ESPN's Bill Barnwell: Cowboys have worst group of WRs in the league

[kskboys]

you are delusional if you think Hurns has great pure speed. Delusional, I have followed this guy since he was at The U. He has terrible top end speed and corners can recover and jump routes on him. There is a reason he was a UDFA coming out of college... Stop it. Stop it. Stop it.

It's OK, dude, don't get your underroos all bunched up!!!!!!! No need to have a coronary if I thought Hurns was a speed guy. And I did!!!!!! Please please please take me off the firing squad list, I'll change I swear, never again will I ever think someone is fast who is not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kskboys]

Manning today isn't even Manning of 2014 and ODB might not be ready to be a top receiver.

Oh, absolutely. There's definitely questions.

 

[kskboys]

A really good offense with an average QB won't go anywhere without a great defense.

With a #4 pick, I want a QB (if I need one) that can learn while I'm building my defense and then stay on the roster for 12 to 15 years to take advantage of it. Not a RB that will be gone by the time I've built a defense that can compete in the playoffs.

Unless Eli surprises, the Giants will likely be searching for their next franchise QB for a decent chunk of the time Saquan is with the team.

Now if the Giants or Cowboys defense surprise people and they get a Lombardi in the next couple years then the RB could have been that missing piece and its all worth it.

If I were the Giants, I would've traded back. I didn't like the QB's in this draft, so I would've traded back or taken Chubb.

Giants took Lauletta in the 4th, and he's a decent QB prospect. His lack of arm strength is the only reason I wouldn't have taken him.

 

[coult44]

This isn't the first time I've heard or seen this mention. To me, it's the reality of challenges facing this offense. It's easy for us as fans to get excited about the number of different weapons for Dak but the truth is, they are all mostly unproven.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24045670/ranking-nfl-best-worst-offensive-arsenals-weapons-2018
NFL's best and worst offensive arsenals: 32-1 weapons ranking
Jul 11, 2018

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  Bill BarnwellESPN Staff Writer

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If you had to list the reasons why the Eagles went from last place in the NFC East to Super Bowl LII champions in 12 months, weapons wouldn't be far from the top.

General manager Howie Roseman went out last year and transformed what Carson Wentz was working with by adding LeGarrette Blount, Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith in free agency. Corey Clement worked his way into the rotation as a replacement for the injured Darren Sproles. Nelson Agholor took Jordan Matthews' spot and evolved from failed first-round pick into an effective slot receiver. Throw in the Dolphins scapegoating Jay Ajayi for their problems and Philly's trio of effective tight ends, and you have a group of weapons that was able to help propel Wentz to an MVP-caliber campaign and keep Nick Foles afloat in the postseason
Kalen Ballage.

Dallas Cowboys[/paste:font]
When you remove that dominant offensive line and quarterback Dak Prescott from the equation, the Cowboys are left with one excellent running back in Ezekiel Elliott and what must surely be the worst receiving corps in football. The four tight ends vying to replace Jason Witten have 94 combined career receiving yards, all of which come from Geoff Swaim. The team's best wideout is Allen Hurns, who had one impressive season in four years with the Jaguars and hasn't been able to stay healthy over the past two seasons. The team is excited about third-round pick Michael Gallup, which is a reflection on the power of hope, but even Tavon Austin has to believe that the organizational plan to give the former Rams wideout 12 to 24 touches per game on offense is too much Tavon Austin

With that hair, who could trust anything that comes out of his mouth.

 

[Johnny23]

It's OK, dude, don't get your underroos all bunched up!!!!!!! No need to have a coronary if I thought Hurns was a speed guy. And I did!!!!!! Please please please take me off the firing squad list, I'll change I swear, never again will I ever think someone is fast who is not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He is a good possession guy who has a good motor when he's engaged in that he doesn't stop moving will find soft spots in zones but he has never been a burner. It's why Jax brought in Kaelin Cole and Dede Westbrook great speed guys.

 

[Bullflop]

And if they prove themselves competent enough, they will likely not be considered one of the worst receiving corps in the league next year. Until they do, it shouldn't be surprising to anybody that they are. The "unproven" label doesn't preclude people from projecting their potential.

Having said that, it is odd to apply the "unproven" label to players that have been in the league for a number of seasons already. Typically those players are considered "proven", they're just been proven to be inadequate.

I have no problem with your assertions. Guys like Hurns shouldn't be unproven in terms of his abilities when healthy. I've already stipulated my exact ideas as to what constitutes needs for guys like Hurns and Beasley in an earlier post, saying Hurns just needs to overcome his injury woes of the past and that Beasley needs to resolve his less than stellar performances of 2017. Those who are satisfied with Terrance Williams' performance will likely stay that way and much the same can be said for those who feel his contributions don't meet their wants.

The rookies who are new to Dallas this are primarily those who require proving themselves in the pro game. As we all know, it's a big step up from what is required in college. It's not rocket science by any measure. It's pretty simple stuff, with no real need to overanalyze. I'm not trying to cast premature judgment on anyone and I'm sure that applies to us all.

