If You Could Choose 1 Player In Cowboys History, In Their Absolute Prime To Add To Today's Team

[xwalker]

Everyone getting a bit chippy with Training Camp upon us...lol
I hope this TC shares the same attitude, Im anticipating a highly motivated camp, there are some serious job openings, may be some surprise rooks and 2nd year early contributors.
There is always a degree of comp in every camp, but this roster has some serious youth esp in the backend, not just young with limited upside expectations, but young with already
graded high ceilings.
Finding a way to stash some of these players is going to be interesting, just one specific situation is Clark, have to retain this player so he will take priority stash.
Bell, is another that has tremendous upside but greener than the highest rainfall fields in Costa Rica.
There have been changes, with a bit more flexibility to the rules regarding FA and stashing, and I admit that I am not up to date with the latest changes, so I will refrain to some here that I know have a better understanding and all of our allowances, how Alacorn fits in still.

• There was no doubt whatsoever after the draft that the team's top focus is to improve the toughness and competitive drive.
• I said weeks before the draft that Tyler Smith is the 1st player that has reminded me of Larry Allen since the GOAT himself.
  • Ridgeway has the attitude and size.
  • Sam Williams tenacity jumps off the screen in his game footage.
  • My primary thoughts after reviewing Tolbert's game footage is that he plays with an edge. The Mike Irvin in your face style.
  • Jake Ferguson looked like an 'all business' type of player in the mold of a Jason Witten mindset.
  • LB Clark was a leader on that defense and seemed to be everywhere. He didn't back down.
  • OT Waldo was like Tyler Smith lite. He pummeled those small college defenders and took some defenders to the ground in Senior Bowl 1-on-1s.
  • If you watch CB DaRon Bland's junior year highlight video, it was almost all plays of him knocking the snot out of somebody.
  • LB Harper was a hitting machine and seemed like a super high intensity player.

The decisions to dump La'el & Cooper also seemed to be at least partially about mental makeup.
- I love that Cooper was a smart, no non-sense player, but he just seemed to lack intensity.
- La'el didn't seem to be focused on football and never really developed great technique.

 

[America's Cowboy]

AC the CB's and LB's could absolutley maul recievers back then there were nothing but challenged catches all over the field...Literally going acroos the middle for a slant was endangering the WR. The Phrase "Will he go over the middle" means nothing today it meant alot back then.

I get that. I grew up watching play during the 70s and 80s. But...the game was slower back then. It was not as fast as it is today. That is my point. How can a QB who struggled to complete mid-50 % of his completions during the 70s when the game was slower expect to perform much better today during the 2020s when the game is so much faster?

 

[America's Cowboy]

Again you are wrong ask D Stingley how easy it was, and if it was so easy why was the run featured back then not passing, I guess you think the OC were stupid in those days and finally how did the Air Coryell work out. All these Passing records being broken because it's so hard to pass against todays D's. Rules have opened up the passing game and Many many of the 60's and 70, 80, 90s QBs would thrive today as for receivers, Allworth, Swan, Hayes to name a few would eat these D's alive.

I don't know about that. Today's Defenses are so much faster and quicker.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Jack Lambert use to smile when he saw a Slant...incomming clothesline and no flag.

There still are hard hits on WRs coming over the middle on a quick slant. Only difference is today's Defenses are flagged and fined for them.

 

[CowboyFrog]

I get that. I grew up watching play during the 70s and 80s. But...the game was slower back then. It was not as fast as it is today. That is my point. How can a QB who struggled to complete mid-50 % of his completions during the 70s when the game was slower expect to perform much better today during the 2020s when the game is so much faster?

There were fast players then also, generally defensive numbers were up and scoring was down then compared to now...the rule changes have done that purposley...I'm with you on one thing replacing Dak with another QB without fixing our D run game problems probably does not translate into more playoff wins....but great passing QB's from the 70's would do even better now because they would have wide open WR out there when in those days it was all tight window contested throws...then you factor in they dont get the hits they had to take it would be a much easier life for them now.

