Exclusive Interview With Matt Johnson

[visionary]

This is your usual dribble. Strawmen. No one here saying he's a good player. We are saying we don't know how good or how bad he is. But you keep on amusing yourself then patting yourself on the back along with your posse.

i am not the one making things out of straw

i am just one that can see through it

 

[jobberone]

I don't have to spin it. I'm stating facts. While most of the fan base was busy anointing Doug Free some top talent and welcomed that God awful contract extension that the team had to eventually re-do I said he was a mediocre player. Which is exactly what he is. It was like the Miles Austin situation. OMG this guy is great, pay him like he's Andre Johnson. Except he wasn't. Far from it. This is why I'm right more than most of the others. I don't let their Cowboy connection cloud my vision.

Doug Free is exactly what I said he was.

I have you marked down as Bernadeau being potentially dominant. I can't wait to see it. I have a feeling I'll find Hoffa's body before this happens. But as of right now, all I've ever said about Bernadeau is he is not a quality starting player in this league. No rational fan would say that has been disproven. Now as a C/G backup, yes...I like him on the roster and have said so many times.

We got Waters because the team lacked any confidence in Bernadeau after his craptacular 2012 season. It wasn't about bringing a home town kid home. That's nonsense. We tried to get Brandon Moore and he backed off the agreement. This move was made as a direct result of Bernadeau's play.

I say he's a backup player in the league. He can fill in on the short term but you never want him playing too much. It'd be a position you'd constantly be looking to upgrade with a better talent.

You can't even read what I'm saying correctly. Where did I say he was potentially dominant? I said he could dominate one play then look horrible the next. That was 2012 and pre 2013 from me and I've been consistent. I've also said I don't trust him although much more than post 2012. He has the potential to be dominant on certain plays but he's way too inconsistent for me to consider him developing into a dominant guard. He can do the job outside of pulling well and playing in space.

Most of this is an attempt to divert attention and redirect the conversation.

That's spin.

I've never said Free was a great player although he played very well early on last year. I said post 2012 he wasn't nearly as bad as most were saying including you. Same thing with Mack. You even said once last year that you couldn't believe some of the stuff I came up with after my saying Mack had the ability to play well and I didn't know all the reasons he was so terribly inconsistent except for his feet.

That's spin.

Now let me preemptively strike before you spin that into something I didn't say or mean. Neither Free nor Mack are players I would be content with not bothering to gather competition. And I've been on record

 

[jobberone]

i am not the one making things out of straw

i am just one that can see through it

Denial with grandiose ideations. A good defense mechanism.

 

[jnday]

They don't have to be some kind of big overachievers for Risen to have been dead wrong about them, jnday. That interpretation requires moving the goalposts all the way to midfield on both of these players.

Neither has the production that matches the salary they received. Both are borderline starter-quality, but they have been payed like good players. Having either one of these players starting creates an inconsistent line. With a little investment, both can and should be upgraded.

 

[jobberone]

You just knocked it out if the park. It is crazy to think of Free and Bern as some kind of big over-achievers.

Who is calling them overachievers?

Free is who he's always been. An average to better tackle who strains to play at that level at times because of technique. You're conflating this issue with his contract which has zip to do with his on the field play.

Mack is a very strong guy who struggles with his feet which makes him look very poor at times. I don't know enough (nor you) to decide if he can learn to overcome that deficit, whether or not its genetic or technique or both, nor how much is mental. The fact our OL coach likes the player should make anyone start asking themselves questions. However, it's too easy for you to write that off as 'oh, coaches always say that' without any idea of whether or not it's true (which it is) and too hard for you to figure out what are the minuses and/or pluses of the player. He's never going to be a ballet dancer in space either no matter how hard he works at it or gets coached up. That's not saying he can't be a serviceable or better guard.

 

[dboyz]

Because Jerry was able to hire Bill to get his stadium built. Without those years we're the same 5-11 team we were before he arrived.

I disagree, too much time has passed to put in on that. We have a handful or less of players from Bill's time here and not all of them can be traced to Bill's management (Ware was not Bill's number one choice, Romo was an UFA). Bill hasn't coached here since 2006 and his last draft featured Bobby Carpenter. Don't get me wrong, the 2005 draft was an all time great draft, but not much is even left of that. I like Big Bill as much as anyone, but the latter half of 2006, our defense was shredded and Big Bill had no answers. Sound familiar, like 2010, 2012 and 2013.

