Is anyone kind of upset

[AzorAhai]

The LBs they lost got overpaid. I'm not going to be upset with letting players go who got overpaid. You can't think about keeping players for above market value just to conserve draft picks.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Uh....No, I am not.

V is for Valium

 

[DFWJC]

We added 3 LBs and lost 2 (or 1 1/2 if you count injuries) while saving some cap room.
We have Lee coming back (who is an injury risk, as was Durant) and Hitchens, who is developing well.
McClain is up in the air, but round 2-5 of the draft look good anyway.

I just don't at all see the issue here.

 

[tm1119]

They almost took Shazier last year and you look at Kendricks and the kid from Clemson and you just know the Cowboys will pull the trigger on one of those guys instead of a guy like OO.

Ok? Drafting a talented LB who the coaching staff likes is no where near what you're OP is saying. Losing Carter and Durant are not going to be the reason we draft any player...That I can promise you.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

What round did we get Hitchens in?

 

[Brooksey]

No.

Hitchens started over Carter last season (weeks 12 though 16). It would have been more if McClain was not injured.

Durant just can't stay healthy.

Lee and Hitchens are probably the 3 downs LBs even if McClain returns. They played in the Nickel 66% of the snaps last season. If McClain is out in the Nickel then that limits his impact.

They added multiple veteran LBs that give them great depth and most of them have rarely missed games. Brinkley is a really good 2 down LB. Gachkar is a solid backup that has starter ability. Rivers is a similar player to Durant including the injury issue, but he was signed for a veterans minimum deal. Watson is a Bruce Carter type athlete.

I'm not sure Rolando would be sitting out in the Nickel, I think it would be Rolando and Lee.

 

[xwalker]

I'm not sure Rolando would be sitting out in the Nickel, I think it would be Rolando and Lee.

The issue with McClain is not that he can't play in the Nickel, but that he has problems playing 100% of the defensive snaps. A 6-4, 260 pound player running around in coverage tends to get worn down.

When he played in Oakland, he originally played all 3 downs, but they eventually pulled him from the Nickel. It didn't appear to be because he couldn't do it, but because he was out of gas before the 4th quarter.

 

[Stash]

Is anyone kind of upset that we let all of these quality Linebackers just walk in Free Agency and now we may have to spend a first round pick on one?

I don't think we're spending a first round pick on a linebacker at all.

If we could've just kept Durant or Carter we'd have our guy that could play basically every position for when Lee gets hurt.

For what they were paid? No thanks. I feel both were grossly overpaid.

Our focus should've been getting more of a pass rush. I would argue that the pass rush up the middle was our biggest weakness last year and got us sent home against GB.

Now we're reeling and trying to find Linebackers. If we lose McClain then we're in big trouble.

I guess I disagree with the thought that we're in any sort of dire straights with what we currently have at linebacker. We lost good players, not superstars.

 

[jterrell]

Put me in the Not camp as well.

We have been targeting LB high the last couple drafts anyways.

Carter was always going to leave. He is an incredible athlete who does it all well except consistently play football.
Rod M seemed to have a pretty open disdain for him. Carter got paid like a star caliber guy. I'd guess he'll be a free agent in another year or two when that contract is exposed as terrible.

Durant was a great team guy but he's trying to get by at LB at about 15-20 pounds underweight. And it's been a losing battle the last couple seasons. I really wanted Durant back but as our 4th LB. Where he could plug and play at a high level but not take wear and tear. He got paid like a starting LB.

Ro is still on the radar but he apparently has a suspension looming. And hes played about 8 games of football worth noting in 3 years. It would be great to have him back on a make-good deal but we can't really hand him any big checks and expect them to be earned later.

I trust the front office. I really do. I expect these guys they just signed can play. I don;t know it, but I believe it. Because I have seen them add good value after good value amongst vet free agents of late. It might be the best thing McClay has done over the past 5-6 years.

I like Hitchens a lot. Cheap, versatile, all upside.
That was a guy Bob Sturm and others mocked at draft time..., did I mention I trust the Cowboys FO nowadays??

Give me another of those guys in round 3 or 4 and man I am feeling pretty darn good at LB.

As to what we actually have, the cupboard isn't barren.

Brinkley will hit you. I watched him a lot in the SEC. He is physical even by standards of that league. He can't run like Ro but he is a good short yardage guy.
Hitchens can play all 3 spots. And he'll be the starter somewhere.
Sean Lee is going to be a plus starter for however many games he plays. If he gets through a full season he may well be All Pro at Will.
Gachnar was a spot starter in SD and was in NE when we called.

 

[Macnalty]

This draft will not fix all the holes at some point you have to prioritize. IMO CB/DL/DE/RB at the top of the list. LB falls behind these guys on my menu unless one of top guys drops from heaven.

 

[CATCH17]

I just hate to see a LB be picked in the first round.

You have to be a special special talent imo to go in the first round at that position anymore.


