DMN Blog: Five best Cowboys position battles

[Alexander]

Given his rep for not being physical enough, I'm still surprised that they ever moved him inside.

Were players like Donnie Edwards truly physical? Phillips has one of the more flexible 3-4 variants around and a "chase" type ILB can work, it is Carpenter's fault it hasn't because he simply isn't physical enough. I am sure the Cowboys thought that since he sometimes rushed as a down lineman at times that he could handle it. They were wrong. The Patriots also thought about him as an ILB. Most 4-3 OLBs project inside, while college DEs project outside in the 3-4. Even Chad Greenway was getting projected inside by 3-4 teams.

It again goes back to the player being physical enough and actually being able to mentally handle the jump in physicality. Obviously Coach Parcells and company evaluated him completely wrong.

Carpenter is like a cat. They can all swim but they don't like it.

 

[Apollo Creed]

Austin is going to have a big year for us.

Holland will eventually take over.

Jenkins and Scandrick will both play a lot according to their strengths.

The LBs will be interesting to see how they play out. Carpenter is the odd man out, and if we hear reports of him looking good - that will be a bad sign because it will probably be because he's beside lost rookies.

 

[BAT]

I'd like to see them experiment with Williams in that 46 look where they rush Bradie James often out of. I don't think that is exactly the same as the "Cowboy".

I am pleased to see James is rushing the passer better, but Williams is even faster and the knack he had in college for stripping the football might be very handy.

You and me both. This is the role that I thought he could transition to the soonest, it is the most similar to how he was used in college. He lined up so close to the LOS that he almost looked like another DLineman. Although he was also used like a traditional OLB, his biggest impact/role was a like a front 7 rover, rushing the passer, shooting gaps from everywhere.

 

[arync]

By that time Newman will be getting towards the end of his career, I would not send Jenkins packing any time soon.

It's going to be hard to pay two free agent corners in the same year so they better keep taking corners in the draft

 

[Doomsday101]

It's going to be hard to pay two free agent corners in the same year so they better keep taking corners in the draft

Hard but not impossible if both guys show themselves to be top CB then yes they would get very good contracts and Dallas would be set at CB for years to come. If you plan on running a lot of man coverage then you better have the guys who can do it playing CB

 

[Alexander]

It's going to be hard to pay two free agent corners in the same year so they better keep taking corners in the draft

We have almost compulsively taken one nearly every single draft for the past five years. When is enough, enough?

I think it would be nice for once to see that equal amount of over-attention to other positions like the offensive line and WR.