Devin Smith Thread

[OmerV]

Austin is on the team as a dual run/receiving threat. He's competing more with Pollard than Smith, but I can see them keeping both, and having them on the field together. I hope they keep both. Austin was very productive per target for us.

I'm on the dump Brown bandwagon. We don't need a midget blocking TE. We've got other guys to play ST.

We've got actual talent at the bottom of the roster I don't want to lose to keep Brown.

I understand your point, but Pollard isn't a candidate to cut, and there will be a limit to the number of receivers kept, so Austin is naturally competing with Smith as well.

 

[OmerV]

I would cut both Tavon Austin & Randall Cobb.... Final spot comes down to Devin Smith & Noah Brown......I keep Johnson & Wilson. If they try to put Johnson on waivers and then sign him to the PS.He will be gone when on waivers!!!If not someone will sign him off the PS.....I like Devin Smith ,but I don't trust he will stay healthy.


My projected WRs for the roster, go like this

Amari Cooper
Michael Gallup
Cedrick Wilson
Noah Brown
Jon'vea Johnson.

Why cut Cobb? We don't have many proven vets, so why would we cut him?

In my mind it is shaping up like this …

Amari Cooper
Michael Gallup
Randall Cobb
Cedrick Wilson
Devin Smith
Austin or Brown

Johnson to the practice squad.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

I’m going...

Amari Cooper
Michael Gallup
Randall Cobb
Tavon Austin
Cedric Wilson
Devin Smith

I’d actually wouldn’t be too surprised if the team kept Noah Brown over Smith because it makes sense on a certain level due to the latter’s contribution in the run game and special teams. I like Smith’s potential though.

 

[timb2]

Why cut Cobb? We don't have many proven vets, so why would we cut him?

In my mind it is shaping up like this …

Amari Cooper
Michael Gallup
Randall Cobb
Cedrick Wilson
Devin Smith
Austin or Brown

Johnson to the practice squad.

Why cut Cobb? We don't have many proven vets, so why would we cut him?

In my mind it is shaping up like this …

Amari Cooper
Michael Gallup
Randall Cobb
Cedrick Wilson
Devin Smith
Austin or Brown

Johnson to the practice squad.

I want Michael Gallup as the starter opposite Amari Cooper, and let Cedrick Wilson, Tony Pollard,, Noah Brown provide the slot play and we keep Johnson safe on the roster to develop.. I put Jalen Guyton to the Practice Squad.

 

[timb2]

Why cut Cobb? We don't have many proven vets, so why would we cut him?

In my mind it is shaping up like this …

Amari Cooper
Michael Gallup
Randall Cobb
Cedrick Wilson
Devin Smith
Austin or Brown

Johnson to the practice squad.

My prediction
Amari Cooper
Michael Gallup
Cedrick Wilson
Noah Brown
Jon'vea Johnson


* Tony Pollard slides in at Slot WR at times.


Jaylen Guyton on PS


We will lose Johnson almost positive if on the Practice Squad.. Cobb and Austin are aging vets that maybe have 3 years at most left in the NFL. They won't hurt us if we let them walk.

 

[OmerV]

I want Michael Gallup as the starter opposite Amari Cooper, and let Cedrick Wilson, Tony Pollard,, Noah Brown provide the slot play and we keep Johnson safe on the roster to develop.. I put Jalen Guyton to the Practice Squad.

Gallup will be the starter opposite Cooper even with Cobb. In any case, your plan banks a lot on the unproven. Pollard, Brown, Wilson and Johnson have a total of 9 NFL receptions between them, all by Brown, so Cobb gives the group some needed veteran experience. In addition, Pollard won’t be available for consistent time in the slot as he will be the primary backup RB (assuming Zeke is back), and will likely also get some 3rd down duty at RB. Noah Brown really isn’t a slot guy (a couple of biscuits short of a TE), and Wilson, while intriguing, is unproven. Johnson frankly hasn’t shown much reason to stick, but because of his speed he’s probably worth a year on the practice team to see if his hands are really that bad or if he can be taught to focus more.

