Am I the only one who thinks we are fine at DT?

[Pessimist_cowboy]

Am I the only one who thinks we are fine at DT ? I think we are solid and I think our depth is good . I do think we could use a DE for depth but other than that I don't see all the hype for all these DL .

Ratliff - hatcher
Crawford-lissemore
Price

Looks solid to me . Hatcher will be a FA next year so I say draft a DT next year instead . Let's see what Crawford and lissemore can do in this scheme .

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Ratliff declining play and injury prone. Hatcher moving from a 3-4 DE to 4-3 DT. Basically an unknown. Both over 30. We need youth and someone who can make plays consistently. Maybe we don't need to spend our 1st rnd pick on DT, but we need one from the draft (2nd pick at least) to push Ratliff or spell him.

 

[durrrr]

I'd love to add Sheldon Richardson to that group if he's available at 18 and Cooper/Warmack aren't.

 

[CowboysLaw87]

I realize that we COULD be ok at DT in 2013, but consider this...

Ratliff- older, declining player, attitude issues. Probably 1 year left here.

Hatcher- older, career part-time player, probably 1 year left here unless he proves himself as starter material in this scheme.

Lissemore- career backup, rotational guy.

Price- complete unknown from a health, mental stability and ability perspective. A flyer guy that will just be a bonus if he works out.

Crawford- may be used more at DE and could potentially play DE full time in 2014.

So who are you counting on in 2014 at DT? The draft isn't just about this year. It's a roster building vehicle for many years. We're looking at a scary thin and talent depleted situation potentially in 2014.

If Richardson is there, it's a no-brainer. If we get wiped out, Sly Williams wouldn't be the worst pick in the world.

 

[TheSport78]

Am I the only one who thinks we are fine at DT ? I think we are solid and I think our depth is good . I do think we could use a DE for depth but other than that I don't see all the hype for all these DL .

Ratliff - hatcher
Crawford-lissemore
Price

Looks solid to me . Hatcher will be a FA next year so I say draft a DT next year instead . Let's see what Crawford and lissemore can do in this scheme .

Ratliff = in his last year with the Cowboys
Hatcher = probably last year as a Cowboy
Lissemore = best as a rotational player and NOT a starter
Price = no
Crawford = unknown what his position will be but lots of upside

We aren't fine at DT. Both projected starters most likely won't even be on the team in 2014. If Sheldon Richardson falls to us and both guards are off the board, take the DT.

Heck, if somehow Floyd falls past the top 10, I would consider shipping a 3rd round pick to the Jets in order to move up and get Floyd.

 

[neosapien23]

Am I the only one that is wondering what this new guy Ike Igbinosun can do. He moved really well at the combine for a man his size and he had alot of production at Southern Connecticut State. I think he fit really well as an undertackle or maybe as an elephant role at SDE. This line as alot of tweeners like Ike, Hatcher, and Ben Bass. They are either going to have to lose weight or gain it to play a position more effectively.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Am I the only one who thinks we are fine at DT ? I think we are solid and I think our depth is good . I do think we could use a DE for depth but other than that I don't see all the hype for all these DL .

Ratliff - hatcher
Crawford-lissemore
Price

Looks solid to me . Hatcher will be a FA next year so I say draft a DT next year instead . Let's see what Crawford and lissemore can do in this scheme .

Everything looks good on paper but the Cowboys have to factor in the unknown.

This team needs a young stud on the d-line.

 

[Nation]

Yes we can get by in 2013 where we are not forced into finding a starter in the draft, but the position will be a real weakness in 2014. The draft is about finding long term solutions at positions of importance.

 

[Doomsday101]

Am I the only one who thinks we are fine at DT ? I think we are solid and I think our depth is good . I do think we could use a DE for depth but other than that I don't see all the hype for all these DL .

Ratliff - hatcher
Crawford-lissemore
Price

Looks solid to me . Hatcher will be a FA next year so I say draft a DT next year instead . Let's see what Crawford and lissemore can do in this scheme .

