Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith feels Dallas isn't 'ready' to draft star RB Ashton Jeanty

[TheMarathonContinues]

No, I’m saying his influence on the offense would have been limited by the other factors. Run game isn’t 1 guy.

Take NYG for example. They had 1874 yards rushing last year with the now-reigning OPOY getting 900 yards on 240 carries. This year they had 1783 rushing yards, with Tyrone Tracy accumulating 830 yards on 190 carries.

Does this mean Tracy is almost the same as Saquon Barkley? Of course not. The factors that limited Saquon in NYG didn’t allow for a variance to show the quality of the RB they had. The question isn’t “Is Jeanty way better than Dowdle?” The question should be, “Is Dallas in a position for that to matter?”

Why wouldn’t they be? Why would Jeanty on a 12 win team have the same impact as Dowdle or Zeke? As a matter of fact the running game looked better when Dowdle for more carries and eliminating Zeke’s.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

What was your salary cap situation that year?

What on earth does the salary cap have to do with anything lol? There wasn’t even one lol.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

You just named 4 (and possibly 5) teams that would have probably drafted someone else if given the opportunity for a mulligan. Bijan going to the 3rd best rushing team in football, putting up 900 yards so they can finish 9th in rushing with the exact same record is cool, but it isnt impact.

It was a running back by committee you wierdly leaving out facts.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

What on earth does the salary cap have to do with anything lol? There wasn’t even one lol.

That’s my point, the situation is completely different when the circumstances around it change. There are decisions made in the draft now that didn’t exist back then. Like turning down players worth 25-40m$ a year if they are hits to take a guy who’s worth 12-15

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

It was a running back by committee you wierdly leaving out facts.

which lessened his impact. Why spend top 12 pick with such a limited impact. now he’s running for 1400 yards and it’s had zero impact on the team’s fortune… except they’re in dire need of Dlinemen who they wish they took instead

Running backs don’t have franchise transforming impact you can get out of a lineman or a receiver or even to a lesser extent a CB or a LB. Thats part of the reason they’re one of the lower paid positions in the entire league. The other is you can replicate a star back’s production with 2-3 journeymen.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Why wouldn’t they be? Why would Jeanty on a 12 win team have the same impact as Dowdle or Zeke? As a matter of fact the running game looked better when Dowdle for more carries and eliminating Zeke’s.

The argument isn’t Dowdle or Jeanty. The argument is Dowdle and a franchise pass rusher, or a franchise LT, or a star #2 and Dowdle+a modest FA who’s way better than Zeke… or Jeanty.

 

[gtb1943]

What was your salary cap situation that year?

That is a pretty pathetic answer.

The point is that other teams have gone from the basement to the SB in two or three years. We are NOT in the basement. So once again tell me picking Emmit that year was wrong.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

That is a pretty pathetic answer.

The point is that other teams have gone from the basement to the SB in two or three years. We are NOT in the basement. So once again tell me picking Emmit that year was wrong.

What team went basement to SB by drafting a RB top 15? Or what team went from where Dallas is to SB by drafting a RB there?

Salary cap has everything to do with it. Just because you didn’t like the answer doesn’t mean it was wrong. Jerry of all owners would let positional value influence his draft decision

 

[rambo2]

which lessened his impact. Why spend top 12 pick with such a limited impact. now he’s running for 1400 yards and it’s had zero impact on the team’s fortune… except they’re in dire need of Dlinemen who they wish they took instead

Running backs don’t have franchise transforming impact you can get out of a lineman or a receiver or even to a lesser extent a CB or a LB. Thats part of the reason they’re one of the lower paid positions in the entire league. The other is you can replicate a star back’s production with 2-3 journeymen.

The Eagles are about to win the Super Bowl because of their running back. Parlay the Eagles and Barkley over 110.5 yards for a lead pipe lock.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

The Eagles are about to win the Super Bowl because of their running back. Parlay the Eagles and Barkley over 110.5 yards for a lead pipe lock.

And you know what the Eagles would NEVER do? Expend premium draft capital for him. We got him in FA for Pennies. All the more reason spending a top 12 pick on a RB is a complete waste

Derrick Henry just went to the Ravens for 9m$. And you’re gonna spend a pick worth it’s weight in gold on a back that you’d jump for joy if he were half of what Henry is… instead of spending it on a player would could command a 30-40m$ contract at a more important position.

