DFW: Dallas Cowboys player grades: Jason Hatcher tops the list, Mackenzy Bernadeau is at the bottom

[jobberone]

Some of the Dallas Cowboys’ top performers and biggest underachievers have been obvious through two games.

Defensive tackle Jason Hatcher has routinely caused problems for opposing offensive lines and injured cornerback Morris Claiborne has struggled to perform like a top 10 draft pick.

But how do the Cowboys stack up against the rest of the NFL at each position through two games?

Well, ProFootballFocus.com’s player rankings are one way of getting an idea.

For example, no Cowboy has a higher ranking than Hatcher and no one has a lower grade than right guard Mackenzy Bernadeau.

Here are some other notable grades.

OFFENSE

– Doug Free is rated the Cowboys’ best offensive player and the seventh-best offensive tackle in the league.

http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***...e-list-mackenzy-bernadeau-at-the-bottom.html/

 

[WoodysGirl]

Tim MacMahon ‏@espn_macmahon 8m
Through Week 2 @PFF ranks that won't please Cowboys fans: Travis Frederick No. 30 among centers, Morris Claiborne No. 90 among corners.

Thru 2 weeks, @PFF DT grades rank Cowboys DE convert Jason Hatcher No. 2 and Bears' Pro Bowler Henry Melton last. #MarinelliMagic

https://twitter.com/search?q=#MarinelliMagic&src=hash

 

[Bungarian]

Any ranking that puts Escobar at 22 is stupid

 

[tm1119]

I don't put a ton of stock into these rankings, but these seem pretty spot on except for Frederick. I haven't exactly been thrilled with him but 30 seems way too low. He's just been ok so 15-20 seems more realistic.

 

[fortdick]

OFFENSE

– Doug Free is rated the Cowboys’ best offensive player and the seventh-best offensive tackle in the league.

This is causing heads to explode on this site. So many thought he had to go and Parnell would be all pro.

 

[IrishAnto]

This is causing heads to explode on this site. So many thought he had to go and Parnell would be all pro.

That's coz too many jump the gun on everything.
Seeing how things play out isn't a popular pastime around here.

 

[jobberone]

It's amazing how vocal the anti-Free crowd is now.

 

[links18]

It's amazing how focal the anti-Free crowd is now.

Free will start to suck soon. Probably when Romo has to hold the ball longer than required for 5 to 7 yard routes.

 

[superpunk]

It's amazing how focal the anti-Free crowd is now.

You mean they criticized him when he performed worse than almost any other tackle in the league, and quieted down once he improved his play?

OMG SHOCKING

 

[Deep_Freeze]

Tim MacMahon ‏@espn_macmahon 8m
Through Week 2 @PFF ranks that won't please Cowboys fans: Travis Frederick No. 30 among centers, Morris Claiborne No. 90 among corners.

An issue none of us really want to face cause they are young guys, but both left alot to be desired out there.

Excuses will be made for both, but as our last 2 1st rounders, they have to show us something better than they did in Kansas City......immediately.

 

[TheDude]

After watching the game 6 times via coaches film, (and I will say I'm not proclaiming expertise), but I would be amazed to see something worse than Berny on a consistent basis. No push, not aggressive, gets stood up and blocked Fred's back on multipe occassions. The only player who could get a block and be in position to go to the next level or pick a stunt consistently was Smith. He got beat a couple of times, but he was aggressive and din't consistently get knocked back or stand around.

I didn't think Waters would provide much, but just getting SOMETHING is an improvement. Make me wonder about the talent behind Berny if he is the best 5 at the momen

 

[Bluefin]

Tim MacMahon ‏@espn_macmahon 8m
Through Week 2 @PFF ranks that won't please Cowboys fans: Travis Frederick No. 30 among centers

Remember all the praise heaped on Maurkice Pouncey during his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010?

PFF ranked him 21st (-3.0) among centers that season.

On their scale, +1.0 to -1.0 is considered average play, anything greater than +1.0 is above average and under -1.0 is below average.

I don't put a ton of stock into these rankings, but these seem pretty spot on except for Frederick.

I enjoy the site, but there are always going to be some rankings that leave me scratching my head.

As an example, PFF has really liked Anthony Spencer over the years.

Last year, in the week 8 rematch against the New York Giants at JerryWorld, I was stunned to see Spencer come away with a +3.1 grade for a game we lost.

Spencer played 60 snaps, had 5 solo tackles (2 solo, 3 asst per nfl gamebook), 1 QB hurry and 4 stops (solo tackles that constitute an offensive failure).

No sacks, no TFLs, no passes defensed.

Does that seem worth a +3.1, which is a way above average grade?

 

[jobberone]

You mean they criticized him when he performed worse than almost any other tackle in the league, and quieted down once he improved his play?

OMG SHOCKING

You mean they criticized him when they thought he sucked because everyone said so and now they aren't saying anything because they don't want to bring attention to what they said last year??

It's a miracle!

Having said that I still don't trust him completely but he was no where as bad as people made him out to be last year.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Frederick let Poe unimpeded into the A gap multiple times. It's little surprise that he was downgraded. Claiborne is playing on one arm. Good thing we got Carr in addition to drafting him or we would be in real trouble now.

 

[jobberone]

Free will start to suck soon. Probably when Romo has to hold the ball longer than required for 5 to 7 yard routes.

Well, I'm not ready to be unconcerned about RT and T in particular but he was solid the last quarter of 2012 and he's solid so far this year. I'm not anointing him nor am I counting on him being more than a decent RT. I'm not impressed with his run blocking right now anyway. I'm unimpressed with it actually. All those are far from one of the worse tackles in the NFL unless you're talking bottom third of the NFL along with the rest of his teammates. (maybe Smith was bottom half)

 

[Hoofbite]

That's coz too many jump the gun on everything.
Seeing how things play out isn't a popular pastime around here.

Jump the gun?

He was awful for two seasons. How long must people wait to be out the of "jumping the gun" area?

 

[Omegasupreme]

What the trend for Free? He actually started off solid at LT, then moved and slumped and now seems to be, at least, out of the blame spotlight. Ware and Olshansky both complimented Free's strength his rookie year and his downfield blocking for Felix showed his hustle.

Is he a fairly good player who just slumped, or is he a just a sub-average player who overachieves at times and then regresses back to sub-average production level?

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

It's amazing how focal the anti-Free crowd is now.

Agreed.

 

[Hoofbite]

What the trend for Free? He actually started off solid at LT, then moved and slumped and now seems to be, at least, out of the blame spotlight. Ware and Olshansky both complimented Free's strength his rookie year and his downfield blocking for Felix showed his hustle.

Is he a fairly good player who just slumped, or is he a just a sub-average player who overachieves at times and then regresses back to sub-average production level?

While it sucked to watch him struggle, if he can somehow sustain this it just may be a blessing in disguise as it saves the team a decent chunk of change.

 

[jobberone]

What the trend for Free? He actually started off solid at LT, then moved and slumped and now seems to be, at least, out of the blame spotlight. Ware and Olshansky both complimented Free's strength his rookie year and his downfield blocking for Felix showed his hustle.

Is he a fairly good player who just slumped, or is he a just a sub-average player who overachieves at times and then regresses back to sub-average production level?

Those are good questions. I thought he was 30ish percentile the first 3/4s of last year and 50+% the last quarter. He didn't give up one sack the last four games last year and graded out well. I really haven't looked at him on the coaches film this year but he hasn't looked bad watching the games and everyone seems to think he's doing well. I have him as a 50+% guy when he's playing with technique and using his hands as well as he can. I don't think he's ever going to be significantly better than he is right now and he's going to have games when he struggles IMO.