Could This Cowboy Draft Be That Epic?

[percyhoward]

You asked what the 90's team did differently from the current team, right?

They had a ton of 1st and 2nd round resources, used them very wisely, and built a defense.

 

[gimmesix]

The epic draft will be the one that puts the defense over the top.

That's this one.

So far this preseason, neither Tapper nor Collins has played poorly.

 

[Sydla]

What did the team of the 90's do?

They got veteran free agents, they traded for guys with talent but baggage as well. They drafted high, they drafted low. They used veterans they already had.

What are they doing now?

They signed veteran free agents. They signed talented guys with baggage. They have drafted high they have drafted low.

We could already have our Leon Lett, our Tony Casilles, our Tony Tolbert, our Jimmie Jones, our Daniel Stubbs. We thought we might have our Charles Haley......and maybe we do.

That dominant defense wasnt good until it was good. All the peices came together but for three seasons...pretty bad. Their average rank was 19.

In the following 8 seasons they were in the top 5 seven times...top 3 five times. This also coincided with them ranking top ten in turnover ratio most of the time.

When the peices come together it's like a machine running on all cylinders. We just have to wait for the teamwork and cohesion to happen.

I say they take a major step this season.

No offense but the two defenses aren't comparable at all in how they were built, etc. And to think that this defense is simply teamwork and cohesion away from being a dominant D like those 90 defenses were is a bit of a stretch.

Dallas had more #1 picks on that defense than this one did. They invested more high picks in defense than this one has. Russell Maryland, Robert Jones, Kevin Smith, etc. Throw in Darren Woodson as a 2nd round pick. So was Ken Norton Jr. So was Dixon Edwards. That defense went after more high profile players (in trades) than this one has. Haley was a premier player when we acquired him. Tony Casillas? Don't forget he was a former first round pick of the Falcons and was very, very good for them. He still is the leading tackler amongst all Falcon DL in history.

Dallas also added Thomas Everett in 2012, who was a very good safety in the NFL at that time. He got into a contract squabble with the Steelers and Dallas made a trade for him. In later years, they went out and landed Deion Sanders.

There is really no comparison between the talent and assets invested in those 90s defenses and this one.

 

[BAT]

That's this one.

So far this preseason, neither Tapper nor Collins has played poorly.

They haven't wowed you either. At least ot yet. Hardly comparable to 90's.

 

[gimmesix]

They haven't wowed you either. At least ot yet. Hardly comparable to 90's.

So you're that guy, huh? Glass half-empty.

 

[dallasdave]

They haven't wowed you either. At least ot yet. Hardly comparable to 90's.

These guys need to see the field !!!

 

[BAT]

So you're that guy, huh? Glass half-empty.

Especially if I drank the first half.

 

[waving monkey]

I'll quibble with one part.

Some of the doom and gloom isn't just Romo but the defense as well. They still have some issues that need resolving and I don't think it's outrageous to think this defense, even with this great of an offense, could be the weak link in getting to the SB. The offense is SB worthy. The defense? Yet to be determined.

We do have drafts coming every year.

 

[Sydla]

We do have drafts coming every year.

Well we haven't seen those drafts yet have we? So right now, when one looks at this defense, it's a question mark.

It's really kind of hard to argue against that point of view.

 

[waving monkey]

For sure. I will say, though, part of why the inattention to defense made me so grumpy is because of the colossal cost in picks we were going to have to cough up to replace the QB. If we fill that hole with a late 4th (*if*), we'll actually have ammunition to address the pass rush and to replace or extend a CB or two next year. Hitting on a QB opens up so much with the build-a-team plan.

I"m not counting those chickens yet. The reads in preseason are much easier than they are when the games count. But it's hard not to start getting excited.

Either way, though, I do wish we'd traded down from #4 and added some more defenders or picks. There's a lot we could do yet to improve the talent on that side of the ball.

I think when you can get a player that is special and is BPA it almost doesn't matter the position he plays. The running back position is an important piece and Zeek is special.
Also you have to have trade partners to trade down and there weren't many i have read.

 

[waving monkey]

Well we haven't seen those drafts yet have we? So right now, when one looks at this defense, it's a question mark.

It's really kind of hard to argue against that point of view.

I see a future that the NFL will hold drafts each year. We are drafting pretty good of late.
With this new drafting department we might be able to find some defensive players. We got three good ones
this year [IMO} I think more are coming.

 

[dallasdave]

I see a future that the NFL will hold drafts each year. We are drafting pretty good of late.
With this new drafting department we might be able to find some defensive players. We got three good ones
this year [IMO} I think more are coming.

YOu hit that right on the head !!!

 

[Sydla]

I see a future that the NFL will hold drafts each year. We are drafting pretty good of late.
With this new drafting department we might be able to find some defensive players. We got three good ones
this year [IMO} I think more are coming.

Well for one, you have no idea if we drafted three good ones. And I like Tapper a lot and was on him back in March. But he's done nothing as has Collins. Smith is a complete unknown from a health perspective at this point too.

So again, at this point in time, starting with this season, the defense is a big question mark. Again, not sure how anyone can argue against that. And using completely subjective reasoning like "I think we will draft a lot of great players in the next few drafts" really doesn't refute that point right now.

Maybe you are right. Maybe Tapper is a total steal, Collins is a dominant DT and Smith plays next year and shows he was a Top 5 player in this draft. And then maybe next year, we draft three more studs. It's possible. But in reality, it's just a total guess at this point.

 

[Rockport]

Well for one, you have no idea if we drafted three good ones. And I like Tapper a lot and was on him back in March. But he's done nothing as has Collins. Smith is a complete unknown from a health perspective at this point too.

