FN: How the Dallas Cowboys blew their 2016 draft

[CATCH17]

So we can never take another skill position again in order to draft well?

McFadden was an average RB at best who got helped out a ton by our O-line. Upgrading an average position to potentially elite, which will have ripple effects on the receiving game and defense as well as the running game, is a good thing, not a non-need move.

As long as Zeke is anything close to how effective he is projected to be, he will lift the entire team up a level or two. The same can not be said about any of the defensive players in the draft. Particularly, Jaylon "I can't get INTs" Ramsey.

Just because the pick happens to also have star power, doesn't mean it was bad.

The problem with the Zeke pick is you can find RB's that can produce at a high level for nothing. McFadden was top 5 in rushing without Romo and not starting for over a month of the season.

Corners are going for 10-15 mill a year for guys that are ok like Janoris Jenkins so drafting a guy like Ramsey would've helped us out greatly financially and we would still get a RB that produces at a high level.


IMO, Ramsey was the smarter pick for the overall team but i'm fine with Zeke.


I know some of you will disagree with me but there will be another Rookie RB or 2 that is producing at a high level that will have gone 2 or 3 rounds later. It happens every year. Oh well.

 

[Jarv]

Har har har.

Dude you are dating yourself with that joke. I'm sure it goes over well on bingo night in your community room though.

Yes it does...lol...Why do you hate old people?

 

[DFWJC]

I'm all in on Zeke at this point.

But without much effort, I could come up with a draft where we made a few very generous trades (so trades that would be accepted) and end up with

Sheldon Rankins
Paxton Lynch
Reggie Ragland or Derrick Henry or Michael Thomas, etc
Charles Tapper
Devonte Booker or Paul Perkins or Zack Sanchez
etc

or

skip Lynch and add an extra late 1st rounder (Josh Doctson or Lawson, etc)

My beef was using the 4th overall in a draft that had more meat on the bones later in the draft.
Could have gotten two for one there....or close.


But again, I have zero issue with Zeke the player. Fired up about it actually.

 

[TNCowboy]

IMO, this was not a good pick, not because EE isn't a good player, but because it was a pick made with this coming season in mind. The 2016 Cowboys aren't going anywhere.

Anything and everything should be done to find Romo's replacement. If you don't think there is an elite guy in this draft, so be it. Drafting a running back is a pick made with an eye towards now, when Jim Brown wouldn't make this team a contender.

Smart $$ would have drafted one of the defenders who could still be helping the team 7 and 8 years down the road, and looked for a RB later on. But not to worry, if Romo gets injured again, and given his age and fragility, there's a high probability he will, then we'll be back in a similar spot a year from now.

 

[gimmesix]

I don't mean to be rude or dismissive but all of this is rambling is not based in the reality of observed data.

I'm tired of arguing it.

From a sheer probability perspective we messed up in drafting Zeke at 4 if we're trying to value picks on impact and longevity. You can argue against that if you want. But I mean... you might as well shake your fist at the sun.

Reality of observed data?

Let me ask you this: Was Todd Gurley a bad pick when St. Louis chose him last year at No. 10? I'm sure the argument would be that it was the 10th pick, so that's OK.

How about our very own Darren McFadden when he was taken fourth by the Raiders in 2008? I don't remember that pick being panned or called a mess-up at the time.

Certainly, you wouldn't say that reality shows Adrian Peterson was a mess-up when the Vikings took him at No. 7 in 2007.

If Dallas through the scouting process believes that Elliott is that kind of player, then it took the player it believes has a real high upside and low downside at No. 4.

Your reality is that you don't see the impact value, while Dallas thinks the impact value is high. Is it higher than taking Ramsey or Buckner? None of us can say it is, but we also can't say it isn't.

We also cannot say his longevity is less. Some believe that he's a one-contract player, but if he plays as well as someone like Peterson, I guarantee he'll be more than that.

Now, I do agree that we know nothing at this point in time to answer those questions, so it is pointless to try to say we either messed up or won the lottery. But that was my whole point to begin with. There's no use panning the pick until we get some of that "observed data."

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Reality of observed data?

Let me ask you this: Was Todd Gurley a bad pick when St. Louis chose him last year at No. 10? I'm sure the argument would be that it was the 10th pick, so that's OK.

I would not have drafted him at 10.

How about our very own Darren McFadden when he was taken fourth by the Raiders in 2008? I don't remember that pick being panned or called a mess-up at the time.

I would not have drafted him at 4.

Certainly, you wouldn't say that reality shows Adrian Peterson was a mess-up when the Vikings took him at No. 7 in 2007.

