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

[BlindFaith]

My take on the defense:

Secondary:
The Secondary should be the same or better. Wilcox is now in his 2nd year. The backups are likely 2nd year guys like Heath and Hamilton which should be better than the same players as rookies. The CBs shouldn't be any worse. Claiborne is healthy which should help even if he is only the 3rd CB, he is much better than having Webb as the 3rd CB.
Linebackers:
As compared to last part of the season after Lee was gone the 2014 LBs should be at least slightly better. Durant was gone 1 quarter after Lee was gone for the season. Holloman was a rookie that missed many games with an injury. Carter seems to be a slow learner and should be at least slightly better. Wilber was decent and now will have a full training camp of playing LB. There were times in 2013 that Orie Lemon and Cameron Lawrence were playing.

DLine:
The starting DTs were Hatcher and Hayden. Hatcher was really good but Hayden was terrible. I think that the combination of Melton and McClain can be at least as good as Hatcher/Hayden. I've studied McClain from past years. He was not ready as a rookie in 2011 and by the time that he had developed into a good player he was the backup NT on a 3-4 team which prevented him from having good stats; however, watching him in 2013 I have no doubt that he is a significant upgrade from Hayden.

One of the starting DEs was Selvie. I would expect him to be slightly better with a 2nd year in the scheme.

Ware missed 3 starts and played very limited snaps in several other games. The primary backups were Everette Brown and Kyle Wilber with several other players in the mix. Wilber is now a LB and they didn't even like Brown enough to keep him on the 90 man roster. It appears that the WDEs will be Lawrence and Mincey. Selvie might play there some also if Crawford plays more SDE than 3-tech DT. Mincey has been successful in the NFL and might not be great, but is probably a big upgrade from Brown and Wilber. I'm sure that Lawrence won't be as good as Ware was when healthy but that was only for the 1st few games of the season. The real question becomes a healthy Lawrence vs what Ware was for the majority of the season.

The backup DL should be better. I'll take guys like Crawford with a full training camp over street guys like Dawkins that had the play the same week that they were signed and were not with the team in training camp.

Overall Defense:
The biggest upgrade will be having the same players in the games that were in training camp. In 2013, even if the huge number of street free agent that were brought in had significant talent, it really wouldn't have mattered because it was impossible to have a cohesive unit with multiple new players coming in almost every week.

The 2nd biggest upgrade is the fact that it's the 2nd year in the 4-3 scheme and they've acquired players that they like specifically for the scheme. Not only should players like Carter improve due to more experience in the scheme, but the coaches will have a much better idea of how to use the players to their strengths.

Summary:
IMO, it comes down to health again. If everybody stays healthy, they should be better.

Why does anyone think Mincey has done anything? He had one Georege Selvie year and has been cut from every team hes played on. If you want to call it playing.

 

[speedkilz88]

Why does anyone think Mincey has done anything? He had one Georege Selvie year and has been cut from every team hes played on. If you want to call it playing.

Technically he was never cut by the 49ers or Broncos. Jax signed him off the 49ers practice squad and his Broncos contract was only to finish the 2013 season.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Waived by New England 9/2/06; Signed by San Francisco (practice squad) 9/4/06; Signed by Jacksonville (active roster) 12/14/06; Waived by Jacksonville 8/27/07; Signed by Jacksonville (practice squad) 9/4/07; Signed by Jacksonville (active roster) 11/10/07; Placed on Physically Unable to Perform List by Jacksonville 8/31/08; Activated from Physically Unable to Perform List by Jacksonville 11/25/08; Released by Jacksonville 8/26/09; Signed by Jacksonville 1/20/10; Released by Jacksonville 12/13/13; Signed by Denver 12/17/13.

http://www.denverbroncos.com/team/roster/jeremy-mincey/2fc2dd2c-255f-41a4-9860-28aff4b98ae1/

 

[jterrell]

Of course it was key.

Once again, we are rooting through the bargain bin to fine a decent rotation on the D-Line. It is what it is and I hope for the best.

This is what happens when you devote a single 7th round draft pick (Ben Gardner) to the interior D-line position in the last few drafts--drafts that were considered deep at this position.

