News: Gosselin: Dez Bryant hasn't been a great receiver this season, but Cowboys handed out a worse contra

[LatinMind]

Safety, move Jones back to corner.

Why not keep Jones at a spot where he has played good and add a shut down Cb like Hargreaves? FS are easier to find then CBs

 

[windward]

Why not keep Jones at a spot where he has played good and add a shut down Cb like Hargreaves? FS are easier to find then CBs

I'm not opposed to that idea either.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I don't think I would take Elliot with a top 5 pick. I like him and would draft him later but he's not who I would target if we are picking in that area. Not a lot of RBs who are AP or Emmitt and can produce over a long period of time. If you take a RB with that high pick, chances are that you will not see the production you will see with other positions over as long a period of time.

 

[Derinyar]

I don't think I would take Elliot with a top 5 pick. I like him and would draft him later but he's not who I would target if we are picking in that area. Not a lot of RBs who are AP or Emmitt and can produce over a long period of time. If you take a RB with that high pick, chances are that you will not see the production you will see with other positions over as long a period of time.

In the top 10 it feels like to me it has to be a player at an impact position. QB, DE, LT, CB, and maybe WR or LB if they're a true blue chip talent.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

In the top 10 it feels like to me it has to be a player at an impact position. QB, DE, LT, CB, and maybe WR or LB if they're a true blue chip talent.

I would have to agree. I don't know that I would go WR or LB. I would consider FS if that guy were worthy of the pick but I don't know that there is a FS in this draft that is worthy of a top 10 pick. I would consider DT as I believe that we seriously need to upgrade that position but in general, I agree.

 

[George]

Dallas would be neglecting NFL ready talent right now taking a QB. No thanks.

Heck, our team is playing like the Browns, we had to have Weeden, our front office is bad news.....why not start drafting qb's.

 

[vaturkey]

Drafted who? McFadden has outrushed every rookie in the NFL except Gurley and Rawls and Dallas tried to get Rawls. Wish people would stop with the whole Dallas shouldve draft this guy that guy. Truth is McFadden has done better then any of these rookies and the only FA RB thats rushed for more yrds has been Chris Johnson which was a suprise to everybody. Quit it already.

Rawl's would have sat on the pine on this team. Garret doesn't like to play rookies for the most part. Taken pretty much 10 games for Lucky to get a sniff.

 

[Frozen700]

The team general needs a lot of work, we need WR help, Rb help, QB help, new corners, a safety, about 2 new d line men, and lb help

 

[DandyDon1722]

People need to stop w/ the idea that patching holes is gonna fix the problem....Romo coming back is not gonna fix the problem. This pig needs to be blown up.....and start over. You do what you have to do to get one of the top 2 QBs coming out of this draft. Lynch or Goff....and start rebuilding from there. People who think Romo is the answer...must have not lived through the Danny White era. Danny got the Cowboys to 3 straight NFC championship games.....but couldn't get over the hump....then slowly faded. Same thing has happened to Romo...3 Straight do or die to make the playoffs....and fail....slow decline thereafter. The sooner we realize the time to rebuild is now....the better off we will be in the long run. Regardless....I do whatever I gotta do to get Lynch and rebuild around him.

Well I guess I'm one of those guys Floaty and here's why. I don't look at those 8-8 years as the apex simply because the defenses were horrible - we weren't even an 8-8 team and by now everybody knows it.

I think his apex started last year and unfortunately got detailed this year. Now with the defense much improved I think we're a RB and receiver away from continuing where we were last year.

Another reason why I think your reasoning is flawed. If you consider White's apex the 3 Chamionship games don't forget four years later in '86 he was tearing it up and led us to a 7-2 record before breaking his wrist against the Giants.

I guess my point is with a franchise QB you NEVER blow it up until you have to and when it happens everybody will know - including Romo.

Also lets not buy into false narratives of Romo being injury prone. Before this year he had played 15,15,16 & 16 games.

