BTB: Should Cowboys take a look at former-first round pick Shaq Lawson if released by Bills?

[CowboysFaninHouston]

...correct

great. I would love to see his performance statistics over the past couple of years...can you point me to them?

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

great. I would love to see his performance statistics over the past couple of years...can you point me to them?

You do know he played against the eagles and Giants in 2016.... right? Where he looked fantastic.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

You do know he played against the eagles and Giants in 2016.... right? Where he looked fantastic.

WOW. great. two games. two meaningless games. he had 8 total tackles. 6 of them against philly in a totally totally meaningless game where all the back ups played majority of the game. we even pulled Romo and put Sanchez, Lee didn't play and most of the starters sat.

and then he sat out another year...again..... so he was out a year. played 2 meaningless games. sat out another year.

sorry, your opinion is as good as mine. If he doesn't show anything in preseason, and other players show more, then he doesn't deserve a spot. that's all I said from the beginning. you want to guarantee him a spot. good for you.

at this point, all you are stating is your opinion. so am I. why the debate? I am not sure.

 

[JBond]

With Gregory probably returning I think we have enough in the DE department. We are going to have to cut players as it is!

Gregory? Pretty sure his time in the NFL is done. Certainly not a person to count on.

 

[CapnCook]

"It is a big summer…Training camp will tell a lot about where his career in Buffalo is headed." - Brandon Beane, Bills GM

I like the idea of converting him to DT. But he won't get cut before camp. If the Cowboys are willing to try and bring him into a new system at a new position, they'll have to wait to roster cuts. Otherwise, that leaves trading. They'd be giving up resources for this...

"Shoot, I've been on the trading block I feel like," Lawson told the media. "I've just been seeing it. Yeah, it's been a wake-up call. I've been hearing trade rumors and then I kind of realized, 'I'm a first-round pick, third year now. It's time to wake up.' I know I'm a good player. I just have to put it all together and be not just a talented player but a talented player who works hard and works on his craft and skill all together." - Shaq Lawson upon hearing of trade rumors.

https://www.tigernet.com/update/Shaq-Lawson-on-his-NFL-career-Its-time-to-wake-up-30230

He essentially admitted to not bringing it all thus far. Cowboys still need run support on the line. While getting a "phenomenal run defender" is tempting, this may not be the drone we're looking for.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

WOW. great. two games. two meaningless games. he had 8 total tackles. 6 of them against philly in a totally totally meaningless game where all the back ups played majority of the game. we even pulled Romo and put Sanchez, Lee didn't play and most of the starters sat.

and then he sat out another year...again..... so he was out a year. played 2 meaningless games. sat out another year.

sorry, your opinion is as good as mine. If he doesn't show anything in preseason, and other players show more, then he doesn't deserve a spot. that's all I said from the beginning. you want to guarantee him a spot. good for you.

at this point, all you are stating is your opinion. so am I. why the debate? I am not sure.

Not all of it was opinion. You didn't know that Gregory played at the tail end of 2016, which is a fact not an opinion. Gregory played well in those games against some great competition.

Yes he should work for his spot, but the chances that there are 5/6 DEs on the roster that play close to his level of play is slim. That was my point all along.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Not all of it was opinion. You didn't know that Gregory played at the tail end of 2016, which is a fact not an opinion. Gregory played well in those games against some great competition.

Yes he should work for his spot, but the chances that there are 5/6 DEs on the roster that play close to his level of play is slim. That was my point all along.

