wagner (I’d be thrilled) but it’s a luxury and seems unlikely. I don’t think we need Fowler if Williams progresses. We have four plus Golston as a hybrid.

If Mazi is there.

 

[kskboys]

Defense has a lot of talent, but it is absolutely essential to address DT, particularly 1T by at least bringing Hankins back. Can't allow the middle of the defense to get gashed - it nullifies the pass rush and allows opposing offenses to control the game. Also agree with the person that said that 3T could use an upgrade, as well.
Diggy's a nice player, but not starting material, IMO. Role player.

Well said.

Unless Golston is it, as Dan suggests, we don't have a quality starting 1 tech or 3 tech on the roster.

 

[kskboys]

Right now I think we have a really strong defense with only a couple of holes. Assuming a starting 11:

LDE: D-Law 1:?? 3T: Odigizuwa RDE: Parsons
MIKE:LVE WILL:Kearse
LCB:Gilmore SCB: Bland RCB:Diggs
SS: Wilson FS: Hooker
​

We have good players across the starting entire starting 11 except 1-tech. I have four “blue chip” players and 6 “good” players that I think are all well above NFL average starters. It’s a smaller defense though so to me it’s critical we find a 1-tech that can push the pocket allowing our LB/safeties a free run to the ball, and stopping the QB from stepping up into the pocket so our good edge rushers can get home.

In rotation we have:
DE: Armstrong, Williams
DE/DT: Golston
LB: Clarke
SCB: Lewis
NB: Mukuamu

• The DE’s rotate in and are good enough to free up Micah to play some linebacker. Armstrong has 8.5 sacks and I’d expect Williams to improve from last years 4 sacks. He’s probably the player on the roster with the most upside.
• I see Golston playing a lot of passing downs at DT and then run downs at DE. He was pretty good late last season.
• Clarke will push LVE for the starting MIKE position. He didn’t have a pre-season but seemed to be a starter when he got healthy. At the very least he’ll play as the 2nd LB when we aren’t using Kearse as a hybrid WILL.
• Lewis is most likely to play slot if any of the CB’s are out (Bland shifting to outside corner).
• Mukuamu I thought was great last season and should have a Byron Jones (rookie year) type TE covering role. He could also play some CB against bigger recievers.

Backups:

• DT: Bohanna, Gallimore
• LB: Cox, Harper, Jackson
• SS: Bell
• CB: Wright, Joseph, Goodwin

These guys are likely to make the roster and mostly with special team roles. The two exceptions are Bohanna and Gallimore who won’t play ST. Bohanna improved last year but is still just okay as a 1T, Gallimore’s move to 1T was a complete bust, he needs to drop the weight back down and shift back to 3T where he was showing promise (before last season). Wright looked better this season, and I thought was okay starting at CB when Brown was injured (better than Joseph), he could play a role on defense as cover but Mukuamu was better and there’s no way he’s beating out Gilmore or Diggs.

Overall, I think we’ve got a fantastic defense short of the 1-tech position. Unfortunately there’s not a lot out there in free agency. Brookers, Hankins, and Gaines are about the best of them, all are just solid rather than good players.

In the draft I think offense is the main focus but a bit more LB depth couldn’t hurt, maybe a safety capable of playing single high with a CB longer term. Maybe a guy like Mazi Smith in the 2nd? It’s pretty slim pickings at DT this year.

You really think Golston will be a dominant starting 3 tech?

 

[tm1119]

I don’t completely disagree with Osa and 63 is average for the year but I thought he progressed and as a 2nd year playerl

I don’t disagree, and there’s nothing wrong with drafting an average starter in the 3rd round…but he’s still a 280/285 pound DT that’s a good, not great, athlete. He’s definitely a useful player, I just think he’s probably a 50% snap count DT and we need a better rotation than Gholston behind him. And while upgrading 1Tech would obviously help, Osa himself doesn’t exactly help the run D playing high snap counts. Adding a versatile DT that can rush the passer and not be a negative on run D would go a long way to helping the D I think.

 

[JBS]

We have the same holes we did last year. Nothing has changed.

