Draft. LB is a priority?

[Chuck 54]

It won't be that tough. If a stud LB is there in round 1, maybe, but I don't think they will reach....maybe trade down.
They like Jalen and Lee in the nickel/dime packages, so they can even draft a run-thumper who isn't a 3 down backer. There are always a few very productive inside LBs who are available in the middle rounds because they ran a 4.75 or 4.8.

 

[reddyuta]

Rashaan Evans,LB-Alabama 1st Rd.
Josey Jewell,LB-Iowa 3rd Rd.

Evans is 234,other than that i like him but he would better off in a 3-4 D.

 

[cowboyec]

Evans is 234,other than that i like him but he would better off in a 3-4 D.

I agree.
I think the preference is Ridley or OG at 19...grab a LB in 2nd or 3rd.
I'd be good with Evans tho...I like him.

 

[armadillooutlaw]

No matter how u slice it a LB will be drafted within the first 3-4 Rounds. This is now a given. This is why sometimes times can’t just draft whonwe want or whonis there.

LB in mind? Beside the obvious?

Smith + Jewell.

 

[Killerinstinct]

Smith and CIchy.

Between Lee, Jaylon and Cichy we just need 2 of the 3 to be healthy at a time. They can take turns missing time. Team the two healthy ones up with Roguan and you have a force.

 

[RS12]

Name one LB on this team that you feel great about going forward.

 

[Rayman70]

If we want a Hitchens type..go get Evans. Hes a safe pick. Like another poster just said..we do need 2 LB'S out of this draft, period.

 

[Rayman70]

we gonna need 2 alpha dogs from this draft at linebacker. We better do our due diligence. NO PROJECTS THIS YEAR.

 

[Rayman70]

Name one LB on this team that you feel great about going forward.

ZERO..nada.. zilch. And that's not a good thing. That area of the team needs dire retooling.

 

[reddyuta]

We love the Boise state players,LVE is a safe bet at this point if we stay at 19 if we dont address LB in FA.

 

[cnuball21]

If we want a Hitchens type..go get Evans. Hes a safe pick. Like another poster just said..we do need 2 LB'S out of this draft, period.

I'm curious why you think Evans is "Hitchens like" and a safe pick?

He looks to be like a dude that is best suited to be

No matter how u slice it a LB will be drafted within the first 3-4 Rounds. This is now a given. This is why sometimes times can’t just draft whonwe want or whonis there.

LB in mind? Beside the obvious?

The way I see it, our most realistic 1st round options are:

Give up our 1st and 3rd to move up and get Smith or Edmunds

Trade down gain a 3rd to get LVH/Evans

 

[beware_d-ware]

We need 2 LBs at the minimum. I bet you we sign one here in the next few days.

 

[Diehardblues]

I’d say with Hitchens gone it’s become the Cowboys biggest priority in draft.

All of a sudden unless Jaylon is ready we’ve been reduced to one injury riddled All Pro at LB and a bunch of Jags and special team guys jockeying for starting positions.

 

[Rayman70]

We need 2 LBs at the minimum. I bet you we sign one here in the next few days.

we had better.

 

[Rayman70]

Diehard...dunno about you,but this Hitchens thing was mishandled from the start. Not only did we fail miserably in having a plan beyond Hitch,we didn't have quality depth. Now instead of needing 1 linebacker...we need at least 2. Losing Hitch basically put this team behind the 8 ball. Ineptitude in free agency...and now what we are doing essentially is drafting players,grooming them and allowing them to leave for greener pastures. We are creating an environment where we are a "farm" team...like D league in the NBA...and I hate it. I get it...we are gonna lose guys in free agency...but we chose to keep Dez?!! and LOSE HITCH?!! That's a big problem. Dez hasn't been relevant since 2014. We have more issues defensively now than we did when the season was over. BAD.

 

[John813]

Diehard...dunno about you,but this Hitchens thing was mishandled from the start. Not only did we fail miserably in having a plan beyond Hitch,we didn't have quality depth. Now instead of needing 1 linebacker...we need at least 2. Losing Hitch basically put this team behind the 8 ball. Ineptitude in free agency...and now what we are doing essentially is drafting players,grooming them and allowing them to leave for greener pastures. We are creating an environment where we are a "farm" team...like D league in the NBA...and I hate it. I get it...we are gonna lose guys in free agency...but we chose to keep Dez?!! and LOSE HITCH?!! That's a big problem. Dez hasn't been relevant since 2014. We have more issues defensively now than we did when the season was over. BAD.

How was it mishandled?
Should we of tried to re-sign him in the beginning of the year?
What if his agent wanted to not negotiate till the 2018 offseason?
What if Hitchens wanted to leave, period, to find a better team for more playing time?
What ineptitude in Free agency? you want in on this silly season handing out big contracts to players who may not of proven much?
Yea, let's cut Dez and keep the Linebacker that would be our backup LB when we go into the nickel, which is played over 60% of the game nowadays.
Source: https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/heres-why-the-nickel-defense-is-the-new-base-defense-in-the-nfl/
Even when Jaylon or Lee were out, Wilson was the linebacker to fill in for them in the nickel.
Yes, Hitchens was a good player for us and could play any spot, but the SOLB is slowly getting phased out and Jaylon and Sean are our starting linebackers moving forward.