I did know. I wouldn't call two games enough to make evaluation. Two games in over two years...not enough evidence of anything and again, he played two very meaningless games. . you are basing your entire premise on 2 game performance in 2 years in the league. good for you. IMO, NFL eats players like this and spits them out like nobody's business. drafted three years ago. has 2 games to his name. suspended for 2 years. I wouldn't bet anything on him making the team. apparently the team has also made plans. drafting Charlton. drafting Armstrong. drafting Tapper. Signing Ealy. right now he cost nothing to be on the roster and in training camp. He has to climb over a lot of people to get there. his best hope might be injuries to other players.

we will see. I have already moved on from him, because even if he makes the roster, he is buried on the depth chart and if everyone stays healthy, might have a tough time making the game day roster.

my other worry is that he has been suspended twice (which means he has been caught at least 3 times). one more violation away from true life time ban. I rather keep another guy that can contribute and is less of a risk.

 

[buybuydandavis]

The Crawford hate is always laughable to me.

Look beyond the contract. The guy has actually been a pretty decent player for us. He's not taking snaps from anyone as Marinelli rotates guys anyway.

Cognitive dissonance is always laughable to me.

In this instance, more than usual.

Usually the denial of reality takes the form of evasion, not denial of the most basic math "he's not taking snaps from anyone", or an entreaty for you to join them in the denial of reality "look beyond the contract".

Crawford is a decent player. We have much younger and cheaper players we should be developing and evaluating instead. If those players get hit by a bus, we should certainly keep Crawford. It's not about any feelz of hatred against Crawford. It's about having better alternatives, all things considered.

 

[Floatyworm]

Saw him play at Clemson. Beast. But he was surrounded by other great players. Waste to put him at LB. He's a down lineman. Kind of a tweener. Put some muscle on and play him at DT.

That's what the Bills did try to do...They had no patience w/ him as a RDE. That move was a mistake IMO. Just about all rookies struggle @ DE. Plus he was dealing w/ an injured shoulder. I'm all over this guy if the Bills are giving up already.

 

[Cowpolk]

I am not counting on Gregory at all. he has been out of football for over two years now.... if you think he is going to be close to anything he was before, then you are just dreaming. he will be very lucky to make the 53 manroster.

Gregory will be a starter

 

[CyberB0b]

They like these sort of reclaimation projects.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Gregory will be a starter

LOL.....ok...then....

 

[Sydla]

Cognitive dissonance is always laughable to me.

In this instance, more than usual.

Usually the denial of reality takes the form of evasion, not denial of the most basic math "he's not taking snaps from anyone", or an entreaty for you to join them in the denial of reality "look beyond the contract".

Crawford is a decent player. We have much younger and cheaper players we should be developing and evaluating instead. If those players get hit by a bus, we should certainly keep Crawford. It's not about any feelz of hatred against Crawford. It's about having better alternatives, all things considered.

The flaw in your rational is the idea that we have better alternatives. Do we?

The only DL we have that can provide flexibility to play inside and outside are Crawford and Irving. And Irving is serving a 4 game suspension.

The only DE that has proven he’s better than Crawford is Lawrence. Charlton, despite his high ceiling, hasn’t proven he’s a better player. Ealy isn’t better. We have no idea if Gregory can even play still, let alone get cleared by the NFL to try to play. Armstrong is a rookie.

Are we a rebuilding team or a team trying to win now? If we are in a total rebuild, then maybe dumping him makes sense. If this organization believes they can compete this year, then dumping him would largely be foolish.

 

[buybuydandavis]

The flaw in your rational is the idea that we have better alternatives. Do we?

The only DL we have that can provide flexibility to play inside and outside are Crawford and Irving. And Irving is serving a 4 game suspension.

The only DE that has proven he’s better than Crawford is Lawrence. Charlton, despite his high ceiling, hasn’t proven he’s a better player. Ealy isn’t better. We have no idea if Gregory can even play still, let alone get cleared by the NFL to try to play. Armstrong is a rookie.

Are we a rebuilding team or a team trying to win now? If we are in a total rebuild, then maybe dumping him makes sense. If this organization believes they can compete this year, then dumping him would largely be foolish.

Despite being originally paid to be a 3tech, Crawford seems firmly entrenched at DE, and is trimming down further for it. Maybe he can play some 3 tech, but we've got plenty of those.