Here are some Defensive Tackles the Cowboys were in position to draft the last few years:

2012

Dontari Poe
Fletcher Cox
Michael Brockers
Kendall Reyes


2013

Sharrif Floyd
Sylvester Williams
Johnathan Hankins
Jonathan Jenkins
Jordan Hill


2014

Timmy Jernigan
Ego Ferguson
Will Sutton
Louis Nix
DaQuan Jones


There are 1 techniques on this list because I don't buy the meme that it is not an important position in this scheme. Tampa Bay drafted Booger McFarland in the first round to play that position.

For me, the 2012 draft is the one that really hurts. If we trade up, we could have had Poe. If we stay put, we could have had both Brockers and Reyes.

This is a lazy post that offers nothing in the way of reality and instead relies on tired head agenda driven nonsense.
Tyrone Crawford who was a 3rd round pick plays inside at DT some BTW, making it factually questionable.

The Cowboys had the highest paid DL in football last year. They were "cobbling it together" because they had so many injuries.
The last guys they drafted at the position, Brent and Crawford; were both gone.
BUT they still had a Pro Bowl DT last year in Hatcher.

Dallas is not drafting a 1T because THEY don't believe it is worth a selection that high.
You can put whatever you want on the list but it means zero.

Dallas would love to have a DL fall to them at a good value but don't believe they've found any.
Half the guys on your list make zero sense. Reyes is a DE. Cox, (whom Dallas really liked) is now a 2 down run stopper playing DE.
Hankins was barely in the Giants rotation. Jenkins is a 350 pound nose tackle who makes Hayden look explosive.
And the 2014 guys are just guesses.

Good interior guys are hard to find and they are overdrafted.
Dallas added Melton and McClain, both probably better than ANY interior DL on your list.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Why does anyone think Mincey has done anything? He had one Georege Selvie year and has been cut from every team hes played on. If you want to call it playing.

Point made.

But I think you and other folks are a wee bit hard on Mincey.

Mincey's weak point– He's not even an average pass rusher as a 4-3 DE.

Before I talk about Mincey's strong point, keep in mind the guy has played over 3,000 snaps. That's a respectable number. And it itself puts him miles ahead of virtually every DE on the roster last season outside of Ware (leaving off Spencer because he barely played).

Mincey's strong point– Using PFF numbers, Mincey has in every season he's played had a plus rating when it came to run defense... 6 seasons played and 6 positive ratings when it comes to run defense.

Yeah, if Mincey was expected to play 50 snaps a game as the starting DE on the weak side, the results wouldn't be stellar.

But playing on 1st and some 2nd downs? I think the guy can be a positive addition to the defense... Yeah, I said that.

Mincey (probably) has been cut repeatedly because one team after another is expecting a sack every 100 snaps from the guy and he's simply not that good of a pass rusher.

 

[xwalker]

Why does anyone think Mincey has done anything? He had one Georege Selvie year and has been cut from every team hes played on. If you want to call it playing.

I can't answer for other people, but I've reviewed his game footage from past seasons.

He has some physical ability to play. I don't expect any great pass rush from him, but he's an upgrade from guys they had there last year like Everett Brown, etc..

I would guess that some of his lack of stats is because Jacksonville often played him at DT on passing downs which was not the best position for him.

My expectation is that he is the RDE on base downs with Lawrence replacing him in the Nickel.

He was cut in Jacksonville due to missing meetings. The thing that is interesting is that the Head Coach that cut him is Gus Bradley. Bradley was a LB coach in Tampa under Kiffin. The Cowboys obviously targeted Mincey during the off-season because they signed him immediately. I would expect that Kiffin probably inquired about him with Bradley.

I don't think he was cut by Denver. He just wasn't resigned. Obviously, he is not as good as a healthy D-Ware which is what Denver thinks they signed to replace him.

 

[speedkilz88]

I can't answer for other people, but I've reviewed his game footage from past seasons.

He has some physical ability to play. I don't expect any great pass rush from him, but he's an upgrade from guys they had there last year like Everett Brown, etc..

I would guess that some of his lack of stats is because Jacksonville often played him at DT on passing downs which was not the best position for him.

My expectation is that he is the RDE on base downs with Lawrence replacing him in the Nickel.

