Broaddus: Finding Depth Was Defense's Key At OTA's

[jobberone]

You're right, I don't. And neither does anyone else.

I'm not making assumptions either way, unlike others, because I just don't know, and neither does anyone else.

But as a fan, I don't feel compelled to assume the best either. I'll let things play out, hope for the best, and not assume that things simply HAVE to improve.

Yes, you are making assumptions. You're assuming there will be not be any positives and assuming to do so is a reach. It's not. It's what generally happens when you put some known players on the field. You're assuming Crawford and Bass can't produce because you've not seen any. I'm assuming if you put talent on the field it will show. And that's like assuming the sun will shine tomorrow. I won't repeat others but don't think you're being real because you're not.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I tend to agree with you and believe me I hope that Lawrence is up to the task, but such production can't be assumed from a rookie.

But it will kill me if Ware goes and thrives in Denver's defense.

So which funeral home are you going to be at? I'll plan on visiting.

Kidding aside I think it's a given that Ware is going to be better this coming season than he was last season.

If I were to hazard a guess I bet he has 900 snaps and 13 sacks. A great season? No. A good season? Yeah.

I'll cringe a little when I see him with stats like that but I'll have a little solace in knowing that he won't be costing the Cowboys that base salary of what $13 mil or whatever ridiculous amount that it was going to be.

And the real benefit of Ware's release to the Cowboys won't be realized until 2015.

 

[Risen Star]

So which funeral home are you going to be at? I'll plan on visiting.

Kidding aside I think it's a given that Ware is going to be better this coming season than he was last season.

If I were to hazard a guess I bet he has 900 snaps and 13 sacks. A great season? No. A good season? Yeah.

I'll cringe a little when I see him with stats like that but I'll have a little solace in knowing that he won't be costing the Cowboys that base salary of what $13 mil or whatever ridiculous amount that it was going to be.

And the real benefit of Ware's release to the Cowboys won't be realized until 2015.

If that kind of salary for one of the most prolific pass rushers in the history of the league was bothering you, I can only imagine what you must think of Brandon Carr's contract.

 

[burmafrd]

With Ware, it wasn't necessarily the number of games he missed– but snaps.

Here's the number of snaps he played per season from 2007 till 2012:

1082
1021
1096
940
913
896

And while he was getting that many snaps he was averaging between 1 1/2 and 2 sacks per 100 snaps.


Then we have 2013:

648 snaps.

And as damaging as the lack of snaps was the production in that he averaged less than 1 sack per 100 snaps.


I think Ware is darned difficult to replace... but not as much as Hatcher at this point.

that three years of 1000+ snaps is squarely on the coaching staff; no way should anyone be getting that m any snaps a season. No wonder he wore down. I think about 50 snaps a game should be a maximum for any player.

 

[burmafrd]

So which funeral home are you going to be at? I'll plan on visiting.

Kidding aside I think it's a given that Ware is going to be better this coming season than he was last season.

If I were to hazard a guess I bet he has 900 snaps and 13 sacks. A great season? No. A good season? Yeah.

I'll cringe a little when I see him with stats like that but I'll have a little solace in knowing that he won't be costing the Cowboys that base salary of what $13 mil or whatever ridiculous amount that it was going to be.

And the real benefit of Ware's release to the Cowboys won't be realized until 2015.

how many players get 13 sacks a season; calling that only a good year is ridiculous

 

[JoeyBoy718]

In my opinion, Melton is the primary 3-tech in our base defense and the nickel (which I think we'll run more than our base). It looks like McClain will be the starting 1-tech and be able to fill in for Melton on downs and god forbid if he gets hurt. We'll be fine for backup 1-tech in the base defense with guys like Hayden, Bishop and Bass. I also see Crawford being our primary 1-tech in the nickel defense. What we really need is one more guy to provide some depth at the 3-tech. Maybe that's where Gardner comes in.

 

[Stash]

The production last year was primarily from unknowns. Who was around who really produced last year and is now gone besides Hatcher?

You want to assume everyone is an unknown and therefore can't be counted on to produce. It's highly unlikely all the new bodies and the returns of the injured will all fall on their face.

Melton should do well. ACL doesn't mean much anymore. McClain should do well in this defense. He's not been a ball of fire anywhere but most see him as having been in the wrong defenses. I question Selvie but he should do ok in rotation. Spencer wasn't around but may play. Right now we don't know if he plays or not nor how many snaps he can get IF he does play. If he can produce some then he will be an asset. I don't see why Lawrence won't be good for a few sacks. I totally disagree that both Crawford and Bass can't play. You think the fact they have been injured and not produced a lot means a lot. I have seen them play and if healthy both will contribute. I have no idea about the rest but generally one player on a unit will surprise some.

Lee is a huge loss. Carter looks better and was better on film than I thought last year and good the year before. Wilber will be better than even the end of last year. Durant is an athlete and a player who can play both any position. There's your starters.

I'm happy with Carr in less zone and being physical. OScan is fine. Not sure about Claiborne but he won't be worse. There are some new guys of which one or more will show up and I'm thinking Patrom and Mitchell.

Church is solid. And someone will step it up some or more on the other side. That is an assumption but Johnson and Wilcox should play better than last year. And I'm not playing the LOL Johnson has never seen the field. That's a negative but doesn't mean he won't play.

