erod
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For years, Jerry Jones drafted like Idgit, Zordon, Fuzzy Lumpkins, and yours truly.
Free agency was like rummaging through Craig's List, and the NFL was just a big outlet mall of sucker spending traps with unlimited AMEX cards. Jerry tried and tried to money-whip and big-splash his way to Super Bowl glory, and we allowed our hopes and emotions to take the ride with him too many times.
It's intoxicating to pour through the list of big names available with stars in our eyes. Sometimes, now and again, those actually are the right moves to make. But often, most of the time in fact, it's not the best way to materially improve a roster. The bang-for-buck is way out of whack. The football impact ends up virtually nil.
As much as the style and the winning, I'm enjoying the logic and discretion of these past few offseason go-rounds. All of us are, as evidenced by our sudden confidence and acquiescence to the Think Tank in place. It's earned the benefit of our doubt.
As the adrenaline wears off this year's draft, the astute plan that was in place is shining brightly. It showed in how they handled running back, the pass rush, the questions surrounding the linebacking corps, and how team strengths were fortified.
As with all drafts, the Cowboys didn't know what players would fall to them, but contingencies were in place. While we screamed for names we knew and position of need we perceived, the Cowboys methodically let the game come to them.
"Running back! Running back! Running back!" We screamed it every round. "Trade up! Trade back! Take Coleman! Take Duke! Take Johnson, Ajayi, or Buck! Take somebody!!!"
Will McClay said no. Stephen agreed. Jerry stewed, and Garrett fidgeted. But owner and coach let the personnel people handle the stress and agitation of the moment, and they picked smartly and objectively as a team, one and all.
The fact is, most of the heralded running backs in every draft turn out to be no more effective or solid than Joseph Randle, Ryan Williams, Darren McFadden, or Lance Dunbar. Collectively, they make up as good a crew as exists in the NFL that doesn't have Adrian Peterson or Marshawn Lynch.
After Gurley and maybe Gordon, the rest of that list would have just added another to what they already had. Not that they wouldn't have taken one had the value presented itself, but it didn't, so they rightly passed again and again, seven times over.
Randy Gregory wasn't part of the plan, though they surely knew a possible scenario could bring him to them at 27. A decision might have to be made there. However, Byron Jones and Malcolm Brown weren't thought to be there either. A best case scenario fell in their lap. I think they anticipated a player like Brown would be the right pick, resisting the urge to take a Gregory risk that high, as tempting as that would be.
But when Jones got past Pittsburgh and Baltimore, he had to be the pick at that juncture. Talent, need, character and good fortune aligned, and they took the right guy for Marinelli to marinate. Byron will flourish under Rod, sooner or later, but hopefully this season.
They couldn't possibly imagine Gregory coming around again. I'm certain any number of defensive tackles, or a running back, were the plan. But there he was, once again, staring at them with all his flawed temptation. At 60, yes, you take this risk, said McClay, and Stephen agreed. Need here dictates. Sphincters puckered, but opportunity called. Risk/reward was properly balanced late in the second round.
No doubt, some collective gasps hit the NFC East as reality set in. How yummy is that?
Dallas just went from having the worst pass rush in the division to the best almost overnight. Gregory, plus Hardy, a second-year Lawrence, and last year's sack leader Mincey.....crap. The division foes already couldn't stop Romo and the Dallas running game, and now the Cowboys can play some defense, too. What if Sean Lee stays healthy? Double crap.
It didn't end there. Old Jerry would have tallied up his linebacking corps and tossed Murphy's laws aside. Not Will McClay. He's not banking on a healthy Lee or a committed McClain. Those are unlikely best-possible-scenario cases only. No, he's ALREADY planning for them to get hurt. He brought in a calvary of linebackers for Marinelli to peruse, with the idea of finding real linebackers that can play special teams, not the other way around.
Then there's Chaz Green. We've hardly uttered a peep about the loss of Jermey Parnell, who Jacksonville paid like Larry Allen. Parnell was a key factor last year when Doug Free went down. McClay is already on it, and if Green can play, there's your replacement for Free in a couple of years. A sleepy little third round pick that one day might pay off ten-fold.
On it went. An active tackling machine from Minnesota, a sorely needed blocking tight end, more linebackers, and some punt returners in the undrafted pool to replace Dwayne Harris. All added to the Ben Gardners and Chris Whaleys and Ryan Williams in waiting from before.
Go ahead and scan the roster and tell me where huge holes exist. No, it's not perfect, but the roster makes sense, as much as any team in the NFL. I can surely remember when it didn't. Just imagine the quiet confidence in that locker room today, versus 24 months ago. It's like high definition football after years of Trinitron.
Finally, an identity and a plan to match. Roles are established in the front office. Linehan and Marinelli complement Garrett's style perfectly. The parts fit. It's not about Jerry's hopes and impulse fancies anymore.
