Can we really cheer for a high draft pick?

[KJJ]

We're not going to run the table at best I think we win 3, I'll never actively cheer for a loss but I am not gonna get to upset if we lose. Having the pick of the litter come draft time is a hell of a lot more exciting then 8-8

Anyone who's a realist knows the Cowboys aren't going to run the table they have a better chance of going 0-5 than 5-0 the rest of the way based on how it's gone with their backup QBs. But for the dreamers out there running the table isn't impossible because every team the Cowboys have left are beatable even the Packers are struggling. Any 8-8 season is a disappointment but sitting here at 3-8 being able to rebound to finish 8-8 wouldn't look so bad having to win 5 straight games with a backup QB. I feel it's important to head into the offseason feeling like you're heading in the right direction. Having the pick of the litter every year never helps teams like Cleveland but NE continues to compete for SB's every season despite picking later in the draft.

Hitting on some mid and late round picks is what builds a lot of great teams. It was Seattle coming up with their franchise QB in the 3rd round and an elite corner in the 5th round that helped build their SB teams. Having the pick of the litter doesn't guarantee we won't end up with another Mo Claiborne. The best corner the Cowboys have was drafted in the 5th round out performing two #1 picks at the position. I see too many teams get burned having the pick of the litter and continue to struggle year after year. A lot of the top college players are over hyped with several either going bust or never living up to their draft status.

Some enter the league with a big head and a lot of money after being pumped up by all the draft experts on draft day as they roll out the red carpet treating these prima donna's like rock stars. Once some of them start facing adversity they fold. The best players the Cowboys have drafted recently were taken later in the first round. I trust very few players graded in the top 10 just look at Clowney with the Texans he's missed more games than he's played and has only 1.5 career sacks in 2 seasons.

 

[wileedog]

I trust very few players graded in the top 10 just look at Clowney with the Texans he's missed more games than he's played and has only 1.5 career sacks in 2 seasons.

Fine. Lose out, trade down and get more picks if you are that scared of picking in the top 10.

More picks is still better than late season moral victories.

 

[KJJ]

Fine. Lose out, trade down and get more picks if you are that scared of picking in the top 10.

More picks is still better than late season moral victories.

Trading down for more picks doesn't always work the Cowboys traded down a number of times for more picks in the 2009 draft and it led to arguably the worst draft in franchise history. The Cowboys ended up with 12 players in that draft and none of them panned out.

Moral victories usually don't have anything to do with winning games. I want to see the team close out the season with some wins. We may not be able to find a better backup than Cassel so we need to build some confidence with him in games that still matter.

 

[wileedog]

Trading down for more picks doesn't always work the Cowboys traded down a number of times for more picks in the 2009 draft and it led to arguably the worst draft in franchise history. The Cowboys ended up with 12 players in that draft and none of them panned out.

Nothing "always works." If it did every team would be doing the same thing every year. Its about maximizing your opportunities.

Higher draft picks or more draft picks gives you more opportunity in the draft than otherwise. Period.

That 2009 draft disaster is because we had traded out of the 1st and 2nd round completely, and than picked with our usual late round lack of acumen. Nobody is advocating that.

 

[KJJ]

Nothing "always works." If it did every team would be doing the same thing every year. Its about maximizing your opportunities.

Higher draft picks or more draft picks gives you more opportunity in the draft than otherwise. Period.

That 2009 draft disaster is because we had traded out of the 1st and 2nd round completely, and than picked with our usual late round lack of acumen. Nobody is advocating that.

High picks give you less opportunity to be a championship team because you're spending most of your time losing to earn those high picks. There's a lot of teams that earn high picks every year and continue to lose because it's not where you pick it's who you pick. Some of the greatest players weren't top 10 picks. The teams franchise QB wasn't even a draft pick.

 

[wileedog]

High picks give you less opportunity to be a championship team because you're spending most of your time losing to earn those high picks. There's a lot of teams that earn high picks every year and continue to lose because it's not where you pick it's who you pick. Some of the greatest players weren't top 10 picks. The teams franchise QB wasn't even a draft pick.

And a lot of teams get some high round picks and then turn into the Cardinals or the Panthers. Do you think Carolina wished they had won a few more games the year before and never got Cam?

I agree its what you do with the picks, but having the top talent to choose from when you make that decision is simply better. It's just math.

 

[KJJ]

And a lot of teams get some high round picks and then turn into the Cardinals or the Panthers. Do you think Carolina wished they had won a few more games the year before and never got Cam?

