How can the Cowboys fix the defense?

[TheMarathonContinues]

Well for starters, it helps not getting to 3rd down and then all of a sudden sitting in a zone waiting for a pass rush that's not there.

 

[DogFace]

My plan:

Cut Ware and use the money on free agents.

LDE: Michael Bennett

DT1-tech: Linval Joseph

DT3-tech: Henry Melton

RDE: Draft Pick/Selvie

Rotation DT: Draft pick

WLB: Carter

MLB: Lee (can Carter be the backup if Holloman is pushing Carter at WLB?)

SLB: Wilber/Holloman

S1: Church

S2: Heath/Wilcox

CB1: Carr

CB2: Charles Tillman

CB3: Scandrick

CB4: Claiborne

Options: Replace 1 of the free agents with a free agent Safety like Jairus Byrd or T.J.Ward.

Nice posts with some realistic options. Nice change of pass following that humiliating loss.

 

[Hoov]

Sign at least 1 free agent d line man and draft 2. Draft lb as well. Leave the secondary As is and hope they can improve - the safeties are very raw and as u said drafting another rookie does not change from what we have this year.

 

[TonyRomo17]

ware should get the doug free treatment this offseason, take a paycut or get cut

 

[TheCount]

When Dungy said we were 3 years out from having the right personal, I know I laughed. Maybe he knows a little something.

 

[Risen Star]

Heck yeah. Let's add Charles Tillman. We can be the only team in history to spend millions on our 4th CB. Carr, Tillman, Claiborne, Scandrick. Where do I sign?

I know what you're thinking. We're going kind of cheap at that 5th CB spot. We'll cross our fingers for now and address it once the new TV money kicks in and raises the cap ceiling.

You guys keep chasing the perfect secondary. I'll focus on rebuilding the front seven which will immediately make every player in the secondary better.

 

[visionary]

Well for starters, it helps not getting to 3rd down and then all of a sudden sitting in a zone waiting for a pass rush that's not there.

wait, are u saying you know more than kiffin?

careful now

 

[Gaede]

I have a lot of problems with the defense going forward.

There's a few depth-guys that are keepers, and only a select few of can't miss starters. The rest? I see A LOT of question marks.

Unfortunately, we can't fix everything at once. So we just have to hope better coaching can salvage these four very important players--Ware, Claiborne, Carr, Carter. I think they are all talented enough to deserve a second shot, especially Ware. But the 'toughness' and 'effort' I have seen from Clai and Carter, in particular, makes me very doubtful that they have what it takes to succeed in the NFL. Carr has great games and bad games. But I think he'll be better with a new scheme.

Safety is a weak spot, like always, but Wilcox does have potential. LBs aren't terrible but need more guys. Potentially a starter depending on what we do with Carter.

 

[VThokie7]

Go back to 3-4. Cannot rebuild whole DL.

Should've never left it. But no matter which direction they would go would still need to rebuild the DL.

 

[RS12]

How can the Cowboys fix the defense?

Nine new quality starters and a new coaching staff?

 

[Kaiser]

Hatcher and Spencer resign, out of need and because Jerry hates to lose anyone.
Crawford and Bass return from IR
DT signed in FA
DL drafted in the first two rounds and more later
Experienced backup LBs signed in FA (or they keep Durant with Holloman moving to Will)
Wilber starts at Sam
LB drafted in rounds 2, 3 or 4
Scandrick retained
Wilcox and Heath look much better next year with the experience after an offseason in the film room.

Do those moves and you are in pretty good shape. Then if Claiborne returns to even his rookie form you have a pretty good defense. This year would have been OK except for injuries and Wilcox getting hurt right after taking the starting job (along with Claiborne's injury). The NFL is all about matchups and any time an NFL OC can target guys like BW Webb and Corvey Irvin... you are going to get killed.

 

[DoctorChicken]

They can't, at least not in one year. The best way to fix a team is through the draft, and the DL has been neglected for too long.

It will take 2-3 more years of good drafting to fix the defense.

 

[Oh_Canada]

I agree with Walker, time to cut bait with Ware. Interior lineman would be my first priority as pressure up the middle is much more disruptive to a passing game than from the outside.

 

[LatinMind]

My plan:

Cut Ware and use the money on free agents.

