CFZ Key Post-draft Question: Are we better as a team in 2024 than 2023?

[Hennessy_King]

I look at center as the quarterback of the offensive line…. Mentally he won’t be what a vet is..physically I have no concerns.

Very true

 

[LACowboysFan1]

No. Offensive tackles are a mess. We got better at center. Run defense still in shambles. No talent at rb. Zero speed on offense. If we win 12 games again it will be because of dak. Again

I know, everybody and his dog have Beebe's name chiseled in stone as the center this year. But despite his self-proclaimed willingness to play center, it's not a guarantee that first of all that is Dallas' plan (at least for this year) or second that he actually can play center at an NFL level. Center is not some position that you put somebody in just because he's big and strong. There is skill involved.

Personally, I do think he'd be a good center, does have the size and build for it, but only time will tell...

 

[Chasing6]

He's practiced every day in college just never had to do it in a game. Shouldn't be that big of a deal

Starters get majority of the reps. Only started 1 year.

 

[TwistedL0g1k]

No. The team has lost more talent than it gained. (hope I'm proven wrong)

Also, when making this judgment, it's not fair to characterize retained players such as Dowdle as an "addition".

 

[starfan1]

For this guy anyway I feel like we are about the same

its hard to predict how we will be at LT. My guess is that it will be worse but we dont know how steep the learning curve will be. I think with the run game according to things I have read we will be good.Its the passs protection that concerns me but even those things I heard Guyton was good at.

We upgrade at Center IMO. We still have the weakness out at RT but he got better towards the end of the year if that continues we should be good.

RB should be similar by comittee maybe the blocking improves. push here hopefully the run blocking improves
year 3 of Fergy and year 2 of Schoon should work in our favor.
we dont lose squat in gallup leaving but another year of wear on cooks who knows.CeeDee wont match last years numbers but you never know. maybe a bit of a drop off here

The defense is interesting because i think with the addition of zimmer we got better. The LB crew looks to improve
CB with the return of Diggs should improve although he and bland are similar. Feast or famine

The defensive line still concerns me when it comes to stopping the run and the best run defender left in hankins. This area which was already a concern got worse IMO

honestly we wont know what we got till the season begins but I see 10 wins. I do think our division improved but well see

 

[big dog cowboy]

So back to question, Are we better in 2024 AS A TEAM after this draft?

With so much off season left I can't answer that question yet.

 

[beware_d-ware]

This offense is looking pretty threadbare. It is CeeDee, our guards, and nobody. Cooks is now 33 years old. Ferguson is a good two-way TE, but he won't average more than 50 yards per game receiving. There are plenty of questions at tackle and center. Our RB room is the worst in the league.

The defense basically reloaded for another go-round. We will see how Zimmer schemes them compared to what DQ did, but the talent level is very high on paper. Top 10 in the league no question.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

We still need LB’s and the running backs are awful. We are counting on Cooks to stay healthy as our #2? Where are the sacks coming from outside of Micah?

Lots of questions

Yes, lots of questions.

But to provide possible answers to your questions (not saying they will work, just noting what we have), in regard to LB we got Kendricks in FA, Overshown is evidently on track on his recovery, we drafted a LB, signed Wilson. So, Dallas has bodies, we just don't know how good they will be.

As far as rbs, Cowboys have 6 on the roster. Again, not saying they're great but at least Dowdle, Luepke, Deuce and Davis know the plays/formations, Zeke has short yardage ability (if the line is adequate) so there's lots of options there. Some running backs do much better if they're in the game more and get a feel for the flow of the game, etc. so who knows? Maybe Dowdle has bulked up and won't get hurt so much.

Lastly, as to sacks, Williams has shown sack making ability, he's a knucklehead but no question the physical tools are there. Lawrence can get sacks, imho he's not gotten many the last few years due to the defensive scheme, he's very good at holding the edge so they're letting him do that. Golston hasn't played that much, with the departure of Armstrong, et al he'll get more opportunities. And of course there's always blitzes, etc. that if properly done can open up the inside for sacks.

As I've said, I have zero expectations for this year, be it good or bad. Undoubtedly the Cowboys are far from season-ready or SB-bound, but they have enough warm bodies to fill the roles.

One way or another, we'll have answers in a few months...

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Ferguson is a good two-way TE, but he won't average more than 50 yards per game receiving.

