Defensive overhaul

[Galian Beast]

We're experiencing what is clearly a defensive overhaul, but I can't say that I'm sold on the players we have drafted yet. Drafting so late in each round, I feel like we've really been picking up leftovers rather than dynamic players.

It took us about 4 years to build a stellar offensive line and required us drafting first round offensive linemen to achieve it.

This draft improves significantly if you add Tapper and Smith to it, however.

If you now look at the last four drafts we've drafted the following:

1st - Byron Jones (S)
1st - Taco Charlton (DE)
2nd - Demarcus Lawrence (DE)
2nd - Randy Gregory (DE)
2nd - Jaylon Smith (LB)
2nd - Chidobe Awuzie (CB)
3rd - Maliek Collins (DT)
3rd - Jourdan Lewis (CB)
4th - Charles Tapper (DE)
4th - Anthony Hitchens (LB)
4th Damien Wilson (LB)

It would be a huge boon if we could get anything out of Gregory, but that at this point is a pipedream no pun intended.

Over 4 years, we've essentially drafted every position on the field, though we've clearly ignored the safety position (strong safety) and nose tackle. The Cowboys may have addressed the nose primarily through free agency with Thornton and Paea.

You also have in the front seven: Sean Lee, Tyrone Crawford, Benson Mayowa, and David Irving.

Other notable free agents and draft picks include Nolan Caroll and Anthony Brown. The Cowboys have nearly entirely replaced every member of the cornerback group except for Orlando Scandrick.

I guess I'm at the point where I think our defense may not suck entirely, but I still don't think we're even close to the defense being particularly good. A lot will depend on how certain players develop. Can Mayowa and Irving continue to improve? Can Jaylon Smith produce early? Can Demarcus Lawrence get healthy? There are still way too many question marks on defense. If we end up in a similar draft position next year, I hope the front office decides to move up and get a catalytic player for this defense as opposed to drafting towards the end of the first round.

I hope we can get another solid player for the defense in the 4th round, preferably a safety or tackle.

 

[Zordon]

still need that war daddy. i was hoping that would be d-law playing for a new contract but who knows with the back surgery.

 

[bsbellomy]

We're experiencing what is clearly a defensive overhaul, but I can't say that I'm sold on the players we have drafted yet. Drafting so late in each round, I feel like we've really been picking up leftovers rather than dynamic players.

It took us about 4 years to build a stellar offensive line and required us drafting first round offensive linemen to achieve it.

This draft improves significantly if you add Tapper and Smith to it, however.

If you now look at the last four drafts we've drafted the following:

1st - Byron Jones (S)
1st - Taco Charlton (DE)
2nd - Demarcus Lawrence (DE)
2nd - Randy Gregory (DE)
2nd - Jaylon Smith (LB)
2nd - Chidobe Awuzie (CB)
3rd - Maliek Collins (DT)
3rd - Jourdan Lewis (CB)
4th - Charles Tapper (DE)
4th - Anthony Hitchens (LB)
4th Damien Wilson (LB)

It would be a huge boon if we could get anything out of Gregory, but that at this point is a pipedream no pun intended.

Over 4 years, we've essentially drafted every position on the field, though we've clearly ignored the safety position (strong safety) and nose tackle. The Cowboys may have addressed the nose primarily through free agency with Thornton and Paea.

You also have in the front seven: Sean Lee, Tyrone Crawford, Benson Mayowa, and David Irving.

Other notable free agents and draft picks include Nolan Caroll and Anthony Brown. The Cowboys have nearly entirely replaced every member of the cornerback group except for Orlando Scandrick.

I guess I'm at the point where I think our defense may not suck entirely, but I still don't think we're even close to the defense being particularly good. A lot will depend on how certain players develop. Can Mayowa and Irving continue to improve? Can Jaylon Smith produce early? Can Demarcus Lawrence get healthy? There are still way too many question marks on defense. If we end up in a similar draft position next year, I hope the front office decides to move up and get a catalytic player for this defense as opposed to drafting towards the end of the first round.

I hope we can get another solid player for the defense in the 4th round, preferably a safety or tackle.

I think I'm where you're at too GB. Saying how good these cb's is about as pointless as listening to all the people talk about how they don't like the Taco pick. None of us know what we're looking at.

What we do know is that we picked at the bottom of each round, so finding good players there in the second and third is unlikely from a historical standpoint. We just get to wait and hope at this point.

 

[Verdict]

I don't think you can discount a player just because he was drafted late or not at all. That should be evident based on Dak, and Brown and Romo for that matter.