I will continue to believe we will be right back in the mix next season until Romo either drops of the radar or sustains another season ending injury. He's on the back nine but certainly not on the 18th fairway.

 

[conner01]

You could make a case like that for any college prospect, at any position. Do your homework. Stick to your board, and be fearless.

Very true
There are failures at every position, some more than others. Without doing the homework just off the top of my head I can think of more QB and DT failures at the top of the draft than any other position and a big part of that is drafting for need
It's all about getting the best player you can. If that player fills a major need, all the better but drafting for need is a recipe for failure more times than not

 

[Beast_from_East]

People need to stop w/ the idea that patching holes is gonna fix the problem....Romo coming back is not gonna fix the problem. This pig needs to be blown up.....and start over. You do what you have to do to get one of the top 2 QBs coming out of this draft. Lynch or Goff....and start rebuilding from there. People who think Romo is the answer...must have not lived through the Danny White era. Danny got the Cowboys to 3 straight NFC championship games.....but couldn't get over the hump....then slowly faded. Same thing has happened to Romo...3 Straight do or die to make the playoffs....and fail....slow decline thereafter. The sooner we realize the time to rebuild is now....the better off we will be in the long run. Regardless....I do whatever I gotta do to get Lynch and rebuild around him.

Wasn't Romo basically the runner up to Rogers for MVP last year?

I don't see the slow decline you are describing. Romo engineered one of the greatest comebacks in franchise history on opening night and then he broke his collarbone.........twice............again, don't see the decline in ability you are referring to, maybe a decline in durability is more accurate.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Drafted who? McFadden has outrushed every rookie in the NFL except Gurley and Rawls and Dallas tried to get Rawls. Wish people would stop with the whole Dallas shouldve draft this guy that guy. Truth is McFadden has done better then any of these rookies and the only FA RB thats rushed for more yrds has been Chris Johnson which was a suprise to everybody. Quit it already.

You cant just look at total yards, you have to look at situational football and how a running back either fits or doesn't fit your specific offense.

McFadden is a speedy, shifty back that does most of his damage in open space whereas Murray was a power back that did most of his damage between the tackles and moving the pile forward.

So what happens when you replace a power back with a speed back? The very first thing you are going to notice is your short yardage game is going to go into the crapper. Your speed back that works best in open space is not going to be able to push the pile and convert short yardage like your power back did, however your speed back my have longer runs once he breaks through the line and gets into the open space.

Proof is in the pudding........we have ran the ball pretty well this year, 11th in the league.....however we are last converting 3rd and 1

That is not by accident, it is a result of trying to use a speed back as your power back......point being that all backs are not the same

 

[LatinMind]

You cant just look at total yards, you have to look at situational football and how a running back either fits or doesn't fit your specific offense.

McFadden is a speedy, shifty back that does most of his damage in open space whereas Murray was a power back that did most of his damage between the tackles and moving the pile forward.

So what happens when you replace a power back with a speed back? The very first thing you are going to notice is your short yardage game is going to go into the crapper. Your speed back that works best in open space is not going to be able to push the pile and convert short yardage like your power back did, however your speed back my have longer runs once he breaks through the line and gets into the open space.

Proof is in the pudding........we have ran the ball pretty well this year, 11th in the league.....however we are last converting 3rd and 1

That is not by accident, it is a result of trying to use a speed back as your power back......point being that all backs are not the same

Ok then look at your situational football common sense and think about it. When you dont have Romo in at QB teams are going to totally disreguard the WRs. When you had Romo there was a possibility he would kill the play. Theres your proof in the pudding. I find it hilarious that you people want to sit there and throw up the Murray is missing card, but totally ignore the Romo is missing card.

 

[Derinyar]

I would have to agree. I don't know that I would go WR or LB. I would consider FS if that guy were worthy of the pick but I don't know that there is a FS in this draft that is worthy of a top 10 pick. I would consider DT as I believe that we seriously need to upgrade that position but in general, I agree.