And you still don’t think we need a WR lol

 

[Rayman70]

I think if we resign Watkins and Hankins we are set except maybe adding a linebacker. I sneaky need is DE as well. DLAW can't play forever. We might wanna add a guy there.

 

[Rayman70]

And you still don’t think we need a WR lol

If we resign TY and trade a 5th for Hunter Renfro, I think we are all set. Raiders are trying 2 move him.

 

[MAZEREZAM]

What 1st round DT though? There has to be one worthy of taking.

I could still get on board with Wagner (I’d be thrilled) but it’s a luxury and seems unlikely. I don’t think we need Fowler if Williams progresses. We have four plus Golston as a hybrid.

I think Mazi Smith could be that guy

 

[Captain43Crash]

Sign B-Wagz, re-sign Fowler and replace Hank with a round 1 DT.

Done.

100% on Bobby Wagner!!

If we some how come away with Wagner, I am confident the other defensive pieces will fall into place.

 

[JBS]

If we resign TY and trade a 5th for Hunter Renfro, I think we are all set. Raiders are trying 2 move him.

No. and we didn’t do either of those. So we aren’t set

 

[Captain43Crash]

We get this defense right and we won't have to worry about the offense

With Wagner, and Hankins, or a similar style player, and another solid run stuffing DT, this defense will allow Dak to JUST drive the bus!

 

[MAZEREZAM]

If we resign TY and trade a 5th for Hunter Renfro, I think we are all set. Raiders are trying 2 move him.

Didn’t know that about Renfrow. He would be great in our WCO.

 

[Captain43Crash]

We have the same holes we did last year. Nothing has changed.

We are better at CB!

 

[DanA]

I think if we resign Watkins and Hankins we are set except maybe adding a linebacker. I sneaky need is DE as well. DLAW can't play forever. We might wanna add a guy there.

I’d like a little better at DT but they’d do. We had Fowler last year on top of what we have so there is room for one more but I’d be drafting a guy at DE (wherever there’s a good one) and play Williams more rather than chasing one in free agent. Williams IMo has earned more snaps.

 

[DanA]

We are better at CB!

Yep, Gilmore is a huge upgrade on Brown and means we really don’t have a weakness in the secondary to pick on. Lewis if he’s on the roster adds some depth we didn’t have and we have a number of ascending players on rookie contracts (Osa, Golston, Williams, Clarke, Mukuamu, Bland). Not many are straight out of the gates, you typically see a big jump 2nd and 3rd years.

 

[Dalmations202]

IMO
Kearse plays a Leo/Sam position and not a Will, he is there to cover the TE. At least I never saw him lined up as a Will, but I didn't pay that much attention either so maybe he did.

Parsons is not a full time RDE, but rotates with Armstrong and SWilliams. If SWilliams is better year two than one, why would you want him off the field, and Armstrong has played very solid there.

LVE is not a stack and shed MLB. He is more of a chase it down Will, as long as you can keep the OL off him. He just doesn't really have the speed to play Will like a Damone Clark does, and Clark should be the Will IF he improves in his second year. LVE can play some zone defense and can shoot gaps. He is not a bad MLB, but not the traditional stack and shed guy, which is why lots of runs happened last year when he jumped a gap, and the back cut opposite him.

IMO, Dallas needs to sign Fowler, Watkins, and get two of these three Hankins, ABillings, AShawn Robinson.

Then the first pick in the draft needs to be Nolan Smith -- Edge/LB Georgia.

At that point Dallas has the line covered, and Parsons can play DE/MLB/WLB without a drastic drop in play.
Tank/Fowler Osa/Bohanna, ABillings/Hankins (insert ARobinson maybe), Armstrong/SWilliams --- Watkins/Gholston as floaters up and down the line. Parsons can play either end any time. Smith/LVE at MLB. Clark/LVE at WLB --- strong LB core with Parsons able to play any one of them any time.

Kearse/Wilson -- jumping between their Leo/SS positions with Hooker playing Centerfield. Bell/Mukaumu/JCox coming in as needed.

Diggs/Gilmore/Bland/Joseph/Wright..............

Lewis and Gallimore cuts save you another $7M.
Zeke post 6/1 cut give you enough to sign the draft picks.