The operation has been average. The optimists want to think it is better and the negatives want to say it is worse, but it is what it is: average.

 

[Idgit]

Neither has the production that matches the salary they received. Both are borderline starter-quality, but they have been payed like good players. Having either one of these players starting creates an inconsistent line. With a little investment, both can and should be upgraded.

You don't think Doug Free was worth his salary last season? Really?

Or Mack, for that matter? You guys who wanted to hand out a $60M contract for a FA OG just two seasons ago? By how estimations of value, and of performance, can change around here based on which side of the argument you happen to be propping up at the time.

The reality is, Free was overpaid, and is now a relative value. Mack is a fine value for the quality of play he delivers, and was a very good solution to an OG problem at a time when we neither had the picks nor the cap room to throw at a position that is routinely staffed by guys exactly like Mackenzie Bernadeau on competitive teams capable of winning it all.

We also saw an offensive line that went from a liability to a strength in one offseason by adding one single player to a hodgepodge at the same position a year before, and that finally got a little bit of consistency after stabilizing the OL coach and developing some players. And we did it without the ridiculous investments most of you guys were barking about every single day of the the offseason each of the last two years.

 

[jnday]

Who is calling them overachievers?

Free is who he's always been. An average to better tackle who strains to play at that level at times because of technique. You're conflating this issue with his contract which has zip to do with his on the field play.

Mack is a very strong guy who struggles with his feet which makes him look very poor at times. I don't know enough (nor you) to decide if he can learn to overcome that deficit, whether or not its genetic or technique or both, nor how much is mental. The fact our OL coach likes the player should make anyone start asking themselves questions. However, it's too easy for you to write that off as 'oh, coaches always say that' without any idea of whether or not it's true (which it is) and too hard for you to figure out what are the minuses and/or pluses of the player. He's never going to be a ballet dancer in space either no matter how hard he works at it or gets coached up. That's not saying he can't be a serviceable or better guard.

I am impressed that you think you know what I do or don't know. You don't have a clue.

 

[jnday]

You don't think Doug Free was worth his salary last season? Really?

Or Mack, for that matter? You guys who wanted to hand out a $60M contract for a FA OG just two seasons ago? By how estimations of value, and of performance, can change around here based on which side of the argument you happen to be propping up at the time.

The reality is, Free was overpaid, and is now a relative value. Mack is a fine value for the quality of play he delivers, and was a very good solution to an OG problem at a time when we neither had the picks nor the cap room to throw at a position that is routinely staffed by guys exactly like Mackenzie Bernadeau on competitive teams capable of winning it all.

We also saw an offensive line that went from a liability to a strength in one offseason by adding one single player to a hodgepodge at the same position a year before, and that finally got a little bit of consistency after stabilizing the OL coach and developing some players. And we did it without the ridiculous investments most of you guys were barking about every single day of the the offseason each of the last two years.

Get your facts straight buddy. I never wanted a 60 million free agent. The oline could have have and should have been built in a different manner. It is no surprise that you are content with jag olinemen. You have been against rebuilding it with quality players from the start. You have stated that you like the ideal of developing linemen instead of investing in them. I like that approach as well. You just have a problem understanding that Dallas has a horrible history of doing this. You support moves like the Bern signing, but what value has he offered? Signed to be a starter, but Waters had to come off the couch to offer a solution. The guy hasn't changed the least bit from his Carolina days. He can not be depended on from game to game to play at a decent level. As for Free, he should do jail time for stealing money from the team. These guys are not quality starters and can be upgraded with just a little effort and a small investment.

 

[jobberone]

I am impressed that you think you know what I do or don't know. You don't have a clue.

And I said that exactly where? Not sure you should be talking about clues.

 

[jobberone]

Get your facts straight buddy. I never wanted a 60 million free agent. The oline could have have and should have been built in a different manner. It is no surprise that you are content with jag olinemen. You have been against rebuilding it with quality players from the start. You have stated that you like the ideal of developing linemen instead of investing in them. I like that approach as well. You just have a problem understanding that Dallas has a horrible history of doing this. You support moves like the Bern signing, but what value has he offered? Signed to be a starter, but Waters had to come off the couch to offer a solution. The guy hasn't changed the least bit from his Carolina days. He can not be depended on from game to game to play at a decent level. As for Free, he should do jail time for stealing money from the team. These guys are not quality starters and can be upgraded with just a little effort and a small investment.

