CFZ Best Cowboy's Rosters In the last 2 decades?

[Kingofholland]

How does everyone think this current roster stacks up to the best over the last 20 years? We obviously didn't get the results we hoped previously but in a lot of ways this has the potential to be the best team we've seen in recent memory in 2023. Others were 2022 2016 2014 2009 2007 that had the best shot.

QB- Pretty much a push across the board

RB- 2016 and 2014 offered the best RB situation. A healthy Pollard should be a dynamic starter though.

WR- Would take 2023 over any group

TE- Prime Jason Witten in 2007 is a no brainer. How the 2023 group comes together is a question mark but for some reason I'm not worried about this group.

OG- Martin is older now but still top of his game now likely paired with Tyler who has more upside than Leary, Williams, Kosier, etc.. Give me 2023

C- Frederick in 2016 hands down.

OT- 2014 with Tyron and Free. If Tyron had a better track record of health this would get closer in 2023. Depth remains a question.

DT- Different scheme but Ratliff in 09 gives that group the edge. However, I think this current group is the best DT group we've had since that time.

DE- 2023 looks like the strongest group in a while. We've come a long way from 2014 with Selvie and Mincey. I'll leave Ware at outside LB.

MLB- LVE is better than Hitchens and McClain we rolled out in the 10s. Brady James was always a solid player who got paired with Keith Brooking in 09. Edge to 2009?

OLB: 2007 with Ware and Ellis would be my pick. But also depends where you have Parsons.

S: The Cowboys had 2 pro bowlers in 07 in Roy and Hamlin, but Roy took a big decline that year and Hamlin had a fluke year. Would easily take 2023. The rest of the years safety was a big weakness.

CB: 2023 is an easy choice. Newman was an excellent corner but the number 2 was always a question.

ST: Kicking wise 2023 looks far less prepared than during the days of Bailey and Folk.

 

[nyc-cowboy]

Aint gonna get into all that, but just say the biggest loss by far in this era was T Fred...

 

[shabazz]

If the 2016 team had a healthy Romo it would have been unstoppable on offense.....of course the defense wouldn't be able to stop Roger's beating us on a last second drive, so what's the point in dreaming?

 

[Typhus]

2023 this one.
About as close as we can get.

 

[TheFinisher]

I’d say the 2007-2009 era was the best. The OL and Front 7 was probably the best pairing we’ve had since the 90s. The Front 7 especially was really deep… Ratliff, Canty, Spears, Bowen, Hatcher, Ware, Ellis, Spencer, etc… really good DL. We also had some top end talent at the Skill positions with Owens and Witten. Heck, even the RBs we had… Julius, Barber, Felix, Choice, etc. was a really good collection of runners.

Secondary could have been better, Newman was very good but outside of him Roy Williams was declining around that time and we didn’t have much else.

 

[KJJ]

We’ve had a better receiving group and the jury is out on TE. Dak has regressed over the past couple of seasons. There’s questions on the OL. It’s not if but when for Tyron‘s next injury. The defensive talent has picked up over the past couple of years, but the offensive talent has dropped off. Only figures. We’ve had a difficult time getting both sides of the ball playing at a high level at the same time.

 

[Typhus]

I’d say the 2007-2009 era was the best. The OL and Front 7 was probably the best pairing we’ve had since the 90s. The Front 7 especially was really deep… Ratliff, Canty, Spears, Bowen, Hatcher, Ware, Ellis, Spencer, etc… really good DL. We also had some top end talent at the Skill positions with Owens and Witten. Heck, even the RBs we had… Julius, Barber, Felix, Choice, etc. was a really good collection of runners.

Secondary could have been better, Newman was very good but outside of him Roy Williams was declining around that time and we didn’t have much else.

Should leave Hatcher way out of the comparison.

 

[TheFinisher]

Should leave Hatcher way out of the comparison.

What do you mean? Hatcher was a valuable backup 3-4 End on those teams and I was talking about the depth of that DL group.

 

[TheFinisher]

We’ve had a better receiving group and the jury is out on TE. Dak has regressed over the past couple of seasons. There’s questions on the OL. It’s not if but when for Tyron‘s next injury. The defensive talent has picked up over the past couple of years, but the offensive talent has dropped off. Only figures. We’ve had a difficult time getting both sides of the ball playing at a high level at the same time.