He was cut in Jacksonville due to missing meetings. The thing that is interesting is that the Head Coach that cut him is Gus Bradley. Bradley was a LB coach in Tampa under Kiffin. The Cowboys obviously targeted Mincey during the off-season because they signed him immediately. I would expect that Kiffin probably inquired about him with Bradley.

I don't think he was cut by Denver. He just wasn't resigned. Obviously, he is not as good as a healthy D-Ware which is what Denver thinks they signed to replace him.

I recall on one of his shows, that Broaddus said that Marinelli tried to get McClain and Mincey as free agents (or the draft) when he was at Chicago.

 

[BlindFaith]

Point made.

But I think you and other folks are a wee bit hard on Mincey.

Mincey's weak point– He's not even an average pass rusher as a 4-3 DE.

Before I talk about Mincey's strong point, keep in mind the guy has played over 3,000 snaps. That's a respectable number. And it itself puts him miles ahead of virtually every DE on the roster last season outside of Ware (leaving off Spencer because he barely played).

Mincey's strong point– Using PFF numbers, Mincey has in every season he's played had a plus rating when it came to run defense... 6 seasons played and 6 positive ratings when it comes to run defense.

Yeah, if Mincey was expected to play 50 snaps a game as the starting DE on the weak side, the results wouldn't be stellar.

But playing on 1st and some 2nd downs? I think the guy can be a positive addition to the defense... Yeah, I said that.

Mincey (probably) has been cut repeatedly because one team after another is expecting a sack every 100 snaps from the guy and he's simply not that good of a pass rusher.

Until we move past having the Selvies, Minceys and Haydens of the world on this roster, this defense will not be good. God forbid if anyone one of these guys are a starter.

We have more SDE's than we know what to do with. Crawford being the best of the bunch in my opinion. Gardner has potential to be good out of the shoot. Where exactly do you see Mincey fitting in? Or Selvie for that matter. We are lacking on the weekside, the pass rusher. I'd be looking under every stone to find a guy. Selvie as a backup isn't horrible, but I'd still like an upgrade. My pet cat Wilson could be the guy but my gut tells me he wont make it.

 

[BlindFaith]

He has some physical ability to play. I don't expect any great pass rush from him, but he's an upgrade from guys they had there last year like Everett Brown, etc..

I would guess that some of his lack of stats is because Jacksonville often played him at DT on passing downs which was not the best position for him.

My expectation is that he is the RDE on base downs with Lawrence replacing him in the Nickel.

He was cut in Jacksonville due to missing meetings. The thing that is interesting is that the Head Coach that cut him is Gus Bradley. Bradley was a LB coach in Tampa under Kiffin. The Cowboys obviously targeted Mincey during the off-season because they signed him immediately. I would expect that Kiffin probably inquired about him with Bradley.

I don't think he was cut by Denver. He just wasn't resigned. Obviously, he is not as good as a healthy D-Ware which is what Denver thinks they signed to replace him.

They signed Mincey because we had nothing. And Crawford was coming off of surgery. Drafting Lawrence and getting Gardner should equate to cutting Mincey.

And that's a problem to me, missing meetings. The last thing we need is a veteran guy in the locker room that isn't focused about football. His college roommate is a rapper. Mincey opened up a rap production company in Florida. Thats his interest.

If I'm building this team and building up a new dline, he isn't on it.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Until we move past having the Selvies, Minceys and Haydens of the world on this roster, this defense will not be good. God forbid if anyone one of these guys are a starter.

We have more SDE's than we know what to do with. Crawford being the best of the bunch in my opinion. Gardner has potential to be good out of the shoot. Where exactly do you see Mincey fitting in? Or Selvie for that matter. We are lacking on the weekside, the pass rusher. I'd be looking under every stone to find a guy. Selvie as a backup isn't horrible, but I'd still like an upgrade. My pet cat Wilson could be the guy but my gut tells me he wont make it.

I think Selvie and MIncey would be insulted comparing them to Hayden. LOL!

I don't think Hayden will be part of the final roster.

I think the defense is still a DT and DE short of being considered having an above average defensive line ASSUMING none of the young guys pans out this year as being more than a JAG.

Mincey will start on the weakside on 1st down (and sure running downs).
Lawrence will back him up and will play on sure passing downs.
Wilson is the back up to the back up.

Crawford and Selvie will split most snaps on the strongside. Crawford on running downs, Selvie on passing downs.

