Cover32: What Does The Future Hold For Barry Church?

[TheCount]

The people tha

Anyone else think Church looks a little small?

He's listed at about 6'2" 220, but he just doesn't look it to me. Looks about 2" shorter and 20 lbs lighter.

Anyone else see that?

He's just under 6'1.5", and he weighed in at the combine at 222 lbs.

The people that hate Church are hilarious. They've basically made up their mind they don't like him, and now they don't care to reconsider. I remember when people were saying he couldn't play the position period because of his 40 time, and literally nothing else.

 

[CyberB0b]

Barry Church is about the only guy on the defense who consistently gave us good performances. He's a really good safety, but we need someone who can cover some distance playing next to him.

 

[Szczepanik]

Aside from Lee, Church is easily the best tackler on the team. He makes so many impressive tackles per game, considering that our DL was a joke.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Church, along with most of our DB's, will look better with a much improved front 7.

 

[DogFace]

This is such a typical Jerry Jones kind of player. Cutting corners to save a buck. An undrafted player that fits the mold of a SS. He looks the part to fool the uneducated fan. He's ok....but you are left wanting to see more impact plays. And then in the end Jerry will over pay to keep this type of JAG in house.

^^^
Um. I'm afraid this is spot on analysis. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Bullflop]

Barry Church is playing out of position at FS. It's just a matter of time before Wilcox or someone else establishes himself at the FS spot and allows Barry to play at SS where he's much better qualified to maximize his abilities.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

I think Church will continue to improve as a player and I'm pretty happy thus far with his play but he needs a lot of help on that side of the ball starting with the guys up front.

I think he will improve as long as the play of the LBs, or scheme, improve. He is required to do too much in this current scheme because of the lack of coverage skills of the LB corps. If they are going to play the TB-2, they need to have speedy LBs that can run, play zone, cover, and hit. Only Lee comes close.

Church will be a very good player once the overall talent on defense improves.

 

[Common Sense]

Barry Church is playing out of position at FS. It's just a matter of time before Wilcox or someone else establishes himself at the FS spot and allows Barry to play at SS where he's much better qualified to maximize his abilities.

If there isn't any good value at DL, LB, or OL at #16, drafting one of the top two FS wouldn't be a bad move. Then you let Wilcox and Church battle it out for the starting SS gig.

 

[Alexander]

Barry Church is about the only guy on the defense who consistently gave us good performances. He's a really good safety, but we need someone who can cover some distance playing next to him.

Not sure he is "really good", but he is someone that is not a legitimate liability, down to down that will not cost you football games. He is consistent and that is important.

 

[Alexander]

If there isn't any good value at DL, LB, or OL at #16, drafting one of the top two FS wouldn't be a bad move. Then you let Wilcox and Church battle it out for the starting SS gig.

If they are going to bother, do it early. Getting a player like Dixon for example is adding more of the same.

 

[pacboyX]

Not sure he is "really good", but he is someone that is not a legitimate liability, down to down that will not cost you football games. He is consistent and that is important.

Its not consistency to look at. He can not cover TEs plain and simple. I like his character and him as a low budget 3rd safety/nickel lb. He will make the tackle but how many times have we seen him make tackle after 12 yd gain by an out route. His speed/quickness is his downfall. Wilcox will replace him and we need an all around stud FS in the draft.

 

[Alexander]

Its not even that he is not consistent. He can not cover TEs plain and simple. I like his character and him as a low budget 3rd safety/nickel lb. But every down safety lets get serious, his speed/quickness is his downfall. Wilcox will replace him and we need an all around stud FS in the draft.

The problem is not him. The problem is the team thinks he is better than he really is and puts him in positions where he has to do things he physically cannot do. He has shown enough that the team should recognize his deficiencies and recognize ways to work with them.

 

[pacboyX]

The problem is not him. The problem is the team thinks he is better than he really is and puts him in positions where he has to do things he physically cannot do. He has shown enough that the team should recognize his deficiencies and recognize ways to work with them.

Work with him yes, while still filling the role he doesnt fit is something Jerry should focus on. But will he still have the same intensity if hes not on field as much is my worry.

 

[TheCount]

Barry Church is playing out of position at FS. It's just a matter of time before Wilcox or someone else establishes himself at the FS spot and allows Barry to play at SS where he's much better qualified to maximize his abilities.

I don't even know that it's a matter of Wilcox coming on for the position to flip. The Cowboys have an established history of thinking they know better than everyone else and playing guys out of position.

 

[KingintheNorth]

I don't even know that it's a matter of Wilcox coming on for the position to flip. The Cowboys have an established history of thinking they know better than everyone else and playing guys out of position.

They have definitely had a two strong safety mentality going for a while, going in the opposite trend of the rest of the league.

 

[dbonham]

I like the 3 safety defense idea though I wouldn't let it take scandrick off the field. We can't run it without two cover safeties though, so I think the best use for him currently is covering the shallow middle in a cover 3. He can diagnose plays in the box and either fill gaps in the run game or mess up crossing routes and pick-plays. Today's short passing game means you need a scheme that has those digs and in routes getting smashed before they can take a step upfield. Leaving the deep coverage to someone with wheels will allow Church to truly play downfield and show us he isn't as low ceiling as we thought.

 

[Alexander]

They have definitely had a two strong safety mentality going for a while, going in the opposite trend of the rest of the league.

The correct term is that they are "interchangeable". We have been fooling the rest of the league with that tricky strategy since Woodson retired.

 

[KingintheNorth]

Interchangeable in regards to run support..Irrelevant in pass coverage. Excellent strategy.

Also, we've kept that "strategy" through 2 Head Coaches, 4 Defensive Coordinators, and 3 Secondary coaches. Can't possibly be Jerry and his outside of the box thinking.

 

[JD_KaPow]

To me, "strong safety" = "tweener" these days, thanks to how the game has changed. Not good enough in coverage for safety, not big enough for linebacker. And that's what Church is. Good guy, excellent backup, stretched as a starter. Maybe there are some teams around the league with schemes where he'd be a perfect fit, but I think it's unlikely.

 

[Common Sense]

I like the 3 safety defense idea though I wouldn't let it take scandrick off the field. We can't run it without two cover safeties though, so I think the best use for him currently is covering the shallow middle in a cover 3. He can diagnose plays in the box and either fill gaps in the run game or mess up crossing routes and pick-plays. Today's short passing game means you need a scheme that has those digs and in routes getting smashed before they can take a step upfield. Leaving the deep coverage to someone with wheels will allow Church to truly play downfield and show us he isn't as low ceiling as we thought.

If only someone could figure out a clever scheme variation that did all those things. That team could probably win a Super Bowl.