So again, at this point in time, starting with this season, the defense is a big question mark. Again, not sure how anyone can argue against that. And using completely subjective reasoning like "I think we will draft a lot of great players in the next few drafts" really doesn't refute that point right now.

Maybe you are right. Maybe Tapper is a total steal, Collins is a dominant DT and Smith plays next year and shows he was a Top 5 player in this draft. And then maybe next year, we draft three more studs. It's possible. But in reality, it's just a total guess at this point.

Again you take the glass half empty take. Your MO.

 

[waving monkey]

Well for one, you have no idea if we drafted three good ones. And I like Tapper a lot and was on him back in March. But he's done nothing as has Collins. Smith is a complete unknown from a health perspective at this point too.

So again, at this point in time, starting with this season, the defense is a big question mark. Again, not sure how anyone can argue against that. And using completely subjective reasoning like "I think we will draft a lot of great players in the next few drafts" really doesn't refute that point right now.

Maybe you are right. Maybe Tapper is a total steal, Collins is a dominant DT and Smith plays next year and shows he was a Top 5 player in this draft. And then maybe next year, we draft three more studs. It's possible. But in reality, it's just a total guess at this point.

I do understand your point. But the laws of averages when looking back in the drafts overtime tells us some players will be good players, some will not.
I think Vegas take odds on that bet.

I don't have expectations make a Super bowl run this year I think we have some more acquisitions and development to make.

 

[Sydla]

Again you take the glass half empty take. Your MO.

Here's my outlook on the team. If this makes me glass half empty, then so be it.

I think the offense, assuming a relatively healthy season, is a Top 3 offense in the NFL. 30 points a game type of offense.

I think the defense is, at best, league average. I don't trust their ability to get turnovers and get to the QB. Hope I am wrong there.

At the very worst, this should be a 9 win team, playoff contender, depending on how effective the D can be (meaning if they aren't, there is only so much the O can do). Best case scenario, they are a 12 win team if the defense shows some nice improvement over expectations. So the range is 9-12 wins because I think the defense is that much of an unknown.

In both scenarios, 9 wins or 12 wins, I think the defense will be the Achilles heel in the playoffs, likely the divisional round where they might run into a high quality QB and we don't have the pass rush to rattle him. At this point, I don't think this defense is good enough barring some real surprises from guys like Tapper and Mayowa, to consider this team a legit SB contender.

So if that's half empty, then I guess that's half empty.

 

[waving monkey]

Here's my outlook on the team. If this makes me glass half empty, then so be it.

I think the offense, assuming a relatively healthy season, is a Top 3 offense in the NFL. 30 points a game type of offense.

I think the defense is, at best, league average. I don't trust their ability to get turnovers and get to the QB. Hope I am wrong there.

At the very worst, this should be a 9 win team, playoff contender, depending on how effective the D can be (meaning if they aren't, there is only so much the O can do). Best case scenario, they are a 12 win team if the defense shows some nice improvement over expectations. So the range is 9-12 wins because I think the defense is that much of an unknown.

In both scenarios, 9 wins or 12 wins, I think the defense will be the Achilles heel in the playoffs, likely the divisional round where they might run into a high quality QB and we don't have the pass rush to rattle him. At this point, I don't think this defense is good enough barring some real surprises from guys like Tapper and Mayowa, to consider this team a legit SB contender.

So if that's half empty, then I guess that's half empty.

I agree, we'll have to draft us some pass rushing bad ....

 

[Rockport]

Here's my outlook on the team. If this makes me glass half empty, then so be it.

I think the offense, assuming a relatively healthy season, is a Top 3 offense in the NFL. 30 points a game type of offense.

I think the defense is, at best, league average. I don't trust their ability to get turnovers and get to the QB. Hope I am wrong there.

At the very worst, this should be a 9 win team, playoff contender, depending on how effective the D can be (meaning if they aren't, there is only so much the O can do). Best case scenario, they are a 12 win team if the defense shows some nice improvement over expectations. So the range is 9-12 wins because I think the defense is that much of an unknown.

In both scenarios, 9 wins or 12 wins, I think the defense will be the Achilles heel in the playoffs, likely the divisional round where they might run into a high quality QB and we don't have the pass rush to rattle him. At this point, I don't think this defense is good enough barring some real surprises from guys like Tapper and Mayowa, to consider this team a legit SB contender.

So if that's half empty, then I guess that's half empty.

Nice back track.

 

[Sydla]

Nice back track.

How is it a back track? Find me one post on this board where I claimed this would be a bad team in 2016?

I've been very consistent. I think the defense is the weak link here. If the defense does better than I think, this is easily a 12 win team like 2014. If the defense is just blah and struggles to get turnovers and pressure the QB, we are looking at 10 wins or so.

I tend to lean more towards the 10 win side because I look at the defense and just see an overall lack of talent at defensive end and at LB. I don't think that's a particularly egregious or ridiculous assessment of the defense.

You act like suggesting the defense is an issue is a totally unreasonable position.

PS - I'll go further. Given Romo's health, if he gets hurt, you are probably looking at a 6 or so win season IMO.

 

[Rockport]

How is it a back track? Find me one post on this board where I claimed this would be a bad team in 2016?

You just can't or refuse to read what people say. Once you see someone saying something not positive about the Cowboys, you write them off as a hater.

Most of my "negativity" has been around the fact that I think the defense is average and if it can't get to the QB and/or create turnovers, there is a chance this defense could be less than average. The offense can only carry the team so far and in the playoffs, against top level QBs, if you can't force turnovers and get to the QB, you are going to have issues.

I've never once deviated from that thought about the 2016 team. You just choose not to read what people actually say.

You've always been negative about the Cowboys. ALWAYS! Who you trying to kid? Yourself?