Last Year In Dallas

[CATCH17]

A lot of future Dolphins on that list.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Gene Washington has said on at least two occasions that once the cap is gone, there will never be another one. So I don't see the NFLPA insisting on a cap in the new contract.

IIRC the cap was insisted upon by the owners when the players won free agency. It was the owners' way of keeping their expenses in check. I could be wrong, but that's the way I remember it.

Look for a "soft cap" in the new CBA. Both sides win here, the players get the mins so cheap arse franchises dont field a team of 22 rookies and the big market teams are not penalized and can go over the cap to resign their own guys or go grab that one final missing piece. Probably a luxuary tax system that has a % of "cash over cap" and this slush fund would be divided among the small market teams.

Just my take on it, a soft cap seems the most logiacal and everybody wins.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Just a gut feeling: Carp contributes this year--mark it down

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I have a completely different take on Austin. I think its going to be he and Stanback fighting for that third or fourth WR slot depending on whether or not Glenn comes back.

You simply cannot discount the level of separation that he was able to get against starting NFL CBs in multiple games. Garrett inserted him into the lineup and he did it game after game, getting open and getting open deep.

There are two knowck I hear. The first is the Randall Williams comparison. That one is stupid. Williams never produced at all and couldn't get open. Miles does.

The second is more concerning. The two drops. This is a very true concern but I look at it like this: Hurd is what he is, he works his butt off but hes a small possession receiver. Austin has prototypical size (6'3" 216), is fast and explosive. He runs good routes and gets open deep. If he can learn to hold onto the ball hes a potential #2 receiver possibly even higher than that.

Thats what I really don't get, Austin came out a of a tiny school and in the second half of his second year he gets playing time and starts making plays. So people come to the conclusion that they are just going to cut him?

i also dont understand why people are thinking that Carpenters status is in question when he coming into his third year and we just refused to trade him. James is entrenched as the starting SILB the guy behind him is not going to see first and second down. Thomas is obviously the starting WILB but Id also bet that he going to be taking snaps at the nickel LB. He steps in as our best cover LB right off the bat.

To me the writing is on the wall: Burnetts going to lose snaps and Carp is going to get more snaps. Thats what it looks like they are setting it up to be. Thomas takes over the starting WILB and NLB spots and he is not going to play every snap of the game.

And lets be frank, Burnett was not very good at the role he was given last year. He is not instinctive and that really hurts when you are playing the middle zone. We need Thomas in that middle zone.

Finally, on Spear, i can understand the disappointment. the 20th pick in the draft is a roleplayer but at the end of the day he is exactly the type of player that every defense needs. He is stout against the run, he wokrs hard and he comes to play each and every game. I dont think he is going to demand a huge contract and i would love to see him come back especially on his rookie contract.

 

[jobberone]

I have a completely different take on Austin. I think its going to be he and Stanback fighting for that third or fourth WR slot depending on whether or not Glenn comes back.

You simply cannot discount the level of separation that he was able to get against starting NFL CBs in multiple games. Garrett inserted him into the lineup and he did it game after game, getting open and getting open deep.

There are two knowck I hear. The first is the Randall Williams comparison. That one is stupid. Williams never produced at all and couldn't get open. Miles does.

The second is more concerning. The two drops. This is a very true concern but I look at it like this: Hurd is what he is, he works his butt off but hes a small possession receiver. Austin has prototypical size (6'3" 216), is fast and explosive. He runs good routes and gets open deep. If he can learn to hold onto the ball hes a potential #2 receiver possibly even higher than that.

Thats what I really don't get, Austin came out a of a tiny school and in the second half of his second year he gets playing time and starts making plays. So people come to the conclusion that they are just going to cut him?

i also dont understand why people are thinking that Carpenters status is in question when he coming into his third year and we just refused to trade him. James is entrenched as the starting SILB the guy behind him is not going to see first and second down. Thomas is obviously the starting WILB but Id also bet that he going to be taking snaps at the nickel LB. He steps in as our best cover LB right off the bat.

To me the writing is on the wall: Burnetts going to lose snaps and Carp is going to get more snaps. Thats what it looks like they are setting it up to be. Thomas takes over the starting WILB and NLB spots and he is not going to play every snap of the game.

And lets be frank, Burnett was not very good at the role he was given last year. He is not instinctive and that really hurts when you are playing the middle zone. We need Thomas in that middle zone.

Finally, on Spear, i can understand the disappointment. the 20th pick in the draft is a roleplayer but at the end of the day he is exactly the type of player that every defense needs. He is stout against the run, he wokrs hard and he comes to play each and every game. I dont think he is going to demand a huge contract and i would love to see him come back especially on his rookie contract.

