Eisen: If you feel Ezekiel Elliott is the next La'Veon Bell....

[Toruk_Makto]

If the idea is to "win now" and maximize the next four years for Romo, then getting an elite back that can do everything is not a bad idea. In terms of impact, upgrading McFadden and getting the running game back to being dominant would be a boon.

Of course, I doubt the Cowboys would view it this way since all that is needed is a middle man between McFadden and the great and mighty Dunbar.

We should not be investing premium draft choices at RB.

 

[Gaede]

Do you remember in 2014 we also had one of the 5 best QBs in the league and didn't have that guy in 2015?

I simply don't understand the people trying to compare 2014 to 2015.

Offense was awful even with Romo.

 

[ghst187]

I like Elliott better at four than I do Jack, Bosa, or Ramsey. I think Elliott does more for our first exam immediately than any other player in the draft. I really love trading down and getting Elliott. The only thing I like more than that is getting a franchise QB at four and sleep well knowing we will be competitive for the next 15 years.

 

[conner01]

Mike Mayock stole my answer:


Mayock: I would disagree. I would tell you that they're not going to be drafting at No. 4 again in the future, and they've got a 36-year-old quarterback that has not fininshed a season in three years, and if they think there's a franchise quarterback out there at No. 4 and he's available? To me, that trumps everything.

I can get my next starting running back in free agency. I can sign Lamar Miller or Doug Martin on day one of free agency.

Where's my next starting quarterback?

On top of that I like Elliott but he is not Bell

 

[Irvin88_4life]

He's not.

Peterson is a rare combination of size, speed, agility, etc. He ran a 4.38 at the combine compared to Elliott's time of 4.47. Elliott had a vertical of 32.5 inches, Peterson was at 38.5 inches. He broad jumped nearly a foot more than than Elliott.

Peterson is/was just a better all around athlete than Elliott and backed it up with significnat production in college to prove that he was more than just a combine freak when he got drafted.

Which would you rather have Emmitt Smith or AP?

 

[Sydla]

Offense was awful even with Romo.

The sample size is basically 4 games. And the notion that the offense was terrible with Romo is bull. Dallas had 450 yards of offense in the first game against the Giants. Only some dumb mistakes by Romo prevented us from blowing the Giants out. The Eagles game was ugly but most of our games against them recently have been ugly, including in 2014. The only other full game Romo played was Miami................ we had over 400 yards of offense and the rushing O that game was well over 160 yards.

So this notion that the offense was terrible when Romo was healthy is a bogus fact.

 

[Sydla]

Which would you rather have Emmitt Smith or AP?

AP behind those OLs Smith had? It's not an easy decision.

 

[robjay04]

Offense was awful even with Romo.

How so?

Rusty against Giants, tough matchup against Philly and decent against the Dolphins.

I guarantee the offense would've been just fine with Romo, 3 games is not enough to judge an offense especially since Romo's offenses are usually at their best mid season.

 

[Gaede]

How so?

Rusty against Giants, tough matchup against Philly and decent against the Dolphins.

I guarantee the offense would've been just fine with Romo, 3 games is not enough to judge an offense especially since Romo's offenses are usually at their best mid season.

Easy to say, impossible to prove.

How can anyone honestly have watched last year and say that missing Romo was the only issue on offense? And even if that was the only issue, how completely stupid would we be to enter another year relying on ONE player to be the difference between NFCE Champs and worst NFC team in the league?

We were dreadful

 

[Daillest88]

The sample size is basically 4 games. And the notion that the offense was terrible with Romo is bull. Dallas had 450 yards of offense in the first game against the Giants. Only some dumb mistakes by Romo prevented us from blowing the Giants out. The Eagles game was ugly but most of our games against them recently have been ugly, including in 2014. The only other full game Romo played was Miami................ we had over 400 yards of offense and the rushing O that game was well over 160 yards.

So this notion that the offense was terrible when Romo was healthy is a bogus fact.

