Cowboys defense for 2015

[xwalker]

It seems like they need a key free agent or two to upgrade the defense.

Melton's option is 9M and he's only been playing about 45% of the snaps.

Carr is scheduled to make 8M. They can do better with that money regardless of the dead-money implications.

Greg Hardy would be a wow player, but I don't know the status of his legal issues.

Suh? How much?

Tramon Williams? He's 31. Green Bay will let free agents move on more than some other teams.

Brandon Flowers or Antonio Cromartie?

Charles Tillman as a 3rd CB and reclamation project? He is 33 and has missed most of the past 2 season with an arm injury. He had 10 forced fumbles in the last full season.

CB
Tramon Williams
Ike Taylor
Darrelle Revis
Antonio Cromartie
Kareem Jackson
Bradley Fletcher
Tarell Brown
Brandon Flowers
Charles Tillman
Walter Thurmond
Darius Butler
Patrick Robinson
Kyle Wilson
Chris Harris
Jarrett Bush
Terence Newman
Mike Jenkins
Chris Culliver
Buster Skrine
Josh Gordy
Robert McClain
Alan Ball
Brice McCain
Brandon Harris
Christopher Owens
Shareece Wright
Davon House
Perrish Cox
Byron Maxwell
Sterling Moore
Josh Wilson
Sherrick McManis
Rashean Mathis
Antoine Cason
Zackary Bowman
E.J. Biggers
Javier Arenas
Crezdon Butler
Cassius Vaughn
Aaron Ross
Chris Cook
Phillip Adams
Jamell Fleming
Brandon Ghee
James Dockery
Johsua Thomas
Chykie Brown
Tommie Campbell
Danny Gorrer
Rashad Carmichael
Jalil Brown
Chris Rucker

DT
Ndamukong Suh
Ahtyba Rubin
Nick Fairley
Roy Miller
Jared Odrick
Terrance Knighton
Dan Williams
Kevin Williams
Dwan Edwards
Pat Sims
Corey Wootton
C.J. Mosley
Corey Peters
Mitch Unrein
Stephen Paea
Colin Cole
Da'Quan Bowers
Letroy Guion
Tommy Kelly
Kenrick Ellis
Nick Hayden
Karl Klug
Chris Neild
Jerrell Powe
Mike Patterson
Kevin Vickerson
D'Anthony Smith
Brandon Deaderick
Ryan Pickett
Terrence Cody
Sione Fua
Andre Fluellen
Josh Brent
Travian Robertson


DE
Greg Hardy
Cliff Avril
Jason Pierre-Paul
Cory Redding
B.J. Raji
Adrian Clayborn
Fili Moala
Alex Carrington
Jarvis Jenkins
Anthony Spencer
Leger Douzable
Alan Branch
Tom Johnson
Tim Jamison
Demarcus Dobbs
George Selvie
Cliff Matthews
Jarius Wynn
C.J. Wilson
Trevor Scott
George Johnson
Cheta Ozougwu
Ricardo Mathews
Jermaine Cunningham
Dontay Moch
Greg Romeus

DT
Ndamukong Suh
Ahtyba Rubin
Nick Fairley
Roy Miller
Jared Odrick
Terrance Knighton
Dan Williams
Kevin Williams
Dwan Edwards
Pat Sims
Corey Wootton
C.J. Mosley
Corey Peters
Mitch Unrein
Stephen Paea
Colin Cole
Da'Quan Bowers
Letroy Guion
Tommy Kelly
Kenrick Ellis
Nick Hayden
Karl Klug
Chris Neild
Jerrell Powe
Mike Patterson
Kevin Vickerson
D'Anthony Smith
Brandon Deaderick
Ryan Pickett
Terrence Cody
Sione Fua
Andre Fluellen
Josh Brent
Travian Robertson

OLB (Some would be a DE in a 4-3)
Brian Orakpo
Jason Worilds
Lance Briggs
Osi Umenyiora
Sean Weatherspoon
Kroy Biermann
Dwight Freeney
John Abraham
Brandon Graham
James Anderson
Dekoda Watson
Geno Hayes
Dan Skuta
Jabaal Sheard
Justin Houston
Ashlee Palmer
K.J. Wright
Sam Acho
Bruce Carter
Brooks Reed
Jacquian Williams
Justin Durant
Spencer Paysinger
Chase Blackburn
Akeem Ayers
Larry English
Jonathan Casillas
Desmond Bishop
Andy Studebaker
Pernell McPhee
Malcolm Smith
J.T. Thomas
Parys Haralson
Arthur Moats
James Harrison
Jason Williams
Darryl Tapp
O'Brien Schofield
Quentin Groves
Larry Dean
Julian Stanford
Victor Butler
Marcus Benard
Everette Brown

