ESPN Mosley: Dallas Under-the-Radar Draft Needs

WoodysGirl · Mar 28, 2010

We've spent a lot of time talking about the needs at safety and placekicker. And as I explained Tuesday evening, owner Jerry Jones feels like the competition between Connor Hughes and David Buehler will produce a suitable placekicker. I think that's a poor plan, but Jones did not seek my counsel during our lengthy discussion. So what are the Cowboys' biggest needs that no one's talking about?

Well, let's start with outside linebacker. Wade Phillips, a champion of outside linebackers, told me that this draft is full of talent at that spot. The Cowboys need someone to emerge behind DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer. Phillips mentioned that former Texas Tech star Brandon Williams was showing signs of being up to the task before suffering an injury last preseason. Both Phillips and Ware are excited about Williams' future. The Cowboys also have second-year player Victor Butler, who had his moments in '09. But I still think the Cowboys will look for help in next month's draft. They'll probably go with an offensive lineman at No. 27 overall, but it wouldn't surprise me if that next pick was an outside linebacker.

Everyone knows that replacing Ken Hamlin at safety is also a point of emphasis with the Cowboys. That's why I think Dallas will keep a close eye on which player starts to slip in the first round. If teams get fascinated with all this left tackle depth, a couple of safeties might start to slide in the first round. But I think the Cowboys also will look to draft another cornerback. As the Eagles found out last season, you can never have enough corners. The Cowboys were pretty fortunate with injuries in '09, but they can't count on Terence Newman, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick to make it through the season without getting banged up. So yes, I think cornerback is certainly an under-the-radar need.

28 Joker · Mar 28, 2010

I don't like that plan at kicker, either.

I hope Jerry is blowing smoke.

That looks like a lot of hope to me, and, as Vela likes to say, "hope isn''t a plan".

lwehlers · Mar 28, 2010

i think the plan at kicker is the way jones is going to stay with. jones will not pay big money for a kicker again. the former colts kicker we had really cost us in salary four years ago. i do not see jones paying over a million a year for a kicker again. we just have to hope that the two kickers we have can produce a starter for us.

speedkilz88 · Mar 28, 2010

I'm sure the thinking is if both Hughes and Buehler don't impress at fgs they will pick up a experienced vet off the scrap heap. There are always going to be Marteen Gramatica and Matt Stover types available.

JerryFan · Mar 28, 2010

speedkilz88;3323372 said:
I'm sure the thinking is if both Hughes and Buehler don't impress at fgs they will pick up a experienced vet off the scrap heap. There are always going to be Marteen Gramatica and Matt Stover types available.

I think this is exactly why Jerry isn't so worried about kicker. Plus we have no idea where Buehler is at kicking FG's. I think it's harder to find a CB then a FG kicker.

J-DOG · Mar 28, 2010

This article provided no insight what-so-ever.
I could have written this piece off the top of my head.
No research at all and he finds a way to blast Jerry for the kicker position.

Then to add to the stupidity of the article he mentions that we will take an offensive lineman at 27...that would be only the 2nd time in the franchise history that we would take an offensive lineman in the first round.
This guy has no clue who we are taking just like the rest of us on this board.

Not blasting Woodysgirl for posting this because I enjoyed the article quite a bit. I get a kick out of watching the media who's job it is to cover the Cowboys showing how ignorant they really are.

ThreeSportStar80 · Mar 28, 2010

Outside LBer? Hell no... Dallas will be looking for offense this draft mostly. Of course they want a safety but I still believe they'll get Atogwe.

CATCH17 · Mar 28, 2010

J-DOG;3323388 said:
This article provided no insight what-so-ever.
I could have written this piece off the top of my head.
No research at all and he finds a way to blast Jerry for the kicker position.

Then to add to the stupidity of the article he mentions that we will take an offensive lineman at 27...that would be only the 2nd time in the franchise history that we would take an offensive lineman in the first round.
This guy has no clue who we are taking just like the rest of us on this board.

Not blasting Woodysgirl for posting this because I enjoyed the article quite a bit. I get a kick out of watching the media who's job it is to cover the Cowboys showing how ignorant they really are.

I think he is a big Baylor Bear fan so he probably just threw something together just to get by.

Muhast · Mar 28, 2010

If we go OLB, please let it be Norwood in the 2nd or 3rd!

jobberone · Mar 28, 2010

You can't fail drafting CBs and OLBs. As long as other areas of need aren't ignored.

