How would you rank the biggest needs?

[conner01]

DT
De
S
OT
RB
Slot

 

[PAPPYDOG]

Being that our passing game was ranked 23rd and our Red zone offense 26th do we dare to state the ELEPHANT in the room............QB

 

[Sydla]

do you think stephen and jerry don't agree the dt is important, or there just hasn't been anyone available, either thru free agency or the draft when we pick to fill the position. we certainly bring in lots of guys to try at the position. we drafted Collins, got woods, brought in jihad last year as well as a couple of others. I think they get the point. there just hasn't been anyone available. true run stuffing dt's are as rare as franchise qb's and #1 wr's.

Your post kind of proves his point. This team simply doesn't invest quality resources into the DT position. They bargain bin it because they don't believe there is any value in spending quality resources on DTs.

I mean look at our current lineup of DTs:

- Collins - 3rd round pick
- Crawford - 3rd round pick but he was drafted initially as a DE
- Woods - UDFA
- Ross - UDFA
- Reid - Journeyman FA

Throw in Irving if you want and he was a cast off from KC.

Don't delude yourself into thinking they haven't invested in the DT position because they haven't found the right guy on the draft or FA. They haven't invested in the DT position because organizationally they simply don't think they need to invest any real assets in the position.

 

[G2]

D Line and Safety.

 

[millennial_legend]

1) FS1
2) TE2 (with TE1 potential)
3) SLWR
4) 3DRB
5) RDE
6) 3DT

I'm good on the OL, we have the players but a couple aren't in their proper positions. Make a switch or two and it's by far the #1 line in the league and Dak is averaging 5 seconds in the pocket protected and Zeke is rushing for 1,800 yards.

 

[jsb357]

Make a switch or two and it's by far the #1 line in the league

 

[millennial_legend]

3Tech
1Tech
RDE
FS
RB2
OT
WR
TE

RB2 is different from 3DRB. RB2 is a backup bell cow like Morris or Rod Smith who can run inside and spell Zeke for 2-5 inside power/inside zone carries per game. 3DRB is a scatback who can annoy teams by picking up that painful 3rd & 8 conversion by catching one in the flat, eluding a couple defenders and reaching the sticks after the catch.

 

[Sydla]

1) FS1
2) TE2 (with TE1 potential)
3) SLWR
4) 3DRB
5) RDE
6) 3DT

I'm good on the OL, we have the players but a couple aren't in their proper positions. Make a switch or two and it's by far the #1 line in the league and Dak is averaging 5 seconds in the pocket protected and Zeke is rushing for 1,800 yards.

I need someone to explain to me how a WR and backup RB positions are more important than DE or DT.

Do people realize that right now, with no roster changes, Taco Charlton will likely be a starting DE for us?

 

[millennial_legend]

I need someone to explain to me how a WR and backup RB positions are more important than DE or DT.

Do people realize that right now, with no roster changes, Taco Charlton will likely be a starting DE for us?

Plenty of teams, like the Seahawks and the last 3 Patriots championship teams, have won the SB with an elite back-7, an above average secondary and a deep but not extremely talented/overpaid D-line rotation to go along with their above-average offenses.

Charlton is a 1st round pick. Either you believe in him to be at minimum an average starter or you don't draft him that high. Armstrong also has average starter talent. Crawford is average and can play any DL position. Collins is an average starter. Woods is an average starter, would like a clone of him behind him though. Lawrence is, course, the "war daddy". We can easily find solid talent for depth at DT and DE in the mid rounds this coming draft. Average is not bad. Average is good if you have a lot of them. This works for the DL more than any other position group, along with maybe RB if your offense is built on pass pass pass (but ours isn't).

Below average is bad. But Seattle and New England believe having a bunch of fresh legs who are league average on the DL is the formula to championships, not a high paid elite top 2-3 guys in the front 4 with practice squad level backups in case those top tier guys inevitably get tired or injured.

New England traded Chandler Jones in 2016 Spring. They will let Trey Flowers walk for a similar price, and they'll be just fine next year. They won't lead the league in sacks, but their coverage and LBs will allow the fresh legs on the DL to get home often enough for them to get plenty of stops. There's more than one way to win in this league.

 

[Sydla]

Plenty of teams, like the Seahawks and the last 3 Patriots championship teams, have won the SB with an elite back-7, an above average secondary and a deep but not extremely talented/overpaid D-line rotation to go along with their above-average offenses.

Charlton is a 1st round pick. Either you believe in him to be at minimum an average starter or you don't draft him that high. Armstrong also has average starter talent. Crawford is average and can play any DL position. Collins is an average starter. Woods is an average starter, would like a clone of him behind him though. Lawrence is, course, the "war daddy". We can easily find solid talent for depth at DT and DE in the mid rounds this coming draft. Average is not bad. Average is good if you have a lot of them. This works for the DL more than any other position group, along with maybe RB if your offense is built on pass pass pass (but ours isn't).

Below average is bad. But Seattle and New England believe having a bunch of fresh legs who are league average on the DL is the formula to championships, not a high paid elite top 2-3 guys in the front 4 with practice squad level backups in case those top tier guys inevitably get tired or injured.

New England traded Chandler Jones in 2016 Spring. They will let Trey Flowers walk for a similar price, and they'll be just fine next year. They won't lead the league in sacks, but their coverage and LBs will allow the fresh legs on the DL to get home often enough for them to get plenty of stops. There's more than one way to win in this league.

This is ridiculous.

