For OTAs, your favorite S is still starting

[Typhus]

I'll take Iloka. He held down a job with the Bengals for quite some time and was a solid, if not spectacular player. I've never seen that from Heath and it's head-scratching that the Cowboys continue to stubbornly support a player everyone else can see is a liability.

Maybe its just that Heaths' ceiling is just so high, that none of us common fans can even see it.

 

[dogberry]

Heath Derangement Syndrome, the gift never stops giving.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Zimmer letting Iloka walk after last season is interesting. He brought Iloka to Minnesota after having coached him in Cincinnati, yet didn't seem very interested in keeping him there after one season. Declining skills?

Iloka was a backup in Minnesota. To a guy who’s now a backup in Philly. He’s a backup’s backup.

 

[Sydla]

Zimmer letting Iloka walk after last season is interesting. He brought Iloka to Minnesota after having coached him in Cincinnati, yet didn't seem very interested in keeping him there after one season. Declining skills?

Better Ss in front of him most likely.

We, unfortunately, don't have the luxury of guys like Harrison Smith patrolling the middle of the field.

 

[Stash]

Zimmer letting Iloka walk after last season is interesting. He brought Iloka to Minnesota after having coached him in Cincinnati, yet didn't seem very interested in keeping him there after one season. Declining skills?

Or maybe just better options? Certainly better than what the Cowboys have.

 

[Stash]

Maybe its just that Heaths' ceiling is just so high, that none of us common fans can even see it.

 

[glimmerman]

Go Heath.

 

[gimmesix]

According to some reports, Heath was the starting SS with Iloka backing him up.

Now it's OTAs, so it might only be a familiarity thing with Heath running with the 1s while Iloka and some of the young guys get up to speed.

But my god, if Jeff Heath is our opening day starting SS. These guys just can't "quit" mediocre players when they became coaches' pet cats.

I would think that will remain the case until either Iloka takes the job or Heath fails in a way that makes it clear that the coaches need to give Iloka the job.

Put it this way: In 2017, we started Heath and Byron Jones. Heath was the strong safety. That didn't change until Heath made enough bad plays against the run that Dallas switched Jones to strong safety. That didn't change until Jones made enough bad plays against the run that Dallas started putting Kavon Frazier in on run downs.

Heath is a better pass defender than Iloka, so I'm sure Dallas would rather have him on the field. Whether he stays there, though, is going to depend on if his run defense is tolerable. I'm for a more proactive approach because we've seen too many mistakes by him in run defense, but I think Dallas will give him every chance to prove that he deserves to retain the starting spot.

 

[Sydla]

I would think that will remain the case until either Iloka takes the job or Heath fails in a way that makes it clear that the coaches need to give Iloka the job.

Put it this way: In 2017, we started Heath and Byron Jones. Heath was the strong safety. That didn't change until Heath made enough bad plays against the run that Dallas switched Jones to strong safety. That didn't change until Jones made enough bad plays against the run that Dallas started putting Kavon Frazier in on run downs.

Heath is a better pass defender than Iloka, so I'm sure Dallas would rather have him on the field. Whether he stays there, though, is going to depend on if his run defense is tolerable. I'm for a more proactive approach because we've seen too many mistakes by him in run defense, but I think Dallas will give him every chance to prove that he deserves to retain the starting spot.

That's actually pretty debatable.

 

[Bleu Star]

According to some reports, Heath was the starting SS with Iloka backing him up.

Now it's OTAs, so it might only be a familiarity thing with Heath running with the 1s while Iloka and some of the young guys get up to speed.

But my god, if Jeff Heath is our opening day starting SS. These guys just can't "quit" mediocre players when they became coaches' pet cats.

Shoot me now. Just getting over with.

 

[Hennessy_King]

Iloka was a backup in Minnesota. To a guy who’s now a backup in Philly. He’s a backup’s backup.

Yeh but if heath weren't on this team he would have been out of the league by now. So a backup's backup or a guy that wouldn't even be on a nfl roster

 

[gimmesix]

That's actually pretty debatable.

That he's a better pass defender? I don't think it is. Iloka is a slow, short-area zone defender. Heath is a fast, deep-coverage defender. If teams get Iloka isolated and take him deep, he will lose a lot of those battles. That's not really the case with Heath. The real problem with Heath is that he's a free safety being asked to play strong safety. If you go back and look at the tape after Dallas moved him to free safety in 2017, you would see if there are no prejudices clouding your judgment that he played quite well in the role.

What bugged me about Dallas elevating him to starting strong safety when Barry Church left is that they handed him the role based on his play as a backup deep safety. I never understood that. Here you had a player who showed that he's at his best playing the pass and you give him a run-heavy role.

 

[817Gill]

You guys are hilarious. The coaching staff and FO preach competition and usually make new roster additions earn a spot rather than just hand it to them.

If you thought they were going to gift him the role you’re ignoring all the teams messaging. Also, Iloka is new to the system, at this point in the offseason Heath simply knows what he’s doing better.


It’s been pretty obvious ever since the draft, Iloka will start and be the primary run stopping SS with shallow pass coverage responsibilities (which he excels at).

Heath will be the 3rd guy who is in there primarily on passing downs as his speed and turnover fortune are his best non-special teams qualities.

 

[Fredbeard]

Wait until we trade a 1st or 2nd round pick halfway through the season !

I wouldn’t be surprised if the co boys trade for a te like Oj howard

 

[Maxmadden]

Zimmer letting Iloka walk after last season is interesting. He brought Iloka to Minnesota after having coached him in Cincinnati, yet didn't seem very interested in keeping him there after one season. Declining skills?

I'm pretty sure they carve everything in stone during OTA's.

 

[Fredbeard]

You guys are overreacting. The defense will be fine with heath


Sarcasm/off

 

[charron]

I'll worry if/when illoka beats out heath and then they refuse to start him. heath most likely starts due to knowing the assignments and coaches like him. If Illoka can't make plays vs the 2nd/ 3rd stringers then why start him over the guy they like? way too early to worry about this stuff.

 

[CyberB0b]

According to some reports, Heath was the starting SS with Iloka backing him up.

Now it's OTAs, so it might only be a familiarity thing with Heath running with the 1s while Iloka and some of the young guys get up to speed.

But my god, if Jeff Heath is our opening day starting SS. These guys just can't "quit" mediocre players when they became coaches' pet cats.

Did you think a bum like Iloka would push him out?

 

[Haimerej]

These guys just can't "quit" mediocre players when they became coaches' pet cats.

Can't have stars everywhere. Every team has their share of, "mediocre," starters.

 

[Sydla]

That he's a better pass defender? I don't think it is. Iloka is a slow, short-area zone defender. Heath is a fast, deep-coverage defender. If teams get Iloka isolated and take him deep, he will lose a lot of those battles. That's not really the case with Heath. The real problem with Heath is that he's a free safety being asked to play strong safety. If you go back and look at the tape after Dallas moved him to free safety in 2017, you would see if there are no prejudices clouding your judgment that he played quite well in the role.

What bugged me about Dallas elevating him to starting strong safety when Barry Church left is that they handed him the role based on his play as a backup deep safety. I never understood that. Here you had a player who showed that he's at his best playing the pass and you give him a run-heavy role.

Heath’s coverage ability is overrated. Iloka has played a pretty fair deep safety in his career.

You simply overrate Heath, especially relative to another average player like Iloka.