Building around Henry Melton

[Galian Beast]

I'm really excited to hear that Henry Melton has connected the dots enough to see that Dallas is the best place for him.

- He grew up in Texas
- He played for Marinelli
- He is a free agent
- He fills a major need

He could just be using the Cowboys name to push Chicago for more money, but if it is a legitimate desire to play for the Cowboys, they would be foolish to ignore it.

Signing 27 year old Henry Melton rather than 31 year old Jason Hatcher, even with the ACL injury simply makes sense to me (obviously pending his rehab).

Signing Melton gives this team a new lease on life, and an escape from the status quo of being a more often than not subpar defense.

You combine this with letting Spencer and Ware go and you can really begin to rebuild this defense around some youth. You combine Melton with some other acquisitions in free agency or the draft and our starting defensive line is no longer so pathetic.

I am buying more and more the idea that if you have two stud defensive tackles, you can be more marginal on the outsides. But signing Melton and drafting at least two defensive linemen within the first three rounds would be a solid rebuild, especially if we're able to acquire some cheaper (or affordable) help at defensive end or defensive tackle at some point in free agency.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

I would be very concerned building anything around a player who is presently recovering from a torn ACL and who had an 'incident' while recovering.

 

[NJ22]

If we actually have the money to go after a top free agent, I would rather build around greg hardy. Start by drafting Donald. Nice start.

 

[DallasDW00ds0n]

Melton is simply not a good enough player to build a team around

 

[joseephuss]

Melton is simply not a good enough player to build a team around

I agree. When healthy he is a good piece to have on a defense, but he isn't the one you build around. And right now he isn't even healthy.

 

[TheRomoSexual]

I think people are underrating Melton. He's a young, franchise 3-tech which is far and away our biggest need. Yeah, "building a team" around him is a bit of a stretch, but you can certainly build a line around him.

 

[xwalker]

I would be very concerned building anything around a player who is presently recovering from a torn ACL and who had an 'incident' while recovering.

Are there any players that didn't recover from any ACL injury? It seems like a much lower risk than neck/shoulder injuries like Hatcher and Ware had.

 

[Future]

Melton is simply not a good enough player to build a team around

You don't make him a focal point of the defense, no, but you sign him and then draft a DT, and all of a sudden, we're looking at a lot of young talent in the middle there.

 

[Zordon]

At UT we used to call him SHEmelton b/c of big size yet terrycloth demeanor. Type of guy that'd where seashell necklaces and flip flops to class. I'll pass....

 

[Galian Beast]

At UT we used to call him SHEmelton b/c of big size yet terrycloth demeanor. Type of guy that'd where seashell necklaces and flip flops to class. I'll pass....

...

 

[Alexander]

Melton is simply not a good enough player to build a team around

One good year and then a subsequent injury should make anyone skeptical.

 

[big dog cowboy]

If we actually have the money to go after a top free agent, I would rather build around greg hardy. Start by drafting Donald. Nice start.

Sign me up for this plan please.

 

[Oh_Canada]

At UT we used to call him SHEmelton b/c of big size yet terrycloth demeanor. Type of guy that'd where seashell necklaces and flip flops to class. I'll pass....

Yeah, I can see why you would pass on a guy who had 40+ tackles and seven sacks as a 26 year-old DT in this very scheme.

Sounds like a soft player.

 

[Alexander]

Sign me up for this plan please.

I think Melton's market value is substantially lower than what Greg Hardy's will be. He is like Donald, not a fit for every team. A DE like Hardy? Everyone would be interested.

 

[hra8700]

Are there any players that didn't recover from any ACL injury? It seems like a much lower risk than neck/shoulder injuries like Hatcher and Ware had.

I think AP has led to a very warped perception of ACL injuries.

1. Though players can return to the field 7 months out, recovery continues for the first 18 months. Players (even today) are not the same until the 2nd year back. Off the top of my head, look at Wes Welker's numbers the first year back.
2. The risk of re-tear (to either the same acl or opposite acl) is 15 times greater after surgery the first year back and 6 times greater after two years. Off the top off my head: Terrel Thomas, Danario Alexander, Thomas Davis.
3. 20% (some studies show more) are never able to return to form. This is particularly true among lower caliber athletes (those drafted in lower rounds, that are not talked about in media), but if it's true for them, it likely means a dropoff in play for the elite players as well. Look at Kenny Britt, Mario Manningham, etc.

 

[Nation]

At UT we used to call him SHEmelton b/c of big size yet terrycloth demeanor. Type of guy that'd where seashell necklaces and flip flops to class. I'll pass....

That makes the "Tony Homo" nickname seem creative

 

[theebs]

The all dwi line.

Melton-Brent

We need to find two ends who have substance abuse issues or a good dwi or wife beating incident.

Then we would have some serious play with all these types.

And it will be a relief to get rid of lousy guys like Demarcus ware. Can't win with guys like that, he hasn't ven committed a single crime yet.

 

[Zordon]

Yeah, I can see why you would pass on a guy who had 40+ tackles and seven sacks as a 26 year-old DT in this very scheme.

Sounds like a soft player.

He did that within the Bears culture/locker room. I don't trust him to do the same in the Dallas environment.

 

[NJ22]

I think Melton's market value is substantially lower than what Greg Hardy's will be. He is like Donald, not a fit for every team. A DE like Hardy? Everyone would be interested.

All true. Just don't want to put too much cash and reliance on a guy coming off a knee when there may be a cheaper younger version available in the draft. Not sure if there is a Hardy available in the draft at 16. We all know there will be good pass rushers to be had but I don't have a lot of faith in us finding one.

 

[TheFinisher]

Sign Melton to play the 3, draft Jernigan to play the 1. All of a sudden you have a young, terrorizing tandem inside.