Jaylon Smith

DHCBF66

DHCBF66

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I have to wonder with another off season to heal if Jaylon will be ready to man center field full time. He showed some of his potential this past season but can he continue to grow? Either way, with Hitchens hitting the free agent market and there is a strong possibility he will not return to Dallas, a linebacker in round 1 or 2 is a must.
 
Dallas needs Hitch and Smith.

Jaylon Smith stepped in the big time since game 1 of the season. He and Lee were in the top of the league in tackles until Hitch returned. As the season progressed Smith showed flashes of greatness. The mistakes of whiffing at the line in the gaps lessened and he was making reads quicker. I think as he matures with this years OTAs and training camp that Smith is destined to have a pro-bowl season. Heck in 2 more years I think he will be all-pro.

I want to see Hitch, Smith, Lee and Wilson together for a few years. These 4 players form a nightmare LBer corp when health. Depth is essential.

Saddle up and enjoy the excitement with the prospect of what Jaylon will due next season.

Dallas will also draft a LBer.
 
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DHCBF66 said:
I have to wonder with another off season to heal if Jaylon will be ready to man center field full time. He showed some of his potential this past season but can he continue to grow? Either way, with Hitchens hitting the free agent market and there is a strong possibility he will not return to Dallas, a linebacker in round 1 or 2 is a must.
Click to expand...

Agree on LB being an early pick. Hitchens has been good but he too was hurt a lot. Lee is not getting younger. The pick needs to be someone that can step in and play right away.
 
DHCBF66 said:
I have to wonder with another off season to heal if Jaylon will be ready to man center field full time. He showed some of his potential this past season but can he continue to grow? Either way, with Hitchens hitting the free agent market and there is a strong possibility he will not return to Dallas, a linebacker in round 1 or 2 is a must.
Click to expand...
I think a LB is a good way to go even if we keep hitch
Most aren’t ready day one to man 3 lb spots so hitch can do what the rookie can’t till he is ready to be that guy or the next Lee
 
Regardless of how much Jaylon does or doesn't progress this off season I still think we need to make drafting a LB a priority.

Lee isn't particularly young anymore and his injury issues crop up without a doubt every year. And even if we do retain Hitchens that shouldn't deter us from making LB a priority. Just my opinion.
 
I'm not excited by this LB group at all. Hitch should not be back because he will want multi year starter money and he's not worth that for us. Smith is still an unknown. Maybe he can start, maybe he can't . Lee is great but is almost guaranteed to miss a few games.

We also need someone with experience either at MLB or at safety so that our defense can function when Lee inevitably will miss games.

If we're getting Thomas at safety, great but if not we need to sign a starting MLB and draft one LB early
 
Va Tech LB TreMaine Edmunds would be a nice pick-up at 19.
If Ridley and some of those DTs are gone,I hope Edmunds is there.
 
DHCBF66 said:
I have to wonder with another off season to heal if Jaylon will be ready to man center field full time. He showed some of his potential this past season but can he continue to grow? Either way, with Hitchens hitting the free agent market and there is a strong possibility he will not return to Dallas, a linebacker in round 1 or 2 is a must.
Click to expand...

I personally think of centerfield as a free safety who is responsible for deep coverage over a large area, but that aside, I also personally don't view Smith as a MLB. I think he is more an outside pursuit guy than a clog the middle running lanes guy. As for whether he will be ready to play a full time role next year, I'm encouraged. He seemed to get better and better last year, and was looking good by season's end. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
 
Unless he gets injured Jaylon will be the starting LB of the Cowboys next year. Jerry has too much invested in him to draft/sign someone to start over him.

My plan would be to sign a solid reasonably priced vet who won’t hurt the team if asked to start + draft another LB in the 3rd/4th round. Hitchens will be too expensive to keep
 
DHCBF66 said:
I have to wonder with another off season to heal if Jaylon will be ready to man center field full time. He showed some of his potential this past season but can he continue to grow? Either way, with Hitchens hitting the free agent market and there is a strong possibility he will not return to Dallas, a linebacker in round 1 or 2 is a must.
Click to expand...
Yes Jaylon will be ready.

Yes the Cowboys will keep Hitch.

Yes the Cowboys will draft a LB in the first 2 rounds. Maybe 3.
 
Hopefully he turns into that beast the Cowboys gambled and waited a year to play.
 
I consider this Jaylon's rookie season since he hasn't really played at the NFL level before this year. So will he continue to grow? Hell yeah he will, and I will say he makes his first pro bowl next year. Sky is still the limit for this kid.
 
Blackthorn said:
Dallas needs Hitch and Smith.

Jaylon Smith stepped in the big time since game 1 of the season. He and Lee were in the top of the league in tackles until Hitch returned. As the season progressed Smith showed flashes of greatness. The mistakes of whiffing at the line in the gaps lessened and he was making reads quicker. I think as he matures with this years OTAs and training camp that Smith is destined to have a pro-bowl season. Heck in 2 more years I think he will be all-pro.

I want to see Hitch, Smith, Lee and Wilson together for a few years. These 4 players form a nightmare LBer corp when health. Depth is essential.

Saddle up and enjoy the excitement with the prospect of what Jaylon will due next season.

Dallas will also draft a LBer.
Click to expand...

I think we need to add a cover LB. Hitchens and Lee are not cover LBers and Smith isn't one yet. Wilson is ok not great. We need a guy with 4.4+ speed who can cover.
 
Idgit said:
I haven't seen it. If we let Hitch walk, we're going to be held hostage by this position yet again. Or we'll have to throw the 19 overall at it and hope we get an walk-in starter there.
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It is one or the other

Either we sign Hitchens and Draft a MIKE at some point Day 3

or we let Hitch walk and draft a MIKE early and sign a cheap vet

Having 4-5 top guys for 2 spots is overkill
 
Nightman said:
It is one or the other

Either we sign Hitchens and Draft a MIKE at some point Day 3

or we let Hitch walk and draft a MIKE early and sign a cheap vet

Having 4-5 top guys for 2 spots is overkill
Click to expand...

We don't have 4-5 top guys. We have Sean Lee. Jaylon hasn't earned 'top guy' status.

And you need 4-5 LBs who can actually play in this league if you're going to make it through a full season plus playoffs. Especially when your best LB has a long history of soft tissue issues. You can get away with having 2 of those guys be quality developmental players, but you need three guys minimum who can all start and play will for you across the WIL and the MIKE or in coverage packages.

LBs are your core special teams players, too, so it's not like it hurts to have an extra one lying around. We're losing Durant and Wilber this year, as well, so those spots need to be replaced. It's not like we have some embarrassment of riches at the LB position on this team. It's killed us for years, now, and I have no interest in seeing it kill us one more time in 2018.

Fix the S problem. Fix the LB problem. Keep the pressure players. Stop complaining about why it is we can't cover well enough to beat good QBs. It's pretty simple.
 
Jalon has gradually been improving since his catastrophic injury a couple of years back.

Several close observers have stated in quite optimistic terms that he'll fare impressively.

It's anyone's guess as to what we're to expect in 2018. Knowing him, I'd bet he'll be fine.
 
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