 

[phildadon86]

I get that. I grew up watching play during the 70s and 80s. But...the game was slower back then. It was not as fast as it is today. That is my point. How can a QB who struggled to complete mid-50 % of his completions during the 70s when the game was slower expect to perform much better today during the 2020s when the game is so much faster?

Let go of the speed angle.

The premise of the argument is that Roger/Troy in their prime would be playing at the same speed. With todays rules.

 

[Brax]

I don't know about that. Today's Defenses are so much faster and quicker.

It's due to football being a year round job now, it wasn't that way back then, just about all players had primary jobs and used training camp to get in shape, football wasn't their livelihood it was a 6-month job. If Pay and year-round training the same between now and then, the players would have been on par and in many cases better than today's players.

 

[phildadon86]

It's due to football being a year round job now, it wasn't that way back then, just about all players had primary jobs and used training camp to get in shape, football wasn't their livelihood it was a 6-month job. If Pay and year-round training the same between now and then, the players would have been on par and in many cases better than today's players.

The mental makeups alone would translate.

They played for love of the game back then.

Now they play for love of themselves. (not all of them but a vast majority)

 

[Typhus]

• There was no doubt whatsoever after the draft that the team's top focus is to improve the toughness and competitive drive.
• I said weeks before the draft that Tyler Smith is the 1st player that has reminded me of Larry Allen since the GOAT himself.
  • Ridgeway has the attitude and size.
  • Sam Williams tenacity jumps off the screen in his game footage.
  • My primary thoughts after reviewing Tolbert's game footage is that he plays with an edge. The Mike Irvin in your face style.
  • Jake Ferguson looked like an 'all business' type of player in the mold of a Jason Witten mindset.
  • LB Clark was a leader on that defense and seemed to be everywhere. He didn't back down.
  • OT Waldo was like Tyler Smith lite. He pummeled those small college defenders and took some defenders to the ground in Senior Bowl 1-on-1s.
  • If you watch CB DaRon Bland's junior year highlight video, it was almost all plays of him knocking the snot out of somebody.
  • LB Harper was a hitting machine and seemed like a super high intensity player.

The decisions to dump La'el & Cooper also seemed to be at least partially about mental makeup.
- I love that Cooper was a smart, no non-sense player, but he just seemed to lack intensity.
- La'el didn't seem to be focused on football and never really developed great technique.

Indeed, it was a draft with attitude and a personality trait that seems to have been recognized and now identified, just much more obvious with this class, and UDFA class.
I know I am a roster snob, and constantly ramble on this forum about the importance of upgrading our depth behind Zeke and Pollard, there is room there and I believe
the FO is setting the net to start catching some still decent vet RBs when they become available for the right price.
Might be the position of highest churning, the RB3.
We just need to identify and snag one good one.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Ok, good points from @CowboyFrog , @phildadon86 and @Brax !

 

[Reid1boys]

Taking multiple time Super Bowl winning QBs over Dak or Romo is an easy decision. However, that position didn't immediately jump out as there's likely bigger needs.

There is NEVER a bigger need than a HOF. Qi....never.

 

[Typhus]

Oh stop it.

In 2007 Tony had an absolutely STACKED roster. This is such a tired argument.

Imagine if Tony didnt go to Cabo during the bye and spent it watching game film during the bye week....

Imagine If Romo spent all his focus on being the QB of the Dallas Cowboys, rather than splitting it with advancing his golf game.

 

[RonnieT24]

You are correct on Winston int. but just look at 2019 JW vs 2019 Prescotts stats it's almost identical so a Great QB makes a huge difference, enough to take the same basic team to a SB victory the next year.

Wait, what?

Winston 33 TDs and 30 INTs.
Prescott 30 TDs and 11 INTs.
Winston completion percentage 59%
Prescott completion percentage 65%
Winston - 12 fumbles
Prescott - 6 fumbles

One guy had a 1 to 1 TD/INT ratio while the other guy was 3 to 1. One guy had a significantly higher completion percentage despite their yards per attempt being equal at 8.2 ypa. One guy fumbled twice as much..