That’s life in the salary cap NFL. It’s only feasible when you have a cheap QB on the rookie deal.

Watch the Eagles lose pieces now that they had to pay the QB.

 

[DFWJC]

If the 2016 team had a healthy Romo it would have been unstoppable on offense.....of course the defense wouldn't be able to stop Roger's beating us on a last second drive, so what's the point in dreaming?

We'll never know, but maybe we dont have a redzone interception either. So win, regardless of defense...


I'll duck now

 

[Typhus]

What do you mean? Hatcher was a valuable backup 3-4 End on those teams and I was talking about the depth of that DL group.

Hatcher was a bust, good group, and there was no reason to mention Hatcher..

 

[TheFinisher]

Hatcher was a bust, good group, and there was no reason to mention Hatcher..

Ok

 

[Typhus]

Ok

Its Ok not to agree, I'm not chastising you, just saying why look up past depth charts and throw names about players that you really never knew?
If you did that, you wouldn't be talking about Jason Hatcher or including him in the group.

 

[CCBoy]

2023 based upon it really has a chance to carry the trophy back to Dallas.

An excellent defensive line.
An excellent starting offensive line.
Top shelf wide receivers with depth.
A very good #1 running back with unseen but talented group.
A very strong linebacker group with defensive squad leadership by Parsons.
And then, what could easily be the very best secondary in the entire NFL.
Dak Prescott can handle the load as the scheme now dictates.

 

[DFWJC]

This roster is really well-balanced.
We need to be able to stop the run though. Guess we'll see.

The NFC is again weak, so the opportunity is there.

 

[Big_D]

The team and coaching are much better. Can't go position by position, it's useless. The overall roster in all 3 phases is light years the best it's been since the 90s.

 

[nyc-cowboy]

Hatcher was a bust, good group, and there was no reason to mention Hatcher..

Yes I wouldn't put Hatcher in that 2007-2009 group but I dont know if I'd call him a bust either.

Guy played for 10 years - 8 of them with the Boys.

Last three seasons in Dallas his sack totals were 4.5,4 - which for a 3-4 D-lineman aint bad - and a whopping 11 his last year.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I’d say the 2007-2009 era was the best. The OL and Front 7 was probably the best pairing we’ve had since the 90s. The Front 7 especially was really deep… Ratliff, Canty, Spears, Bowen, Hatcher, Ware, Ellis, Spencer, etc… really good DL. We also had some top end talent at the Skill positions with Owens and Witten. Heck, even the RBs we had… Julius, Barber, Felix, Choice, etc. was a really good collection of runners.

Secondary could have been better, Newman was very good but outside of him Roy Williams was declining around that time and we didn’t have much else.

Bradie James couldn't run and they ran a bunch of spares and corpses next to him. The OLB, DL, and OL I agree. WR was a bit thin and dicey on those squads too.

It's pretty close with us being thin at RB and with similar questions at LB.

 

[TheFinisher]

Its Ok not to agree, I'm not chastising you, just saying why look up past depth charts and throw names about players that you really never knew?
If you did that, you wouldn't be talking about Jason Hatcher or including him in the group.

Dude, Hatcher was a rotational piece of that group. This thread is about the strength of previous rosters, and I’m calling out that era of DL play. Why wouldn’t I mention him?

I don’t know what you’re talking about, and it’s odd of you to suggest I’m looking up depth charts or “never really knew” the players I’m calling out in this thread. The whole point of the OP is to talk about players and rosters we watched, why the hell would I go out of my way to bring up some team I didn’t watch?

Hatcher was a solid player, and valuable rotational piece on those late 2000s teams. You’re acting like this guy was some big bust or never saw the field. What a weird take.

 

[TheFinisher]

Bradie James couldn't run and they ran a bunch of spares and corpses next to him. The OLB, DL, and OL I agree. WR was a bit thin and dicey on those squads too.

It's pretty close with us being thin at RB and with similar questions at LB.

Agreed. Although if you count Witten with the WRs, it’s closer at receiver. I also like the depth we had at RB then, so I’d give the edge on offense pretty easily to the older group. Our current group at RB is concerning with Pollard coming off that injury, there’s not much behind him.

Now that I think about it, the TE group was really good during that 2007ish era. Witten and Fasano, then they replaced Fasano with Bennett. Our TE2 was probably better than anything we’re rolling with this year.

LB and Secondary is better with the current version, but the early 2000s units are close.