First Round Running Backs

[Dodger12]

Gregory and Dlaw will be the starter this season and Lawrence has better the starter but continue with your agenda

There's that word again...."agenda." It's always the fall back of those that have nothing of substance to offer to defend their position. Gregory is one failed test away from not playing the season and probably smoking his way out of the NFL. He's closer to being kicked out of the NFL than he is to being a starting caliber NFL DE. I want him to succeed but that's the unfortunate reality.

DLaw is arguably our best DE but he can't help the team if he's suspended. He served 3 one game suspensions in college for undisclosed violations. We traded a third round pick to move up and grab him. This is his third year when he should be coming into his own. Instead, he's sitting out the one fourth of the season.

 

[Dodger12]

You can't say that two of the 5 second round picks since 2010 are missing the first 4 games so they are a bust. That isn't adequately describing the team's ability to find talent in the second round.

I never said they were "busts" yet but the fat lady is starting to yodel. The team has been horrible at finding talent in the second round that could contribute to this team. If you simply want to make an argument that our second rounders have/had talent, I won't argue with you. But when guys start missing time because of non-football related issues that were there before these players were drafted, then that goes right to the team's drafting philosophy. Throw in guys with an injury history or were injured when they were drafted (Smith) and these picks are non-contributors. I love Sean Lee and what the guy brings to the table. But can we really count on him for the whole season? All we are doing is making excuses for multiple picks.

Lawrence will start once he's back. He's a starter, and he is a really good player. Even if his suspension is upheld, that is in no shape or form a busted pick. That was a really good pick.

DLaw might be our best DE but he can't help the team if he's not playing. But I'm not sure I would characterize it as a really good pick, considering we gave up a third round pick to move up and he's suspended for one fourth of the season.

Gregory will likely start once he's back. He is a starter. Or at worst an important situational edge rusher, which is valuable. If he busts, it won't be because of his talent, which is abundant. You can say they blew the pick if he continues to get suspended but at pick 60 he is worth the chance. He will be missed the first 4 games. A lot. If he wasn't a good player that wouldn't be the case.

Gregory won't be a starter when he gets back. And the fact that he has talent is really meaningless when isn't reliable, isn't playing and hasn't been able to beat the demons that have haunted him before he came into the NFL. I don't have an issue taking a chance at 60. But then you follow that up with another player in Smith who may not play a down this season and we just keep kicking the can down the road. That's after we give up a second round pick to move up for Mo, use a 2nd round pick on a TE when he have a first ballot HOFer already at that position, another second rounder in Carter who the team didn't think enough of to keep and we go on and on. And lets not forget that we drafted Lee in the second round when he coming off major knee injuries. I have no issue taking chances....but when we do it year, after year, after year it really shouldn't be any surprise why we're so bad on D.

So, since 2010 (when the drafting in Dallas started to change and improve) they have taken 5 second round picks. Of those 5, two (Escobar and Carter) were what I consider to be misses. The other 3 (Lee, Lawrence and Gregory) are all important defensive pieces.

60% isn't so bad, particularly when they've hit homeruns on all but one of their first round picks.

Homeruns on all but one? Wow, talk about being on opposite ends of the spectrum. OK, I guess we'll just agree to disagree.

 

[Jason 82 Witten]

ok then you're not allowed to root for him this season

Oh he'll be one of the first to say "I knew he would be worth a top 5 pick

 

[Irvin88_4life]

There's that word again...."agenda." It's always the fall back of those that have nothing of substance to offer to defend their position. Gregory is one failed test away from not playing the season and probably smoking his way out of the NFL. He's closer to being kicked out of the NFL than he is to being a starting caliber NFL DE. I want him to succeed but that's the unfortunate reality.

DLaw is arguably our best DE but he can't help the team if he's suspended. He served 3 one game suspensions in college for undisclosed violations. We traded a third round pick to move up and grab him. This is his third year when he should be coming into his own. Instead, he's sitting out the one fourth of the season.

They are still the starters. Gregory and Dlaw were 2nd round picks and so contribute. Sure Gregory could mess up and be out the league, sure Romo could get injuried but for someone talking about a word you like to use could and ifs.

For the record Dlaw want suspended for weed it was his prescribed medicine from surgery

 

[CowboyRoy]

We went 4-12 last year.

You're conflating things.

1st McFadden while somewhat productive in crossing the 1000 threshold only had 3 rushing touchdowns last year. Something that certainly factored in our w/l record.

2nd when it comes to Murray, we drafted him in the 3rd round rather than a top 5 pick, but he had warts and issues that caused him to drop.
- First, he isn't nearly as talented or productive a runner coming out of college.
- Second, he has a fumbling problem, not positive if he had a fumbling problem in college, hard to find those details
- Third, he has issues staying healthy
- Four, he had limited vision

All of these things impacted us even when Murray was extremely productive and cost us games and potentially championships.

The point of getting Elliott isn't necessarily to provide top notch stats. The biggest factor is going to be if he returns balance to this team and helps put it over the top. We'll see this not just in his numbers, but in other players around him.

If all you wanted to do was return to balance, we were already there. Morris could have easily have provided balance along with a 3rd round rookie RB.

This offense, without Elliott was already top 5 in the NFL and good enough to win a championship. Its the defense that isnt good enough.

Are you familiar with "diminishing returns"? How about "opportunity cost"?

 

[CowboyRoy]

Oh he'll be one of the first to say "I knew he would be worth a top 5 pick

Again, its not about whether he was worthy of a top 5 pick. Its was he worthy of the Cowboys first round pick. This team didnt need Elliott. They needed a quality back and defense.