Cowboys starting RDE?

Hawkeye0202

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1. Randy Gregory...... drug addiction, started one game in four years
2. Alton Smith............alcoholic, hasn't played since 2015
3. Tyrone Crawford....coming off surgery, IRed 2019, better DT?????
4. Dorance Armstrong.....2.5 sacks in two years
5. Joe Jackson...........?????

Still lots of questions and what-ifs

**Crawford is listed as the current starter until......
**Remember Gregory, Smith, and Crawford will be free agents after this year
**Gregory has started only 1 game in five years
**Alton Smith is one drink from???
**How much $$$$ are we willing to invest in a quality tier 2 free agent considering DLaw $20M per year at LDE? What if tier 2 players ( Clowney and/or Griffen ) are looking for multi-year deals?
**What if we draft DE at 17 and Smith and/or Gregory have career years. Long-term offers or let them walk?

My point, this position is far from being settled. I'm guessing we will still add one quality player via free agent or draft.

Side note: IMO this is why they haven't asked Crawford to take a pay-cut, his experience, and stability. Not to mention, we're not locked into his salary until after the first regular-season game. My guess is they will wait until they've settled on a starter sometime before the season starts to make a final decision on his pay-cut.


https://www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/depthchart/DAL
 

Cowboyny

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1. Randy Gregory...... drug addiction, started one game in four years
2. Alton Smith............alcoholic, hasn't played since 2015
3. Tyrone Crawford....coming off surgery, IRed 2019, better DT?????
4. Dorance Armstrong.....2.5 sacks in two years
5. Joe Jackson...........?????

Still lots of questions and what-ifs

**Crawford is listed as the current starter until......
**Remember Gregory, Smith, and Crawford will be free agents after this year
**Gregory has started only 1 game in five years
**Alton Smith is one drink from???
**How much $$$$ are we willing to invest in a quality tier 2 free agent considering DLaw $20M per year at LDE? What if tier 2 players ( Clowney and/or Griffen ) are looking for multi-year deals?
**What if we draft DE at 17 and Smith and/or Gregory have career years. Long-term offers or let them walk?

My point, this position is far from being settled. I'm guessing we will still add one quality player via free agent or draft.

Side note: IMO this is why they haven't asked Crawford to take a pay-cut, his experience, and stability. Not to mention, we're not locked into his salary until after the first regular-season game. My guess is they will wait until they've settled on a starter sometime before the season starts to make a final decision on his pay-cut.


https://www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/depthchart/DAL
I believe they are going to draft a starting caliber RE within the first two days of the draft, along with drafting another day 3 player at the position. Crawford right now is penciled in as the starter with Armstrong behind him at the moment.
 

OmerV

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If they don’t draft or sign someone else, there will likely be a rotations covering the position. Smith is the unknown. If he can play at close to the level of his best years he will get most of the playing time, but that seems very unlikely given how much time has passed. It may be some rotation including Crawford and Gregory and possibly Smith.
 

joshjwp

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If it was up to me I would sign someone I could rely on to hold down the fort and get me at least 5 sacks. I think I would resign Michael Bennett personally.
 

Hawkeye0202

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I believe they are going to draft a starting caliber RE within the first two days of the draft, along with drafting another day 3 player at the position. Crawford right now is penciled in as the starter with Armstrong behind him at the moment.

I agree....but at 17?????? I'm not sure..
 

vlad

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I'm frankly blown away by their RDE, CB and S situation. But RIDE the most reliable thing we have is hoping Crawford comes back.

Yikes
 

Hawkeye0202

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If it was up to me I would sign someone I could rely on to hold down the fort and get me at least 5 sacks. I think I would resign Michael Bennett personally.

I thought about that but I'm not sure we offer him a guarantee of making the team if Gregory and/or Smith light-up training camp.
 

Hawkeye0202

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I'm frankly blown away by their RDE, CB and S situation. But RIDE the most reliable thing we have is hoping Crawford comes back.

Yikes

LOL....you're exactly right as it stands now.
 

Hawkeye0202

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Maybe we bring Jaylon off the edge on some hybrid 3-4 looks? I dont know. Lets go with Crawford.

This an interesting point coz remember if you're DC, one of your first priorities is where are you getting the sacks you've lost via free agency. Quinn had what 9? Is Crawford good for 5? Either way, I'm pretty damn sure Gregory and/or Smith can get us 7-8 IF they are on the team when the season starts.
 

KingintheNorth

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For me personally, D Line is the one position group (WR to some extent too) where you can get by with rotation/reps.

Crawford is a donut at RDE but his team is hell bent on justifying his contract.

Gregory and Smith are question marks off the field, but pretty darn good players on the field.

Armstrong is JAGish and Joe Jackson aspires to be JAGish.

Keep an eye on Jalen Jelks. Lack of OTA's and Training Camp this year might be his downfall.

