JJ Wilcox will be our starting FS, Stephen Jones pretty much says

[starfrombirth]

That's part of the problem!Stephen Jones is naming who starts.

Maybe... just maybe... he is saying what the coaches have told him.

 

[4lifecowboy]

The position is too important for us to be hoping one of our projects improve enough to start. Last year was a disaster in the defensive secondary. We are way better off taking a starting quality safety in the draft be it Dixon, Pryor, Joyner or Ward and having one or more of our projects pan out than we are not taking a safety early and having all our projects fail.

 

[OhSnap]

 

[CF74]

Wilcox is another one that shows a flashy pan, dude just needs more game time experience. I say baptism by fire, let him play when healthy...

 

[Nirvana]

We would not have invited Ward to the ranch unless he was seriously being considered. Don't think anyone should think we are set at safety. Wilcox would likely be more game ready than anyone in this draft for game 1 though. So no big revelation here.

This group is one of the more intriguing ones for camp. Hope Ward is added to the mix.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I think what agitates people is the fact that he was not starting over Jeff Heath at the end of the year, therefore he is not any good.

Somewhat fair assumption. I get that his mother passing was a big deal, would affect anyone. But he is and was a raw player regardless. That is the problem with taking a converted running back and expecting a quick transition.

I looked it up, and his mother died in mid-August. He returned to practice August 21. That's a couple of weeks before the season even started. I'm sorry, but as terrible a life event as that is, it's not an excuse for not starting over Jeff Heath several months later.

 

[gimmesix]

If there is a position on defense that should be able to improve this season without actually picking up new talent, I believe it's the safety positions. I think that we should be able to focus on the DL and LB corps in the draft and beyond, and roll the dice on Wilcox and/or Matt Johnson this year.

Of course, if a great safety talent falls to us in the early rounds of the draft, it's hard to pass that up.

I agree. I don't think Dallas goes into the draft looking for a safety because it wants to give Wilcox, Johnson and even Heath a chance to develop before committing a high pick to the position. Now, if one falls into Dallas' lap that's too hard to resist, that's one thing; otherwise, people are just too quick to give up on players who haven't even completely adjusted to playing on a much higher level yet.

Yes, that sometimes burns you, but it's also the way that you build a team, by giving your drafted players a chance before moving on to the next one. ... Plus, if Dallas focuses on getting a line that can consistently pressure the QB, safety won't be an issue this year.

 

[Alexander]

I looked it up, and his mother died in mid-August. He returned to practice August 21. That's a couple of weeks before the season even started. I'm sorry, but as terrible a life event as that is, it's not an excuse for not starting over Jeff Heath several months later.

He did tweak his knee the week prior to the Detroit game too though. Maybe the injury was worse than it appeared. There is also the fact the defense was so leaky, they could not afford to start him due to the fact he is pretty aggressive and not very scheme sound, which is supposedly Heath's strength (grasp of the defensive concepts).

Not making excuses, just trying to plausibly explain why a player like Jeff Heath was starting over him.

 

[DallasEast]

I agree. I don't think Dallas goes into the draft looking for a safety because it wants to give Wilcox, Johnson and even Heath a chance to develop before committing a high pick to the position. Now, if one falls into Dallas' lap that's too hard to resist, that's one thing; otherwise, people are just too quick to give up on players who haven't even completely adjusted to playing on a much higher level yet.

Yes, that sometimes burns you, but it's also the way that you build a team, by giving your drafted players a chance before moving on to the next one. ... Plus, if Dallas focuses on getting a line that can consistently pressure the QB, safety won't be an issue this year.

Yep.

 

[rbr651]

I looked it up, and his mother died in mid-August. He returned to practice August 21. That's a couple of weeks before the season even started. I'm sorry, but as terrible a life event as that is, it's not an excuse for not starting over Jeff Heath several months later.

True, if anyone else work suffered for months following a personal tragedy they would of been shown the door. I love the NFL but can't stand professional athletes. It irritates me more when an average Joe starts preaching about how I don't know the troubles they have and how dangerous their job is.

 

[ShiningStar]

oh,, well instead of stating facts, lets just go with hes the best to play the position and we have nothing to worry about. He will be doing what every dreams he can do instead of what a quality FS should be doing back there.