 

[OmerV]

Gallup will be the starter opposite Cooper even with Cobb. In any case, your plan banks a lot on the unproven. Pollard, Brown, Wilson and Johnson have a total of 9 NFL receptions between them, all by Brown, so Cobb gives the group some needed veteran experience. In addition, Pollard won’t be available for consistent time in the slot as he will be the primary backup RB (assuming Zeke is back), and will likely also get some 3rd down duty at RB. Noah Brown really isn’t a slot guy (a couple of biscuits short of a TE), and Wilson, while intriguing, is unproven. Johnson frankly hasn’t shown much reason to stick, but because of his speed he’s probably worth a year on the practice team to see if his hands are really that bad or if he can be taught to focus more.

I’m not sure why you are convinced we would lose Johnson if we tried to slide him to the practice squad considering nobody thought he was worth drafting, and he hasn’t improved his outlook by dropping more passes than he has caught in preseason, many very routine.

 

[charron]

I’ve seen several articles that said Cobb is willing to return punts. He has experience doing so in the pros. But I haven’t heard many reports about whether he has been doing it much in camp.

I don’t know if that’s a viable season long solution or not.

Austin is electric on punt returns. One of his best features as a player.

I heard that too but I can't even see Cobb in a game so I don't know if he's any good returning kicks.

 

[fansince68]

Then what about Jon Vea Johnson? I think he's a stud and a great route runner with SPEED

But he has goose grease for hands...

 

[fansince68]

I have been a big supporter of Johnson but he has to make some big plays in the next 2 games if he wants to make the roster. He gets open almost every play, I really wish he could run with Dak and the 1s next week so we can really see him in action.

So you think Johnson would drop the ball less if Dak throws to him?

 

[OmerV]

But he has goose grease for hands...

It was explained to us a day or two ago that of all the skills a team looks for in a WR, catching the ball is one of the lowest priorities. Who knew?

 

[buybuydandavis]

I understand your point, but Pollard isn't a candidate to cut, and there will be a limit to the number of receivers kept, so Austin is naturally competing with Smith as well.

Austin is naturally competing with everyone on or near the bubble. The competition is more or less direct depending on the similarity to what Austin brings to the table.

We're not keeping him to develop, so it's a purely functional role for this year. Does he provide some function we need? He's a run/receiving threat.

Smith, not so much. Smith has some functional overlap with Austin, but not for what we brought Austin here to be - the run/receiving threat.

Of course that value has to compete for a roster spot with other WRs bring, and also but less so with what players at other positions bring.

Drafting Pollard brought in a similar, but probably better run/receiving threat in terms of fit with better size for running and going deep. I expected them to keep Austin as that threat this year, then dump him after Pollard got up to speed in the NFL next year. They probably expected the same. But Pollard has exceeded expectations, and seems ready for prime time.

Pollard delivers the function they signed Austin for. Today. Their competition is for a *role*, not a roster spot, and it looks like Austin has lost that competition already. If Pollard were hit by a bus, Austin would be a lock for the team as the only guy to provide that function they obviously want.

Having lost the competition for that role to Pollard is what put Austin in competition for a roster spot across all the bubble players.

And it's not really the number of WRs, as Austin is non-standard, and so are other guys. Brown is a tiny blocking TE. Pollard is half rb, half wr. Austin too.

The good news for Austin is on the RB side. The Zeke holdout, the meh performance of the bubble RBs, and the apparent ability and likelihood of Pollard playing tailback, all combine to open up the slotwr/jetsweep/parttimeRB role for Austin.

 

[fansince68]

I think if we keep 7 and let Brown or Austin go then Johnson makes it.

Cooper
Gallup
Cobb
Wilson

Smith
Austin
Brown
Johnson

I wouldn't keep Brown cause he hasn't been healthy and hasn't even practiced yet.

Why do we keep Brown anyway? He blocks? Does his superior blocking show up in the games? Is he a special teams ace?

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

My prediction
Amari Cooper
Michael Gallup
Cedrick Wilson
Noah Brown
Jon'vea Johnson


* Tony Pollard slides in at Slot WR at times.