Just as we've also got plenty of young and cheap DEs who need play time. If we don't want to keep a couple of them, then we don't have plenty.

But I don't want to cut young cheap players with more upside to keep Crawford on at RDE.

 

[Sydla]

Despite being originally paid to be a 3tech, Crawford seems firmly entrenched at DE, and is trimming down further for it. Maybe he can play some 3 tech, but we've got plenty of those.

Just as we've also got plenty of young and cheap DEs who need play time. If we don't want to keep a couple of them, then we don't have plenty.

But I don't want to cut young cheap players with more upside to keep Crawford on at RDE.

We most certainly don’t have plenty of 3 Techs, especially good ones. Irving, the best, is out 4 games for drugs. Collins has a busted foot and this team seems he’ll bent on playing him more at the 1 Tech.

They like to slide Crawford inside at times in passing situations.

What young, cheap DEs are going to get cut for Crawford? Charlton won’t. Gregory, if he shows he can play, will make the 53 for sure. Armstrong will probably make the team. Tapper might be in trouble but he’s shown little to date and can’t stay healthy so i am not sure I’d be lamenting his potential cut at this point.

If anything if you want to cut a DE to make room for another young player, cut Ealy.

 

[buybuydandavis]

We most certainly don’t have plenty of 3 Techs, especially good ones. Irving, the best, is out 4 games for drugs. Collins has a busted foot and this team seems he’ll bent on playing him more at the 1 Tech.

They like to slide Crawford inside at times in passing situations.

What young, cheap DEs are going to get cut for Crawford? Charlton won’t. Gregory, if he shows he can play, will make the 53 for sure. Armstrong will probably make the team. Tapper might be in trouble but he’s shown little to date and can’t stay healthy so i am not sure I’d be lamenting his potential cut at this point.

If anything if you want to cut a DE to make room for another young player, cut Ealy.

3Techs: Irving, Collins, Ward, random others
1Tech: Collins, Price, Ash

Price and Ash are nobodies.
They seem to like Ward. Broaddus is gushing. All the other DTs are 3 techs/DEs, and nobodies.

Ealy is a likely cut, but he could also be a cheap reclamation project.

I don't see Crawford, the guy who moved out of 3tech to RDE, and wants to trim down this year for it, as a solution to our DT problems. Yes, he rotates in on pash rush, but Taco can do that too. And Ealy.

Lawrence, Taco, Gregory, Armstrong, Tapper
Irving, Ward, Collins, Price
6 mil for Crawford

I'd rather have that money go toward a solid DT and stick with the developmental guys we drafted. We should be looking to go extra at DT, with Irving suspended and Collins coming off recurring injury.

There's plenty of time to make the decision and lots can happen before opening day. But Crawford is the guy we should be hoping to move on from with the younger guys.

 

[McKDaddy]

I vote you kick the tires on anyone you think might help you. Throw them in the mix & make the decisions at cut down dates. If they beat out someone you previously thought was "safe", so be it.

You get 0 rewards on 100% of the chances you don't take.

NOTE: *** I'm not saying you "trade" for every possible player. I'm talking players who are free agents. ***

 

[OmerV]

I vote you kick the tires on anyone you think might help you. Throw them in the mix & make the decisions at cut down dates. If they beat out someone you previously thought was "safe", so be it.

You get 0 rewards on 100% of the chances you don't take.

NOTE: *** I'm not saying you "trade" for every possible player. I'm talking players who are free agents. ***

But the thing is, just because Lawson might be available doesn't mean he is someone the team feels might help, and even so, there is a limit to how many players can be brought in, even early on when the limit is 90. Ultimately, if the Cowboys decide to give him a look, I have no problem with that, but neither do I have a problem if they pass. He hasn't shown enough to merit any consideration beyond that.

 

[Doomsday101]

I'm all for bringing in any player working him out and if they feel he can benefit the team sign him.