News: BTB: Would re-signing Anthony Hitchens stop you from drafting Roquan Smith?

[bodi]

no

 

[The Dark Bishop]

Ro Smith making it to 19 would be a god sent, but he would only be the back up to Lee next year. I am all for quality depth and with Lee's durability, he should be a top pick if he falls to us. Sadly there are great LBers that show up each year. If we lose Hitchens we need to do something early like top 3 rounds or so. I just have an issue going 1st round unless we are done with Lee..... A 2nd or 3rd rounder with a year as backup will produce if we coach them up. The key word is coach....

Still feel 1 tech is the way to go here in the 1st...

 

[Hadenough]

Early on I was wanting Dallas to draft a LB with thier first round pick but it might not be worth it. Dallas defense uses only two LBs and more DBs . I think they would get more from a big DT or Safety.

 

[cnuball21]

Ro Smith making it to 19 would be a god sent, but he would only be the back up to Lee next year. I am all for quality depth and with Lee's durability, he should be a top pick if he falls to us. Sadly there are great LBers that show up each year. If we lose Hitchens we need to do something early like top 3 rounds or so. I just have an issue going 1st round unless we are done with Lee..... A 2nd or 3rd rounder with a year as backup will produce if we coach them up. The key word is coach....

Still feel 1 tech is the way to go here in the 1st...

Agree on the DT.

I just have a hard time seeing where Ro fits in when you have Lee and his replacement in Jaylon already in the roster.

I could get more on board with a MIKE prospect like McMillan.

 

[McKDaddy]

In this day of 4,000-5,000 yard passing seasons by average QBs, I would rather take the best Safety, all things being equal. Someone big enough to play some 3rd & long LB. I would take Derwin James, FSU. He's 6-2, 215, can cover deep, but hits like a truck. Great wrap tackling form you rarely see in this day of shoulder tackles. To me, he is more valuable because he's versatile. Besides, with such a cap strapped situation, I wouldn't want so much money going into the LB group. To me, Byron is a cover corner. He just doesn't have the instincts of a FS, but he's a fabulous one-on-one cover guy. We have two others we drafted last year, so FS is the next step in making our secondary elite.

Since I couldn't "like" this I quoted it. If you resign Hitch, I don't see how you could spend the 19th pick on another LB.

If Derwin is everything he is made out to be, it would seem to be the more "needed" position in this scenario.

As for Byron, I agree, kinda. This is last year of rookie deal. We have proven he isn't quite what we need from FS. He needs to be all in on honing his CB skills this offseason & come in & prove that the talent he was drafted on can flourish at CB. IF he does flourish & we re-sign Hitch & draft Derwin, it would certainly seem like the 2nd & 3rd levels of our D would be in great shape.

 

[Ranched]

Cowboys fans have their eyes on the Georgia linebacker.

There are a lot of people who feel that the top need for the Dallas Cowboys entering 2018 is at linebacker.

It’s not hard to disagree with that, the middle of their defense certainly needs help. What’s ironic is an argument could be made that their best defensive player is a linebacker in Sean Lee.

The General and Jaylon Smith will patrol the heart of the Cowboys defense next season, at least that’s the hope and plan, especially if you believe Jerry Jones (when has he ever been misleading?).

Stephen Jones, speaking on @1053thefan, about Jaylon Smith: "Our guys are so confident he's going to make a huge jump" from where he was this year to next year. #cowboyswire

— David Helman (@HelmanDC) January 8, 2018​

Dallas will also have Damien Wilson entering his own contract-year next season, but it’s not like he’s making anybody feel safer about the state of the position group.

There are two significant Cowboys linebackers who will be free agents this offseason, Anthony Hitchens and Kyle Wilber. The latter has always been more of a contributor on special teams, it’s the former that has people interested these days.

Everyone is under the impression that neither DeMarcus Lawrence nor David Irving are going anywhere in all likelihood, so that makes Anthony Hitchens the most important free agent on the Cowboys this offseason. It’s critical to bring him back.