 

[perrykemp]

Interesting that you noted Tramon Williams. It also occurred to me that the Packers are highly unlikely to resign him because they have a logjam of good young corners behind him in Casey Hayward and Davon House and he could come in and do a nice job in Dallas for 1-2 years at a relatively affordable cost.

Williams is still a good corner, but as you mentioned the Packers rarely sign guys who are 30+ to FA contracts.

 

[darthseinfeld]

I think if we go big JPP might be the best bet. Wont be as expensive as a top DE ( but wont be cheap either ) and I think a move to the strong side and lining up on RTs will greatly increase his sack output

 

[perrykemp]

Hey, I see Mike Jenkins is a FA next season!

Get er done Jerry!

 

[xwalker]

Hey, I see Mike Jenkins is a FA next season!

Get er done Jerry!

No joking, he is probably better than Carr. He's on IR this season.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

No. THey don't need any free agents. They need some hungry guys in the draft. Now if they want to give a hungry guy in free agent who's a 3rd or 4th corner looking to take that next step? I'd be for it. But don't go into the free agent game. Its a game not for people who consider themselves contenders.

 

[Alexander]

Williams is still a good corner, but as you mentioned the Packers rarely sign guys who are 30+ to FA contracts.

And there is no reason Dallas should either.

Jabaal Sheard

About the only DE listed of any interest to me.

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

There is a player left of your list that's intrigueing . The DE from buffalo is highly productive and could be a bargain . I believe his name is Jerry Hughes .

 

[xwalker]

No. THey don't need any free agents. They need some hungry guys in the draft. Now if they want to give a hungry guy in free agent who's a 3rd or 4th corner looking to take that next step? I'd be for it. But don't go into the free agent game. Its a game not for people who consider themselves contenders.

There have been plenty of free agent success stories, but you tend to only hear about the big failures.

There is no proof that signing a high end free agent is always a bad move.

 

[Kaiser]

Melton's option is 9M and he's only been playing about 45% of the snaps.

That was one of my takeaways from yesterday, if Crawford keeps up this level of play it likely means Melton won't be back. There were moments when you could see Melton's option being exercised but that looks very doubtful now - and if Crawford stays at this level Melton will want to go to a guaranteed starting spot and Dallas won't want to pay a lot for a part time player. I'd like to see Melton come back on a make-good contract identical to the one he signed this year but I can't see that happening now.

For the other moves, I'd love to see a DE like JPP, along with high draft picks at DE and CB.

1 Tech will be better next year with Brent, Bishop and maybe Okoye.

I think Carr restructures his contract down but stays on the team. He has been inconsistent but there aren't a lot of quality CBs in the game and fewer that are available in the offseason.

Getting an aging veteran to play Nickel FS in centerfield will also help this team quite a bit for a reasonable hit on the salary cap.

I think the LBs next year are McClain, Sean Lee and the winner of Durant/Hitchens competing.

The crying need on this team is a pass rush and if you add a FA, a high draft pick and get improvement from DeMarcus Lawrence you will be OK. Just like the DT's this year, moving Mincey. Selvie and maybe Spencer to backup roles will help the team considerably by having OK starters turned into quality backups.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

There have been plenty of free agent success stories, but you tend to only hear about the big failures.

There is no proof that signing a high end free agent is always a bad move.

I'm not talking about the free agents. I'm talking about the teams that take them. All I can do is look at the past Super Bowl winners and the cores of those teams all have hungry guys on them who haven't been paid their big money yet.

Sometimes you are going to have to fill a few holes in here and there like a Justin Durant. Or like how the Seahawks last year signed a few guys for cheap like Michael Bennett, etc. But this organization got it right when they let Ware and Hatcher walk last year. Don't get into this mess again. Rolando is hungry. Durant is hungry. Melton is hungry. That's who you need to fill this team up with. Guys in that lane.