Really depends, if a top DL player is sitting there that can make that front better then take him. In the 4-3 we really need DT who can get a good push up the middle

 

[xwalker]

Yes we can get by in 2013 where we are not forced into finding a starter in the draft, but the position will be a real weakness in 2014. The draft is about finding long term solutions at positions of importance.

Yes, you can't just consider 2013.

 

[fortdick]

I feel much better about DT than I do about OG. We can win with the front four we have, not so much with the offensive front.

 

[Verdict]

This year I think we would be ok if we had to go with what we have and be fine. Next year might be a different story, but you could probably argue that what if situation about a lot of different things.

 

[Echo9]

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but why do so many think we'll only keep Ratliff for one more year?

We just restructured his contract in March. He converted about 3 mil or so into bonus money which then spreads over the remaining contract. This helped get us under the cap this year, but also pushes additional money into the remaining years of his contract.

Overall, it only pushed about 3 to 4 mil into bonus money, but that would add to the remainder of bonus money that is currently being pro-rated through 2017.

If he stays healthy in 2013, the odds are he will play very well for us. We saw that he made plays during those few times during the season he was 100%. It also seems that the switch to a 4-3 would give him more opportunities to be disruptive rather than less. When he's on the field, he's easily our best DT.

He has the opportunity to show his stuff this year in 4-3 and if he does, why would we cut him?

Just seems that the assumption that he'll be cut next year has to go hand in hand with the assumption that he won't play well. I don't agree with that.

(That being said, we should still draft a DT high )

 

[Doomsday101]

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but why do so many think we'll only keep Ratliff for one more year?

We just restructured his contract in March. He converted about 3 mil or so into bonus money which then spreads over the remaining contract. This helped get us under the cap this year, but also pushes additional money into the remaining years of his contract.

Overall, it only pushed about 3 to 4 mil into bonus money, but that would add to the remainder of bonus money that is currently being pro-rated through 2017.

If he stays healthy in 2013, the odds are he will play very well for us. We saw that he made plays during those few times during the season he was 100%. It also seems that the switch to a 4-3 would give him more opportunities to be disruptive rather than less. When he's on the field, he's easily our best DT.

He has the opportunity to show his stuff this year in 4-3 and if he does, why would we cut him?

Just seems that the assumption that he'll be cut next year has to go hand in hand with the assumption that he won't play well. I don't agree with that.

(That being said, we should still draft a DT high )

True, and now that we are going back to the 4-3 DT becomes a bit more important than it was at the 3-4 where LB were the most sought after which is why we got Ware, Lee,Carter and Spencer not to mention others who did not pan out like Carpenter. 4-3 the DL becomes a bit more important

 

[kiheikiwi]

I like the options we have this year. If all the OT's and G's are gone by 18, grab a DT - Richardson if he somehow falls to us -for the 3. Or Williams - for the 1.
If we take a guard in the first, we will have options in Logan, Hill etc a little later. Round 2 - OT's or safety, Guards. Running backs and LB's later - we really should be able to come away with a lot of positions filled this draft - IF we don't get cute.
The closer we get to the draft, my pet cat (like most) has been one of the two guards - Warmack or Cooper. However, I really would be fine if we took Williams in the first ! Options, options, options.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

If we got out of this draft without a 1 or 3 tech DT that can at least be rotated in for a good number of snaps...I would be shocked.

Of course...I have been shocked before with the Cowboys drafts so that is not saying much.

 

[egn22]

this thread just reinforced the fact that we need more depth at DT

 

[speedkilz88]

If we don't find at least one we will probably be desperate for one next off season. Same thing could be for end though too.

 

[Doomsday101]

this thread just reinforced the fact that we need more depth at DT

We need guys who can make plays. If we are fortunate to find a DT who can blowup a back field by penetrating up the middle then it becomes a big help to this defense and this team. Bottom line get talented players and do not reach for need.

 

[Eddie]

We are hardly ok at DT.

We will almost definitely take one of the top DT's ... Sly or Richardson.