News: Dallas Cowboys defense still another year away from relevance

[CCBoy]

Dallas Cowboys defense still another year away from relevance
http://thelandryhat.com/2016/06/11/dallas-cowboys-defense-relevance/


...Here’s the point: The Cowboys are likely another year away from being relevant on the defensive side of the ball. Unless unknowns like Benson Mayowa, Ryan Russell and Charles Tapper turn into instant stars, this Cowboys defense will once again be the team’s weakest link. The Cowboys will likely pin all their hopes on rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott and Dallas’ offensive line to control time of possession in games, thus keeping their suspect defense off the field for a long as possible.

Next season, hopefully with Lawrence, Gregory in the mix from day one, defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford in the middle, Smith at the Mike, Pro Bowl linebacker Sean Lee at the Weak, Byron Jones at free safety and another one or two high draft picks added to the roster; the Dallas Cowboys defense could finally be an actual reason for the team’s success.

 

[CCBoy]

Here's the rub to all projections...


...Team owner Jerry Jones knows the window for his club to win a championship with this current squad is inching closer to shutting. Jones and the rest of the front office have given Garrett and Romo some tools to try and get over the hump, it just hasn’t materialized.

Sometimes injuries have derailed seasons, other times rule interpretations have cost the team a chance to move closer to the ultimate goal. For Garrett, Witten, and Romo there isn’t any more time for excuses. They want to win a championship now.

Enter the rest of their teammates and the rest of the coaching staff. Hopefully they all realize that they have all the pieces to win a championship, and can come together to help their aging stars ride into the sunset and save their head coach’s job.

When you look back on the career of some of the franchise’s legends, I am sure it will hit you that it went by far too fast. As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. There is no doubt that the careers of Romo and Witten have been legendary in Cowboys history, and it would be fitting for them to be able to cement their legacy with a championship.


http://thelandryhat.com/2016/06/11/dallas-cowboys-time-now/

 

[CCBoy]

Mailbag: Will The Cowboys Add To The D-Line? Rotating Running Backs?
Thursday, June 02, 2016 9:52 AM CDT
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/06/02/mailbag-will-cowboys-add-d-line-rotating-running-backs


JARREL GIBSON
WEST HAVEN, CT
With our third round pick going down with a broken foot and us being thin now on the D-Line with pass rushers and play makers, are we looking to sign anyone in the free agent DE market or are we going to sign anyone? I know our ship has sailed on Greg Hardy, but with all the injuries and suspensions, we need to start looking hard at signing a few guys!

Bryan: Talking with several members of the front office on Wednesday night, they are going to ride with the current players they have but would be ready to claim or sign the right guy if one became available before camp.

David: Jason Garrett and Rod Marinelli were both highly optimistic about the guys they’ve got on hand for the time being. There are a lot of questions on this defensive line, but there’s a lot of confidence in this building that guys like Terrell McClain, Jack Crawford and David Irving can get the job done. I think they’ll wind up adding a veteran either right before or during training camp – ala George Selvie in 2013...

 

[big dog cowboy]

Depends on what your defination of relevance is. I think they will be middle of the pack this year. Is that relevant enough to make the playoffs and win games in January if we have a top 5 offense? Probably.

 

[rockj7]

Depends on what your defination of relevance is. I think they will be middle of the pack this year. Is that relevant enough to make the playoffs and win games in January if we have a top 5 offense? Probably.

Big Dog maybe you can shed some light for me on a constant phrase used regarding our Boys. The Window is closing I don't get that this is not an old team. Tony J Witt Carr Free Lee are the older statesman on this team everyone else is early to mid 20s so why do son people say the window is closing? Thanks in advance Big Dog

 

[gmoney112]

Depends on what your defination of relevance is. I think they will be middle of the pack this year. Is that relevant enough to make the playoffs and win games in January if we have a top 5 offense? Probably.

Literally the first thing I thought, "Well, what is relevant?"

If you're going to hamstring the criteria by assigning relevancy to dominant, then yeah they probably won't be "relevant".

If you mean "good enough to win with", then i'd say they'll definitely be relevant.

A dominant offense helps. The 2014 defense benefited from our offense while, being completely mediocre, managed to finish 2nd in the league in takeaways.

I'd take our defense this year over that squad all day long.

 

[TheCount]

I'm feeling optimistic about this defense, but if you asked me why, I couldn't really give you an answer.

 

[jday]

Big Dog maybe you can shed some light for me on a constant phrase used regarding our Boys. The Window is closing I don't get that this is not an old team. Tony J Witt Carr Free Lee are the older statesman on this team everyone else is early to mid 20s so why do son people say the window is closing? Thanks in advance Big Dog

Based on what we have seen, this team needs Romo. Realistically speaking, Romo will likely only play for two seasons. So unless the Cowboys can get lucky and find a franchise QB in the next two drafts, the window is closing relatively soon.