LDE: Michael Bennett

DT1-tech: Linval Joseph

DT3-tech: Henry Melton

RDE: Draft Pick/Selvie

Rotation DT: Draft pick

WLB: Carter

MLB: Lee (can Carter be the backup if Holloman is pushing Carter at WLB?)

SLB: Wilber/Holloman

S1: Church

S2: Heath/Wilcox

CB1: Carr

CB2: Charles Tillman

CB3: Scandrick

CB4: Claiborne

Options: Replace 1 of the free agents with a free agent Safety like Jairus Byrd or T.J.Ward.

Dallas couldnt afford Melton let alone him and Joseph and Bennett. Dallas is going to field pretty much the same team next yr minus and add other backups and rookies.

 

[xwalker]

Dallas couldnt afford Melton let alone him and Joseph and Bennett. Dallas is going to field pretty much the same team next yr minus and add other backups and rookies.

They are getting back 12.25M from cutting Ware and 5.5M from cutting Austin.

The first year of Brandon Carr's 50M contract had a 3.6M cap hit. That means that they could sign 3 players to 50M contracts (3x3.6=10.8) and have 0.325M remaining after cutting Ware. Those 3 players will not get 50M contracts each; therefore, it wouldn't be difficult to sign all of them.

 

[xwalker]

Heck yeah. Let's add Charles Tillman. We can be the only team in history to spend millions on our 4th CB. Carr, Tillman, Claiborne, Scandrick. Where do I sign?

I know what you're thinking. We're going kind of cheap at that 5th CB spot. We'll cross our fingers for now and address it once the new TV money kicks in and raises the cap ceiling.

You guys keep chasing the perfect secondary. I'll focus on rebuilding the front seven which will immediately make every player in the secondary better.

In a plan that adds the following, your focus is on the CB?
Top draft picks DE, DT
DE Michael Bennett
DT Henry Melton
DT Linval Joseph
CB Charles Tillman

 

[LatinMind]

They are getting back 12.25M from cutting Ware and 5.5M from cutting Austin.

The first year of Brandon Carr's 50M contract had a 3.6M cap hit. That means that they could sign 3 players to 50M contracts (3x3.6=10.8) and have 0.325M remaining after cutting Ware. Those 3 players will not get 50M contracts each; therefore, it wouldn't be difficult to sign all of them.

you forgetting that dallas is over the cap 30 mil? Dallas doesnt have alot of contracts left that they can restructure to free up that kind of money. Even Stephen jones admitted already with hatchers situation that they are going to be limited in what they can do this yr.

 

[Verdict]

I think you have to ask yourself what do we really have on the defensive line. If everyone would have been healthy this year would we have had an average or better defensive line? I think the answer is yes. Losing Ratliff, Spencer and a couple of other guys to the IR hurt us significantly. Personally, I think Crawford, Hayden, Bass, and Selvie will contribute next year. I'm not saying all of them will be lights out, but they should at least be good rotational players. Ware is really a toughie. He has been nicked up pretty bad, and I think his best years are behind him, but if he can return to form he is a beast. I think If I were the Cowboys I would look at Ware a lot like they used Haley in his later years..... a third down sack artist. The trouble is that we are paying Ware way too much to do that. But I think it would extend his career if we could get him to take a salary reduction and play that role unless and until he proves he is healthy enough to do it every down.

This line is still missing what it missed last year ..... a big run stuffing DT that can collapse the pocket. I'm talking a nose guard type, not a 3 tech. I would be very hesitant to give Spencer any more money unless it was a very cap friendly deal ..... one where he could sit all year on the sidelines and it not affect your cap, because that may well be the case again. I would rather have Hatcher again over Spencer if I had to choose one or the other. I don't think that Hatcher is going to command big bucks on the open market, so if I were Jerry I wouldn't outbid myself on Hatcher.

Another question that has been raised is if you let Ware go..... How much money would you save on the cap and what can you do with that money? You can't have a guy eating up a huge chunk of your cap space if he isn't setting the world on fire.

 

[myslamsareolder]

1. Dline:
   Hatcher is a free agent and age 32 before the season starts. Can they find a younger replacement? If You ask me, they already have: Tyrone Crawford. The dude is huge. If you've seen any pics of him lately; wow. He can also play DE, so it puts us in a good situation for BDLA (best DL available) in the draft.
   
