DMN: Blog: Breer: Rookie thinks defense can be an all-timer

[Cbz40]

Rookie thinks defense can be an all-timer

4:18 PM Mon, Jun 16, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Albert Breer


During his visit to the Hall of Fame last week, Cowboys rookie CB Mike Jenkins put the bar pretty high for the defense he'll be a part of. And that's putting it lightly.
From the Canton Repository ...

Rookie first-round pick Mike Jenkins, a cornerback, waxed emphatic when asked about prospects for the Dallas defense.

"I feel like it can be one of the best defenses that ever played the game," he said. "We're filled with talent at each position, starters and backups."


Jenkins said he's sure Browns fans remember Bobby Carpenter, a former Ohio State star who for now is behind veteran Zach Thomas at one of the inside linebacker spots.
Carpenter, a No. 18 overall draft pick in 2006, a backup? That's depth.
​

The last part of that statement might be a bit debatable.


The story went on to preview the season-opener some more, and bring to light Calvin Hill's old allegiances to the Browns, which led him to pursue paritial ownership of the club before it re-entered the league in 1999. Hill dusted off some that old Cleveland knowledge to evaluate the other Cowboy first-round pick.


"Felix Jones," Hill said, "can be a pretty exciting player. He reminds me somewhat of Greg Pruitt."

 

[tomson75]

Well, considering the investments this team has made in this defense, it SHOULD be "one of the best ever" IMO.

 

[Frozen700]

this is real encouraging

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

With the amount of money invested on that side of the ball, they better play like an all time great unit...

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Mike Jenkins... How would you know? You haven't even reached your first training camp yet.

You have no idea what you're talking about, so please stop making absurd statements like this.

 

[DaBoys4Life]

Jenkins needs to keep his mouth shut and play ball.

 

[Disturbed]

I hope we don't have another Crayton on our hands.....

 

[Galian Beast]

You don't have to have played on the team for 5 years to realize what we have on paper.

You have what has the makings to be the best secondary in the nfl...

1st round pick/Pro Bowl safety Roy Williams
1st round pick/Pro Bowler corner Terence Newman
Tied for 5th in the league in interceptions (despite playing only 13 games, and starting only 10) corner Anthony Henry
Pro Bowler Ken Hamlin
1st round pick Pacman Jones
1st round pick Michael Jenkins

You have 4 1st round draft picks, 3 pro bowlers... not to mention some of the promising depth we have at corner... orlando scandrick, quincy butler, alan ball...

Now let me get to the linebacker corps...
1st round pick/pro bowler demarcus ware
perennial pro bowler zack thomas
1st round pick/pro bowler greg ellis
overall stud (100 plus tackles) bradie james
2nd round draft pick kevin burnett
1st round draft pick bobby carpenter
1st round draft pick anthony spencer

in the linebacker corp alone you have 3 pro bowlers, 4 first round draft picks, and a second round draft pick.

then on our line we have chris canty (should have been a first round draft pick)
marcus spears (first round draft pick)
overall stud with jay ratliff

depth - tank johnson (2nd round draft pick), jason hatcher,

 

[Clove]

Last I checked, we were still in America where you can say what you want.

 

[Galian Beast]

Just as a recap that is

EIGHT first round draft picks

THREE second round draft picks

SIX pro bowlers, FIVE of which were pro bowlers last year.

 

[gbrittain]

Ahhh...they don't call'em rookies for nothing.

He will either help back up that statement or learn not to make such statements.

Neither one will hurt my feelings.

 

[jobberone]

I doubt he does know what he's saying. He's not starting so he's buttering up his senior players.

But he may just be right. This team is about as talented as any I can remember. I can think of some front sevens hard to beat but overall this might be our best.

Of course they need to actually play the games before annointing themselves.

 

[Hailmary]

This is just the type of brashness and swagger we've been missing since Irvin retired. Sure we've had players talking smack since, but none of them were good enough to back it up. Hope Jenkins is different.

 

[Galian Beast]

Last year we had the 9th overall rated defense, starting Jaque Reeves and Nate Jones for much of the year...

We were rated 6th against the run, and we added Zack Thomas a player who has more tackles than any linebacker in the hall of fame.

We were 13th against the pass, and we've swapped reeves, and jones for pacman jones and mike jenkins... We were still rated 5th in defense against the quarterback. And 3rd in the league in sacks... And we've only gotten better.

P.S.

Zack Thomas had 52 tackles in 5 games last year.... Never having less than 8 tackles in a game... Other than last year he has had 140+ tackles in every season since 2001.

You combine him with Bradie James who had 101 last year, and 103 the year before that, and 93 the year before that... and you have staunch middle supported by Ratliff.

 

[28 Joker]

Mike Jenkins at number 25 was the steal of the draft. Dallas will not be able to keep him off the field this year. He will play and play significantly. Jenkins explodes to the football when he is playing north and south. He reminds me of a faster and bigger version of Asante Samuel when he is playing north and south. He is an excellent man cover guy, and I can't wait to see him in cover-3 and cover-4 while playing zone. He will raise his play in Dallas. Jenkins is an immediate impact player.

Our defense is loaded, and Dallas should punish teams this year. He sees that aspect of the team, and he has confidence. I don't want a timid cornerback, and Jenkins isn't afraid.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

FJ is the read deal