Saquon is great; but he’s great because the team is great. We JUST got here without him. He’s icing on the cake, not one of the primary ingredients. That’s what you need to spend a top 12 pick on

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

which lessened his impact. Why spend top 12 pick with such a limited impact. now he’s running for 1400 yards and it’s had zero impact on the team’s fortune… except they’re in dire need of Dlinemen who they wish they took instead

Running backs don’t have franchise transforming impact you can get out of a lineman or a receiver or even to a lesser extent a CB or a LB. Thats part of the reason they’re one of the lower paid positions in the entire league. The other is you can replicate a star back’s production with 2-3 journeymen.

What a gross oversimplification.

DE Miles Garrett racked up another 14 sack season.

The Browns went 3-14.

Your entire premise is defeated based on that bunk logic.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

That’s my point, the situation is completely different when the circumstances around it change. There are decisions made in the draft now that didn’t exist back then. Like turning down players worth 25-40m$ a year if they are hits to take a guy who’s worth 12-15

Huh? No team has a salary cap lol. Cowboys success didn’t come from financials lol.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

which lessened his impact. Why spend top 12 pick with such a limited impact. now he’s running for 1400 yards and it’s had zero impact on the team’s fortune… except they’re in dire need of Dlinemen who they wish they took instead

Running backs don’t have franchise transforming impact you can get out of a lineman or a receiver or even to a lesser extent a CB or a LB. Thats part of the reason they’re one of the lower paid positions in the entire league. The other is you can replicate a star back’s production with 2-3 journeymen.

What dlineman should they have taken over Bijan?

How far did you guys get with Swift last season? For a team benefiting from Barkley this is a odd comment.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

The argument isn’t Dowdle or Jeanty. The argument is Dowdle and a franchise pass rusher, or a franchise LT, or a star #2 and Dowdle+a modest FA who’s way better than Zeke… or Jeanty.

There a handful of franchise LT or pass rushers that come right in and produce at pick 15. Just a weird stance. Taking a number 2 receiver over Jeanty is wild.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

And you know what the Eagles would NEVER do? Expend premium draft capital for him. We got him in FA for Pennies. All the more reason spending a top 12 pick on a RB is a complete waste

Derrick Henry just went to the Ravens for 9m$. And you’re gonna spend a pick worth it’s weight in gold on a back that you’d jump for joy if he were half of what Henry is… instead of spending it on a player would could command a 30-40m$ contract at a more important position.

Saquon is great; but he’s great because the team is great. We JUST got here without him. He’s icing on the cake, not one of the primary ingredients. That’s what you need to spend a top 12 pick on

Yeah, that’s not how rookie contracts work.

Last years #12 pick was slotted $19.95M/4-years, or apx. $4.98M AAV.

If Jeanty performs as expected that’s a steal.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

And you know what the Eagles would NEVER do? Expend premium draft capital for him. We got him in FA for Pennies. All the more reason spending a top 12 pick on a RB is a complete waste

Derrick Henry just went to the Ravens for 9m$. And you’re gonna spend a pick worth it’s weight in gold on a back that you’d jump for joy if he were half of what Henry is… instead of spending it on a player would could command a 30-40m$ contract at a more important position.

Saquon is great; but he’s great because the team is great. We JUST got here without him. He’s icing on the cake, not one of the primary ingredients. That’s what you need to spend a top 12 pick on

You lost to the Buccs in the first round. You sign Barkley and SB. Team was so great they collapsed down the stretch and lost to the Buccs.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

What a gross oversimplification.

DE Miles Garrett racked up another 14 sack season.

The Browns went 3-14.

Your entire premise is defeated based on that bunk logic.

No one player saves an entire franchise. But statistically and historically RB has been one of the least impactful. DE is not as prevalent as DT, but still one of the better ones, and 1 year does not define an entire career’s impact

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Yeah, that’s not how rookie contracts work.

Last years #12 pick was slotted $19.95M/4-years, or apx. $4.98M AAV.

If Jeanty performs as expected that’s a steal.

I’m talking about how they’d get paid today in FA if they’re hits. Players are paid relative to their worth, fewer lower than star RB

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

There a handful of franchise LT or pass rushers that come right in and produce at pick 15. Just a weird stance. Taking a number 2 receiver over Jeanty is wild.

A number 2 only because you have better, not a number 2 caliber. Philadelphia took a #2 that high, Detroit took a number #2 that high, Cincinnati took a #2 that high who ended out outproducing the #1. None of those teams regret that decision

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

You lost to the Buccs in the first round. You sign Barkley and SB. Team was so great they collapsed down the stretch and lost to the Buccs.

We just made the SB the year before…. Without Barkley. We were fine on offense, we had the 30th ranked D in 2023. We upgraded it to #1 this year; we were gonna be really good in 2024 with or without Barkley; he was just icing.