There are a lot of pieces that need to connect to have a top 1/3 or better defense and I'm not thinking that anyway. I'm thinking the 26th defense in scoring will climb the latter to middle of the pack at least. That's not a big reach at all.

All this assumes better health than last year and that isn't any kind of stretch.

And none of it requires anything more than hope to substantiate.

 

[Stash]

Yes, you are making assumptions. You're assuming there will be not be any positives and assuming to do so is a reach. It's not. It's what generally happens when you put some known players on the field. You're assuming Crawford and Bass can't produce because you've not seen any. I'm assuming if you put talent on the field it will show. And that's like assuming the sun will shine tomorrow. I won't repeat others but don't think you're being real because you're not.

I'm not assuming anything either way. But with you it's either good or bad, nothing else.

I'll wait for things to play out before the anointing.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

If that kind of salary for one of the most prolific pass rushers in the history of the league was bothering you, I can only imagine what you must think of Brandon Carr's contract.

I wouldn't be surprised if Carr is released after this season.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

how many players get 13 sacks a season; calling that only a good year is ridiculous

Calling it a very good season wouldn't change anything.

 

[Risen Star]

how many players get 13 sacks a season; calling that only a good year is ridiculous

That's the bar Ware has set in his historic career. I expect him to be a terror in Denver this year.

But hey, without that release we wouldn't have gotten Jeremy Mincey.

 

[burmafrd]

Calling it a very good season wouldn't change anything.

still refuse to admit you blew it? Once again how many players last year got 13 sacks or more?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

still refuse to admit you blew it? Once again how many players last year got 13 sacks or more?

What pretell are you talking about?

 

[jobberone]

I'm not assuming anything either way. But with you it's either good or bad, nothing else.

I'll wait for things to play out before the anointing.

Neither of our takes are good or bad. They just are. I'm pointing out the hypocrisy of your posts that you're not assuming anything. Since it's all in the future we're both assuming. I'm just basing what I have to say on the percentages of what is normal will happen more often than not.

 

[Stash]

Neither of our takes are good or bad. They just are. I'm pointing out the hypocrisy of your posts that you're not assuming anything. Since it's all in the future we're both assuming. I'm just basing what I have to say on the percentages of what is normal will happen more often than not.

You can try to rationalize your fandom overriding your facts as much as you want to, but it doesn't change the fact.

I'm not assuming anything, good or bad. I'm clarifying my hopes.

But I certainly wouldn't assume that the league's worst defense, minus its' three most proven defenders will only get better.

That's an assumption prompted by fandom and not supported by any facts.

 

[big dog cowboy]

But I certainly wouldn't assume that the league's worst defense, minus its' three most proven defenders will only get better.

They may have been the most proven but that doesn't mean their production can't be replaced.

 

[Risen Star]

You can try to rationalize your fandom overriding your facts as much as you want to, but it doesn't change the fact.

I'm not assuming anything, good or bad. I'm clarifying my hopes.

But I certainly wouldn't assume that the league's worst defense, minus its' three most proven defenders will only get better.

That's an assumption prompted by fandom and not supported by any facts.

Well they'll go the "it can't be any worse" or the....~gulp~....Rod Marinelli route.

But the same people who will tell you the defense will be better this year also told you that last year. They just needed to get fat Rob out of here and bring back the 4-3 scheme.

Whether it's better than the team's historical worst is irrelevant to me. It's still not a talented defense. It'll still be bad.

 

[Stash]

They may have been the most proven but that doesn't mean their production can't be replaced.

It doesn't, but it puts more pressure on an already questionable (at best) unit.

Those players proved they could perform at the NFL level. The replacements candidates have not yet done that. Therefore, it's even more reasonable to have a healthy amount of skepticism.

That's not negativity, it's simply a wait and see approach based on lack of information and lack of proven track record.

 

[Stash]

Well they'll go the "it can't be any worse" or the....~gulp~....Rod Marinelli route.

But the same people who will tell you the defense will be better this year also told you that last year. They just needed to get fat Rob out of here and bring back the 4-3 scheme.

Whether it's better than the team's historical worst is irrelevant to me. It's still not a talented defense. It'll still be bad.

I'm not assuming either way, although I'm hoping for the best.

But, unlike some, I'll call it what it is, hope. But it's certainly not something you can tangibly point to as improvement.

 

[jobberone]

You can try to rationalize your fandom overriding your facts as much as you want to, but it doesn't change the fact.

I'm not assuming anything, good or bad. I'm clarifying my hopes.

But I certainly wouldn't assume that the league's worst defense, minus its' three most proven defenders will only get better.

That's an assumption prompted by fandom and not supported by any facts.

First of all it wasn't the league's worst. Yards but not points and yes it matters although we were horrible I'll grant you that. You're still making assumptions. You assume because we were the 'worse' defense in the league we'll not be better because....yada.

I'm an arduous fan yet I'm also able to critique the club and see it for what it is. I often make comments that aren't positive. Replacing last year's Ware shouldn't be difficult. Maybe this year's. We'll see. It might be hard to replace Hatcher's production but it's not impossible for our sack total to increase along with all the other measurables for pressure. There are analogies with the LBers and DBs as well.

You're making several assumptions yet don't see it. I'm making assumptions that yes I hope are true but if we're healthy there is no reason we can't be a middle of the road defense. That's not overly optimistic at all but quite pragmatic.

We only have to move up 4-5 spots to be in the middle third of the league. Why you think that's an impossible task and huge stretch is not reasonable IMO.