Cbz40
The Grand Poobah
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February 28, 2009
Why did the Cowboys choose Keith Brooking over Kevin Burnett?
6:26 PM Sat, Feb 28, 2009 | Permalink
Jean-Jacques Taylor E-mail News tips
That's a question we'll try to figure out why the Cowboys wanted Brooking to start at weakside inside linebacker instead of Burnett over the next few days.
For now, it's just a worthy topic to discuss.
My immediate reaction is that Brooking is a 33-year-old player from a 2008 playoff team. The Falcons have a defensive-minded head coach who knows Brooking better than anyone in Dallas, including Wade Phillips.
He decided Brooking wasn't worth keeping. That makes me nervous.
Burnett is only 25, so the Cowboys are giving up eight years in age, which is huge in today's NFL. That would also make me uncomfortable.
Burnett has proved to be a valuable special teams player and contributor on the nickel and dime.
He's always shown the potential to be a play-maker, if he were given consistent playing time. But the knock on him is that he's always nicked up or hurt.
That's because he weighs about 230 pounds with four percent body fat. Whenever he hits somebody, there's zero fat - let's call it cushion - to protect his body. He's one big muscle.
Maybe, the Cowboys didn't want to count on him because they weren't sure they could count on him.
Of course, after studying the video from last season, the Cowboys may have simply deduced that Brooking is just a better player than Burnett. At one time, he was.
No doubt.
After all, he has played in five Pro Bowls, but none since 2005. Still, he led the team with 133 tackles last season and he should give the Cowboys' locker room at least one player who will tout the merits of Wade as a head coach and leader.
Let the debate begin.
Why did the Cowboys choose Keith Brooking over Kevin Burnett?
6:26 PM Sat, Feb 28, 2009 | Permalink
Jean-Jacques Taylor E-mail News tips
That's a question we'll try to figure out why the Cowboys wanted Brooking to start at weakside inside linebacker instead of Burnett over the next few days.
For now, it's just a worthy topic to discuss.
My immediate reaction is that Brooking is a 33-year-old player from a 2008 playoff team. The Falcons have a defensive-minded head coach who knows Brooking better than anyone in Dallas, including Wade Phillips.
He decided Brooking wasn't worth keeping. That makes me nervous.
Burnett is only 25, so the Cowboys are giving up eight years in age, which is huge in today's NFL. That would also make me uncomfortable.
Burnett has proved to be a valuable special teams player and contributor on the nickel and dime.
He's always shown the potential to be a play-maker, if he were given consistent playing time. But the knock on him is that he's always nicked up or hurt.
That's because he weighs about 230 pounds with four percent body fat. Whenever he hits somebody, there's zero fat - let's call it cushion - to protect his body. He's one big muscle.
Maybe, the Cowboys didn't want to count on him because they weren't sure they could count on him.
Of course, after studying the video from last season, the Cowboys may have simply deduced that Brooking is just a better player than Burnett. At one time, he was.
No doubt.
After all, he has played in five Pro Bowls, but none since 2005. Still, he led the team with 133 tackles last season and he should give the Cowboys' locker room at least one player who will tout the merits of Wade as a head coach and leader.
Let the debate begin.
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