If you can use that 3rd for Mike Evans.....go for it.
Use your 2nd rounder on the best OL out there who will start when Tyron goes down and Tyler moves back out to LT.
CB resolved. WR resolved. OL resolved. That leaves a 4th, 2 5th, a 6th and a 7th to get some RB help and a developmental QB.

Dallas could have an elite D and a offense as good as Dak can take them.

 

[armadillooutlaw]

Well said.

Unless Golston is it, as Dan suggests, we don't have a quality starting 1 tech or 3 tech on the roster.

Y'know, I might be able to count on one hand the amount of times I remember seeing a DT bring the heat on the QB last year.
So much of Dallas' pass rush came from the edge rushers and blitzing LBs, and it seemed when the pass rush slowed down toward the end of the season it was because the lack of interior pressure finally got exposed a bit.
Think a solid player like Hankins can be enough as a starting 1T (still draft another one, though! Gotta have depth.), but at 3T it would be good to have somebody that can actually wreck a game.

 

[Jarntt]

Right now I think we have a really strong defense with only a couple of holes. Assuming a starting 11:

LDE: D-Law 1:?? 3T: Odigizuwa RDE: Parsons
MIKE:LVE WILL:Kearse
LCB:Gilmore SCB: Bland RCB:Diggs
SS: Wilson FS: Hooker
​

We have good players across the starting entire starting 11 except 1-tech. I have four “blue chip” players and 6 “good” players that I think are all well above NFL average starters. It’s a smaller defense though so to me it’s critical we find a 1-tech that can push the pocket allowing our LB/safeties a free run to the ball, and stopping the QB from stepping up into the pocket so our good edge rushers can get home.

In rotation we have:
DE: Armstrong, Williams
DE/DT: Golston
LB: Clarke
SCB: Lewis
NB: Mukuamu

• The DE’s rotate in and are good enough to free up Micah to play some linebacker. Armstrong has 8.5 sacks and I’d expect Williams to improve from last years 4 sacks. He’s probably the player on the roster with the most upside.
• I see Golston playing a lot of passing downs at DT and then run downs at DE. He was pretty good late last season.
• Clarke will push LVE for the starting MIKE position. He didn’t have a pre-season but seemed to be a starter when he got healthy. At the very least he’ll play as the 2nd LB when we aren’t using Kearse as a hybrid WILL.
• Lewis is most likely to play slot if any of the CB’s are out (Bland shifting to outside corner).
• Mukuamu I thought was great last season and should have a Byron Jones (rookie year) type TE covering role. He could also play some CB against bigger recievers.

Backups:

• DT: Bohanna, Gallimore
• LB: Cox, Harper, Jackson
• SS: Bell
• CB: Wright, Joseph, Goodwin

These guys are likely to make the roster and mostly with special team roles. The two exceptions are Bohanna and Gallimore who won’t play ST. Bohanna improved last year but is still just okay as a 1T, Gallimore’s move to 1T was a complete bust, he needs to drop the weight back down and shift back to 3T where he was showing promise (before last season). Wright looked better this season, and I thought was okay starting at CB when Brown was injured (better than Joseph), he could play a role on defense as cover but Mukuamu was better and there’s no way he’s beating out Gilmore or Diggs.

Overall, I think we’ve got a fantastic defense short of the 1-tech position. Unfortunately there’s not a lot out there in free agency. Brookers, Hankins, and Gaines are about the best of them, all are just solid rather than good players.

In the draft I think offense is the main focus but a bit more LB depth couldn’t hurt, maybe a safety capable of playing single high with a CB longer term. Maybe a guy like Mazi Smith in the 2nd? It’s pretty slim pickings at DT this year.

let me know if that is our starting 11 with 6 DBs so I can stop watching now. Kearse is a hybrid type at best but not with 5 other DBs

there is no chance that is our starting 11 in a base D

 

[CowboyRoy]

And you still don’t think we need a WR lol

Other things are more important. Other things will improve the offense and passing game more. If we do those things and add a quality #3 then it’s enough. If all we take our few assets and go get an obj without doing those other things it’s a waste.

 

[CowboyRoy]

We are better at CB!

A little better.