FA and draft that I'd love to see...

[AsthmaField]

Here’s one way I'd like the offseason to fall. Likely? Probably not, but it certainly isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

The Cowboys would have to spend on free agents like never before and we’d have to get lucky in the draft with Mike Williams falling to us… you never know.

Anyway, just dreaming a little, here’s how I’d like to see it go down (new player in bold):


QB – Henson / Romo / Testeverde

RB – J. Jones / Sproles (R) 4th / Bickerstaff
FB – L. Polite / Anderson

TE – Witten / Campbell / Ryan

WR – K. Johnson / Crayton
WR – Mike Williams (R) 1st / Glenn (slot) / Morgan

LT – W. Jones (FA) Seattle / J. Rogers
LG – Allen / Peterman
C - A. Johnson / T. Walter
RG – J. Mayberry (FA) Philadelphia / Gurode
RT – Adams / Tucker


DE – Ellis / Coleman
NT – Ferguson (FA) NY Jets / Blade
DE – Glover / T. Johnson (R) 1st

OLB – D. Blackstock (R) 2nd / Shanle
ILB – Nguyen / R. Fowler
ILB – Hartwell (FA) Baltimore / K. O’neil
OLB – James / K. Thornton / Ogbogu

CB – Newman / B. Thornton
SS – R. Williams / K. Davis
FS – Baxter (FA) Baltimore / L. Scott
CB – Anthony Henry (FA) Cleveland / Hunter / Frazier

P – McBriar
K – Cundiff
LS – Robinson


That’s six free agents, three of which will be very pricey (Jones, Mayberry, Baxter). The other three won’t be cheap either, but they shouldn’t break the bank (Ferguson, Hartwell, and Henry). We have plenty of money to spend, so we need to go get some good players. I know it isn’t likely that we get all six, but there are alternatives that are nearly as good and can be a fallback plan if the other guys go elsewhere.

We could get McKenzie instead of W. Jones and keep Flozell at LT.
We could get Dwight Smith instead of Baxter.
We could get K. Bell instead of Hartwell.
We could get Lucas instead of Henry.
We could get P. Williams instead of Ferguson.
We could get Joe Andruzzi instead of Mayberry.

The point is, we need to get some combination of the above players to plug into the lineup. We could get W. Jones, Ferguson, Henry, and Hartwell like I put in the roster, but then lose out on Mayberry and Baxter. In that case we could get D. Smith and Andruzzi and still come out about the same.

Of course, it’s highly likely that Dallas won’t be able to add that many high quality free agents, so I think the one’s that must be added are: LT or RT, CB, FS, and NT. Those four are musts.

We can’t get by with Lynn Scott playing behind Roy.
We can’t get by hoping that Hunter will recover and be able to play well.
We can’t get by without adding a big DT/NT.
We can’t get by with Vollers or Tucker at RT.


Then, in the draft I hope that somehow, someway, Mike Williams falls to #11 and we snatch him up. He’s going to be a weapon in the NFL and he’d give Henson an outlet to go along with Witten. Williams could be the difference between success and failure for Henson. Parcells apparently loves the guy, so I wouldn't rule out the possibility of us being aggressive in trying to add him to the roster.

The second first rounder is too low for Dallas to get Merriman, I’m afraid, but I think T. Johnson will make an outstanding 3-4 DE and a great penetrating DT in a 4-3. I see him possibly being there at number 20.

In the second round, I see Parcells snatching up an Al Groh player in Blackstock. He could be just what Dallas needs at OLB in a 3-4 and he should provide an instant pass rush.

In the 4th round, I'd love to see Dallas pick up Sproles. He'd get a few carries per game and a couple of screens. He has a ton of heart.

There you have it... 4 new players on offense, 3 new starters and one backup RB who could really be a weapon in certain situations.

Six new players on defense, 5 starters and a sixth (T. Johnson) who'll play a whole lot in a 3-4 or 4-3. He'd rotate with Glover a lot.

A guy can wish, can't he?

 

[Q_the_man]

Sproles could be the new David Magett

 

[Cradle]

i like everything.. thats nice.

 

[Rack]

Extremely unlikely scenario, but if that did happen I'd be the happiest man alive.


ALthough I would rather draft Hawthorne instead of Johnson. I'm hearing Johnson has character issues so I'd rather stay away from him.

Also, maybe I'd replace Blackstock with Demarcus Ware. Blackstock is good, but Ware's pass rush skills are phenomenal (sp?) and he'll likely be a 2nd rounder (maybe even 1st) after showing he can play OLB and DE (and play them well) during the senior bowl practices.

 

[AsthmaField]

No, I don't think there's a way in the world we could get all of those players, but it was fun to put together.

Still, we could get free agents for all of those holes, even if they aren't mid-to-upper tier players.

