He would've been an all-time great, but for

[Floatyworm]

I know his name strikes a nerve with Cowboy fans but I sure would have liked to see that Joey Galloway-Troy Aikman plan come to fruition. Galloway gets hurt before he even gets started here, and Aikman gets knocked out and retires by the end of that season.

After that, Galloway was forced to play with utter trash for QB here and wasted the prime of his career... he was like Antonio Brown but with 4.17 deep speed.

Still managed to put up 10,000 yards and 80 TDs for his career... underrated player. That speed was legendary.

Troy @ the end of his career couldn't complete the deep pass...Troy's arm strength was really over rated.

 

[DMX690]

Kevin Smith before his injury on MNF.

 

[lwehlers]

Did anybody say 'Quincy Carter' yet?

carter sucked from the beginning and we all knew it.

 

[lwehlers]

That running back that Parcells ruined.

#21.

I can't remember his name.

I think he could've been special

I think that jones messed his own career up. if he would have played anything like his brother he would have been great. Julius had the speed but no power as his brother had the power but average speed.

 

[lwehlers]

Some great choices, here are a few more:

LB Billy Cannon Jr.- 1984 1st round draft pick broke his neck halfway through his rookie year, this combined with the Sherrard injuries led the way to a talent gap and subsequent losing seasons

CB Kevin Smith - might have been the best CB ever drafted by the Cowboys but a foot injury ruined his career. I never saw another CB do a better job on covering Jerry Rice.

TE Todd Christensen - drafted as a FB, changed to TE, got into a contract dispute with Tex Shramm, This time Tex was wrong, Christiansen went on to a Pro Bowl career with the Raiders. Wait, it gets worse. Because he was no longer on the team, the Cowboys needed another TE, so in the 3rd round the Cowboys bypassed the BPA, a quarterback, and took TE Doug Cosby. Cosby had a nice career but nothing like the guy who the Cowboys passed over. The QB's name was Joe Montana. So, yeah, it would have been great, Montana a Cowboy, throwing to his TE, Todd Christiensen

Carl Lewis, as in Olympic Gold Medal hurldler, Carl Lewis drafted in the 12th round of 1984. Lewis decided against an NFL career.....such a shame. He could have been great.

DT Scott Appleton - the Cowboys drafted the big DT from Texas in the 1st round, 4th overall pick but he was stolen by the AFL when the Houston Oilers acquired him. Appleton was Staubach's nemesis during the college "championship" game featuring #1 ranked Texas against #2 ranked Navy. He would have been part of a devastating duo, him and Bob Lilly.

G Billy Shaw - Bob Lilly wasn't the only Hall of Famer taken by the Cowboys in their inaugural draft. Shaw was selected in the 14th round but, again, he got snatched by the AFL team Buffalo Bills.




,

great list but I still wonder what montana would have done in the tom landry system instead on walsh. I think walsh system fit montana while landry system was a deeper passing game. I wish we could have found out. smith was a unbelievable before the injury in 95.

 

[lwehlers]

Parcells was just as bad for this team as he was good. But IMO he was over rated, and he quit on the team.

I agree that parcells quit on this team too. he could have given the 2007 the mental edge in winning more in the playoffs.

 

[mattjames2010]

As I brought up in another thread, this guy right here would have made a great dynamic duo with Irvin. Sadly, we gave up on him too early (For good reason at the time, couldn't stay healthy)

Even going to the crap hole that is Jacksonville, he had over 12,000 yards receiving, 9 1,000 yard seasons, and 862 receptions for a 14.3 avg.

 

[TheFinisher]

As I brought up in another thread, this guy right here would have made a great dynamic duo with Irvin. Sadly, we gave up on him too early (For good reason at the time, couldn't stay healthy)

Even going to the crap hole that is Jacksonville, he had over 12,000 yards receiving, 9 1,000 yard seasons, and 862 receptions for a 14.3 avg.

Jacksonville was no crap hole in the 90s, they were a consistent contender in the AFC. That offense with Brunell, Taylor, Smith and McCardell was no joke

 

[mattjames2010]

Jacksonville was no crap hole in the 90s, they were a consistent contender in the AFC. That offense with Brunell, Taylor, Smith and McCardell was no joke

The Jags only had about 4 good years, one year where they were massive overachievers - he was with them until 2005. A lot of trash Jag years.

But Smith isn't remembered due to being on a team that hasn't won anything and really has no great history. If Smith was here and put up the numbers he did in Jacksonville, he wouldn't be forgotten.