In light of whether he starts or nots, if that line can be fixed and geared more to stopping the qb, it will make whoever is back there look better anyway.

 

[pacboyX]

Wilcox can cover TEs, can Church?

 

[casmith07]

iF Jimmie Ward is there in the 2nd..FORGET ABOUT ITT!

Ward is the best FS prospect since Earl Thomas.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Ward is the best FS prospect since Earl Thomas.

And will look great with a star on his helmet from now on.

 

[casmith07]

And will look great with a star on his helmet from now on.

Then we could play JJ at strong, which he would be excellent at since he hits like a truck.

 

[Ratmatt]

your first rodeo I see.

just an fyi, what clubs say the week before the draft doesn't mean much.

As much as I appreciate you trying to explain the ways of the draft to me.I really don't remember saying anything about the draft in my comment.So that tells me I must of hit a Jones nerve with you.So I will say it a little more clear for you,and anybody else that didn't like it.Just because your all used to,in the last 20 yrs.,of having the Joneses tell you who is going to start on this team,doesn't mean it's right.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I looked it up, and his mother died in mid-August. He returned to practice August 21. That's a couple of weeks before the season even started. I'm sorry, but as terrible a life event as that is, it's not an excuse for not starting over Jeff Heath several months later.

He won back the starting job for several games before he missed games due to the injury. When he came back, he split time with Heath.

And who exactly does he need to excuse himself to?

 

[BigStar]

“I know everybody kind of smirks, but one day if Matt Johnson stays healthy, then we’ll finally get to look at him,” Jones said. “Hopefully, that’ll turn for him. Hopefully Matt’s going to prove you guys wrong and a lot of people wrong and stay healthy and be the guy we thought we drafted out of there two years ago.”

I'm always concerned whenever anyone named Jones goes the "prove you guys wrong" route. To me, that's a stubborn person who can't admit it when they make a mistake.

And I feel that the first step in correcting a mistake is admitting you made one in the first place.

Esp when that player(mistake) is a small school prospect out of the 4th round. What is he so proud of? Actually finding talent in the 4th like many teams do routinely? You got us Stephen...

I agree though that he is insinuating that the team will not likely draft a S high in the top 3 rounds though the team is in need of an upgrade even if it is to supplant Church. Ideally, Wilcox would be this team's SS who is much more capable of keeping up with the athletic TEs and rbs being incorporated in the passing game. Ideally, a more athletic "natural" cover FS could handle the back end and finally stop the confusion and lackluster zone play that has been displayed in the secondary since 2009. I am a fan of Pryor to supplant Church and feel Wilcox is adequate. I am reading more on Ward from board's influence, etc. and he does look like a player the team should target, even fitting more to the ideal I'm speaking of. Still like Pryor as a great SS though.

 

[BigStar]

I agree. I don't think Dallas goes into the draft looking for a safety because it wants to give Wilcox, Johnson and even Heath a chance to develop before committing a high pick to the position. Now, if one falls into Dallas' lap that's too hard to resist, that's one thing; otherwise, people are just too quick to give up on players who haven't even completely adjusted to playing on a much higher level yet.

Yes, that sometimes burns you, but it's also the way that you build a team, by giving your drafted players a chance before moving on to the next one. ... Plus, if Dallas focuses on getting a line that can consistently pressure the QB, safety won't be an issue this year.

I agree with the general premise of allowing your investments to develop, but we are talking about a 4th rounder long shot out of a small school that has been injured the last two seasons and a UDFA. That doesn't seem like a big enough investment that you couldn't move on from fairly easily, esp considering how poor the S play has been the last several seasons. Time to add some talent back there and stop going the cheap and pray route.

 

[Cumart21]

Nobody has been handed a starting spot. JJ Wilcox will battle everyone else on the roster in OTA's, mini camps, and the preseason and the the best player will start on opening day. I'd like to think he's got the best chance of those who are currently on the roster. A rookie year, plus the offseason will go a long way in helping him develop into a quality starter. None of us know how much he will develop though, if at all. Only time will tell. We can speculate until we're blue in the face. Odds are that he's a better player than he was last year.