Actually it was Street and Beasley that prevented us from blowing out the giants

 

[tyke1doe]

Longevity is a huge reason why you don't go RB with a top 10 pick. I mean, there are exceptions to the rule, certainly. A guy like AP for example. However, the average length of a NFL RB is 2.57 years. To me, this more then any other reason is why you don't invest in a RB with that high a pick unless he is clearly something other then your average bear.

I would like for someone to do a study/research on the number of running backs picked in the first round whose career lasted 2.57 years. Maybe I'll do it when I get the time.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

AP behind those OLs Smith had? It's not an easy decision.

That wasn't the question but anyways

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I would like for someone to do a study/research on the number of running backs picked in the first round whose career lasted 2.57 years. Maybe I'll do it when I get the time.

I think you should do that. That would actually be very helpful. However, the premise is really not if the 2.57 years is dead on. Who knows if that number is actually accurate, with respects to 1st round picks. I assume it is not, only because a 1st round pick gets a 4 year deal. The question would be, are they around for longer because the contract or because of the talent?

 

[Sydla]

That wasn't the question but anyways

You asked which would I rather have, AP or Emmitt.

Emmitt was a great RB, but so is Peterson and Peterson is a freak athlete that Smith wasn't. Put Peterson behind some of those dominant OLs in the 90s and I suspect he'd have been great too.

 

[tyke1doe]

The sample size is basically 4 games. And the notion that the offense was terrible with Romo is bull. Dallas had 450 yards of offense in the first game against the Giants. Only some dumb mistakes by Romo prevented us from blowing the Giants out. The Eagles game was ugly but most of our games against them recently have been ugly, including in 2014. The only other full game Romo played was Miami................ we had over 400 yards of offense and the rushing O that game was well over 160 yards.

So this notion that the offense was terrible when Romo was healthy is a bogus fact.

But the offense hasn't gone anywhere with Romo playing a full season, especially not beyond a home win in the playoffs.

At least in 2014, we were poised to beat the Packers. The defense was subpar, and we were still in that game because of a threat of a running game. Who knows what would have happened had Murray been able to hold onto the ball. I'm pretty sure (though I could never prove it) if that were Elliott toting the rock, he would have scored. I've been impressed with him not only because he ran through Michigan, Alabama and Oregon but how he holds the ball. He holds it close to his chest, making it very difficult to strip the ball from him.

 

[tyke1doe]

On top of that I like Elliott but he is not Bell

We didn't know Bell was Bell until after his breakout season.

 

[Sydla]

I think you should do that. That would actually be very helpful. However, the premise is really not if the 2.57 years is dead on. Who knows if that number is actually accurate, with respects to 1st round picks. I assume it is not, only because a 1st round pick gets a 4 year deal. The question would be, are they around for longer because the contract or because of the talent?

FWIW, here are the RBs taken in the first round dating back to 2000. Seems a decent number hung around for much longer than 2.5 years...........

2015 - Gurley, Gordon
2014 -
2013 -
2012 - Richardson, Martin, Wilson
2011 - Ingram
2010 - Spiller, Mathews, Best
2009 - Moreno, Brown, Wells
2008 - McFadden, Stewart, Jones, Mendenhall, Johnson
2007 - Peterson, Lynch
2006 - Bush, Maroney, Williams, Addai
2005 - Brown, Benson, Williams
2004 - Jackson, Perry, Jones
2003 - McGahee, Johnson
2002 - Green, Duckett
2001 - Tomlinson, McAllister, Bennett
2000 - Lewis, Jones, Dayne, Alexander, Canidate

 

[Sydla]

But the offense hasn't gone anywhere with Romo playing a full season, especially not beyond a home win in the playoffs.

At least in 2014, we were poised to beat the Packers. The defense was subpar, and we were still in that game because of a threat of a running game. Who knows what would have happened had Murray been able to hold onto the ball. I'm pretty sure (though I could never prove it) if that were Elliott toting the rock, he would have scored. I've been impressed with him not only because he ran through Michigan, Alabama and Oregon but how he holds the ball. He holds it close to his chest, making it very difficult to strip the ball from him.