One of the few modern exceptions that proves the rule. If the standard is being a hall of famer and maybe the best to ever do it...then Zeke/Gurley/etc have a lot to prove. And neither of those guys is the physical freak that AD is.

If Dallas through the scouting process believes that Elliott is that kind of player, then it took the player it believes has a real high upside and low downside at No. 4.

I don't think anyone honestly believes that.

Your reality is that you don't see the impact value, while Dallas thinks the impact value is high. Is it higher than taking Ramsey or Buckner? None of us can say it is, but we also can't say it isn't.

I believe that Zeke will be a high impact player. I also believe that he is likely to get hurt and/or peak just as a 2nd big contract is signed.

We also cannot say his longevity is less. Some believe that he's a one-contract player, but if he plays as well as someone like Peterson, I guarantee he'll be more than that.

By probability, especially relative to other positions, his shelf life is small. This diminishes his value. Also i'd contend that i'd almost always rather draft and play a young guy than pay Adrian Peterson QB money. That's a different conversation though.

Now, I do agree that we know nothing at this point in time to answer those questions, so it is pointless to try to say we either messed up or won the lottery. But that was my whole point to begin with. There's no use panning the pick until we get some of that "observed data."

No we can certainly judge the draft process and ethos....and the Cowboys failed to take into account well researched and established truths.

 

[erod]

What does that mean? That goes for every team in the league for the most part.

Not really. Not the best three players on the team.

But the point is, you absolutely draft for now if it's possible. (Most draft picks aren't for now anyway because they're not ready.)

Why spend the entire draft on defensive picks that will gel in 3-4 years, just in time to have to rebuild the offense again. Elliott was an immediate impact player that could help both sides of the ball. And that's why Jaylon Smith was a great pick. He would have been an instant impact guy, but now we have to wait a year or two, which is what we would have had to do with Dodd or Ogbah anyway.

 

[erod]

You can say that about almost every contending team in the league.

You think Brady, Gronk, Edelman, McCourty etc will be around in five years? In Gronk's case maybe, but probably on a steep decline given his injury history.

How about Palmer, Fitz, Campbell etc in Arizona?

Green Bay, Denver same thing...

Exactly.

And if those teams could draft a guy at No. 4 that would make them IMMEDIATELY better, they would have done it.

Most draft picks just aren't capable of that. Receivers, pass rushers, left tackles, quarterbacks.....they all take a few years to get rolling generally with very few exceptions.

However, usually the top teams are drafting at the end of the first round, so the impact guys are long picked over. The Cowboys had a unique opportunity because they got to take a player they would NEVER have had a shot at if Romo and Dez were healthy last year and they won the division.

 

[dstew60105]

How the Dallas Cowboys blew their 2016 draft

By Chris Chase

Published May 02, 2016
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Dallas Cowboys executives in the "War Room" with head coach Jason Garrett, left, and team principals Charlotte Jones Anderson, owner Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones, right, as the Cowboys take part in the NFL Draft on Thursday, April 28, 2016, at the team Headquarters at Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas. (Paul Moseley/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/TNS via Getty Images)

Okay, every NFC East team that thinks it had a great draft, step forward.

Not so fast, Dallas.

Despite Jerry Jones believing that taking running back Ezekiel Elliott at No. 4 was a game-changer ("I've had my finest hours in business going against the grain," he told MMQB's Peter King), it's a move only DC, New York and Philadelphia could love. It's yet another example of what the mediocre-to-awful Cowboys of the last 20 years do best: putting star power and skill positions ahead of needs, consequences be damned.

Over the past two years it had looked like cooler, wiser heads had been prevailing in Dallas when they'd been presented with choices between flash and substance. This was most famously shown when the Cowboys passed on Johnny Manziel for some offensive lineman in the 2014 NFL draft, a pick that still annoyed Jerry Jones even after Manziel began his downward spiral in Cleveland. Meanwhile, that offensive lineman, Zack Martin, is now two-for-two in Pro Bowls and has a first-team All-Pro honor as well.

Solid, measured drafting like that would be the key to breaking through and becoming a dominant team in a division that hasn't seen one in a decade. Shoring up an offensive line, however unsexy, is how DeMarco Murray became a star in 2014 and even gave the oft-injured Darren McFadden the second-best season of his career in 2015, much to the delight of his fellow Arkansas Razorback Jerry Jones. The idea of getting another good back is sound: A solid rushing attack helps Tony Romo which helps Dez Bryant and the receiving corps and, thus, goes back to helping the offensive line. Football is all about symbiotic relationships.