Pretty good analysis Fuzzy. My bets are on Austin not being able to translate that separation into catches. I sure hope I'm wrong on that. And he does get open. But he needs to do more than get open on long runs. He needs to be a complete WR. Now he may not need to be that this year but he does need to make them think he can be one.

Spears is better than he's given credit for. He'll probably stay on the team while we look for someone to give us more pass rush. I think eventually someone will come along with a good enough run game and a better pass rush. But it may not be before he gets another contract which I suspect will be fairly friendly.

They seem high on Hurd. How high I don't know.

I doubt anyone will make Stanback get cut. I think he will be a very pleasant surprise this year.

I have no idea about Carp and Burnett. Neither have shown enough for me not to hope either gets a lot better or someone displaces them.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Pretty good analysis Fuzzy. My bets are on Austin not being able to translate that separation into catches. I sure hope I'm wrong on that. And he does get open. But he needs to do more than get open on long runs. He needs to be a complete WR. Now he may not need to be that this year but he does need to make them think he can be one.

Spears is better than he's given credit for. He'll probably stay on the team while we look for someone to give us more pass rush. I think eventually someone will come along with a good enough run game and a better pass rush. But it may not be before he gets another contract which I suspect will be fairly friendly.

They seem high on Hurd. How high I don't know.

I doubt anyone will make Stanback get cut. I think he will be a very pleasant surprise this year.

I have no idea about Carp and Burnett. Neither have shown enough for me not to hope either gets a lot better or someone displaces them.

Thats entirely fair and of course Austin needs to make that next step but if he does then he supplants Hurd because quite frankly it seems to me that Hurd has hit his ceiling.

Really what i see is a guy with all the talent in the world who seems to better his game every year and has the advantage of an excellent WR coach in Ray Sherman.

There is no doubt in my mind that the coaching staff knows what he needs to work on. Now it may very well be that he just doesnt have the hand eye coordination to get it done and really to me that is what this comes down to.

OTOH it just might be that he needs to work on hand placement. i think Rack pointed out he was holding the wrong hand on top or something. Maybe he needs repetitions. None of us really know.

What I do know is that if he wants go out witha the machine and catch 200 balls every day after his workout that this coaching staff will help him to do that. i have faith that Garrett and Sherman can isolate what he needs to work on.

I am rooting for him because if they can get him to realize his potential then we are in very good shape.

 

[btcutter]

I don't understand why everyone wants to get rid of Henry. He's got the best ball skills of ALL our DBs. If he's not too expensive, I want him around as FS. I think he will flourish in that position. He's got enough speed and great anticipation for that position. I won't be surprised if we start to use him in that role if either Pacman or our rookies show promise.

 

[trueblue1687]

I have a completely different take on Austin. I think its going to be he and Stanback fighting for that third or fourth WR slot depending on whether or not Glenn comes back.

You simply cannot discount the level of separation that he was able to get against starting NFL CBs in multiple games. Garrett inserted him into the lineup and he did it game after game, getting open and getting open deep.

There are two knowck I hear. The first is the Randall Williams comparison. That one is stupid. Williams never produced at all and couldn't get open. Miles does.

The second is more concerning. The two drops. This is a very true concern but I look at it like this: Hurd is what he is, he works his butt off but hes a small possession receiver. Austin has prototypical size (6'3" 216), is fast and explosive. He runs good routes and gets open deep. If he can learn to hold onto the ball hes a potential #2 receiver possibly even higher than that.

Thats what I really don't get, Austin came out a of a tiny school and in the second half of his second year he gets playing time and starts making plays. So people come to the conclusion that they are just going to cut him?

i also dont understand why people are thinking that Carpenters status is in question when he coming into his third year and we just refused to trade him. James is entrenched as the starting SILB the guy behind him is not going to see first and second down. Thomas is obviously the starting WILB but Id also bet that he going to be taking snaps at the nickel LB. He steps in as our best cover LB right off the bat.

To me the writing is on the wall: Burnetts going to lose snaps and Carp is going to get more snaps. Thats what it looks like they are setting it up to be. Thomas takes over the starting WILB and NLB spots and he is not going to play every snap of the game.

And lets be frank, Burnett was not very good at the role he was given last year. He is not instinctive and that really hurts when you are playing the middle zone. We need Thomas in that middle zone.

Finally, on Spear, i can understand the disappointment. the 20th pick in the draft is a roleplayer but at the end of the day he is exactly the type of player that every defense needs. He is stout against the run, he wokrs hard and he comes to play each and every game. I dont think he is going to demand a huge contract and i would love to see him come back especially on his rookie contract.