   Ware is on the decline and will be 32. Can they use his 12.25M base salary more effectively on younger free agents? IMO you have to give Ware 1 more year. hopefully he takes a pay-cut too.
   
   Spencer would only be an option, IMO, on a very low cost 1-year contract. I agree. His injury is possibly a career ender, but if he is cleared medically he will be very cheap and be a huge low risk high reward.
   
   Hayden would be a good backup, but they need more pressure from the 1-tech than he can provide as a starter. I think Nevis has really showed he can be a starting DT for this team. He has been good against the run and has provided a lot of pressure.
   
   They might get 1 or 2 immediate contributors from the draft. They better.
   
   Free Agents:
   Linval Joseph 6-4, 323, age 25, not a sack machine but both bigger and quicker than Hayden as a 1-tech Meh, price/production ratio isn't worth it to me. I don't think he's much, if any better than Nevis
   
   Michael Bennett 6-4, 274, age 28, having a good season despite only starting 3 games. Will be looking for a starting job because the starting D-Ends are set in Seattle. He hates the Cowboys, has said so publicly, and will not sign here.
   
   Henry Melton 6-3, 295, age 27, season ending knee injury in 2013. Chicago has a large number of free agents. Hmmm.
   
   LB:
   Lee is great but can’t stay healthy. They need a better backup than Ernie Sims. Yes they do.
   
   Carter has the ability, but appears to be a slow learner. I think he will be better next year. I'm not too worried.. yet.
   
   Wilber seems to be doing a decent job at SLB. Yes he is!
   
   Holloman has exciting upside, especially in coverage. His neck injury is a concern. I love Holloman
   
   Durant and Sims could be upgraded. Both should be gone.
   
   Safety:
   Church would be an ok starter on a defense loaded with talented player around him; however, he is not good enough to carry the load with the problems that surround him. I think you're underselling Church a little. This D is bad. This scheme is predicated on getting a pass-rush and we aren't.
   
   Wilcox has good upside but how long does it take for it to all come together for him? He was a 3rd rounder. He will be fine. (A part of me thinks he will end up taking Churches job in a couple of years and one of the white boys will take the other...)
   
   Heath has good upside and is getting good experience; however, he is in over his head this season. I don't think I've ever seen an UDFA rookie play so well (not counting RBs) ever... He has had issues, but he clearly has talent. The ? is: how high is his ceiling?
   
   Matt Johnson can’t stay healthy. Anything he contributes is a bonus at this point. I love Matt. He is killing me. I hope he can stay healthy. If he can, I honestly think he's the best S on the roster.
   
   A Safety in the draft is a possibility, but do they really need more inexperienced players at this position? No, unless there is a steal to be had. Church is a Starter and out of Heath, Johnson, and Wilcox, there is a competent-to-good starter to be had.
   
   CB:
   Carr appears to be trying to do too much. Yes, and he has to. He will be fine.
   
   Scandrick has been good for the most part, but struggles with the really big WRs. He will also be fine when he is back in the slot.
   
   Claiborne has not lived up to his draft status but when healthy, is a much better 3rd CB than Webb or Sterling Moore. The team is much better with Scandrick in the slot. Claiborne will be fine (I think?) He was pretty good his rookie year (not many rookie CBs are). He switched schemes the very next year, then got hurt, and lost confidence. I think another offseason will allow him to bounce back. He may never be a top 5 corner, but he can be very good.
   
   Webb is in over his head this season. Lack of size limits his upside. I hate Webb. I didn't like the pick, and I don't like the player. I just dont see it.
   
   They really need a big CB in the mix that can help against the abundance of big WRs in the league. Carr is 6' 206lbs... that's pretty big for CB.
   
   Free Agents:
   
   Charles Tillman is a big CB that might be affordable due to his age (32). He had 3 forced fumbles in 8 games this year and 10 FF last season. Hmmm. The Bears, of late, have been taking all our cast offs, why not return the favor? I'd be ok with Melton and Peanut, if the $ was right.

 

[Verdict]

I think you will see us draft or acquire in free agency the following:

defensive tackle
defensive end
one linebacker
one guard

I think those are significant needs that should be addressed but not necessarily in that order. I think linebacker may be higher up on that priority list than one might expect.