DMN: Cowboys coach Jason Garrett dishes on free-agent acquisitions, changes on defense and new play

[jobberone]

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett dishes on free-agent acquisitions, changes on defense and new playcalling hierarchy
dmoore@***BANNED-URL*** Published: 29 March 2014 03:12 PM
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Not all of Jason Garrett’s time these days is spent hanging out with Tony Romo at college basketball games.

Organized team activities begin in three weeks. The draft comes 21/2 weeks later.

Action is about to heat up at Valley Ranch. The Cowboys head coach talks about the players the club has signed this off-season, his new emphasis on defense, his thoughts on a couple of young defensive players and the addition of Scott Linehan to call plays on offense.

On adding defensive linemen Terrell McClain, Jeremy Mincey and Henry Melton in free agency: “We feel like [McClain] is an interior player who can have an impact on our team,” Garrett said. “We’re excited about just really seeing him. Is he truly a nose, is he a potential under tackle, a three-technique?

“Mincey is just a really solid football player. We see him as a defensive end candidate. He plays hard, he plays the right way and has done that a number of years.”

Garrett spoke of the impact Melton had at defensive tackle in Chicago and how the snaps he spent as a Grapevine High School and University of Texas running back come into play.

“You see some of those running back traits in terms of quickness, explosiveness, change of direction,’’ Garrett said. “He was hurt last year and only played in three games. He’s coming off an ACL, but he played very well for Rod Marinelli a couple of years ago and I feel like we can get him to that place.’’

Would Garrett consider inserting Melton as a fullback near the goal line?

“He was very quick to tell me that he was a running back, not a fullback, in high school and college,” Garrett said. “That guy Jamaal Charles kinda got in his way down there at Texas.

“It was a long discussion and a long explanation.”

http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sports/...-on-defense-and-new-playcalling-hierarchy.ece

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[jobberone]

Maybe the DL is in better shape predraft than we're giving it credit for???

 

[Hoofbite]

Weeden is a developmental guy?

 

[waving monkey]

well Weeden has not been in the league so long
maybe he needs a little more steeping

 

[Hoofbite]

well Weeden has not been in the league so long
maybe he needs a little more steeping

He's gonna be 31.

Why not develop someone who can actually play a couple years if he's going to pan out.

 

[Bullflop]

I'll believe Garrett isn't exaggerating the talents of McClain and Mincey whenever I've seen them produce as he anticipates.
Sorry but it's difficult to see them as anything exceptional when they haven't earned reputations that indicate nearly as much.

 

[4lifecowboy]

Maybe the DL is in better shape predraft that we're giving it credit for???

It really is, and it softens the need to go DL heavy early in the draft. Unless Donald falls in our lap, I really believe another position(s) will be our first and possibly second round picks. Look at Marinelli's history he prides himself at finding rushman in later rounds.

 

[Bullflop]

He's gonna be 31.

Why not develop someone who can actually play a couple years if he's going to pan out.

He's got some NFL experience and my guess is that perhaps the idea is to get someone who could play if Romo can't make it through camp and Orton gets injured in the regular season. He's also supposed to serve as a "camp arm" while Romo rehabs. Could they just as easily have acquired someone younger to do the same? Probably so but somebody may have seen Weeden as having possibilities that not everyone agrees upon. One can only wonder who that was . . .

 

[4lifecowboy]

I'll believe Garrett isn't exaggerating the talents of McClain and Mincey whenever I've seen them produce as he anticipates.
Sorry but it's difficult to see them as anything exceptional when they haven't earned reputations that indicate nearly as much.

It is not Garrett's assessment that I have confidences in it is Marinelli's.

 

[Cumart21]

It's this time of year when I start drinking the Garrett kool-aid.

 

[jobberone]

Weeden is a developmental guy?

Actually that's a good question. I haven't given it much thought. My guess is they will groom him for Orton's job or he's camp fodder. I suppose keeping him is up to his performance. As to his age that makes me feel he could become a career backup. I'm sure he'll hope to get a chance to start somewhere.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday that the former Cleveland Browns quarterback has signed a two-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys, according to a team source. The team later made the move official. Weeden, 30, received a two-year contract for the league minimum. He still has $2.1 million guarantees on his rookie deal with theBrowns.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...don-weeden-dallas-cowboys-sign-2year-contract

So the Brown's are paying the guy and he signs for he minimum. Not a lot to lose. But he can learn from Orton, Romo and Wilson as well as Garrett. Everytime you step on the field you learn something(s).

 

[burmafrd]

It is not Garrett's assessment that I have confidences in it is Marinelli's.

if the talent is not there then the best coaches in the world are helpless

 

[RonSpringsdaman20]

Maybe the DL is in better shape predraft than we're giving it credit for???

I don't know. It think we may have two quailty starters on our roster now.... I would love to acqiure 3 D-lineman in the draft. If two pan out, we are ahead of the curve.

 

[4lifecowboy]

if the talent is not there then the best coaches in the world are helpless

I agree. But there is a difference between not having talent and having untapped talent, and finding untapped talent is what separate the best of coaches from the of rest of coaches.

 

[starfrombirth]

He's gonna be 31.

Why not develop someone who can actually play a couple years if he's going to pan out.

coachspeak.... he's not gonna say "Well we had to have an insurance policy in case Orton tries to hold us hostage and/or retire.". right?

 

[jobberone]

I don't know. It think we may have two quailty starters on our roster now.... I would love to acqiure 3 D-lineman in the draft. If two pan out, we are ahead of the curve.

Not sure what you mean by quality but I think Bass and Crawford will work out well esp in a rotation which I'm very big on. That's what we did in the early 90s. You just keep hammering and make the other team bring their hardhats. Selvie didn't impress me in the run but I think he's got decent pass rush. With better LB play (read healthy LBers) he won't look so weak in the run IMO. Melton will work his way into being your 3 guy and McClain should do reasonably well in rotation.

I tend to think of guys getting decent pressure in rotation with your 1-3 guys who are going to make a few more plays. We don't have a Ware now. So we'll just have to 'wear' them down. (yes corny).

 

[tantrix1969]

Weeden is a developmental guy?

I'm sure we all have faith in Garrett to develop Weeden even though Norv couldn't.

 

[MissionCoach]

Weeden is a developmental guy?

Maybe Jerry is training him too

 

[Rockport]

It really is, and it softens the need to go DL heavy early in the draft. Unless Donald falls in our lap, I really believe another position(s) will be our first and possibly second round picks. Look at Marinelli's history he prides himself at finding rushman in later rounds.

Whoaa there. Last years defense was the worst ever for Dallas, we sign 2 scrubs and 1 guy recently coming off a torn ACL and you want to forego drafting defensive help early? That would be a huge mistake and Jerry'esque.

 

[4lifecowboy]

Whoaa there. Last years defense was the worst ever for Dallas, we sign 2 scrubs and 1 guy recently coming off a torn ACL and you want to forego drafting defensive help early? That would be a huge mistake and Jerry'esque.

The mistake lies in thinking that we have the same DL returning from last year. Including the 3 players signed in free agency we have 2 more coming back from IR which is 5 players that were not a part of the "scrubs" we trotted out there last year. Jerry'esque would be drafting players because we need DL. We need good players, especially at FS, LB, OG and DL and to me which order they come in is insignificant you take the best player available. Add that with the confidence I have in Marinelli to find his type of Lineman in the later rounds. I stand by my original post, the addition of the defensive lineman in free agency softens our need to address the defensive line early in the draft.