Do you think that Ware could go down as the best defensive player in Cowboys history?

[EMMITTnROY]

Right now, the top of the list has to be Bob Lilly, Randy White and Deion Sanders in some sort of order. Next up would probably be Mel Renfro, Cliff Harris, Lee Roy Jordan, Darren Woodson, Harvey Martin, Chuck Howley and Charles Haley. I think Ware has already surpassed all those second tier guys and now has just Lilly, White and Deion* to overtake.

So what do you think? When all is said and done, do you think Ware will go down as the greatest defensive player in our history, or do you think there's no way he's passing Mr. Cowboy, The Manster or PrimeTime?


*Deion is tough to rank... he's probably the best cover CB of all-time, but he's half Falcon/half Cowboy.

 

[Arkyvarminter]

Since I can't stand Deion I'll start with the others. I think athletically, Ware is better than the rest on your list. I think if I had to pick on of those players out I would pick Haley. He was mean and hated to lose. Ware is nice and I don't know how much losing bothers him since he's used to it. In their prime I would take Haley. He was a force on the field and showed up when we needed him most. He was crazy but that's ok. We need some Haley's on this team..........

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Randy White and Bob Lilly were unstoppable. I'd rank Ware right behind those two.

 

[The Natural]

He's gonna need some hardware imo..

 

[Cowboy4ever]

I never got to watch Lilly play except on film. However, I grew up watching Randy White, Harvey Martin and Too Tall. To me, there will never be any greater player in Cowboy History than Randy White. The man was a beast. As the saying goes, he was a man among boys it seemed. I think Ware is a great player. But I have yet to see him take over a game and dominate an offense the way Randy White would do.

I won't even talk about 21. Not a Cowboy in my eyes and never will be.

 

[Verdict]

Personally, I think he is still in 3rd place behind Randy White and Lilly. But they are different types of players. Ware is probably the most athletically gifted of the bunch, but not the strongest.

 

[Doomsday101]

Randy White and Bob Lilly were unstoppable. I'd rank Ware right behind those two.

Yeah no question about it.

 

[Future]

He's gonna need some hardware imo..

Agreed.

BUT, when all is said and done, we could be talking about him as one of the greatest defensive players period...not just as a Cowboy.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Agreed.

BUT, when all is said and done, we could be talking about him as one of the greatest defensive players period...not just as a Cowboy.

Yeah, but without winning anything he'll be in the "Dan Fouts" class. Which don't get me wrong that type of performance over one's career is exemplary.

But to get to the next level he needs more than one playoff win.

 

[Vintage]

Yeah, but without winning anything he'll be in the "Dan Fouts" class. Which don't get me wrong that type of performance over one's career is exemplary.

But to get to the next level he needs more than one playoff win.

Well... if playoff wins are the defining measure of how one is evaluated on an individual talent base, I look forward to the compelling arguments about how Sanchez is a better QB than Romo.

 

[FiveRings]

He's gonna need some hardware imo..

Yeah, but without winning anything he'll be in the "Dan Fouts" class. Which don't get me wrong that type of performance over one's career is exemplary.

But to get to the next level he needs more than one playoff win.

I disagree. I don't really think any position, other than QB is weighed by rings. Defensive players are viewed by their individual impacts, for the most part. And no, I don't think Ware is going to surpass Lilly or even White, there's just a different feeling of players from their eras. Like they were larger than life.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Well... if playoff wins are the defining measure of how one is evaluated on an individual talent base, I look forward to the compelling arguments about how Sanchez is a better QB than Romo.

When you're ranking Cowboys vs the Cowboys of the past, I'll keep Bob Lilly and Randy White ahead of Ware unless Ware wins something or puts together that one amazing season.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I watch Bob Lilly at the end of his career and all of Randy White's career... And overall they were more dominant.

Not a knock against Ware, because he's a terrific player. Just not as good as those two.

 

[Vintage]

When you're ranking Cowboys vs the Cowboys of the past, I'll keep Bob Lilly and Randy White ahead of Ware unless Ware wins something or puts together that one amazing season.

One amazing season? He had a 20 sack season back in 2008. Only 8 other players have EVER done that. I'd think that qualifies. And he had a 19.5 sack season. Half a sack away from becoming the first player ever to have 2 20 sack seasons. If that doesn't qualify as a great season....

 

[Tabascocat]

1. Randy
2. Lilly
3. Sanders(wish I could omit him)
4. Haley
5. Ware

The Cowboys have a long history, way too many not on this list that could be on other teams top 5 such as:

Too Tall, Lee Roy Jordan, M. Renfro, J. Pugh, C. Waters, E. Walls, D. Woodson, H. Martin, C. Harris and maybe even Bill Bates.

Ware could potentially move up to #3, but I doubt it at this point.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

One amazing season? He had a 20 sack season back in 2008. Only 8 other players have EVER done that. I'd think that qualifies. And he had a 19.5 sack season. Half a sack away from becoming the first player ever to have 2 20 sack seasons. If that doesn't qualify as a great season....

No.

Harvey Martin has more in a 14 game season and he's not even on the list.

Ware is an outstanding player. But to be "crowned" the best defender in Cowboys history... No... not based on what he's done so far BUT he still has time to work on his resume.

 

[conner01]

hard to compare players from different era's let alone different positions.ware will end his career near the top of all time sack leaders. that in itself is a tremendous accomplishment, but they have'nt kept sacks as a stat all that long. i am a huge lilly fan but he was a dt not a de or lb so hard to compare them to me.one thing for sure, we have a great history of defensive players who sometimes get over looked by our great history of offensive players

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

No......

 

[conner01]

No.

Harvey Martin has more in a 14 game season and he's not even on the list.

Ware is an outstanding player. But to be "crowned" the best defender in Cowboys history... No... not based on what he's done so far BUT he still has time to work on his resume.

i think it would be neat for someone at nfl films to go back and add stacks as a stat to some of the greats just to see but could be hard to find film on every game i guess. but martin was a dominate player for sure

 

[Vintage]

No.

Harvey Martin has more in a 14 game season and he's not even on the list.

Ware is an outstanding player. But to be "crowned" the best defender in Cowboys history... No... not based on what he's done so far BUT he still has time to work on his resume.

You stated that he wouldn't be in the class unless he won a Super Bowl or put together that one amazing season. Obviously, he has yet to win a Super Bowl. So... just so that I understand... you are stating that he hasn't had an amazing season to date? Correct?