Woods · Mar 29, 2010

jj will wait and see how buelher and hughes perform before he picks up a vet fg kicker. he can always get one later on during the pre-season, if necessary.

as for olb, i just don't see us taking one in the draft. i could see us taking an olb who is going to be converted to play ilb, however.

Alexander · Mar 29, 2010

I would be absolutely disgusted with last year's draft if we took yet another outside linebacker.

Brandon Williams deserves a chance and regardless of how down Phillips is on Butler, do we really need to take another rusher that early? If Phillips can spot them, why wouldn't we just take another Erik Walden type late? This draft has plenty of rushers in it.

tyke1doe · Mar 29, 2010

J-DOG;3323388 said:
This article provided no insight what-so-ever.
I could have written this piece off the top of my head.
No research at all and he finds a way to blast Jerry for the kicker position.

Then to add to the stupidity of the article he mentions that we will take an offensive lineman at 27...that would be only the 2nd time in the franchise history that we would take an offensive lineman in the first round.
This guy has no clue who we are taking just like the rest of us on this board.

Not blasting Woodysgirl for posting this because I enjoyed the article quite a bit. I get a kick out of watching the media who's job it is to cover the Cowboys showing how ignorant they really are.

Uh, that's why he said "probably"?

Alexander · Mar 29, 2010

jobberone;3323469 said:
You can't fail drafting CBs and OLBs. As long as other areas of need aren't ignored.

But they will be if this is the plan of attack. We have only six choices, no compensatory choices and nothing in the fifth round.

Unless we trade down significantly, we will not be getting more than a pick or two extra. Are we that set everywhere we can afford to go three/four deep at OLB? I hardly think so.

I can understand cornerback if we are moving Ball to safety permanently. We could use a quality fourth CB, especially with Newman's age/contract and if we could get one that handles punts and kicks, there is a lot of value to that.

J-DOG · Mar 29, 2010

tyke1doe;3323655 said:
Uh, that's why he said "probably"?

Well then in all probability we won't take an offensive lineman at 27.
Like I said before, we have taken 1 offensive lineman in the first round of the draft in the entire history of the Dallas Cowboys.

That doesn't sound too probable to me.

Gzus · Mar 29, 2010

I don't mind if we pick up a OLB that at that pick was a great value, otherwise I don't wanna see another OLB being drafted by the Boys for a while. In my mind our needs are:

OT, OG, S, WR, K, and ILB.

I would say the under the radar ones are the K & ILB. And @ kicker I could see us picking up Matt Stover who's made it clear in the past that after Indy he would like to end up in Dallas (he knew after Vinateiri was better he was gone). ILB we could probably snag Brandon Spikes in the 3rd, some see him dropping to us there. Those are the only glaring needs I see, CB would be a nice pick up as a future project to mold over time to replace T-New.

Future · Mar 29, 2010

J-DOG;3323388 said:
This article provided no insight what-so-ever.
I could have written this piece off the top of my head.
No research at all and he finds a way to blast Jerry for the kicker position.

This guy has no clue who we are taking just like the rest of us on this board.
.

What do you think blogging is? :laugh2:

We are taking Earl Thomas. I know.

AKATheRake · Mar 29, 2010

I'll spend a 5th or 6th on the best kicker in the draft. It worked before with Folk and as long as the kid can stay healthy he will be a long term solution. Buehler is never going to be a dependable kicker in this league, it is what it is.

Hoofbite · Mar 29, 2010

Alexander;3323653 said:
I would be absolutely disgusted with last year's draft if we took yet another outside linebacker.

Brandon Williams deserves a chance and regardless of how down Phillips is on Butler, do we really need to take another rusher that early? If Phillips can spot them, why wouldn't we just take another Erik Walden type late? This draft has plenty of rushers in it.

I'd be pretty pissed too if Dallas decides to burn picks on that position.

Gotta have some OL and a KR before even thinking about another OLB.

Woods · Mar 29, 2010

AKATheRake;3323754 said:
I'll spend a 5th or 6th on the best kicker in the draft. It worked before with Folk and as long as the kid can stay healthy he will be a long term solution. Buehler is never going to be a dependable kicker in this league, it is what it is.

How would/could you know that so absolutely?

Even the staff believes he has a legitimate chance.

ESPN Mosley: Dallas Under-the-Radar Draft Needs

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What's it going to be then, eh?

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What's it going to be then, eh?

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