I am not sure you can guarantee a big improvement over T Crawford, even in the top ten, and I think its pretty clear at this point the team isn't going to put a first round pick into 1 tech.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I am not sure you can guarantee a big improvement over T Crawford, even in the top ten, and I think its pretty clear at this point the team isn't going to put a first round pick into 1 tech.

Nothing is a guarantee in the draft but I would absolutely bet that we could improve the interior DLine in this draft, if we decided to do so. Remember, we were going to draft Donald. Hayden, I think we all agree, can be upgraded. If you decided to take a guy like Nkemdiche or A'Shawn Robinson, I definitely think you could upgrade the defense significantly. There are really 4 or 5 guys that could be 1st round picks at DT in this draft but still early. A lot has to happen before we know for sure.

 

[Derinyar]

Nothing is a guarantee in the draft but I would absolutely bet that we could improve the interior DLine in this draft, if we decided to do so. Remember, we were going to draft Donald. Hayden, I think we all agree, can be upgraded. If you decided to take a guy like Nkemdiche or A'Shawn Robinson, I definitely think you could upgrade the defense significantly. There are really 4 or 5 guys that could be 1st round picks at DT in this draft but still early. A lot has to happen before we know for sure.

Yes but this team is only going to draft someone that high if they think they're a clear improvement on Crawford I'd bet. They have shown zero signs of putting a significant investment into a 1 tech. Robinson, at least from a quick look, sounds most think he's a 1 tech or a 3-4 DE/NT type, not a 3 tech so I doubt we would have interest in him in the first round. Nkemdiche worries the hell out of me, drugs and falling out a window, scary as hell as a high first round pick.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Yes but this team is only going to draft someone that high if they think they're a clear improvement on Crawford I'd bet. They have shown zero signs of putting a significant investment into a 1 tech. Robinson, at least from a quick look, sounds most think he's a 1 tech or a 3-4 DE/NT type, not a 3 tech so I doubt we would have interest in him in the first round. Nkemdiche worries the hell out of me, drugs and falling out a window, scary as hell as a high first round pick.

I don't know that I agree with that. Crawford can play either position so the real question is, how do you value the DTs in this draft. There are some really good ones. Crawford could end up being the 1 tech if we decided to draft a DT. As I said, the question really comes down to how we evaluate the the DT prospects. I hear what you are saying in the value we have shown in 1 tech but listen, we really haven't put much value into bringing in a good backup QB over the years either and now, we hear the team talking about making it a priority.

I personally think that investing in a high 1 tech is not a bad investment. It may not be worth a top 10 pick but if you want to trade down and take a guy at 1 tech, that's not a bad strategy either.


As an FYI, don't sell Robinson short. Jarran Reed is the 1 tech in Alabama's Defense. Robinson is the 3 role. He has not really produced a lot of sacks, that's true but, he has a lot of pressures and a lot of tackles for loss. He has a really good first step and he is extremely strong.

 

[Derinyar]

I don't know that I agree with that. Crawford can play either position so the real question is, how do you value the DTs in this draft. There are some really good ones. Crawford could end up being the 1 tech if we decided to draft a DT. As I said, the question really comes down to how we evaluate the the DT prospects. I hear what you are saying in the value we have shown in 1 tech but listen, we really haven't put much value into bringing in a good backup QB over the years either and now, we hear the team talking about making it a priority.

I personally think that investing in a high 1 tech is not a bad investment. It may not be worth a top 10 pick but if you want to trade down and take a guy at 1 tech, that's not a bad strategy either.


As an FYI, don't sell Robinson short. Jarran Reed is the 1 tech in Alabama's Defense. Robinson is the 3 role. He has not really produced a lot of sacks, that's true but, he has a lot of pressures and a lot of tackles for loss. He has a really good first step and he is extremely strong.