 

[beware_d-ware]

If I were the Giants, I would've traded back. I didn't like the QB's in this draft, so I would've traded back or taken Chubb.

Giants took Lauletta in the 4th, and he's a decent QB prospect. His lack of arm strength is the only reason I wouldn't have taken him.

Yep.

I thought they should have replaced Eli with someone, since if you can ever draft a franchise QB, you draft that franchise QB. But if they simply didn't like anyone this year, milk Denver or Buffalo or someone for some picks and grab Ward, Chubb, Nelson, James, etc etc on the way down.

 

[charron]

A really good offense with an average QB won't go anywhere without a great defense.

With a #4 pick, I want a QB (if I need one) that can learn while I'm building my defense and then stay on the roster for 12 to 15 years to take advantage of it. Not a RB that will be gone by the time I've built a defense that can compete in the playoffs.

Unless Eli surprises, the Giants will likely be searching for their next franchise QB for a decent chunk of the time Saquan is with the team.

Now if the Giants or Cowboys defense surprise people and they get a Lombardi in the next couple years then the RB could have been that missing piece and its all worth it.

I agree that we won't go far in the post season unless our defense steps up.

I also wouldn't have picked a rb in the top 5. I wanted Jordan Howard in round 4, would have allowed us to have Ramsey instead. I also think selecting a QB high can be tricky. Smarter to trade down and build the OL 1st then select a decent guy in round 2-4 to develop.

 

[Toro9]

That dude needs accept being bald in the worst way I've ever seen.

 

[CPanther95]

I agree that we won't go far in the post season unless our defense steps up.

I also wouldn't have picked a rb in the top 5. I wanted Jordan Howard in round 4, would have allowed us to have Ramsey instead. I also think selecting a QB high can be tricky. Smarter to trade down and build the OL 1st then select a decent guy in round 2-4 to develop.

QB high is tricky, but unless you're the Browns, the Goff, Wentz, Darnold, Mayfield, etc. caliber prospects can be the difference between getting a franchise QB immediately vs spending 2 or 3 1st rounders over the next 6-8 wasted years searching for one. The hardest part is trading up that high to have the option - or "earning" that spot. #4 put them right there in striking distance. The odds of getting a QB that ends up starting half the games of his career in the 2nd, 3rd or 4th round are pretty dismal (27% - 17% - 8%) and those percentages include great franchise QBs all the way down to a Brandon Weeden caliber QB. You could easily waste 8 years trying to go the mid-round route also.

I'd only spend a pick that high on QB or non-CB Defense ... possibly a LT if he's a "generational talent". The Cowboys were in desperate need of both a QB and defense so I wouldn't have traded down.

Having said that, if Dak ends up being the next franchise QB then they did great. They will have transitioned to a new QB without wasting any resources on QB during the Romo-era yet not suffering any dry seasons while they acquire and develop his replacement. But that makes them extremely lucky, not smart. If they had any clue that Dak could step right into the role, they would've spent their 3rd or earlier 4th on him. Jerry opted for the player that would make them more competitive in all games immediately, not the player that would be a key piece in making them competitive against playoff caliber teams for well over a decade - although perhaps not for a couple years.

 

[VACowboy]

Doesn't mention Beasley and Olawale, who I'm hoping will be starters. I would play Olawale over our TEs, and always have Beasley on the field as one of our best weapons. No reason to have any of these TEs on the field.

Can't argue with the rest, particularly if we doggedly keep playing two TE sets with our abysmal TE group.

Did someone actually suggest that Tavon gets 12-24 touches on offense a game? That does seem wacky. But maybe that jet sweep will be working, when the alternate threat is Zeke pounding it up the middle.

I do hope we're faking that jet sweep a lot. Count that fake jet sweep handoffs as a touch, and maybe Tavon can get above 12 touches a game.

The TE's are just as unknown as the WRs. I like the idea of going three or four wide and spreading things out, but I think it remains to be seen how "abysmal" the Dallas TEs are. Just my $0.02.

 

[buybuydandavis]

The TE's are just as unknown as the WRs. I like the idea of going three or four wide and spreading things out, but I think it remains to be seen how "abysmal" the Dallas TEs are. Just my $0.02.

We can always hope our TEs will be better than their accomplishments up to now would indicate.

But that is one undistinguished lot of players.

The biggest reception total for a *college* season is Schultz with a measeley 22. Between them, they have 9 *career* NFL receptions. HIghest draft round - 4th round comp pick (bottom of the round). And that's from the rookie.

Swaim is our presumptive starter with those 9 career receptions over 3 years.

 

[Melonfeud]

Let's not split hairs on this thing, ok? They'll either do well enough to deserve kudos or they won't. It won't prevent me from pulling for them nor should that be so with any of us. All I'm saying here is let's give them time to show what they can do. I think they all deserve the advantage of encouragement. I'm not knocking you or anyone else here. No need to turn this into a pissing contest. Case closed with no hard feelings. We're all pulling for the same team.

Right-on, bro!