Doing the same to the defense - by, say, drafting FSU cornerback Jalen Ramsey or edge rusher DeForest Buckner - could have had the same sort of domino effect. A shutdown secondary could allow Dallas to load the box to stop the run or attack on more blitzes with the knowledge that coverage would be taken care of downfield.

But the lessons Dallas should have learned from the Manziel/Martin situation were already forgotten. Instead, Jones went for a position that has more first-round busts and more late-round successes than any other. It's rare the Cowboys are in a position to draft such a big prospect. After taking Elliott, it might not be long before they're in the same spot again.


http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2016/...ntcmp=ob_article_footer_text&intcmp=obnetwork

Does this "writer" know that Buckner wasn't an option here due to poor scheme fit?

 

[jobberone]

Drafting EE was a risk. I think he will be at the very least a good RB. IF he adds to the passing offense as much as I think is possible then he does add to the offense in a way that substantially improves it. If he does that then the pick was worth it esp if he does it over two contracts. If not then we used a very high pick on a player we probably could have gotten in the middle rounds.

You cannot assume another player would have worked out now. You can in hindsight but that is not a criticism of the process. You also cannot grade this draft for at least 3 years.

But it's fun to see the machine roll here.

 

[jobberone]

Does this "writer" know that Buckner wasn't an option here due to poor scheme fit?

That's debatable just as is he an edge rusher, WDE or SDE. I agree with you in that he didn't fit our needs as well as we'd have liked. He wasn't in the same tier as EE.

 

[big dog cowboy]

The problem with the Zeke pick is you can find RB's that can produce at a high level for nothing. McFadden was top 5 in rushing without Romo and not starting for over a month of the season.

I know some of you will disagree with me but there will be another Rookie RB or 2 that is producing at a high level that will have gone 2 or 3 rounds later. It happens every year. Oh well.

When I saw Devontae Booker go one pick after us late 4th at 136 I thought that was a unbelievable draft pick. His career will be worth watching.

 

[CATCH17]

When I saw Devontae Booker go one pick after us late 4th at 136 I thought that was a unbelievable draft pick. His career will be worth watching.

Last year I really wanted David Johnson.. There is just so many guys year after year that produce at a high level that are found on the 2nd and 3rd day.

I'm not seeing very many DB's, pass rushers, OT's, and QB's producing at an elite level like the 2nd and 3rd day RBs.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Yep. Just like the Martin and Fred drafts. Some mediots thought we blew those picks also. Hope the same happens with Zeke/Jaylon.

The Martin and Fred drafts are, IMO, poor examples of why this was a good decision. In the case of Jaylon, I compare that pick to the Carter pick in 2011. Physically gifted, injured player with a lot of athleticism, didn't get off blocks well, available in the 2nd round because of injuries.

A lot of similarities there.

 

[Alexander]

Awful article.

 

[jobberone]

Awful article.

Pretty much sums it up and succinctly, too.

 

[the_h0wey]

Yep. Just like the Martin and Fred drafts. Some mediots thought we blew those picks also. Hope the same happens with Zeke/Jaylon.

Wasn't just the mediots that were freaking out. This board was very upset with the Fredbeard pick. Everyone was saying we could have got him in the 3rd. We are all draft/player/personnel experts lol

 

[Primetime42]

Caring what Fox sports says is like getting your news from Fox News.

Just clock bait stories to try and prey on people's worst emotions.
It's the corporate culture at Fox I guess.

One look at their recent hires should tell you all you need to know.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Not really. Not the best three players on the team.

But the point is, you absolutely draft for now if it's possible. (Most draft picks aren't for now anyway because they're not ready.)

Why spend the entire draft on defensive picks that will gel in 3-4 years, just in time to have to rebuild the offense again. Elliott was an immediate impact player that could help both sides of the ball. And that's why Jaylon Smith was a great pick. He would have been an instant impact guy, but now we have to wait a year or two, which is what we would have had to do with Dodd or Ogbah anyway.

I'm in agreement with you there. I don't get the argument that people make we should've got someone on defense who could help us now. There was no one out there like that. Not even Ramsey. The story on Ramsey was he still needs to develop into the star people think eh will be.

 

[Echo9]

Wasn't just the mediots that were freaking out. This board was very upset with the Fredbeard pick. Everyone was saying we could have got him in the 3rd. We are all draft/player/personnel experts lol

There were a few very vocal folks agains that pick, but there were easily just as many felt that the Ravens had admitted that they planned on taking Fredbeard just after us. Considering the Ravens needs at the time, it made some sense. On the whole, I'd say the majority were for the pick... especially later with the bonus of Terrance Williams.