Walter Jones very likely will never happen, but we could get McKenzie and Mayberry perhaps.

We have to get a DT in draft/FA, and I think the best idea is to get a player like Furgeson while we can. He won't come cheaply but he won't cost an arm and a leg either.

Also, I don't see a rookie being effective at FS, so I think we have to fill that hole in FA. A player like Baxter or D. Smith who have experience at CB would be ideal, because you'd be getting those cover skills to relieve Roy of some of his coverage responsibilities in order to free him up.

Anyway, my point is, we really need to get a lot of bodies in FA whether they're great, good or just solid players.

 

[laythewood28]

Too slow on offense and too small on defense.

 

[AsthmaField]

Where would that offense be slow?

Where would that defense be small?

 

[laythewood28]

Where would that offense be slow?

Where would that defense be small?

On defense you have a 271 pounder in ellis a 283 pounder in glover and a 5'10 lb in nguyen. 3-4 dl are usually bigger. if you compare it to The pats defensive line(ty warren 300 pounds,traylor 340, seymour 310 ), It looks like a pretty weak run defense if you ask me.
on offense you have two starting wr's that are slower then molasses in williams and keyshawn. Both good players, but neither will stretch out a defense.

 

[ghst187]

I'd love that offseason with a minor change or two
1) Dwight Smith at FS
2) Merriman at #20
3) Marlin Jackson in the 2nd.

we can only control so much of the draft but really there isn't any reason we couldn't get most of those FA's. I think we could skip RG by moving Tucker inside to RG and signing Jones at T. Baxter has said that there is no way he'll play FS, he wants to play CB and get paid like one. I don't see any reason we couldn't pony up enough money for either NT Ferguson or Williams, LB Hartwell, FS Smith, and T Jones. The only factor would be those guys getting the franchise tag or just not wanting to play for us. We have the cash and if we hit on the draft with 3 starters...i'd be pretty optimistic about the upcoming season...that and of course Henson starting.

 

[trickblue]

I'd love that offseason with a minor change or two
1) Dwight Smith at FS
2) Merriman at #20
3) Marlin Jackson in the 2nd.

I like this... but I doubt Marlin falls to the second... but someone has to slide... perhaps it will be him...

 

[ghst187]

I like this... but I doubt Marlin falls to the second... but someone has to slide... perhaps it will be him...

Right now, I'm thinking the Pats grab him in the first. Definitely, one or two of the CBs have to slide to the second in all liklihood. Jackson was seriously set back a year of exposure and stats by U of Mich moving him to FS, which wasn't a good position for him. He also has some minor unfavorable stuff in his past. I think he's the best pure cover CB in this draft though, has the best technique and great size/speed. He's probably not as big a playmaker as Rolle or Rogers but probably the best technique man-man. He reminds me a LOT of Ty Law, another U of Mich CB product.
I doubt Marlin falls to the second but its definitely possible with all the good CBs in the draft, the infatuation with pac-man jones (overrated IMO) and teams may be a little more reluctant to draft a CB with the gay coverage rules. He'd definitely be a steal in the second. I seriously doubt Merriman falls to 20 or MW to 11 but while I'm dreamin.....

 

[trickblue]

He also has some minor unfavorable stuff in his past.

Well... being a member of the Jackson 5 doesn't bode well these days...

I agree, though... he does have great technique and would be an asset to this team...

 

[junk]

I wouldn't pay big money for a guard. The line needs upgraded for sure, but you can find decent guards on the cheap.

 

[AsthmaField]

On defense you have a 271 pounder in ellis a 283 pounder in glover and a 5'10 lb in nguyen. 3-4 dl are usually bigger. if you compare it to The pats defensive line(ty warren 300 pounds,traylor 340, seymour 310 ), It looks like a pretty weak run defense if you ask me.
on offense you have two starting wr's that are slower then molasses in williams and keyshawn. Both good players, but neither will stretch out a defense.

On defense, I also have a 290 pound ex DT in T. Johnson that is playing DE. He would play more on running downs than Glover, who would come in on passing downs.

I'll agree that Ellis and Dat are a little small for what you typically see in 3-4 defenses. However, M. Douglas with Baltimore did just fine at one DE spot and he's about the same size as Ellis, who has always been very stout against the run... so stout in fact that I remember one of the coaches saying that Ellis could play some DT in a pinch.

Also, Dat is bigger than Sam Mills who was very good at ILB in a 3-4.

Otherwise, that defense isn't small. To say that it is overall a small defense isn't right.

The offense is only slow at starting WR... the RB spot would be very fast. The TE spot would have plenty of speed. Fullback would be very fast with Polite and Anderson. Only the two starting WR's would be less than fast. Glenn and Morgan would provide the speed at wideout.