All I care about is improving the pass rush and finding a workhorse RB.

 

[AsthmaField]

Had we signed Carter and Durant, there is no way Dallas could have signed Hardy.

So with you saying you wanted to improve the pass rush but not the LB corps... That is actually what Dallas did. Now they can take the BPA at 27 and if that is Kendricks, then I'm all for it.

 

[Doomsday101]

I just hate to see a LB be picked in the first round.

You have to be a special special talent imo to go in the first round at that position anymore.


All I care about is improving the pass rush and finding a workhorse RB.

There have been at least 4 LB taken in the 1st rd the last 2 years? any 1st rd pick needs to be a quality player or at least that is what the team drafting them is hoping for but I don't see how "Now Days" is any different than any time before when it comes to getting a LB

 

[CF74]

I was but I kinda got over it. Adding Hardy plus a good draft gives me hope for another strong season..

 

[CowboyChris]

I think your biggest fear is that we draft a LB in the 1st, i can see why you would be upset with that, I think the team has solidified the LB's in FA so that they dont have to take a LB early. I would love to see to CB/RB/DL taken in the 1st round.

 

[jterrell]

I just hate to see a LB be picked in the first round.

You have to be a special special talent imo to go in the first round at that position anymore.


All I care about is improving the pass rush and finding a workhorse RB.

I wouldn't list LB as my top choice at 27.
But RB is also pretty far from a top choice for me.

I feel fairly certain I can get a RB at 60 or 91 that can get 1200 yards behind this line.
And even more, I feel I can do that every year.
The OL and passing game is that good.
RB is an easy to get but generally short term fix.

Arguably the best RB of this decade is AP. And he is floating around waiting on someone to show him some real love.

At 27:
I'd prefer: WDE, SDE, CB, FS, 3T. LB then for offense OT, WR then 1T, RB, SS, OG, TE, OC, basically punter and kicker level this far down....

QB trumps all but of course we already have one.

 

[AsthmaField]

I wouldn't list LB as my top choice at 27.
But RB is also pretty far from a top choice for me.

I feel fairly certain I can get a RB at 60 or 91 that can get 1200 yards behind this line.
And even more, I feel I can do that every year.
The OL and passing game is that good.
RB is an easy to get but generally short term fix.

Arguably the best RB of this decade is AP. And he is floating around waiting on someone to show him some real love.

At 27:
I'd prefer: WDE, SDE, CB, FS, 3T. LB then for offense OT, WR then 1T, RB, SS, OG, TE, OC, basically punter and kicker level this far down....

QB trumps all but of course we already have one.

I share your thoughts on getting a LB at 27 (although I do think Kendricks would be worth it and a good pickup at 27).

I sort of share your thoughts on RB in the first as well but I do think the way this draft and Free Agency is shaping up that RB might be the BAP by a long shot at Dallas' pick. I anticipate DE to be well picked over. I don't think Malcom Brown will be there at 27 and he's about the only DT I think they might take in the 1st. Kendricks is probably the only LB they'd want in the first but he could very well be gone too. At Safety, I don't think there is a guy in this draft that Dallas would take at 27.

Cornerback might have a guy there that the team views as worth the 27th, but it might not either.

So, if there simply isn't a defensive player left that Dallas views as the 27th overall pick, I could see them going offense there. OT might have the BAP but I really don't think Dallas wants to do that, no matter how staunchly they want to follow BPA. Same goes for WR. The TE position doesn't have a chance of being the first pick.

In the case that it does work out this way and Gurley or Gordon is there at 27, then I think that will be the pick.

I still think Kendricks might be there though and the question is, would they take LB or RB if both Kendricks and Gurley or Gordon are there. I'm not sure because the team isn't crazy about spending a first round pick on LB or RB.

 

[Risen Star]

Durant was playing at an elite level last year.

The guy was everywhere.


Bruce Carter as well.



Im just afraid that Dallas will want the LB over the pass rusher and if we ever want to change our defense we need D Line.


Our DT's are pretty jaggy and im not sold on Lawrence at all.

I doubt the team will value a LB over a pass rusher. They signed Hardy to a one year deal and they don't even know how much of that year he'll be available. The owner/GM has mentioned this critical need a couple of times this offseason.

I guess your idea of elite is different than mine. I just can't imagine a scenario where losing a Justin Durant costs you something. Bruce Carter has flashed elite a few times but he is wildly inconsistent. It's anybody's guess what kind of player he'll be in Tampa Bay.

 

[theogt]

I like our starting LB corps better this year than I did at this same time last year, so there's that.

 

[AsthmaField]

I like our starting LB corps better this year than I did at this same time last year, so there's that.

I don't disagree. Lee at OLB is a very good move, IMO. Frankly, if they got Kendricks in the draft, I might be tempted to move Lee to SLB and let Kendricks play WLB with Hitchens and Brinkley in the middle.