Gardner will back up both of them.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

They signed Mincey because we had nothing. And Crawford was coming off of surgery. Drafting Lawrence and getting Gardner should equate to cutting Mincey.

And that's a problem to me, missing meetings. The last thing we need is a veteran guy in the locker room that isn't focused about football. His college roommate is a rapper. Mincey opened up a rap production company in Florida. Thats his interest.

If I'm building this team and building up a new dline, he isn't on it.

I'm not feeling the Mincey cut.

Like I pointed out Mincey is good vs the run and will serve a purpose on running downs.

 

[jobberone]

We can't afford to leave one stone unturned. Someone is probably going to get injured we are counting on or hoping to count on. Someone else will step up but we just can't afford another disaster like last year.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

We can't afford to leave one stone unturned. Someone is probably going to get injured we are counting on or hoping to count on. Someone else will step up but we just can't afford another disaster like last year.

That's exactly right.

What are the chances the Cowboys do not lose 1 defensive lineman (at least) to IR during training camp?

 

[jobberone]

I see Crawford as the starting SDE; right now.

 

[jobberone]

That's exactly right.

What are the chances the Cowboys do not lose 1 defensive lineman (at least) to IR during training camp?

I'm hoping zero but that's unlikely. Somebody put the Chicken Curse on the defense.

 

[xwalker]

They signed Mincey because we had nothing. And Crawford was coming off of surgery. Drafting Lawrence and getting Gardner should equate to cutting Mincey.

And that's a problem to me, missing meetings. The last thing we need is a veteran guy in the locker room that isn't focused about football. His college roommate is a rapper. Mincey opened up a rap production company in Florida. Thats his interest.

If I'm building this team and building up a new dline, he isn't on it.

If it's close then they should go with the young players; however, I don't know if they have much at RDE.

 

[xwalker]

Until we move past having the Selvies, Minceys and Haydens of the world on this roster, this defense will not be good. God forbid if anyone one of these guys are a starter.

We have more SDE's than we know what to do with. Crawford being the best of the bunch in my opinion. Gardner has potential to be good out of the shoot. Where exactly do you see Mincey fitting in? Or Selvie for that matter. We are lacking on the weekside, the pass rusher. I'd be looking under every stone to find a guy. Selvie as a backup isn't horrible, but I'd still like an upgrade. My pet cat Wilson could be the guy but my gut tells me he wont make it.

You need a balance of veterans and young players. If everybody is a first and second year player it makes it very difficult to have enough structure for an effective learning environment.

It's a good year to go with youth as much as possible; however, if they get carried away with it they could end up with another year of chaos like 2013.

 

[BlindFaith]

I think Selvie and MIncey would be insulted comparing them to Hayden. LOL!

I don't think Hayden will be part of the final roster.

I think the defense is still a DT and DE short of being considered having an above average defensive line ASSUMING none of the young guys pans out this year as being more than a JAG.

Mincey will start on the weakside on 1st down (and sure running downs).
Lawrence will back him up and will play on sure passing downs.
Wilson is the back up to the back up.

Crawford and Selvie will split most snaps on the strongside. Crawford on running downs, Selvie on passing downs.

Gardner will back up both of them.

So 6 DEs? I dont see it. Not when Selvie and Minced meat are total JAGS.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

So 6 DEs? I dont see it. Not when Selvie and Minced meat are total JAGS.

Selvie
Mincey
Gardner
Lawrence
Crawford

I don't think Wilson makes the cut.

Spencer will start the season on the PUP list.

 

[Risen Star]

Selvie
Mincey
Gardner
Lawrence
Crawford

I don't think Wilson makes the cut.

Spencer will start the season on the PUP list.

It's pretty much up to Boise St. to get any edge pressure this year.

 

[Doomsday101]

I think you're making an assumption there, one not supported by facts.

Not one of the replacement candidates has any proven track record that can be used for support of that argument.

We all hope they're better and that the defense is improved, but that's all it is at this point - hope.

I think they have a greater chance of being better. You can't pull guys off the streets with no camp, little time to get ready and throw them out there and expect they will be able to do the job. I agree that no one knows how this group of players will develop but I do think all the time they will have put in prior to training camp and then training camp gives many of us a legitimate hope they will be much better than the group last season.