I agree its what you do with the picks, but having the top talent to choose from when you make that decision is simply better. It's just math.

If a team is in desperate need of a franchise QB than losing can pay off if a QB in the draft warrents a high pick. It paid off for the Cowboys in 1989 landing Troy Aikman. Our current team isn't in the market for a starting QB and the last time we picked in the top 10 we ended up with a bust. As for the Cardinals they went through years and years of having high picks before they ever turned it around and it was due to finding a QB. They've had to go with veteran QBs because the QBs they've drafted haven't worked out.

Their turnaround came from having solid QB play from Kurt Warner and Carson Palmer. A lot of times when you have the top talent to choose from it's easier to screw up due to over analyzing some of these top picks and putting too much stock in predraft workouts. Go through the top 10 year by year and see how many mistakes have been made. If you do your homework you can come up with a damn good player regardless of where you're picking provided you pick a player who fits your system and is receiving good coaching.

Landry's 70s Cowboys were good every year despite picking later in the first round most years. They found some great players later in the draft. Gronk was a second round pick for NE but the Cowboys have gone nowhere with their last three second round TE's because this team doesn't know how to draft. The Cowboys waste a lot of draft picks just look at some of the receivers they've let go who are producing for other teams.

 

[TwoDeep3]

The year was 1988. Tom Landry's last season with the Cowboys.

At the end of week four Dallas was 2-2. But it was apparent with Pelluer starting 14 of 16 games, this franchise needed a real quarterback.

I was working for a company that owned nightclubs all over Texas. I dealt with beer companies all the time and Miller Lite gave me half a dozen tickets to the Vikings @ Dallas game on November 13th that year. My closest friend was a Viking fan, so we loaded up my Suburban with Cowboy fans, except the Viks fan, and went to the game.

Texas Stadium, fifty yard line, about eighteen rows up.

The Viks beat them 43-3. By late in the second quarter it was evident this was going to be a terrible game. Like some of you, I read every thing about the Cowboys, and that year spent a great deal of time reading about college quarterbacks.

I wore a Dallas sweatshirt to the game, but by the second half was quietly applauding the beat down Dallas was taking. Because I had been watching this Aikman kid playing out in California, and decided he was the guy this team needed. Now this wasn't standing up and cheering, but I was not cussing the game like all my Cowboy friends, and people around me.

I dropped a Go Viks once...ONCE. A Cowboy fan turned to me right before the half and asked me why I was wearing the sweatshirt if I was a Viks fans. There were quite a few people listening. Most intent on killing me and my bud Danny who was in Viks gear.

I calmly explained about this guy playing at UCLA named Troy Aikman that will be the #1 pick and exactly what this franchise needed since they had not been great since Roger left. (I don't consider losing three straight years in the NFC Championship game enough. I did not like Danny White, and that was at the opposite end of the 80's decade.)

By late in the third, reasoning won out and people were openly speculating what it would take to get the first over-all pick and this kid they never heard of. Cowboy fans were openly discussing the need for a QB and how distasteful losing was, but how great another top flight QB would help.

Both Green Bay and Dallas were tied for the lead in the Aikman race going into week 15. Each had twelve loses. Dallas was playing the Commanders who would end up 7-9. Green Bay was playing the Viks, who would end up 11-5.

Green Bay surely would lose and Dallas could not possibly beat the Commanders. Both teams ended up winning. So it came down to the last game of the season.

The Packers brought Aikman in to see the final game @ Phoenix. They were sure they would lose that game. Dallas was playing the 10-5 Eagles, but Green Bay had the mathematical edge in ease of schedule, which meant if both teams lose, Aikman was a Packer.

Green Bay scored 13 points in the first quarter and added another touchdown before the half. The Cardinals scored 17 points in the first half giving GB a 3 point lead. Green Bay added 6 points in the third and held the Cardinals scoreless in the second half winning 26-17.

The Eagles handed the Cowboys their arses 23-7.

That season was Tom Landry's last. Steve Pelluer was the starting quarterback on December 11th against the Commanders. The last game Tom Landry would ever win as a head coach in the NFL.

Jerry bought the team from Bum Bright.
Jerry hired Jimmy Johnson as the second head coach the Cowboys ever had.
Aikman became a Cowboy.

The team made history.

I am not ashamed, nor care what anyone thinks about that trifling with losing that season. Four short years later were the absolute BEST years of being a Cowboy fan ever, for me.

Now I don't believe there is an Aikman out there this season. But there is a corner back with the Gators that looks exceptional. But I am not a college expert.