Best Defensive Player

[Blustarz23]

who do you think is the best defensive player in cowboy history? not only is he may favorite but i think he was the defensive player in cowboy history was RANDY WHITE and he deserves to be rated better on nfl top 100 than #62!!

 

[RS12]

Bob Lilly. Also one of the top in NFL history.

 

[Blustarz23]

yea i know cant forget about bob lilly he was really the 1st dominate cowboy!!!

 

[fortdick]

Randy White weren't bad

 

[burmafrd]

Randy White weren't bad

flip a coin between Manster and Mr Cowboy.

I do not see how you can really pick one over the other. They both were conisdered the best of all time at their position.

 

[Future]

Deion

 

[JPM]

When his career is finally over Ware will be in the discussion.

 

[CCBoy]

Going purely upon on the field success, I'd have to give an edge to Bob Lilly. He defeated triple teams, with sacks. That is today, impossible.

But Randy White was a bull in a china closet. Funny how positional changes precipitated both White's and Lilly's strength in the NFL.

Deion wasn't bad, as was Haley as well. Haley was hurt in an overall view, by later career injuries. He was in the trenches although.

As to DeMarcus Ware, I am really looking forward to him even gaining a little Wiley Veteran edges to his game...and even expanding what he brings already.

 

[Cowboys&LakersFan]

Well this is very hard for me because I've only been watch Cowboy football for about a decade. I guess going by stats and film I've watched I'll go with White.

 

[casmith07]

DeMarcus Ware.

 

[Trace1015]

Deion can't argue with the best CB of all time

 

[Manster54]

Who do ya think?

 

[Stautner]

Bob Lilly. He will likely be the overwhelming choice of anyone as old as I am - the people that actually remember far enough back to know how Lilly played the game.

Having watched both I will say White isn't far behind.

Deion is nowhere close. Didn't have the years with Dallas to qualify to begin with in my mind (I'm assuming most would agree that how long a person dominated as a Cowboy defender comes into play). I wouldn't even call Deion the Cowboys best CB ever - that goes to Renfro.

Lest anyone think I'm just an old fart who dismisses newer players, I will say that I agree with the poster that said DeMarcus Ware will be in the discussion by the time his career is over.

 

[Flinger]

Bob Lilly. He will likely be the overwhelming choice of anyone as old as I am - the people that actually remember far enough back to know how Lilly played the game.

Having watched both I will say White isn't far behind.

Deion is nowhere close. Didn't have the years with Dallas to qualify to begin with in my mind (I'm assuming most would agree that how long a person dominated as a Cowboy defender comes into play). I wouldn't even call Deion the Cowboys best CB ever - that goes to Renfro.

Lest anyone think I'm just an old fart who dismisses newer players, I will say that I agree with the poster that said DeMarcus Ware will be in the discussion by the time his career is over.

What he said... I'm one of those 'old timers' that's been around since the beginning.

There have been so many great ones, it's really hard to believe. Renfro, Howley, DD Lewis, Cornell Green, Charlie Waters, Cliff Harris, Too Tall Jones, Harvey Martin, Hollywood Henderson, LeRoy Jordan, the teams of the 90's... wow. So many great ones. But, Lily and White are 1a and 1b.

I don't care what the talking heads have to say at ESPN or the 'unbiased' media that selects the Hall of Fame - those guys were household names everywhere in this country for the 60's, 70's and some of the 80's. Then, came the 90's.... just wow.

 

[Ken]

DeMarcus Ware.

I agree.

He is in the conversation right now and it is just a matter of time before he is the best of not only the Cowboys, but one of the best of all time.

Truly a dominating player and we take him for granted.

 

[Stautner]

I agree.

He is in the conversation right now and it is just a matter of time before he is the best of not only the Cowboys, but one of the best of all time.

Truly a dominating player and we take him for granted.

Lilly and White already are among the best of all time. Ware is great, but to dismiss Lilly and White as if it's only a matter of time before they get passed by suggests to me you don't remember much about them.

 

[sonnyboy]

What he said... I'm one of those 'old timers' that's been around since the beginning.

There have been so many great ones, it's really hard to believe. Renfro, Howley, DD Lewis, Cornell Green, Charlie Waters, Cliff Harris, Too Tall Jones, Harvey Martin, Hollywood Henderson, LeRoy Jordan, the teams of the 90's... wow. So many great ones. But, Lily and White are 1a and 1b.

I don't care what the talking heads have to say at ESPN or the 'unbiased' media that selects the Hall of Fame - those guys were household names everywhere in this country for the 60's, 70's and some of the 80's. Then, came the 90's.... just wow.

Great list. But I think Ware will eclipse them all. Even if he doesn't get a ring.

It's tought to compare great players at different positions and even tougher to compare them from different era's. But hey, that's the fun of it.

If we answer the OP question and disregard the lifetime Cowboy achievement angle, I believe Sanders has to be on the list.

Here's how I see it in a few years when Ware's retired.

1) Ware
2) Sanders
3) Lilly
4) White
5) Howley

This might be a little 90's Cowboy's bias going on here, but for that 4 year SB stretch run, I'll put Haley and Lett right up there.
Especially Lett. IMO he's the most under rated Cowboy of that era.

 

[Flinger]

Great list. But I think Ware will eclipse them all. Even if he doesn't get a ring.

It's tought to compare great players at different positions and even tougher to compare them from different era's. But hey, that's the fun of it.

If we answer the OP question and disregard the lifetime Cowboy achievement angle, I believe Sanders has to be on the list.

Here's how I see it in a few years when Ware's retired.

1) Ware
2) Sanders
3) Lilly
4) White
5) Howley

This might be a little 90's Cowboy's bias going on here, but for that 4 year SB stretch run, I'll put Haley and Lett right up there.
Especially Lett. IMO he's the most under rated Cowboy of that era.

I'm with you about Sanders. Hey, he put on the Star and wore it well. Same with Haley.

After free-agency began in the early 90's, the game changed. Players switch teams. Fans loyalties become confused. Do you follow a player or a team?

Each to their own. I would prefer that Sanders and Haley 'grew up within'. But, they didn't. Still - I was glad to have 'em....

 

[Stautner]

Great list. But I think Ware will eclipse them all. Even if he doesn't get a ring.

It's tought to compare great players at different positions and even tougher to compare them from different era's. But hey, that's the fun of it.

If we answer the OP question and disregard the lifetime Cowboy achievement angle, I believe Sanders has to be on the list.

Here's how I see it in a few years when Ware's retired.

1) Ware
2) Sanders
3) Lilly
4) White
5) Howley

This might be a little 90's Cowboy's bias going on here, but for that 4 year SB stretch run, I'll put Haley and Lett right up there.
Especially Lett. IMO he's the most under rated Cowboy of that era.

Even if you disregard the length of time a player was dominant for Dallas, which I don't believe is fair to begin with, I don't at all see Deion ranking above Lilly or White. Deion was a one dimensional player (coverage only - no tackling skills - actual fear of contact), whereas Lilly and White were dominant run stoppers and pass rushers. Heck Renfro and Walls were both better rounded CB's than Deion, and both picked off more passes than Deion.

 

[Flinger]

Maybe it was because I was young, but I just don't remember enough about the details of Renfro's game to compare to Sanders. Again, I was just glad to have him when we did.

Walls was another great one. Unfortunately for him, he is immortalized as the one with a futile, outstretched arm against Dwight Clark and 'The Catch'.

Wonder why the media didn't annoint Harper's slant against the 49er's in 92'?