Don't know about that. He's made good progress all the years he's been on the team, I see no reason to automatically think he's reached his ceiling.

 

[lukemartin79]

Most post-draft analyses being offered by the football “experts“ tend to focus on each individual draft pick - their specific individual skills, their “value” in terms of when they were drafted, etc. What they rarely mention is what does this draft do collectively to make us a better football team? On top of that, you can never judge a draft before the new players have even played a meaningful down of football.

Overall I thought this year’s draft was generally good. We addressed two of the weakest areas this team had last year: The ability to run the ball and the ability to stop the run.

The acquisition of Tyler Guyton and Cooper Bebee should bring a long term improvement on the O- line.The acquisition of Marshawn Kneeland should have an impact on improving stopping the run, assuming he develops quickly. Not drafting a RB is the dangling need still hanging.

So back to question, Are we better in 2024 AS A TEAM after this draft? Here are my answers to that:

• In the short run, meaning the 2024 season, on paper this team does NOT appear to be as good as last year’s team that won the NFC East and earned the #2 seed. They were pitiful in the playoffs last year but had a 12-5 regular season.
• You can’t lose a HOF LT like Tyron Smith (although often injured last few years) and expect a rookie LT to walk in the door and immediately be better.
• We may not immediately see Cooper Bebee be better than Tyler Biadaz was at Center. I certainly think Bebee has more upside than Biadaz so after a year or two Bebee may exceed Biadaz. And Bebee may end up being the long term replacement for Zack Martin.
• In the next couple of seasons, if this year’s draft as well as the 2022 and 2023 classes show improvement, the 2025 team may be better than the 2024 version.

In conclusion, obviously it’s way too early to know how good this year’s draft will be. But it’s not too early to see that at least on paper this team is not clearly better NOW. But for 2025, that maybe different.

Do you think this draft has made the 2024 team better than the 2023 team?

No, definitely not better for next year unless 2-3 of those guys drafted have no growing pains and solidify themselves as NFL starters in year 1. I figure thats highly unlikely, but I guess theres a chance.
I think the biggest factor next year will be how the guys we've drafted in the last few drafts before this one play. It will be much more important to see what kind of a player Williams is at End, Mazi in the middle, Tolbert as the #3 WR, Schoon as the #2 TE, Oversewn at LB, etc. That is going to determine next years team more so than the ones drafted this year. Time to find out what we have with those guys.

 

[75boyz]

Yep, they're "probably"not better to me.
But I'm not sure if they're worse yet either cuz I base my opinion on playoff success so I hafta wait and see.

Could be just the same old one and done with a 9-8 or 10 -7 record and just not 12-5.

But yeah Bob, just on the surface, the personnel losses against the draftees gained so far is not promising imo.

Let's see how this great 2nd wave of free agency treats us though, right?
LOL

But on a positive note, we do seem to hit on some pretty good UDFAS pretty regularly so I'd be curious if this year's bunch produces one or two.

My 2 cents.

 

[Aven8]

Yes, lots of questions.

But to provide possible answers to your questions (not saying they will work, just noting what we have), in regard to LB we got Kendricks in FA, Overshown is evidently on track on his recovery, we drafted a LB, signed Wilson. So, Dallas has bodies, we just don't know how good they will be.

As far as rbs, Cowboys have 6 on the roster. Again, not saying they're great but at least Dowdle, Luepke, Deuce and Davis know the plays/formations, Zeke has short yardage ability (if the line is adequate) so there's lots of options there. Some running backs do much better if they're in the game more and get a feel for the flow of the game, etc. so who knows? Maybe Dowdle has bulked up and won't get hurt so much.

Lastly, as to sacks, Williams has shown sack making ability, he's a knucklehead but no question the physical tools are there. Lawrence can get sacks, imho he's not gotten many the last few years due to the defensive scheme, he's very good at holding the edge so they're letting him do that. Golston hasn't played that much, with the departure of Armstrong, et al he'll get more opportunities. And of course there's always blitzes, etc. that if properly done can open up the inside for sacks.

As I've said, I have zero expectations for this year, be it good or bad. Undoubtedly the Cowboys are far from season-ready or SB-bound, but they have enough warm bodies to fill the roles.

One way or another, we'll have answers in a few months...