Having said that, there is no telling how well these guys will develop and play. My best guess is Taco ends up being Anthony Spencer as a left end.

I would guess that if statistics hold true maybe one of the two CBs will be a solid starter and the other reasonable depth.

If we get more production than that it has been an above average draft for where we chose in the round.

 

[dwreck27]

You cant have every position on BOTH sides of the team be filled with 1st round picks...

We have had a sucess in the first round for awhile now.... What takes teams to super bowls is hitting in the middle rounds!

An area we continue to miss on and shows with lack of depth and quality youngsters

 

[Pants]

I like the direction that they have taken to get the defense turned over...depending on how well these kids play this year, I think next off season is the year that they dabble in FA to put them over the top; the team reportedly will be flush with cash (room), so that may be the time to get a charles haley type of difference maker

 

[Bleu Star]

still need that war daddy. i was hoping that would be d-law playing for a new contract but who knows with the back surgery.

War Daddy or no War Daddy... We got better on the defensive side of the ball Thursday and Friday night.

& it's only going to get better today.

#reimagined
#mowho?
#brandonwho?
#barrywho?

 

[Teague31]

If nothing else getting the 4 horseman of suck (mo, church, Carr and Wilcox) off this roster was a huge step forward

 

[LocimusPrime]

Lee is the only proven pro bowl caliber player we have on defense.

• T Crawford is an injury prone player with a terrible contract and no set position. Is he even a starter with that 9 mill a year contract? I don't think he's on the team next year or the year after.
• D Lawrence is an injury prone player that is average best. He's has yet to produce and nay not be back next year
• Mayowa had 6 sacks last year. Let's see him repeat the production. I'm not sold on him, think he's a back up caliber guy. I don't think he'll be on the team after next year.
• David Irving has awesome potential, but needs to show up statistically.
• Anthony Hitchens- he's not going to get a second contract unless it's really team friendly.
• Damien Wilson - I don't know what to say. I guess he's ok? I didn't see anything that popped off the screen- like wow this guy is so,etching special.
• Nzeocha - he's everyone's pet around here. I guess I'd like to see him get some reps and see what he has.
• Charles Tapper - I've never seen him play professional football. I hope he's good.

Overall, when you mention those guys, it really doesn't strike fear into the hearts of opposing teams. You might get a ..........yawn................


On a positive note, the draft seems to have gone well so far. Hopefully some of these picks and 1-2 of our young Dlinemen can emerge this year as catalytic players!

 

[Galian Beast]

Lee is the only proven pro bowl caliber player we have on defense.

• T Crawford is an injury prone player with a terrible contract and no set position. Is he even a starter with that 9 mill a year contract? I don't think he's on the team next year or the year after.
• D Lawrence is an injury prone player that is average best. He's has yet to produce and nay not be back next year
• Mayowa had 6 sacks last year. Let's see him repeat the production. I'm not sold on him, think he's a back up caliber guy. I don't think he'll be on the team after next year.
• David Irving has awesome potential, but needs to show up statistically.
• Anthony Hitchens- he's not going to get a second contract unless it's really team friendly.
• Damien Wilson - I don't know what to say. I guess he's ok? I didn't see anything that popped off the screen- like wow this guy is so,etching special.
• Nzeocha - he's everyone's pet around here. I guess I'd like to see him get some reps and see what he has.
• Charles Tapper - I've never seen him play professional football. I hope he's good.

Overall, when you mention those guys, it really doesn't strike fear into the hearts of opposing teams. You might get a ..........yawn................


On a positive note, the draft seems to have gone well so far. Hopefully some of these picks and 1-2 of our young Dlinemen can emerge this year as catalytic players!

I agree with you completely. I think if you look back enough to the draft where we got Claiborne and Crawford, that was really our last really bad draft. There are some obviously really poor choices in the 2013 draft as well. Where we have to fully recover though is from the decision to pay Crawford and trade up for Lawrence and now the failure of Gregory.

It'll take some time for the defense to absorb all of that, but I think the first thing we need to do as you said is release Crawford next year or have him take a serious pay cut. Some of the players you've mentioned don't need to be world beaters for this defense to be good. We just need to start hitting on these draft picks and take less chances trying to hit homeruns late. Fortunately for us, if we've hit on just one of these with Jaylon Smith it might help pay off the busts we've had. My worry is we may not be able to cut Crawford until 2019.

