News: DC: Scout’s Notebook: Leftover Thoughts From The First Week Of Cowboys OTAs

[NewsBot]

IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys’ first week of OTAs has concluded, with the third practice of the week wrapping up on Thursday afternoon.

With six days until our next opportunity to watch practice, I’ve got a handful of leftover impressions from Wednesday’s session. Here are four things I’ll be thinking about as the team prepares for its second week of organized work.

• In watching Greg Hardy work on Wednesday, it reminded me of a Major League Baseball pitcher getting ready for the season during spring training. He already has a wide range of pass rush moves, but you could tell that he was having a good day of working against Tyron Smith and trying out some different ideas. What is also impressive about watching Hardy live is how quick he is off the ball and into the blocker. There are no wasted steps or movements when he is rushing the passer -- which makes him rare.
  
  
  
  
  
• There has been much said and written here lately in the media about Joseph Randle’s comments in regard to DeMarco Murray and leaving yards on the field. My feeling is that Randle did not intend for this to be mean-spirited but an honest assessment of what was fact. It is no secret that Murray is not the most gifted running back when it comes to a burst and extended speed. There were plenty of snaps I scouted myself during the season where if Murray would have had an extra gear, those five-yard gains would have been eight-to-10. Where Murray was at his best was finishing runs in a physical manor, but the film showed that every week there were some opportunities for bigger plays and Randle was not off in his comments at all for as much as people want to be critical to him for making them.
  
  
  
  
• It was only one practice, but DeMarcus Lawrence already looks very comfortable playing on that left side. He has physically added more weight to his frame, which has translated into more power. He had a rush off the edge where La’el Collins tried to kick outside to stop him and he wasn’t even close. Lawrence took a direct path to Brandon Weeden and even if Collins was able to get in front of his I believe he would have had a difficult time slowing him down for how well Lawrence got off the ball and his body position on the rush. So far it appears to be a natural fit for the second-year player.

Continue reading...

 

[WoodysGirl]

 

[visionary]

Randle may not have been wrong but you have to get those 5-10 yards first before you can hit the home run

Also, with Murray leaving im more worried about the 2-4 yard runs on third and 2 and third and 3 than I am about the home run

One of Murray s strengths this year was almost never having negative yards and getting 3-4 yards on first down to make it 2nd and 6: now you have the defense on the back foot

I did not want Murray resigned at this price but he was a big reason this offense was consistently productive

 

[conner01]

Randle may not have been wrong but you have to get those 5-10 yards first before you can hit the home run

Also, with Murray leaving im more worried about the 2-4 yard runs on third and 2 and third and 3 than I am about the home run

One of Murray s strengths this year was almost never having negative yards and getting 3-4 yards on first down to make it 2nd and 6: now you have the defense on the back foot

I did not want Murray resigned at this price but he was a big reason this offense was consistently productive

Very good points
Couldn't agree more

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Randle may not have been wrong but you have to get those 5-10 yards first before you can hit the home run

Also, with Murray leaving im more worried about the 2-4 yard runs on third and 2 and third and 3 than I am about the home run

One of Murray s strengths this year was almost never having negative yards and getting 3-4 yards on first down to make it 2nd and 6: now you have the defense on the back foot

I did not want Murray resigned at this price but he was a big reason this offense was consistently productive

You consistently get 3-4 yards on 1st down when your offensive line gets you on average 3 yards per carry before you're touched.

 

[windjc]

The only question at this point about Randle is can he hold up. 1 to 1 he will gain more yards than Murray with the same holes Murray had. But what happens when Randle carries the ball 20+ times? What happens week after week? Only time will tell. But if Randle can run as well in the 4th quarter as he does in the 1st and if Randle can run as well in game 16 as he does in game 1, then we will all forget about Murray very quickly.

 

[Staubacher]

You consistently get 3-4 yards on 1st down when your offensive line gets you on average 3 yards per carry before you're touched.

I'm amazed everyone who watched the Cowboys play doesn't universally get this.

 

[AsthmaField]

Greg Hardy is going to be a beast this year. I mean he is going to wreck some offenses.

As a matter of fact the entire defensive line has a chance to really terrorize offenses. Lawrence at SDE is going to be a handfull for right tackles. He is just an average athlete on the weakside... But he is a really good athlete on the strongside. He is naturally strong so he'll hold up fine over there.

Hardy is a natural pass rusher and he can really do it well from inside at DT too. He is country strong and naturally fast. Most guys his size simply aren't quick twitch... But Hardy is. His hands are about as quick as you'll ever see. He will eat some C and Guards alive inside at DT.

Gregory is a pure pass rusher who just has a knack for getting to the QB. The more I see him, the more I realize the guy is going to really pressure QB a lot.

Add in crawford and mincey playing inside and I think that unit can be a legendary grouo that fans will be talking about for years.

Teams better watch out!

 

[big dog cowboy]

Greg Hardy is going to be a beast this year. I mean he is going to wreck some offenses.

As a matter of fact the entire defensive line has a chance to really terrorize offenses. Lawrence at SDE is going to be a handfull for right tackles. He is just an average athlete on the weakside... But he is a really good athlete on the strongside. He is naturally strong so he'll hold up fine over there.

Hardy is a natural pass rusher and he can really do it well from inside at DT too. He is country strong and naturally fast. Most guys his size simply aren't quick twitch... But Hardy is. His hands are about as quick as you'll ever see. He will eat some C and Guards alive inside at DT.

Gregory is a pure pass rusher who just has a knack for getting to the QB. The more I see him, the more I realize the guy is going to really pressure QB a lot.

Add in crawford and mincey playing inside and I think that unit can be a legendary grouo that fans will be talking about for years.

Teams better watch out!

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

Maybe he's referring to the fumbles? In that case he's 100% right