Kam Wimbley

[AsthmaField]

If we had taken Merriman, he would have fallen exactly 1 slot to the Chargers. It was clear that the Chargers were going to take whichever one we did not choose.

I still wish we could've found a way to draft both Ware and Merriman.

We apparently had a hard time deciding between Ware and Merriman. Both of them are outstanding players at a position that is very important in our defensive scheme. I had thought at the time that we should try to trade up with our #20 pick and try to get both players since we had a need at both OLB positions.

I do really like Marcus spears, and I think he'll be a very, very good DE for years to come. He's just so athletic for a guy his size. I think He'll be a force. However, in the 3-4, DE is simply less of an impact position than OLB and can be pretty easily filled. Ratliff for instance, is going to be a good 3-4 DE and we got him in the 7th round. I think in a 3-4 the positions that you should spend a lot of money at (Or use high draft picks) are OLB, ILB, NT, and CB. In a 4-3, those important positions become DE, DT and CB.

Had we found a way to take the number 20 pick and move up to 12 to take Merriman, we would've had our bookends for years to come. Ware on the weakside and Merriman on the strong. We could've gotten a DE later.

As a matter of fact, since we would have taken LB with our first two picks, we wouldn't have gone LB in round 2 with Burnett. We could've then gone DE (I think Jonathan Babineaux would've been a great 3-4 DE) in the second. That is assuming we didn't trade it in the move up to 12.

Anyway, I just think the trade up would've been worth it because having Ware and Merriman as our OLB bookends would make the defense alarmingly good.

Then, with this years number one pick, we'd be filling a different position.

Yes, it would've cost us some later round picks last year... maybe this year if we used some future picks as ammo... but I think it would've been worth it.

This year, we've signed eight free agents... with that many new faces coming in to the team, we could've done without our third this year.

Oh, well... just dreaming anyway... but it would've been nice.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Yeah, if I remember correctly Jerry already had a trade worked out with a prospective team and the Patriots took McGinnest with the pick right before.

Also to throw in that mix Larry Lacewell was reportedly in love with his beloved Volunteer Leonard Little and we were trying to trade up to get him, but we couldn't find a trading partner and we didn't have a 3rd rounder that year because we wasted it trading up for LeFleur the year before. Also, I'm sure you've seen the NFL Network commercial where Joey Porter talks about how Jerry told him he would be a Cowboy if he was there with their pick in the 3rd round. Jerry even took his family out to dinner the night before the draft and brought them a much of Cowboy merch. We took Dat with that pick instead. The list of guys who we could've/should've from the late 90's had reads like a who's who of NFL All Pros.

Well, hard to argue with anything you've said here. I don't know how Parcells will end up in Dallas but one thing is certain, he has at least provided direction. A certain structure that has allowed us to enjoy a bit more success then previous years. I hope it can continue after he departs. I guess we'll see.

 

[Alexander]

Also, I'm sure you've seen the NFL Network commercial where Joey Porter talks about how Jerry told him he would be a Cowboy if he was there with their pick in the 3rd round. Jerry even took his family out to dinner the night before the draft and brought them a much of Cowboy merch. We took Dat with that pick instead

Actually, I believe we were supposed to take Porter in the second round, but took Solomon Page instead. The Steelers picked him in the third round before our pick came back around.