That SB winning Seattle team from 2013? Their DL was way more talented than this current Cowboys one. Bennett, Irvin, Mebane, McDaniel, Avril.

Last year's NE team had guys like Danny Shelton, Malcolm Brown, Adrian Clayborn (who would be our 2nd best DE right now). And note, they play a 3-4 so factor in guys like Van Noy as well. Acting like the NE DLs are untalented gaggles is a reach.

I think it's foolish to argue that right now, this team needs a 3rd down scat back AND a slot WR more than it needs another good DE opposite Lawrence or a big time DT.

 

[JayFord]

DT (this is a serious need look at Aaron Donald that man can make an impact on a game without even registering a sack or tackle)

Back up RB- seriously if the Commanders decide to cut Chris Thompson he would be perfect

TE - I’d be fine with Jarwin and I like Schultz I’m giving them one more year but with a close eye

Safety - i put this last...we get a dominant DT the secondary will be fine

 

[BigCatMonaco]

For some reason, our fan says it's DT EVERY year and every year, Stephen and Jerry disagree (lol)

BTW... we STILL don't have a starting TE. Witten signing doesn't change that.....

We didn’t have a starting TE last year either.
At least when witten was here the TEs accomplished the same yards and more scores on considerbaly fewer catches.

 

[BigCatMonaco]

This is ridiculous.

That SB winning Seattle team from 2013? Their DL was way more talented than this current Cowboys one. Bennett, Irvin, Mebane, McDaniel, Avril.

Last year's NE team had guys like Danny Shelton, Malcolm Brown, Adrian Clayborn (who would be our 2nd best DE right now). And note, they play a 3-4 so factor in guys like Van Noy as well. Acting like the NE DLs are untalented gaggles is a reach.

I think it's foolish to argue that right now, this team needs a 3rd down scat back AND a slot WR more than it needs another good DE opposite Lawrence or a big time DT.

People forget how good cliff Avril actually was.

But isn’t Shelton a Fa now.
Not that we’d sign an actual huge body with pass rush upside because that goes against their philosophy but I loved him coming out.

 

[Sydla]

People forget how good cliff Avril actually was.

But isn’t Shelton a Fa now.
Not that we’d sign an actual huge body with pass rush upside because that goes against their philosophy but I loved him coming out.

Totally agree on Shelton.

 

[Sandyf]

I keep seeing safety, and maybe I don't remember all the times we got shredded deep. I understand the lack of making plays, but that's on on corners as well.


I would go
1a) DT
1b) DE
.
.
.
.
3) Tackle (right or left - we can't keep paying this offense crazy money at every position)
4) Safety (of course would prefer a playmaker)
5) LB (I have a feeling Jaylon is going to want a truckload of money)

I assume if you don't sign Beasley (I would have given Witten's money to him), then you can alway put Cooper in the slot when needed. I don't understand bringing Hurns back...don't see how he's more valuable than Beasley.

This is also assuming they are going to go all in on Dak - my biggest concern with him is I believe your QB should make players around you better and I don't know that he does that.

Bit hard to say until we get into free agency but if as suspected they sign Earl Thomas S and Cameron Fleming back as the backup OT then it would appear to be DE/DT/backup RB. Wouldn't include LB as with Lee back (probably at reduced salary) and Thomas in the fold then they are pretty high on Covington, they might draft a LB late but don't see one the first 4 rounds.

 

[817Gill]

DT
DE
S
TE

Perfect

 

[cern]

Your post kind of proves his point. This team simply doesn't invest quality resources into the DT position. They bargain bin it because they don't believe there is any value in spending quality resources on DTs.

I mean look at our current lineup of DTs:

- Collins - 3rd round pick
- Crawford - 3rd round pick but he was drafted initially as a DE
- Woods - UDFA
- Ross - UDFA
- Reid - Journeyman FA

Throw in Irving if you want and he was a cast off from KC.

Don't delude yourself into thinking they haven't invested in the DT position because they haven't found the right guy on the draft or FA. They haven't invested in the DT position because organizationally they simply don't think they need to invest any real assets in the position.

Not buying it.

 

[Sydla]

Not buying it.

Then you simply don’t believe in evidence and facts.

No one said the Jones’ don’t believe in good DT play. What we are saying is the Jones apparently believe they can get good to great DT play without investing large resources into the position.

It’s kind of hard to argue otherwise.

 

[beware_d-ware]

Personally I think the team believes in 3 techs and devalues 1 techs. We signed Crawford to a big extension after his first good year, then drafted Collins in the 3rd 2 years after that. And then last year, we supposedly had Vita Vea above Vander Esch on our big board.

I think what happened is the draft just hasn't broken our way for DTs.

-Before the '15 draft, we had just paid Crawford.

-In 2016, there was no DT worth the #4 pick and then the 2nd round was Jerry being Jerry. Collins got scooped up in the 3rd.

-In '17, we had a gameplan to add a pass rusher and 2 corners, and looking it up on Wiki, the only DT who would've been worth the pick in the 1st was Malik McDowell (who's never played an NFL snap). After that it was CB time.

-Last year, there just wasn't a DT that was worth the pick in the first 2 rounds. Looking it up, Taven Bryan was the next DT off the board after Vander Esch at #29, and small schooler PJ Hall was the only DT taken in the second.

1T is clearly a churn and burn position for us, but the team is willing to invest in pass rushers, so I wouldn't rule out a DT at all if the right guy is available.

 

[Angus12]

Head coach
DT
TE
S
DE
RB
OL
WR