Dak's advancement

[Techsass]

There’s a large group of people who want instant gratification and whine when they don’t get it. They’re so focused on just themselves and are unable to see or understand anything that doesn’t involve them.

This applies to a lot more than just football.

 

[Rockport]

This applies to a lot more than just football.

Absolutely.

 

[Verdict]

The weak link in the offense is the QB. Not the no 2 RB or anything else.

If Zeke gets hurt, I think the perception will change rapidly.

 

[Verdict]

Good post. Also articulates another good reason we should wait at least one more season before we hand Dak another contract. Let’s see what he looks like with an off-season with a real WR corps, his All pro C back, and a OC that plays to his strengths. If he plays a full season as well as he did that latter part of this past season then I don’t have a prob with handing him a 20-25 per year contract.

That's true, although if that happens your average price per year likely goes up dramatically.

 

[Flamma]

That's true, although if that happens your average price per year likely goes up dramatically.

But there has to be a market for him. Most teams have their starter. There are only 3-4 teams that need one. Several of those teams will pick one up in the draft. So who are we competing with? Transition tag him next year. The offers aren't going to be pouring in because very few teams need him. And if one does, we can match it.

 

[buybuydandavis]

I think most every person on this board was pleasantly surprised Dak's rookie year when I think he surpassed even the most enthusiastic expectations. Since that time many of you have soured on him, and some are even rooting for him to fail.

I have my own concerns about Dak, but a I don't really believe that the coaching staff has done him any favors. I think Jerry and Stephen may also believe that as well.

Let's say Jerry, Steven McClay and Co. are right about Dak and reward him with what many here would consider to be an above market contract for Dak, (top 10 contract) but not really top 5 pay.

Many here would cringe at that number and I think that's understandable. But maybe Jerry and Co. are more in tune to reality than many believe them to be.

We all KNOW Linehan SUCKED. What if Dak gets some really good coaching, gets put in the position to succeed and he performs far above his rookie campaign level in terms of his play and winning. What would that be worth?

I really believe that Jerry and Stephen will not fire Garrett no matter what. But I have reconsidered that position. What IF Jerry and Stephen and McClay are pushing all their chips on Dak and saying we are not going to piss off Dak's career the same as we did with Romo. Maybe Garrett really IS on the hot seat.

I believe you will see Dak improve frantically this year, as all of the pieces are starting to come together. 1. He has a healthy, deep, talented OL. 2. He has a #1 receiver in Cooper an up and comer in Gallup and more talent in Cobb than he has ever had before.

The weak link on offense is RB2. That should be addressed in the draft. We also could use a real tight end (Ertz type). If we get that, and some innovative play calling this offense could SOAR.

The defense might take a step back this year if Tank departs via a trade, but I think it will be at least average. The team, as comprised will be good. The draft should, in theory, make us a little bit better.

I expect a trade to happen somewhere along the way, and they tend to be out of the blue and not what we expect. I'm optimistic about this year.

The downside of Dak is that his problems with pocket awareness, seeing the field, and accuracy were all known documented in his draft profiles.

The upside is that we really haven't exploited his running ability and his durability. He's built more like a LB. I see no reason we shouldn't be running him more.

The coaches did him no favors, particularly with appointing the water boy as his position coach last year. Whatever you may think of Boy Genius II in terms of an OC, I don't know how anyone could take him seriously as a QB position coach. Position coaches are where experience matters most, IMO.

I'm encouraged with Kitna as QB coach, and figure that Boy Genius II couldn't be worse than Linehan as OC, and may very well merit all the accolades he's gotten for his football mind.

Reasons for optimism on offense:
Linehan gone, Kitna added as QB coach.

Should both use Dak better, and improve his level of execution.​

The oline should be a monster. Legitimate first round talent across the board, *and* depth everywhere.

Fredbeard back. Yuge!
Martin fully healed. Big!
Although Tyron missed games, it wasn't for his back for a change. Maybe he's turned the corner on the back. He looked like he was moving better last year.
All of the oline back means no transition period in the early season. Yuge!​

Won't spend half the season transitioning to new starting WRs, and will have Cooper the full season. Yuge!
Add Witten and Cobb, lose Swaim and Beasley. A slight net loss from losing Beasley is a loss, but there's a lot of other WRs to take up the slack from him in addition to Cobb.

If Austin stays healthy, which he did for most of his career, and we use him, it's big. He was *very* productive per touch, and I think a great complement to the run game with jetsweep/deepthreat skills. He's a better complement to the run game than Beasley. Big!
Watch out for Devin Smith, an early 2nd rounder who we got for nothing.
Everyone talked big about Cedrick Wilson before his injury.​

I assume the signing of Olawale means we plan on actually using him this year, and I was excited about him going into last season. A well rounded FB with speed and hands.
Rod Smith gone means we might get a real RB#2. Or Darius the Great may Rule!
Lots and lots of very young guys with the arrows pointing up.

Williams, Gallup, Jarwin, Schultz, even Rico.​

I think we're significantly better on offense, and that's before the draft and any other players we might scrounge up.

 

[buybuydandavis]

I'm hoping that new coaches can help Dak's play but that is by no means a given. We know that Dak didn't do well in Linehan's offense, we don't know that it was Linehan's fault.

Kitna should be more help as a position coach than Moore.
I think we all know that Dak could have done more if we used his run skills more.