Hitchens almost didn’t play last season, a point he reflected on last week, but thankfully he did, and quite frankly he was impressive. He filled in admirably for both Lee and Smith due to injuries and lack of readiness throughout last season.

Given his own talents and the lack of depth at the position, Cowboys fans want Hitchens back, and you can understand why they feel linebacker is such a dire need.

When it comes to linebackers and Cowboys fans, though, there is no more popular name these days than Georgia’s Roquan Smith.

He may be coming off of a loss in the National Championship game, but Roquan has some insanely special skills that will translate to the NFL level.

Smith played in Kirby Smart’s system at Georgia as their WLB, and technically that’s Sean Lee’s position in Dallas. Roquan could be a bit of a long-term play for the Cowboys, but his talent is so hard to ignore, and Sean Lee isn’t exactly the pinnacle of health.

It’s understandable if you feel that Roquan is the guy you want to spend the 19th overall pick on (assuming he even lasts that long or if you did trade up). He’s one of the more special talents at the position to enter the NFL Draft in quite some time.

In the FILM ROOM, coaches react to the effort and play of Roquan Smith

How would you like to see him in a Cowboys jersey #CFBPlayoff #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/TwQ4pca6eh

— Troy Hughes™ (@TommySledge) January 9, 2018​

What if the Cowboys managed to bring back Anthony Hitchens, though? Would you still want Roquan? Dallas would be financially committed to he and Lee, with a former second-round pick entering his third (sort of second) season alongside a would-be first-rounder. That’s a lot of investment in one position group.

Of course, the front and back sides of the Cowboys defense has already seen its fair share of draft capital put into it. Dallas has spent premium picks to get pass rushers and secondary players, maybe it is worth committing one to Roquan even if they bring back Hitchens. The more the merrier, right?

Dallas has had a tendency to assume that things will be okay where they have a point of talent, like the linebacker position for example. They’ve done a poor job as of late in the depth department, the Chaz Green fiasco in Atlanta serves as the latest example. They have to learn to prepare for injuries better, Sean Lee’s is another example.

As scary as it sounds, it’s well within the Cowboys realm of possibility to re-sign Anthony Hitchens, and say to themselves “we’ve got Lee, Jaylon, and Hitchens... we’re good.”

Is this a line of thinking you’re alright with? Banking on those three linebackers plus Damien Wilson and some other veteran or late-round pick so that the first-rounder can be devoted elsewhere? Let your voice be heard, BTB.

Continue reading...

Oakland already has their eye on Smith. They'll grab him up before we can.

 

[BobSacamano]

Not really impressed with Roquan. Jaylon looked infinitely better in college.

 

[cnuball21]

Not really impressed with Roquan. Jaylon looked infinitely better in college.

Well if Jaylon continues to progress and gets back to 100% next year that's partially my point.

We've already got a great WILL LB prospect on our roster to backfill Lee when he retires.

 

[Pants]

to the OP....we are not allowed to use curse words, so please insert your favorite emphatically before the word NO

 

[Aven8]

I'd love to have Vea, but the Cowboys seem to not like big DTs. So, Roquan would probably be their best option in that case.

No chance Vea is available! Unless he smokes dope before the combine, which is legal in Washington so that's not out of the place question!

 

[Alexander]

I cannot believe this is truly a serious question.

 

[Alexander]

Oakland already has their eye on Smith. They'll grab him up before we can.

I like Smith but I like Edmunds a little more. I never expected that he was coming out. Since he is, he is my LB crush for this draft that unfortunately I know won't make it to 19.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

No chance Vea is available! Unless he smokes dope before the combine, which is legal in Washington so that's not out of the place question!

I concur with this as well. Now, had we lost our last game, we may have had a chance at him.

 

[cnuball21]

I like Smith but I like Edmunds a little more. I never expected that he was coming out. Since he is, he is my LB crush for this draft that unfortunately I know won't make it to 19.

I originally thought he would, but Brugler just mocked him going in the top 15. I think his stock is going to rocket between now and the draft.