And for that, I sincerely thank Jerry Jones, which I haven't done much in a long, long time.
Free agency was like rummaging through Craig's List, and the NFL was just a big outlet mall of sucker spending traps with unlimited AMEX cards. Jerry tried and tried to money-whip and big-splash his way to Super Bowl glory, and we allowed our hopes and emotions to take the ride with him too many times.
It's intoxicating to pour through the list of big names available with stars in our eyes. Sometimes, now and again, those actually are the right moves to make. But often, most of the time in fact, it's not the best way to materially improve a roster. The bang-for-buck is way out of whack. The football impact ends up virtually nil.
As much as the style and the winning, I'm enjoying the logic and discretion of these past few offseason go-rounds. All of us are, as evidenced by our sudden confidence and acquiescence to the Think Tank in place. It's earned the benefit of our doubt.
As the adrenaline wears off this year's draft, the astute plan that was in place is shining brightly. It showed in how they handled running back, the pass rush, the questions surrounding the linebacking corps, and how team strengths were fortified.
As with all drafts, the Cowboys didn't know what players would fall to them, but contingencies were in place. While we screamed for names we knew and position of need we perceived, the Cowboys methodically let the game come to them.
"Running back! Running back! Running back!" We screamed it every round. "Trade up! Trade back! Take Coleman! Take Duke! Take Johnson, Ajayi, or Buck! Take somebody!!!"
Will McClay said no. Stephen agreed. Jerry stewed, and Garrett fidgeted. But owner and coach let the personnel people handle the stress and agitation of the moment, and they picked smartly and objectively as a team, one and all.
The fact is, most of the heralded running backs in every draft turn out to be no more effective or solid than Joseph Randle, Ryan Williams, Darren McFadden, or Lance Dunbar. Collectively, they make up as good a crew as exists in the NFL that doesn't have Adrian Peterson or Marshawn Lynch.
After Gurley and maybe Gordon, the rest of that list would have just added another to what they already had. Not that they wouldn't have taken one had the value presented itself, but it didn't, so they rightly passed again and again, seven times over.
Randy Gregory wasn't part of the plan, though they surely knew a possible scenario could bring him to them at 27. A decision might have to be made there. However, Byron Jones and Malcolm Brown weren't thought to be there either. A best case scenario fell in their lap. I think they anticipated a player like Brown would be the right pick, resisting the urge to take a Gregory risk that high, as tempting as that would be.
But when Jones got past Pittsburgh and Baltimore, he had to be the pick at that juncture. Talent, need, character and good fortune aligned, and they took the right guy for Marinelli to marinate. Byron will flourish under Rod, sooner or later, but hopefully this season.
They couldn't possibly imagine Gregory coming around again. I'm certain any number of defensive tackles, or a running back, were the plan. But there he was, once again, staring at them with all his flawed temptation. At 60, yes, you take this risk, said McClay, and Stephen agreed. Need here dictates. Sphincters puckered, but opportunity called. Risk/reward was properly balanced late in the second round.
No doubt, some collective gasps hit the NFC East as reality set in. How yummy is that?
Dallas just went from having the worst pass rush in the division to the best almost overnight. Gregory, plus Hardy, a second-year Lawrence, and last year's sack leader Mincey.....crap. The division foes already couldn't stop Romo and the Dallas running game, and now the Cowboys can play some defense, too. What if Sean Lee stays healthy? Double crap.
It didn't end there. Old Jerry would have tallied up his linebacking corps and tossed Murphy's laws aside. Not Will McClay. He's not banking on a healthy Lee or a committed McClain. Those are unlikely best-possible-scenario cases only. No, he's ALREADY planning for them to get hurt. He brought in a calvary of linebackers for Marinelli to peruse, with the idea of finding real linebackers that can play special teams, not the other way around.
Then there's Chaz Green. We've hardly uttered a peep about the loss of Jermey Parnell, who Jacksonville paid like Larry Allen. Parnell was a key factor last year when Doug Free went down. McClay is already on it, and if Green can play, there's your replacement for Free in a couple of years. A sleepy little third round pick that one day might pay off ten-fold.
On it went. An active tackling machine from Minnesota, a sorely needed blocking tight end, more linebackers, and some punt returners in the undrafted pool to replace Dwayne Harris. All added to the Ben Gardners and Chris Whaleys and Ryan Williams in waiting from before.
Go ahead and scan the roster and tell me where huge holes exist. No, it's not perfect, but the roster makes sense, as much as any team in the NFL. I can surely remember when it didn't. Just imagine the quiet confidence in that locker room today, versus 24 months ago. It's like high definition football after years of Trinitron.
Finally, an identity and a plan to match. Roles are established in the front office. Linehan and Marinelli complement Garrett's style perfectly. The parts fit. It's not about Jerry's hopes and impulse fancies anymore.
And for that, I sincerely thank Jerry Jones, which I haven't done much in a long, long time.