Nice post. The problem I have is the offense went through Lamb. Outside of him we had nothing dynamic. Even TP wasn’t dynamic. Now we lost him and added nothing. They won’t feed Turpin anything really, and Brooks, and Tobert aren’t dynamic.

Maybe John Stephen’s helps and Fergs improves even more? Time will tell.

 

[Kwyn]

Most post-draft analyses being offered by the football “experts“ tend to focus on each individual draft pick - their specific individual skills, their “value” in terms of when they were drafted, etc. What they rarely mention is what does this draft do collectively to make us a better football team? On top of that, you can never judge a draft before the new players have even played a meaningful down of football.

Overall I thought this year’s draft was generally good. We addressed two of the weakest areas this team had last year: The ability to run the ball and the ability to stop the run.

The acquisition of Tyler Guyton and Cooper Bebee should bring a long term improvement on the O- line.The acquisition of Marshawn Kneeland should have an impact on improving stopping the run, assuming he develops quickly. Not drafting a RB is the dangling need still hanging.

So back to question, Are we better in 2024 AS A TEAM after this draft? Here are my answers to that:

• In the short run, meaning the 2024 season, on paper this team does NOT appear to be as good as last year’s team that won the NFC East and earned the #2 seed. They were pitiful in the playoffs last year but had a 12-5 regular season.
• You can’t lose a HOF LT like Tyron Smith (although often injured last few years) and expect a rookie LT to walk in the door and immediately be better.
• We may not immediately see Cooper Bebee be better than Tyler Biadaz was at Center. I certainly think Bebee has more upside than Biadaz so after a year or two Bebee may exceed Biadaz. And Bebee may end up being the long term replacement for Zack Martin.
• In the next couple of seasons, if this year’s draft as well as the 2022 and 2023 classes show improvement, the 2025 team may be better than the 2024 version.

In conclusion, obviously it’s way too early to know how good this year’s draft will be. But it’s not too early to see that at least on paper this team is not clearly better NOW. But for 2025, that maybe different.

Do you think this draft has made the 2024 team better than the 2023 team?

No, the team is not better and that’s ok.

 

[morasp]

OL Better
WR Better
TE Better
RB Statistically better but still TBD
QB push
DL Better
LB Better
CB Better
S push
Coaching Better

 

[Chasing6]

Nice post. The problem I have is the offense went through Lamb. Outside of him we had nothing dynamic. Even TP wasn’t dynamic. Now we lost him and added nothing. They won’t feed Turpin anything really, and Brooks, and Tobert aren’t dynamic.

Maybe John Stephen’s helps and Fergs improves even more? Time will tell.

Ferguson is dynamic, just took half the year to figure it out.

 

[MikeT22]

That’s the thing about this upcoming season. It’s hard to realistically say that the 2024 team looks better. Maybe for 2025? If the front office had sprinkled in some talent in FA, it might be different.

What, not impressed with Zeke and Damien???

 

[CowboyStar88]

I don’t think they got better in 2024 they lost key contributors, changing defensive schemes, and players/coaches on 1 year deals. Expecting these rookies to come in and equal the production of last year is a tall task. Outside of C I’m not sure we will see much of an impact this year from this rookie class.

 

[MikeT22]

OL Better
WR Better
TE Better
RB Statistically better but still TBD
QB push
DL Better
LB Better
CB Better
S push
Coaching Better

We got better at LB and on paper at OL. Players are fine, but needing two rookies to start on the OL may not be better initially.

Worse at RB and DL.

Push at QB, WR, TE, S, CB and coaching. Switching out DQ with Zim will have its pluses and minuses.

 

[jblaze2004]

No. Offensive tackles are a mess. We got better at center. Run defense still in shambles. No talent at rb. Zero speed on offense. If we win 12 games again it will be because of dak. Again

Yeah I was about to say out offense is really lacking speed. We even brought back grandpa Zeke. Rico not even considered a fast back. The only offensive player (that will get GameDay snaps) with speed may be Turpin.

 

[Chasing6]

Yeah I was about to say out offense is really lacking speed. We even brought back grandpa Zeke. Rico not even considered a fast back. The only offensive player (that will get GameDay snaps) with speed may be Turpin.

Realistically only need 10 wins to make it to the tournament.

No it is not a SB Team and it was not one last year either.