Well many in the league thought we were a top ten maybe five OL last year. Won't say I agree with them but the OL was actually a strength even thought people like......you and @Risen Star.....cried long and loud about how terrible everyone was from the GM on down.

How'd that work out?

Don't bother answering because you won't answer it honestly anyway.

 

[jnday]

And I said that exactly where? Not sure you should be talking about clues.

Your last paragraph in your sermon about covers it.

 

[jobberone]

Your last paragraph in your sermon about covers it.

I rest my case.

 

[Bullflop]

Lol at potential. Did you see it when he played for bumfrick state against the future barista association of America or during one of his 2 preseason tackles?

Lol all you like, it's no secret his potential is solely a conditional thing that depends upon health being in the mix. It's a factor just like it is for any player on the team. The staff hasn't kept him around without something leaning toward some semblance of a chance for things to turn around in the offing. I doubt any of us would bet our bankroll on it but at the same time, I doubt it's entirely a hopeless situation just yet. Will he be sent packing at some point this year if he's unable to recover? Probably so.

 

[CyberB0b]

Do you guys remember AOA? He looked like a beast in college, because he was playing against future used car salesmen.

 

[jobberone]

Again, the issue isn't Johnson. It was the reach in the fourth round. THe fact he was drafted in the fourth round made some fans automatically assume he had 4th round NFL football talent. It was backed up by a youtube video and pro day numbers (wasn't at combine I dont think). The safety position was a turd, so he was talked up as the "answer" next to Sensabugh, again this past year and he still is getting overvalued by some (B+ talent, et al)

After the 3rd MAYBE 4th round, in general you project a player to be a ST guy for the first few years and contribution expectations diminish as you go through rd 7 and UDFA.. AT best you hope for decent role player starter after a couple of years. It takes a real homerun to get a top 20% position player after Rd 3. And I think we need a top 10% talent next to Church. The Church Johnson combo will not shock me if the pass defense again blows

If Johnson was drafted in rd 7 or an UDFA, he would be a basic after thought. But due to his draft position and the horrid historical safety play, people are quick to anoint. Then, god forbid, he makes one play and the Dallas Cowboy hype machine starts to steamroll all in its path. Then at the end of the year, we think Dallas is just snake bit, one player away, injuries derailed us, etc. when in actuality the talent on the whole isn't there.

It was the reach most people who aren't on the Johnson bandwagon are tapping the brakes on. Wasn't his fault, but buying the hype from the FO and desperate hope only exacerbates the bigger issues.

That whole post probably wasn't completely directed to you....just soapbox

I don't have a problem with anything you said. I think 3rd and 4th round picks can contribute but you see the 'bust' rate. In fact you really need to hit on those 3-5th round picks if you want to gain ground against the league. You can retrospectively say it was a reach to pick him and I would lean that way myself. But he had a 50% chance or better with this team of coming in and getting significant snaps year one and more later. It didn't work out for health reasons at least.

I've consistently said that safety in the first round is a very safe pick of recent and I'd have zero problems with taking a safety in the first. In fact they should probably draft one in either day one or two if they are going after one. The caveat here is what do they think of the guys we have. They didn't play well last year in my eyes but that's only from watching games which is not useless but not what you need. Also, the defense was so bad with so many scrub fill ins it would be very hard for a fan to have any idea who was doing what well or not. The point being we may have some guys who they want to see compete for a job and one or two might be counted on as depth and STs. I think they will be looking for a vet to help out either as a starter or spot starter.

We'll get some idea of how they feel day 1 and 2.

If they pick a safety early then some will criticize previous picks. If we don't pick a safety then some will be upset because we didn't address the position and they can't evaluate the roster properly. Yada. You can only do so much with a draft year. And you have to at some point give your previous picks a chance to contribute. I will say they need to draft better without qualification or dissent. You just have to win that battle.

 

[4lifecowboy]

Do you guys remember AOA? He looked like a beast in college, because he was playing against future used car salesmen.

Maybe you should look at Matt Johnson's highlight again. He does everything better than AOA.

 

[dcstands4]

He JUST started running it's MARCH mini camp is in 60 days and he JUST STARTED RUNNING. ..jesus. ...