 

[TheFinisher]

The Jags only had about 4 good years, one year where they were massive overachievers - he was with them until 2005. A lot of trash Jag years.

But Smith isn't remembered due to being on a team that hasn't won anything and really has no great history. If Smith was here and put up the numbers he did in Jacksonville, he wouldn't be forgotten.

They did go to two conference title games and made the playoffs four consecutive years in a row... I'd say that's a pretty good run. I'd have taken that kind of 4 year run anytime during the past 20 years, Dallas wasn't exactly setting the league on fire the late 90s early 2000s either so I'm not sure how that would have helped his legacy

 

[diefree666]

I agree that parcells quit on this team too. he could have given the 2007 the mental edge in winning more in the playoffs.

BP was old and tired and done and he knew it. Some gomers have no brains at all.

 

[LocimusPrime]

Jay Novacek

Jay Novacek would be an all time great if not for back injuries. Jay was voted to 5 probowls, 2 all pros, and won 3 Super Bowls. He averaged 11 yds per catch and was critical in the cowboys Super Bowl runs.

 

[RS12]

delete

 

[joseephuss]

Jay Novacek

Jay Novacek would be an all time great if not for back injuries. Jay was voted to 5 probowls, 2 all pros, and won 3 Super Bowls. He averaged 11 yds per catch and was critical in the cowboys Super Bowl runs.

I think him being stuck with the Cardinals for the first 5 years of his career had a much bigger impact on his career than his back injuries.

 

[dallasdave]

Although Calvin Hill had a very good career, injuries throughout his career kept him from reaching his full potential.
He could have possibly been a HOFer.

Go Cowboys!

Duane Thomas could have been a great one too !!!

 

[Satchel89]

Justin Beriault

That's a good one

 

[DallasDW00ds0n]

Dexter Coakley could have been part of the greatest trades of all time

 

[MichaelValentino]

If not for the accident:
1. EW likely in the HOF before LA.

2. Dallas likely wins the Super Bowl in 94.

3. Tyron still not considered as good as EW in terms of Cowboys OTs.

I've always blamed the loss on not having EW. I've always blamed the car crash on not having Jimmy to keep those guys in control. They somehow partied but did it within some boundaries when Jimmy was here. Once he was gone all heck broke loose.

^This. All day.

Other than Anthony Munoz, Erik Williams - when with two good knees - was the best tackle I ever saw play. Hands down. And he was nastier, meaner and even stronger than Munoz. Munoz was an absolutely flawless technician, great in run and pass blocking.

If Williams doesn't hit that retaining wall, Dallas wins 4 SBs in a row because they likely get home field in the '94 playoffs, and even if not, it's a different game in Candlestick that day. A healthy Big E and LA playing side by side would have formed the best G-T tandem in NFL history.

That retaining wall kept Williams from having a bust in Canton.

 

[MichaelValentino]

Bob Lilly. j/k

Kevin Smith. As others have said, he was a great cover corner. I think he may have played Jerry Rice tighter than Darrell Green and Deion did. He got in Jerry's head. And he had sub 4.4 wheels.

Erik Williams. When healthy, was the most dominating tackle of the last 30 years. He could/should have been in Canton, giving a speech in a gold jacket.

Thomas Henderson. The drugs controlled him and Coach Landry could not. Great physical talent. 4.4 speed and hit like a train. Wow, what could have been.

These guys were great but are snubbed by the HOF voters:

Chuck Howley.
Harvey Martin
Drew Pearson

 

[joseephuss]

^This. All day.

Other than Anthony Munoz, Erik Williams - when with two good knees - was the best tackle I ever saw play. Hands down. And he was nastier, meaner and even stronger than Munoz. Munoz was an absolutely flawless technician, great in run and pass blocking.

If Williams doesn't hit that retaining wall, Dallas wins 4 SBs in a row because they likely get home field in the '94 playoffs, and even if not, it's a different game in Candlestick that day. A healthy Big E and LA playing side by side would have formed the best G-T tandem in NFL history.

That retaining wall kept Williams from having a bust in Canton.

TI don't think Allen would have been playing right guard in 1994. Instead he would have taken over at left tackle for Tuinei that season in my opinion.

Having a healthy Erik Williams(or Jimmy Johnson as the head coach) for the entire 1994 season would not have prevented Emmitt Smith from injuring his hamstring late in the season.