In a post romo era, you have to look at moving away from Crawford and Bryant as they ballasts on this roster.

If the Cowboys were smart they would have packaged Dez Bryant during the draft to try to get some defensive help.

 

[Proof]

I don't think we picked up leftovers at all. We were fortunate (or prepared ) to have two really good players fall to us. Very happy. There was certainly potential for the board to break poorly for us, but nope!

 

[jazzcat22]

Lee is the only proven pro bowl caliber player we have on defense.

• T Crawford is an injury prone player with a terrible contract and no set position. Is he even a starter with that 9 mill a year contract? I don't think he's on the team next year or the year after.
• D Lawrence is an injury prone player that is average best. He's has yet to produce and nay not be back next year
• Mayowa had 6 sacks last year. Let's see him repeat the production. I'm not sold on him, think he's a back up caliber guy. I don't think he'll be on the team after next year.
• David Irving has awesome potential, but needs to show up statistically.
• Anthony Hitchens- he's not going to get a second contract unless it's really team friendly.
• Damien Wilson - I don't know what to say. I guess he's ok? I didn't see anything that popped off the screen- like wow this guy is so,etching special.
• Nzeocha - he's everyone's pet around here. I guess I'd like to see him get some reps and see what he has.
• Charles Tapper - I've never seen him play professional football. I hope he's good.

Overall, when you mention those guys, it really doesn't strike fear into the hearts of opposing teams. You might get a ..........yawn................


On a positive note, the draft seems to have gone well so far. Hopefully some of these picks and 1-2 of our young Dlinemen can emerge this year as catalytic players!

Yes, Individually they may not seem like fearsome players, but add in some players, like our 3 picks so far, as well, Jaylon Smith. And as a group...a TEAM...collectively they can get it done.
I will wait and see how they look and do before I get all down about individual names.
It wasn't all so horrible last year, and the points per game were very good. It was the passing game that hurt. And now that can be better, or should be better.

 

[JBS]

Lee is the only proven pro bowl caliber player we have on defense.

• T Crawford is an injury prone player with a terrible contract and no set position. Is he even a starter with that 9 mill a year contract? I don't think he's on the team next year or the year after.
• D Lawrence is an injury prone player that is average best. He's has yet to produce and nay not be back next year
• Mayowa had 6 sacks last year. Let's see him repeat the production. I'm not sold on him, think he's a back up caliber guy. I don't think he'll be on the team after next year.
• David Irving has awesome potential, but needs to show up statistically.
• Anthony Hitchens- he's not going to get a second contract unless it's really team friendly.
• Damien Wilson - I don't know what to say. I guess he's ok? I didn't see anything that popped off the screen- like wow this guy is so,etching special.
• Nzeocha - he's everyone's pet around here. I guess I'd like to see him get some reps and see what he has.
• Charles Tapper - I've never seen him play professional football. I hope he's good.

Overall, when you mention those guys, it really doesn't strike fear into the hearts of opposing teams. You might get a ..........yawn................


On a positive note, the draft seems to have gone well so far. Hopefully some of these picks and 1-2 of our young Dlinemen can emerge this year as catalytic players!

Well yeah..you just listed a whole bunch of nothing..those guys are bums..we know this..

Jaylon Smith
Taco
Cheeto
Lewis

We have to hit on these guys

 

[JBell]

Our offense is full of mid round guys, and couple of gems we got in the late first (Dez & Fred). Wouldn't call them leftovers.

 

[cowboyz]

i'd still like a linebacker. not sold on hitchens and company. and jaylon will essentially be a rookie

 

[speedkilz88]

I don't think we picked up leftovers at all. We were fortunate (or prepared ) to have two really good players fall to us. Very happy. There was certainly potential for the board to break poorly for us, but nope!

Kevin King was a Leftovers. (If he anyone knows the tv show)

 

[LocimusPrime]

i'd still like a linebacker. not sold on hitchens and company. and jaylon will essentially be a rookie

 

[Teague31]

i'd still like a linebacker. not sold on hitchens and company. and jaylon will essentially be a rookie

Blair Brown?

 

[big dog cowboy]

Drafting so late in each round, I feel like we've really been picking up leftovers rather than dynamic players.

No man the Cowboys have been stealing players from teams picking early in the next round.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Yeah, they might be "leftovers" but at least th

I don't think we picked up leftovers at all. We were fortunate (or prepared ) to have two really good players fall to us. Very happy. There was certainly potential for the board to break poorly for us, but nope!

"Leftovers" was a poor choice of wording.