 

[Johnny23]

This applies to a lot more than just football.

Instant gratification? I am 39 years out when Dallas won Super Bowl 30 I had just turned 16 and was a freshman in high School. It's a full generation ago that we won, oldies radio stations are playing Boys to Men, Jodeci, and Dr. Dre songs in rotation now.

I think the statute of limitations on this are up false notion. You and @Rockport are way off.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Part of my reluctance with him is the fact that I watched him play a lot in college and know why he was not slated to go above the 4th round by anyone. The reasons for that still remain.

The dark side for Dak is that his problems have remained the same since college. They're all there in his combine profile.

 

[NotForLong]

He was easily a top-10 QB last year post-Cooper trade. Not even debatable.

He put up the greatest rookie season in NFL history.

32-16 record with 2 division titles, so he’s a WINNER too.

Can’t wait to lock up our franchise QB and feast on the tears of his detractors!

What's the psychology behind this type of post. You want to give a terrible QB a large chunk of the salary cap just to spite other fans. Fans that can see the obvious deficiencies and pray that this fraud is removed from the team.

Dak is a train wreck at QB that has held this team back. This teams win lose record is in direct relation to the talent at all the other positions.

 

[NotForLong]

The problem with that is if you take that approach he’s not getting 20-25 million. He’s getting 30+ million.

No worries. He'll still fall flat on his face . . . his 9 lives will have been used up . . . no more excuses

 

[Techsass]

Instant gratification? I am 39 years out when Dallas won Super Bowl 30 I had just turned 16 and was a freshman in high School. It's a full generation ago that we won, oldies radio stations are playing Boys to Men, Jodeci, and Dr. Dre songs in rotation now.

I think the statute of limitations on this are up false notion. You and @Rockport are way off.

How so. I'll stand by my observation that his quote applies to a lot more than just football. And no this isn't a dig at young folks. Old farts are just as guilty as everyone else.

 

[NotForLong]

Prescott’s stats the last 9 games of the season:

229/332, 71.1% completion percentage,
2,451 pass yards,13 TD 4 Int, 5 rushing TD’s,
8-1 record

Prorated 16-game production-

4,357 pass yards, 23 TD’s 7 Int, 9 Rush TD’s

Top 10

All he ever does is poach Zekes TD's because his green zone passing is atrocious. 13 tds in 9 games. Is sub par to be honest

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I would rather feast on championships.

And how do you plan on feasting on championships?

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

All he ever does is poach Zekes TD's because his green zone passing is atrocious. 13 tds in 9 games. Is sub par to be honest

It’s not subpar when you have a terrible offense. Not only that but he ran it for 5 touchdowns and should’ve had more. He’s kill it in a McVey offense or with any oc who uses all the tools he has.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

There’s a large group of people who want instant gratification and whine when they don’t get it. They’re so focused on just themselves and are unable to see or understand anything that doesn’t involve them.

So basically they are acting like spoiled children?

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

No worries. He'll still fall flat on his face . . . his 9 lives will have been used up . . . no more excuses

Ok. Everyone knows my approach to Dak. A wait and see approach. It’s clear you’ve seen enough so I can’t argue with your opinion when you have already made your mind up.

 

[NotForLong]

3 winning seasons in 3 years, with a coaching staff everyone says is trash and a mediocre defense.

He’s played in 3 playoff games already and played damn good football in all 3 games. Unfortunately, our garbage defense let him down twice.

32-16 with 2 division titles. Comes up clutch over and over and over again in close games. Most game-winning drives in the NFL since 2016. Very good stats and a major threat to rush for TDs in the redzone as well.

LOL keep embarrassing yourself, guy. How many QBs win a Super Bowl despite a terrible performance by his defense? LOL and within his first 3 years in the NFL?

Only a blind, know-nothing buffoon could possibly say that Dak isn’t a proven WINNER.

Learn football. Or don’t and just bottle up those tears of yours for me. They’ll taste DELICIOUS when Dak signs that big new contract!

The Cowboys record is a result of the talent that surrounds Dak . The Cowboys have squandered the career of Zeke thus far.

Take Dak away and the Cowboys have the same record if not better
Take Zeke away and we are picking top 10 every draft

Stop gifting him the credit due Zeke

And stop crediting him with all those rushing TD's he's a TD culture who can't rely on his arm in the red zone.

Ps .That Green Bay game and that deficit we were in from the beginning I put that on Dak

 

[NotForLong]

It’s not subpar when you have a terrible offense. Not only that but he ran it for 5 touchdowns and should’ve had more. He’s kill it in a McVey offense or with any oc who uses all the tools he has.

what terrible offense. What are talking about. The Cowboys Offense was and is stacked

 

[Johnny23]

How so. I'll stand by my observation that his quote applies to a lot more than just football. And no this isn't a dig at young folks. Old farts are just as guilty as everyone else.

After a while it gets depressing and had. Can you imagine being a Cubs fan prior to 2016? Where you are just waiting for the other shoe to drop or the agony of being a Red Sox fan prior to 2004. We're at the point where everyone looks at the Cowboys as a running joke. It's a will we ever win again question as a fan were the Cowboys are good at letting us down. As a fan I don't have any real stake in the team but winning it all and after a while there is no instant gratification. It's just constantly agony.