News: DC: Woodson Says Cowboys Need Veteran Help Alongside Church

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Woodson Says Cowboys Need Veteran Help Alongside Church
Posted 20 hours ago

Nick Eatman DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer

IRVING, Texas – Heading into the 1998 season, Darren Woodson had six years under his belt, and three Super Bowl rings on his fingers.

He was not only an established presence, but a locker room leader on a defense that always took a backseat to the Triplets of Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman.

Yet, Woodson says one of the best additions the Cowboys ever made occurred that season when they signed another veteran at his very position.

“George Teague was one of the best safeties I ever played with,” Woodson recalled. “He was great for our team. He was a leader. He knew how to get guys lined up. And he would call people out.

“That’s what the Cowboys need right now.”

Woodson said it’s a “George Teague type of guy” that is missing from the Cowboys’ secondary, especially at safety. While that’s been a position of need since Woodson retired from the game after the 2004 season, the veteran said he would prefer to see his former team acquire a safety in free agency.

“They need a well-rounded guy like George was. He was probably the smartest person I’ve ever played with,” Woodson said. “A guy that lines everyone up and calms everything down. That’s what they need. It doesn’t matter if the guy is cocky or arrogant, it needs to be someone people respect and will say, ‘this guy knows his stuff.’”

And yes, he’s well aware the Cowboys have gone that route here in the last two years and it hasn’t worked.

Woodson says try it again.

Continue reading...

 

[WoodysGirl]

When Woody talks, I listen...

 

[Galian Beast]

I think that the problem at safety is predicated on a lack of pass rush more than anything else. Anyone you have back there isn't going to be productive if there isn't a pass rush.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

When Woody talks, I listen...

You're his number one fan.

Love,
Annie Wilkes

 

[TheFinisher]

I think that the problem at safety is predicated on a lack of pass rush more than anything else. Anyone you have back there isn't going to be productive if there isn't a pass rush.

Sound theory until you actually watched Jeff Heath try to play the ball last year.

 

[casmith07]

Sound theory until you actually watched Jeff Heath try to play the ball last year.

Pass rush or not, Jeff Heath is simply not NFL ready at this point of his career.

 

[BigStar]

Didn't we try that with Will Allen (average measurable but supposedly going to be the QB of the secondary)? Go after Byrd if you really want a S that would settle the position with Wilcox hopefully supplanting Church relatively soon.

 

[Galian Beast]

Sound theory until you actually watched Jeff Heath try to play the ball last year.

Jeff Heath should have been on the practice squad, not sure his involvement has much to do with anything.

I'm more than willing to give Wilcox and Johnson a year with a legitimate pass rush helping them, instead of paying big money for a veteran safety who would ultimately take resources away from said defensive line. Same thing with Bruce Carter at weakside linebacker.

 

[TheDude]

Pass rush or not, Jeff Heath is simply not NFL ready at this point of his career.

I like won't suffice

 

[Idgit]

When Woody talks, I listen...

I'm the same way. Also, when Darren Woodson talks.

We need another S who can play at a high level. Wonder what Clemmons or Brown would command? Brown might be a good value signing.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

Didn't we try that with Will Allen (average measurable but supposedly going to be the QB of the secondary)? Go after Byrd if you really want a S that would settle the position with Wilcox hopefully supplanting Church relatively soon.

You actually make an excellent point. A lot of people are hoping that Wilcox matures soon so that he can be the starter next to Church, when actually the ceiling for Wilcox is likely at or around Church's and we need a legit star at FS.

 

[coult44]

Jeff Heath should have been on the practice squad, not sure his involvement has much to do with anything.

I'm more than willing to give Wilcox and Johnson a year with a legitimate pass rush helping them, instead of paying big money for a veteran safety who would ultimately take resources away from said defensive line. Same thing with Bruce Carter at weakside linebacker.

We've had a pass rush until this past year or two. We haven't had two good safeties on the field together in more than 10 years. It's beyond me that anyone could try to argue against the fact that we have had zero production from what is the most important position on defense for a very long time. It is probably in the top three reasons why we have sucked for so long. All the best defensive minds say the same thing.. We have nobody on our roster that is qualified to be that man either. For sure not Johnson, Heath, or Wilcox. If you put those guys in the draft this year, they might not even be drafted. When we get great safety play, we will be successful again!!!