Guys who have living good and healthy?

 

[Cowboys606]

would you let Dez walk for Suh and JPP?

 

[CrownCowboy]

We are 2 edge pass rushers, a defensive tackle, and 2 quality defensive backs away from having a good defense. That is way too much of a hole to fill in one offseason.

 

[xwalker]

I'm not talking about the free agents. I'm talking about the teams that take them. All I can do is look at the past Super Bowl winners and the cores of those teams all have hungry guys on them who haven't been paid their big money yet.

Sometimes you are going to have to fill a few holes in here and there like a Justin Durant. Or like how the Seahawks last year signed a few guys for cheap like Michael Bennett, etc. But this organization got it right when they let Ware and Hatcher walk last year. Don't get into this mess again. Rolando is hungry. Durant is hungry. Melton is hungry. That's who you need to fill this team up with. Guys in that lane.

Guys who have living good and healthy?

Yes, in general the mid-tier guys like Durant of Bennett/Avril in Seattle are better deals than the big names free agents, but that does not mean that the expensive free agents are never a good option.

Ware seems to be working out in Denver and he was really expensive.

I think Revis is doing well in New England.

I feel like the Cowboys defense is in a position where they have a core of good enough player at most positions but need to a add a Wow player or two. I felt the opposite after last season. I thought they needed to get more mid-tier guys and get everybody together within the scheme. They've accomplished that now and the next step, IMO, is to add dynamic players that offenses fear.

 

[xwalker]

We are 2 edge pass rushers, a defensive tackle, and 2 quality defensive backs away from having a good defense. That is way too much of a hole to fill in one offseason.

Not really. If you "fix" the pass rush, you can get by with mid-tier DBs OR if you upgrade the DBs the pass rush will have an extra second and will get more sacks.

Adding 2 CBs like Revis to this defense and the sacks would increase significantly. Not only would the front 4 get the extra second to get the QB, but they could blitz way more often without worrying about getting burned. Obviously you can't add Revis x2, but the point is that adding 1 or 2 really good players would improve all of the surrounding players and allow the coaches to do more with the scheme.

 

[Kaiser]

We are 2 edge pass rushers, a defensive tackle, and 2 quality defensive backs away from having a good defense. That is way too much of a hole to fill in one offseason.

Last year we "fixed" the OL in one offseason by drafting Fred, developing Leary and coaching up Free and Bern to play better.

 

[XDez88BeastX]

No joking, he is probably better than Carr. He's on IR this season.

How funny would it be to have Jenkins & Newman back. They'd probably fair better in this scheme than Carr & Claiborne

 

[conner01]

There have been plenty of free agent success stories, but you tend to only hear about the big failures.

There is no proof that signing a high end free agent is always a bad move.

great point. and for those who want to fix the defense there is few other options. no way you get all we need in one draft. i think we sign a couple of free agents and not just middle road guys but solid starter types, then add a draft class. you can't just go into the draft and draft all defense. that rarely gets you the best players and thats what the draft is about. free agents fill needs and draft fill your roster will young talent

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Yes, in general the mid-tier guys like Durant of Bennett/Avril in Seattle are better deals than the big names free agents, but that does not mean that the expensive free agents are never a good option.

Ware seems to be working out in Denver and he was really expensive.

I think Revis is doing well in New England.

I feel like the Cowboys defense is in a position where they have a core of good enough player at most positions but need to a add a Wow player or two. I felt the opposite after last season. I thought they needed to get more mid-tier guys and get everybody together within the scheme. They've accomplished that now and the next step, IMO, is to add dynamic players that offenses fear.

Well Bronco's signed more than Ware though. They were already a Super Bowl team. Bronco's were winners in free agency.....and I think its going to come back to hurt them at the end.

Bronco's and Pats were the two best teams in the AFC last year and they are this year. If the Cowboys were won guy away I'd say spend those resources. But I think we need more than one guy. They need a few starters and a few positions for depth.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

great point. and for those who want to fix the defense there is few other options. no way you get all we need in one draft. i think we sign a couple of free agents and not just middle road guys but solid starter types, then add a draft class. you can't just go into the draft and draft all defense. that rarely gets you the best players and thats what the draft is about. free agents fill needs and draft fill your roster will young talent

So basically do what the Deadskins have done for the past 20 years? How did that fair for them?