How is this "almost identical?"

What am I missing? Those two respective seasons are not even remotely similar.

And for the last time unless Gronk, Fournette, and AB all played for Tampa in 2019 can we stop claiming it was the "exact same team" in 2020? Picking up two pro bowl caliber players and another guy who led the team in rushing after he was acquired does not equate to "the exact same team."

 

[Brax]

Wait, what?

Winston 33 TDs and 30 INTs.
Prescott 30 TDs and 11 INTs.
Winston completion percentage 59%
Prescott completion percentage 65%
Winston - 12 fumbles
Prescott - 6 fumbles

One guy had a 1 to 1 TD/INT ratio while the other guy was 3 to 1. One guy had a significantly higher completion percentage despite their yards per attempt being equal at 8.2 ypa. One guy fumbled twice as much..

How is this "almost identical?"

What am I missing? Those two respective seasons are not even remotely similar.

And for the last time unless Gronk, Fournette, and AB all played for Tampa in 2019 can we stop claiming it was the "exact same team" in 2020? Picking up two pro bowl caliber players and another guy who led the team in rushing after he was acquired does not equate to "the exact same team."

I said int’s he was bad, rest of stats are pretty close one got dumped and was replaced and the same basic team won it all the next year, one got paid then hurt then paid again and results, we all know the result. You stats people use them to prop up Dak but looking at the stats in 2019 JW wasn’t much different than Dak.

 

[Kingofholland]

You are correct on Winston int. but just look at 2019 JW vs 2019 Prescotts stats it's almost identical so a Great QB makes a huge difference, enough to take the same basic team to a SB victory the next year.

Definitely, but every QB needs a good supporting cast to win anything. After Jimmy Johnson left and Cowboys talent was in decline so did Troy Aikman. Do they Cowboys of today offer enough in way of coaching and talent to be comparable.

 

[CowboyFrog]

Wait, what?

Winston 33 TDs and 30 INTs.
Prescott 30 TDs and 11 INTs.
Winston completion percentage 59%
Prescott completion percentage 65%
Winston - 12 fumbles
Prescott - 6 fumbles

One guy had a 1 to 1 TD/INT ratio while the other guy was 3 to 1. One guy had a significantly higher completion percentage despite their yards per attempt being equal at 8.2 ypa. One guy fumbled twice as much..

How is this "almost identical?"

What am I missing? Those two respective seasons are not even remotely similar.

And for the last time unless Gronk, Fournette, and AB all played for Tampa in 2019 can we stop claiming it was the "exact same team" in 2020? Picking up two pro bowl caliber players and another guy who led the team in rushing after he was acquired does not equate to "the exact same team."

Right like Stafford took "The exact same" Rams team to the SB..they seem to not think much of Real all pro's joing at other positions also.

 

[CowboyFrog]

I said int’s he was bad, rest of stats are pretty close one got dumped and was replaced and the same basic team won it all the next year, one got paid then hurt then paid again and results, we all know the result. You stats people use them to prop up Dak but looking at the stats in 2019 JW wasn’t much different than Dak.

Brax its hard to sweep a record setting INT year under the rug for a QB...again I get Dak is not your Ideal QB situation but this argument will be hard to hold.

 

[Brax]

Brax its hard to sweep a record setting INT year under the rug for a QB...again I get Dak is not your Ideal QB situation but this argument will be hard to hold.

I’m not sweeping anything under the rug just pointing out how stats can deceive. Looking overall at the stats how much different were they? The main point was what a big difference a QB can make.

 

[NotForLong]

Well, I'm going unconventional because it sucks to say the same thing as everyone else.

Gimme safety Roy Williams. Man, if that guy could have kept himself at his rookie weight, he would have turned out Godly.

He. Would be a middle lb in todAys game

 

[NotForLong]

Hmmmm,
I'd probably go with Ware to pair with Micah.

Yeah, that would be must see pass rush type of cool.

Gotta go with Haley . . . Cowboys didn't know how to win until they got Him . . . Ware was too soft spoken