And yet we did that in 2014 with a 3rd round TB, who prior to 2014, many fans didn't think had the stuff to be a every down, bell cow back.

Which highlights my main point. You don't need to take a TB at 4 to have a successful running game. Again, if the Rams called and said they will give us 15, 45 and 48 for 4 and Elliott is there at 15........... great I take him because I now have three 2nd round picks to fix the defense, our bigger need. But there is no chance in hell, with the needs we have, that I am taking a TB at 4 when it's quite possible I could take a guy in the 3rd round who could probably still produce a very good running attack behind this OL.

 

[tyke1doe]

No Romo.

It's nearly impossible to gauge how effective our running game would have been last year when we played 12 games without Romo. So while people keep screaming that we have to replace Murray (who by the way was a third round pick) with Elliott, for all we know, with a healthy Romo, McFadden may have been more than adequate to get the Cowboys back to where they were in 2014.

How were we as an offense with a healthy Romo and Julius Jones or Felix Jones or Marion Barber? How far did we get with backs not named DeMarco Murray?

Throughout Romo's career, all I've heard is "We've got to get Romo help" whether it's on defense, offense (a line, a deep threat receiver, a running back). But now when Romo gets hurt, it's all about him.

Look, Romo is a very good quarterback. But he has already shown us, he can't do it alone. He needs complimentary pieces to get to the NFC Championship, much more a Super Bowl.

Darren McFadden has a history of injury. Yes, he did well. But he didn't start the full season, and he also exited games with hamstrings, stiffness, etc. Are we going to rely on him for a full season? Do you expect him to be able to carry the load? Do you want to trust Tony Romo in the hands of Darren McFadden?

I don't. I would trust Romo in the hands of Ezekiel Elliott, though. He's a power back, a speed back and he can block. And I think he'll command eight-men fronts, something I don't think McFadden will do.

 

[Sydla]

How were we as an offense with a healthy Romo and Julius Jones or Felix Jones or Marion Barber? How far did we get with backs not named DeMarco Murray?

Throughout Romo's career, all I've heard is "We've got to get Romo help" whether it's on defense, offense (a line, a deep threat receiver, a running back). But now when Romo gets hurt, it's all about him.

Look, Romo is a very good quarterback. But he has already shown us, he can't do it alone. He needs complimentary pieces to get to the NFC Championship, much more a Super Bowl.

Darren McFadden has a history of injury. Yes, he did well. But he didn't start the full season, and he also exited games with hamstrings, stiffness, etc. Are we going to rely on him for a full season? Do you expect him to be able to carry the load? Do you want to trust Tony Romo in the hands of Darren McFadden?

I don't. I would trust Romo in the hands of Ezekiel Elliott, though. He's a power back, a speed back and he can block. And I think he'll command eight-men fronts, something I don't think McFadden will do.

Did we have the top OL in football when we had Julius Jones, Felix Jones or Marion Barber? So again, another non-apples to apples comparison that doesn't make much sense.

You are arguing something I am not really saying. I don't dispute the notion that we need to get Romo help. I don't dispute that we need to run the ball. I don't dispute any of that.

My argument is that you don't need to spend the 4th pick in the draft on a TB to get a Romo help via the running game. Shoot, the guy everyone is now so desperate to replace in Murray was a third round pick.

If we had no other issues facing us............. if we had no issues at pass rush, and our secondary was complete and our LB corps didn't have holes, I'd be fine. If a TB was the sole piece missing to our SB run, I'd agree. Take Elliott.

You brought up the 2014 GB game. What you failed to mention is that while Murray had a key fumble and there was that bizarre call on the fumble/catch, what also was a big factor in that game is the defense couldn't get off the field against Rodgers in the 2nd half. We couldn't even sniff him with a pass rush. So in all likelihood, even if the Cowboys had a lead late, it's likely Rodgers would have mounted a drive on a defense that couldn't stop him.

I think people are shortsighted in thinking that Elliott is the missing piece. Draft him, everything falls into place.