 

[jday]

I'm feeling optimistic about this defense, but if you asked me why, I couldn't really give you an answer.

Youth . More speed. Alot of players in contract years. Relative health for the moment. The return of Scandrick. The players who will make a jump, like potentially Byron Jones. Rookies look to make an immediate impact on the DL. The Cowboys offense will help them quite a bit forcing teams to play catch up offense and the offense will likely dominate TOP keeping the defense fresh. There are alot of reasons this team could be the polar opposite of the 2015 Cowboys.

 

[rockj7]

Based on what we have seen, this team needs Romo. Realistically speaking, Romo will likely only play for two seasons. So unless the Cowboys can get lucky and find a franchise QB in the next two drafts, the window is closing relatively soon.

The age and level of the QB for a large part determines the Window. Is that a safe assessment JDay?

 

[jday]

The age and level of the QB for a large part determines the Window. Is that a safe assessment JDay?

That pretty much sums it up.

 

[waving monkey]

Big Dog maybe you can shed some light for me on a constant phrase used regarding our Boys. The Window is closing I don't get that this is not an old team. Tony J Witt Carr Free Lee are the older statesman on this team everyone else is early to mid 20s so why do son people say the window is closing? Thanks in advance Big Dog

when the romo door closes

 

[rwalters31]

Literally the first thing I thought, "Well, what is relevant?"

If you're going to hamstring the criteria by assigning relevancy to dominant, then yeah they probably won't be "relevant".

If you mean "good enough to win with", then i'd say they'll definitely be relevant.

A dominant offense helps. The 2014 defense benefited from our offense while, being completely mediocre, managed to finish 2nd in the league in takeaways.

I'd take our defense this year over that squad all day long.

Defense wins championships!

 

[zekecowboy]

The age and level of the QB for a large part determines the Window. Is that a safe assessment JDay?

This is the reason why a lot of people wanted Dallas to draft a qb with pick #4!

 

[big dog cowboy]

why do some people say the window is closing?

Most think Romo has 2 years left and we have nothing proven behind him.

 

[jazzcat22]

Literally the first thing I thought, "Well, what is relevant?"

If you're going to hamstring the criteria by assigning relevancy to dominant, then yeah they probably won't be "relevant".

If you mean "good enough to win with", then i'd say they'll definitely be relevant.

A dominant offense helps. The 2014 defense benefited from our offense while, being completely mediocre, managed to finish 2nd in the league in takeaways.

I'd take our defense this year over that squad all day long.

I'll take that defense also.
Our D in an injury riddled season from 2013, finished 29th overall. With a ball control Offesne in 2014, the defesne with better players and somewhat better health jumped to the middle of the pack around 15th give or take a spot. I had the number in another thread.
Then last year with injuries to Romo and Dez, trying to figure out the running game. Our defense was put in some bad situations, and still finished in the same area 14th to 16th range.
The big difference was that turnover ratio more so that the sacks IMO. Or lack of sacks, still.

Anyway, now going into the 2016 season, with better players on both sides of the ball. The offense primed to be even better now. There is no reason not to believe the defense shouldn't be at least in the middle of the pack again, but even improve to 12th would be a big plus.

This should get us a playoff spot, and probably the division. Unless there is something there one of the other teams have that really improves them over us. I don't see it though.

 

[jazzcat22]

Defense wins championships!

I thought it was a team game.

 

[jazzcat22]

Most think Romo has 2 years left and we have nothing proven behind him.

I think 2 to 3 years is about right. I do not buy into this 5 years stuff. A good 2 years, possibly 3. But if I were to bet on it, I would take the 2 years.

 

[BAT]

No matter how you define it "relevance" will never mean "dominance". Cowboys are not one year away from a dominant defense. And Cowboys will need more than a RELEVANT defense to mount a championship run.

It is laughable that the coaching staff is confident in T McClain, Jack Crawford, Irving, etc. None of these guys have proven to be great players, heck a few of them haven't even proven they have the ability to even be available on game day. Having a few upside guys to be excited about is one thing but to have these questions for the entire position group is insane.

 

[JBS]

No matter how you define it "relevance" will never mean "dominance". Cowboys are not one year away from a dominant defense. And Cowboys will need more than a RELEVANT defense to mount a championship run.

It is laughable that the coaching staff is confident in T McClain, Jack Crawford, Irving, etc. None of these guys have proven to be great players, heck a few of them haven't even proven they have the ability to even be available on game day. Having a few upside guys to be excited about is one thing but to have these questions for the entire position group is insane.

Why does a team have to have a dominant D to mount a championship run?