Between those guys, we can get by at RDE. However, because of that uncertainty, Chaisson could very well be in play at 17 and if Yetur Gross-Matos, Zack Baun, Trerrell Lewis, Julian Okwara, slip to 51, they should be considered. Oluwole Betiku, Jr. is my Day 3 sleeper' former 5-start recruit (with an amazing back story) has battled a hip injury but is a raw edge player with talent.
 

Stash

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Maybe we bring Jaylon off the edge on some hybrid 3-4 looks? I dont know. Lets go with Crawford.

I think that Jaylon blitzing more is a good possibility. I'm hopeful that this staff will be smart enough to realize that Smith's best role would be as a SLB and moving forward and attacking the line of scrimmage, not dropping into coverage.

I'm optimistic that they will have him as part of their regular five-man blitz packages that I expect to see a lot more of.
 

fivetwos

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Not every position can have a shiny looking guarantee on paper.

This is probably a product of the Garrett ERA of having to have a perfect player at every position to have a chance, and the opponent always seems to find and exploit the weakness.

I wish the secondary looked as good as RDE does on paper.

They arent ALL going to not work out BTW, and if that happens to happen, and that's why the team is no good, then oh well. But signing a proven all pro to fix a position of question cant always just happen.
 

Stash

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Not every position can have a shiny looking guarantee on paper.

This is probably a product of the Garrett ERA of having to have a perfect player at every position to have a chance, and the opponent always seems to find and exploit the weakness.

I wish the secondary looked as good as RDE does on paper.

They arent ALL going to not work out BTW, and if that happens to happen, and that's why the team is no good, then oh well. But signing a proven all pro to fix a position of question cant always just happen.

That's how we've been conditioned to think due to the Garrett era. If we don't have a superstar player at every position, we suck.
 

Hawkeye0202

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For me personally, D Line is the one position group (WR to some extent too) where you can get by with rotation/reps.

Crawford is a donut at RDE but his team is hell bent on justifying his contract.

Gregory and Smith are question marks off the field, but pretty darn good players on the field.

Armstrong is JAGish and Joe Jackson aspires to be JAGish.

Keep an eye on Jalen Jelks. Lack of OTA's and Training Camp this year might be his downfall.

Between those guys, we can get by at RDE. However, because of that uncertainty, Chaisson could very well be in play at 17 and if Yetur Gross-Matos, Zack Baun, Trerrell Lewis, Julian Okwara, slip to 51, they should be considered. Oluwole Betiku, Jr. is my Day 3 sleeper' former 5-start recruit (with an amazing back story) has battled a hip injury but is a raw edge player with talent.

You may be right.......the fact we sign Smith ($4M) may be a clue they're planning to invest prime resources into the position. Think about, you don't do this kind of contract if you're targeting a sure-fire starter via draft or free agency.
 

Bullflop

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1. Randy Gregory...... drug addiction, started one game in four years
2. Alton Smith............alcoholic, hasn't played since 2015
3. Tyrone Crawford....coming off surgery, IRed 2019, better DT?????
4. Dorance Armstrong.....2.5 sacks in two years
5. Joe Jackson...........?????

Still lots of questions and what-ifs

**Crawford is listed as the current starter until......
**Remember Gregory, Smith, and Crawford will be free agents after this year
**Gregory has started only 1 game in five years
**Alton Smith is one drink from???
**How much $$$$ are we willing to invest in a quality tier 2 free agent considering DLaw $20M per year at LDE? What if tier 2 players ( Clowney and/or Griffen ) are looking for multi-year deals?
**What if we draft DE at 17 and Smith and/or Gregory have career years. Long-term offers or let them walk?

My point, this position is far from being settled. I'm guessing we will still add one quality player via free agent or draft.

Side note: IMO this is why they haven't asked Crawford to take a pay-cut, his experience, and stability. Not to mention, we're not locked into his salary until after the first regular-season game. My guess is they will wait until they've settled on a starter sometime before the season starts to make a final decision on his pay-cut.


https://www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/depthchart/DAL

I can easily see your point and have felt that way, myself, for some time now. We have been woefully weak in recent times at the DE spot, so getting a DE like K'Lavon Chaisson would likely be seen by many as a very fortunate acquisition at pick #17. The DE supply is limited. Of course, everyone has their idea as to who they might prefer, so there's that to consider, too. Knowing how the Dallas FO works, let's face it, anything can happen, though. :rolleyes:
 

ItzKelz

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I think that Jaylon blitzing more is a good possibility. I'm hopeful that this staff will be smart enough to realize that Smith's best role would be as a SLB and moving forward and attacking the line of scrimmage, not dropping into coverage.

I'm optimistic that they will have him as part of their regular five-man blitz packages that I expect to see a lot more of.
Its not that Jaylon cant drop back in coverage its the coaches putting our LBs in impossible positions to succeed in coverage. Kris Richard should never call plays in the NFL again.
 
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