We build through the draft. For better or worse.
What other drafted players have we let leave and blossom elsewhere? Leary wanted to bolt the prior offseason when he was a RFA.
Claiborne? JJ wilcox? Bruce too dumb to learn the playbook Carter?
Ah, Dwayne Harris. Damn Jerry Jones for picking Bease over Harris!

We are keeping Dez cause he's the best we got at the moment and receivers now are getting crazy amounts. Watkins 16mil, Robonson 14m, Albert Wilson 8m... and behind Dez we have Williams and Noah Brown as our only outside receivers. Maybe after the draft we'll have another X or z receiver but now we are in no position to simply cut Dez and rock Williams, Brown, Beasley and Switzer as our receivers. Besides, relying on a rookie WR to play a lot of snaps and contributing right away doesn't lead to good results most of the time.

Today is day 1 of free agency officially.

 

[Leedscowboy]

Diehard...dunno about you,but this Hitchens thing was mishandled from the start. Not only did we fail miserably in having a plan beyond Hitch,we didn't have quality depth. Now instead of needing 1 linebacker...we need at least 2. Losing Hitch basically put this team behind the 8 ball. Ineptitude in free agency...and now what we are doing essentially is drafting players,grooming them and allowing them to leave for greener pastures. We are creating an environment where we are a "farm" team...like D league in the NBA...and I hate it. I get it...we are gonna lose guys in free agency...but we chose to keep Dez?!! and LOSE HITCH?!! That's a big problem. Dez hasn't been relevant since 2014. We have more issues defensively now than we did when the season was over. BAD.

We were never paying Hitch, he was always going to be getting $6m+ per year, we were never paying that much for a back up LB, as for Dez have you seen what medicore WR are getting paid Marquis Lee 4y$38m, Paul Richardson 5y$40m Albert Wilson 3y$24m. We lost Hitch and no it was not a big problem and yet we kept Dez who is still better than most of the FA WR out there.

 

[Rayman70]

How was it mishandled?
Should we of tried to re-sign him in the beginning of the year?
What if his agent wanted to not negotiate till the 2018 offseason?
What if Hitchens wanted to leave, period, to find a better team for more playing time?
What ineptitude in Free agency? you want in on this silly season handing out big contracts to players who may not of proven much?
Yea, let's cut Dez and keep the Linebacker that would be our backup LB when we go into the nickel, which is played over 60% of the game nowadays.
Source: https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/heres-why-the-nickel-defense-is-the-new-base-defense-in-the-nfl/
Even when Jaylon or Lee were out, Wilson was the linebacker to fill in for them in the nickel.
Yes, Hitchens was a good player for us and could play any spot, but the SOLB is slowly getting phased out and Jaylon and Sean are our starting linebackers moving forward.

We build through the draft. For better or worse.
What other drafted players have we let leave and blossom elsewhere? Leary wanted to bolt the prior offseason when he was a RFA.
Claiborne? JJ wilcox? Bruce too dumb to learn the playbook Carter?
Ah, Dwayne Harris. Damn Jerry Jones for picking Bease over Harris!

We are keeping Dez cause he's the best we got at the moment and receivers now are getting crazy amounts. Watkins 16mil, Robonson 14m, Albert Wilson 8m... and behind Dez we have Williams and Noah Brown as our only outside receivers. Maybe after the draft we'll have another X or z receiver but now we are in no position to simply cut Dez and rock Williams, Brown, Beasley and Switzer as our receivers. Besides, relying on a rookie WR to play a lot of snaps and contributing right away doesn't lead to good results most of the time.

Today is day 1 of free agency officially.

no offense...but THIS is what I mean. We are enabling them to continue the bone headedness that has this team at a mediocre level. The flogging if you will,is going to continue until we find a balance in the way we handle free agency and the draft...I don't have a issue with the fact Hitch got paid somewhere else ...I got a problem with not havin a plan in place in the first place!! Am I clear now?

 

[Rayman70]

SOOOOO , John..what was there plan? To simply allow him to leave? I get THAT...ok...ya got me there...but what about life afterwards? Can you name 2 guys we have on this roster now that can come in and play at the same level? You ready to solely trust a rook? If that's what your defending,its a failed proposition. The iggles and pats have shown the blueprint. You must strike a happy balance...and YES...maybe we were always gonna let him walk. Got it. But why not plan for that eventuality? See my point? The good clubs know how to do that. Hoping we figure this out fast.

 

[Rayman70]

We were never paying Hitch, he was always going to be getting $6m+ per year, we were never paying that much for a back up LB, as for Dez have you seen what medicore WR are getting paid Marquis Lee 4y$38m, Paul Richardson 5y$40m Albert Wilson 3y$24m. We lost Hitch and no it was not a big problem and yet we kept Dez who is still better than most of the FA WR out there.

We are underselling the void Hitch left. Its gonna bite us in the arse when Lee goes down AGAIN. Need we see more? Hitch and his versatility is hard to replace,no matter how its spun.