 

[Idgit]

We've had a pass rush until this past year or two. We haven't had two good safeties on the field together in more than 10 years. It's beyond me that anyone could try to argue against the fact that we have had zero production from what is the most important position on defense for a very long time. It is probably in the top three reasons why we have sucked for so long. All the best defensive minds say the same thing.. We have nobody on our roster that is qualified to be that man either. For sure not Johnson, Heath, or Wilcox. If you put those guys in the draft this year, they might not even be drafted. When we get great safety play, we will be successful again!!!

Completely agree with all but the last line. We need more than great S play right now. But otherwise, yeah.

 

[Galian Beast]

We've had a pass rush until this past year or two. We haven't had two good safeties on the field together in more than 10 years. It's beyond me that anyone could try to argue against the fact that we have had zero production from what is the most important position on defense for a very long time. It is probably in the top three reasons why we have sucked for so long. All the best defensive minds say the same thing.. We have nobody on our roster that is qualified to be that man either. For sure not Johnson, Heath, or Wilcox. If you put those guys in the draft this year, they might not even be drafted. When we get great safety play, we will be successful again!!!

We have not had a consistent pass rush in the Romo Era except for half the year in 2009.

 

[CrownCowboy]

It seems like it's been forever since Woodson had that spot locked down on this team. I guess it has been that long.

The veteran to get is Byrd but considering our cap status and Jerry's comments about the safety position, that looks like an unlikely move. The same can be said about drafting a FS. Even though I would rather get a stud DT or a DE, I really like that Pryor kid from Louisville.

The dude is a heat seeking missile that can cover some serious ground.

 

[TheFinisher]

Jeff Heath should have been on the practice squad, not sure his involvement has much to do with anything.

His involvement is that he started the last 9 games at Safety for us because he was our best option.

Pass rush can cure a lot of problems in a secondary, but there's one I know it can't cure... Jeff Heath.

 

[TheDude]

Cowboys Starting Safeties sine 1993

1993 Darren Woodson & Thomas Everett
1994 Darren Woodson & James Washington
1995 Darren Woodson & Brock Marion
1996 Darren Woodson & Brock Marion
1997 Darren Woodson & Brock Marion
1998 Darren Woodson & Omar Stoutmire
1999 Darren Woodson & George Teague
2000 Darren Woodson & George Teague
2001 Darren Woodson & George Teague
2002 Darren Woodson & Roy Williams
2003 Darren Woodson & Roy Williams
2004 Roy Williams & Lynn Scott
2005 Roy Williams & Keith Davis
2006 Roy Williams & Pat Watkins
2007 Roy Williams & Ken Hamlin
2008 Ken Hamlin & Keith Davis
2009 Ken Hamlin & George Sensabaugh
2010 George Sensabaugh & Allan Ball
2011 George Sensabaugh & Abe Elam
2012 George Sensabaugh & Danny McCray
2013 Barry Church & JJ Wilcox/Will Allen/Jeff Heath


This is not exactly moving the slope to cresciendo wave of talent. I think we can all agreee Sensabaugh was the definition of JAG and he may have been the best safety in 2009.

Utter Mess since Sanatana Moss ended RW31 confidence. People forget RW was pretty damn good the first few years, especially with Woodson. But Lynn Scott? Butt-shot Davis? Watkins, Ball, Mcray, Heath? My god I almost feel bad for sensabaugh

 

[TheFinisher]

2006 Roy Williams & Pat Watkins
2007 Roy Williams & Ken Hamlin
2008 Ken Hamlin & Keith Davis
2009 Ken Hamlin & George Sensabaugh
2010 George Sensabaugh & Allan Ball
2011 George Sensabaugh & Abe Elam
2012 George Sensabaugh & Danny McCray
2013 Barry Church & JJ Wilcox/Will Allen/Jeff Heath

Now compare this with the list of pass rushers we've had since 2006;

Ware, Spencer, Ellis, Ratliff, Hatcher, Bowen, Canty.

You're not going to find a much better collection of pass rushers than what we had in that stretch, and we may not field something like that as a team again for quite some time. But let's continue to close our eyes to our catastrophic situation at safety over those years and act like it wasn't the major weakness on our defense costing us countless big plays surrendered.

 

[LatinMind]

I agree, Still think Dallas would be smart to bring in a player like Charles Tillman on a one yr deal.

 

[Idgit]

S has been a huge hole for years, and there's no doubt about it. That's not to discount the very significant problems we now have with the DL, and the problems we had last year with injuries to the two MLBs who can actually play, and our problems in coverage at WIL. We've got a lot of work to do on defense.