I think you're letting the last two years of backup QB ignore what they've done during the Romo era. If you want to say they've not drafted a QB in too long, I can agree with that. If you want to say that they've ignored backup QB for the last decade the only data point to agree with that really is Weeden, which seems like a quick reaction maneuver to Orton *****ing out. Yes Weeden being the primary backup the last two years is a major mistake, I can't argue that but to say that Kitna, Johnson, and Orton we're seriously addressing the backup position is rewriting history in my opinion. Johnson might have been kept a year too long. The failure wasn't in not addressing it, it was in a mistake in who they chose to address it with. Mostly I suspect they didn't expect to lose Romo for 12 games and if you secretly asked them what would happen if they lost Romo for 12 games I'd guess it would look a lot like what has happened, almost regardless of who the backup was with our schedule.

As far as the 1 tech, maybe Crawford can, but right now he only seems to do that on specific passing downs when we kick Hardy inside. I'm not a scout and it seems like most of the internet scouts haven't produced their reports yet but the one or two I was able to find and read real fast said a lot about being strong at the point of attack, lacking an explosive 1st step but being able to stack and shed well. That makes me think 1 tech or 3-4 lineman more then it does 3 tech.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I think you're letting the last two years of backup QB ignore what they've done during the Romo era. If you want to say they've not drafted a QB in too long, I can agree with that. If you want to say that they've ignored backup QB for the last decade the only data point to agree with that really is Weeden, which seems like a quick reaction maneuver to Orton *****ing out. Yes Weeden being the primary backup the last two years is a major mistake, I can't argue that but to say that Kitna, Johnson, and Orton we're seriously addressing the backup position is rewriting history in my opinion. Johnson might have been kept a year too long. The failure wasn't in not addressing it, it was in a mistake in who they chose to address it with. Mostly I suspect they didn't expect to lose Romo for 12 games and if you secretly asked them what would happen if they lost Romo for 12 games I'd guess it would look a lot like what has happened, almost regardless of who the backup was with our schedule.

As far as the 1 tech, maybe Crawford can, but right now he only seems to do that on specific passing downs when we kick Hardy inside. I'm not a scout and it seems like most of the internet scouts haven't produced their reports yet but the one or two I was able to find and read real fast said a lot about being strong at the point of attack, lacking an explosive 1st step but being able to stack and shed well. That makes me think 1 tech or 3-4 lineman more then it does 3 tech.

I would say that that only Kitna was a serious attempt to bring in a good backup. Ortan and Johnson were not serious attempts IMO. Developing a backup has been nothing short of to little to late IMO. No serious effort there but this not about the backup QB. I only mentioned that because it was reported on earlier today. Point being, just because we haven't done something in the past does not mean we won't do it in future. Clearly, we need to help our Defense get stronger. upgrade at DT would do that for us IMO.

Crawford can play 1 tech. He doesn't now because we don't have a 3 tech that can do the job as a starter. Either way, it still comes down to how the team evaluates the talent at DT in this draft. If you believe A'Shawn Robinson is only a 1 tech, that's OK. I would, however, recommend you actually watch him. He's got some nice natural ability and his first step is not slow, IMO. It's actually very good.

 

[kazzd58]

For those clamoring for running backs, be very careful with drafting them high.

Recent first round picks before last draft (there were none in 2013 or 2014):

Trent Richardson
Darren McFadden
CJ Spiller
Ryan Matthews
Knowshon Moreno
Jonathan Stewart
Felix Jones
Rashard Mendenhall
Chris Johnson
Adrian Peterson (2008)
Marshawn Lynch (2008, but in Buffalo)

Most running backs are fairly pedestrian in the NFL compared to others. Don't be fooled by college success; there's a good chance that Ezekiel, Henry, Perine, Fournette, etc, could all be just average backs in the NFL once their day arrives.

Do you REALLLLLLLYYYY believe after watching his game and translating that to the nfl that Fournette will be average especially if he has a qb that can actually throw? I know you sd theres a chance but just putting him in the category of avg after what we've seen so far that you would think he cld be avg.. with Dallas do you think Fournette will be avg?