Jaylen Guyton on PS


We will lose Johnson almost positive if on the Practice Squad.. Cobb and Austin are aging vets that maybe have 3 years at most left in the NFL. They won't hurt us if we let them walk.

Actually, I could see the Cowboys keeping Noah Brown for his blocking/special teams over one of the other bubble guys with the notion that Pollard can serve as a slot guy.

 

[fansince68]

It was explained to us a day or two ago that of all the skills a team looks for in a WR, catching the ball is one of the lowest priorities. Who knew?

Practice squad and an intimate relationship of catching 2000 balls a day with the jugs machine.

 

[Alexander]

 

[Altestic]

Actually, I could see the Cowboys keeping Noah Brown for his blocking/special teams over one of the other bubble guys with the notion that Pollard can serve as a slot guy.

Keep only five at WR, two at QB, three at TE and eight at OL and fourteen on DL?

 

[buybuydandavis]

I’m not sure why you are convinced we would lose Johnson if we tried to slide him to the practice squad considering nobody thought he was worth drafting, and he hasn’t improved his outlook by dropping more passes than he has caught in preseason, many very routine.

This.

People worry much too much about losing UDFAs when cut. They get emotionally invested in a pet cat, and can't evaluate them objectively.

In addition to the drawbacks you mention, a rookie you pick up on final cuts to develop for the future has missed all of *your* rookie training, burning an accrued season in which he's no use to you. Just get another UDFA next year.

 

[OmerV]

Austin is naturally competing with everyone on or near the bubble. The competition is more or less direct depending on the similarity to what Austin brings to the table.

We're not keeping him to develop, so it's a purely functional role for this year. Does he provide some function we need? He's a run/receiving threat.

Smith, not so much. Smith has some functional overlap with Austin, but not for what we brought Austin here to be - the run/receiving threat.

Of course that value has to compete for a roster spot with other WRs bring, and also but less so with what players at other positions bring.

Drafting Pollard brought in a similar, but probably better run/receiving threat in terms of fit with better size for running and going deep. I expected them to keep Austin as that threat this year, then dump him after Pollard got up to speed in the NFL next year. They probably expected the same. But Pollard has exceeded expectations, and seems ready for prime time.

Pollard delivers the function they signed Austin for. Today. Their competition is for a *role*, not a roster spot, and it looks like Austin has lost that competition already. If Pollard were hit by a bus, Austin would be a lock for the team as the only guy to provide that function they obviously want.

Having lost the competition for that role to Pollard is what put Austin in competition for a roster spot across all the bubble players.

And it's not really the number of WRs, as Austin is non-standard, and so are other guys. Brown is a tiny blocking TE. Pollard is half rb, half wr. Austin too.

The good news for Austin is on the RB side. The Zeke holdout, the meh performance of the bubble RBs, and the apparent ability and likelihood of Pollard playing tailback, all combine to open up the slotwr/jetsweep/parttimeRB role for Austin.

While it's true that Pollard has some of the same skills as Austin, it's also true that there are others with similar skills as Smith, and those guys aren't going to be taken away from the role by other duties like Pollard will.

I don't necessarily think Pollard has lost the competition for a role, as you mentioned, because the role we have seen Pollard in is that of a true RB, not a hybrid, or a slot guy or a gimmick guy. Obviously that doesn't mean he couldn't be used in those roles, but keeping Austin would ensure we could continue to have someone in that role even if Zeke were out (whether still holding out, or an injury during the season).

And then there are punt returns, which is not within Pollard's proven area of expertise.

I'm not really sure any of this discussion matters anyway, because I think it's very possible they could keep both Smith and Austin. I just don't see Noah Brown as a sure thing to win a roster spot, and if that is true we could keep both.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

So you think Johnson would drop the ball less if Dak throws to him?

I'm not sure, he has dropped 3 balls in 2 games. It's not as crazy as some make it out to be but he must start catching the ball better. I want to see him with the 1s to see if he can still get open. Not as easy against the 1s