I don't get the part about Zach Thomas stepping in and being the best cover LB. You're joking, right? His forte is tackles, not pass coverage. He's undersized for coverage, but excels vs the run. I thought Burnett was probably the best of the back-up LBs on the team. He is quite arrogant and had a stupid penalty, but is a hawk when he's in. I like Carpenter, but I think we should not lose sight of the fact that the guy couldn't get on the field in almost any capacity except ST. I think the reluctance to trade is more about salary than potential....maybe a litlle pride too, I don't know. Your best players find a way to the field....sadly, Carp didn't even smell it. Same with Austin....he's doing the only thing he is capable of doing: returning kicks. If he could catch, he'd be death. With recievers, the hands have to be a given FIRST, then polish the routes, speed (game speed), etc. WRs catch the ball...he can't.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I don't get the part about Zach Thomas stepping in and being the best cover LB. You're joking, right? His forte is tackles, not pass coverage. He's undersized for coverage, but excels vs the run. I thought Burnett was probably the best of the back-up LBs on the team. He is quite arrogant and had a stupid penalty, but is a hawk when he's in. I like Carpenter, but I think we should not lose sight of the fact that the guy couldn't get on the field in almost any capacity except ST. I think the reluctance to trade is more about salary than potential....maybe a litlle pride too, I don't know. Your best players find a way to the field....sadly, Carp didn't even smell it. Same with Austin....he's doing the only thing he is capable of doing: returning kicks. If he could catch, he'd be death. With recievers, the hands have to be a given FIRST, then polish the routes, speed (game speed), etc. WRs catch the ball...he can't.

Burnett was the master of the tackle after the 7 yard reception. When youre playing shot zone and youre not tipping balls and covering backs and TEs then you need to be replaced.

Zach Thomas is the only LB that i have ever seen give Witten fits in the passing game. He is a tackle machine but he is also one of the best pass coverage LBers in the league and a reason why he will be going to the HoF.

 

[bbgun]

Keep in mind-'10 will be an uncapped year.

Well, yes and no. Peter King, if you consider him a reliable source, said that the top eight teams in the league would be limited in some way when it came to free agent splurging. He specially cited Jerry and Snyder as reasons for this "maneuver." Since the Skins aren't likely to be a top eight team record wise, I wonder if King meant the top eight richest franchises.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I like Carpenter, but I think we should not lose sight of the fact that the guy couldn't get on the field in almost any capacity except ST. I think the reluctance to trade is more about salary than potential....maybe a litlle pride too, I don't know. Your best players find a way to the field....sadly, Carp didn't even smell it.

Once again, Wade admitted it was the coaching staff who screwed up. Expect to see him on the field this year.

 

[LeonDixson]

Look for a "soft cap" in the new CBA. Both sides win here, the players get the mins so cheap arse franchises dont field a team of 22 rookies and the big market teams are not penalized and can go over the cap to resign their own guys or go grab that one final missing piece. Probably a luxuary tax system that has a % of "cash over cap" and this slush fund would be divided among the small market teams.

Just my take on it, a soft cap seems the most logiacal and everybody wins.

That makes a lot of sense.

 

[jterrell]

Its way too early to make a list like this.

A lot can happen between now and then.

 

[burmafrd]

soft cap is risky if we get a bilionaire owner who really is hot on doing whatever it takes. The richest guys we have right now are not like that.
I think everyone realizes that a cap is needed; and also there seems to be growing in the players union that there needs to be a salary cap for rookies.

As regards Austin. There is a reason he only had 10 passes thrown his way. HANDS OF STONE.

 

[trueblue1687]

Burnett was the master of the tackle after the 7 yard reception. When youre playing shot zone and youre not tipping balls and covering backs and TEs then you need to be replaced.

Zach Thomas is the only LB that i have ever seen give Witten fits in the passing game. He is a tackle machine but he is also one of the best pass coverage LBers in the league and a reason why he will be going to the HoF.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on Thomas' coverage skills. Not saying he's bad, but I don't and have never heard of him percieved as a coverage backer. I think you're selling Burnett a little short, too. Obviously not a starter, but check his stats. his biggest knock to me is staying healthy. He's a starter anywhere else but Dallas.

 

[Eskimo]

We all know that this is the team's last year in Texas Stadium, but I think there are several players spending their last season playing for The Cowboys as well.

Here's my list of 'name' guys I don't expect will see the new stadium in 2009:

OT Marc Colombo - Too many big-ticket contracts coming up to pay Colombo as well. He's played well, but I think the team turns to one of the younger guys to step up at RT.

WR Terry Glenn - Assuming that he makes the roster this year, there's little chance he's back for 2009. Degenrative conditions are just that - degenerative. His knees won't get better with time.

WR Miles Austin - I think he'll get beaten out this year. I think he's gotten all the chances to develop that he's going to get. And with so many kick returners being added, he no longer has that role keepig him around.

CB Anthony Henry - Too much money, too many injuries. Unless Henry has a stellar, healthy 2008, it will be his last in a Cowboy uniform. The team has made a serious investment at the cornerback position and can't afford to keep everyone. Newman gets the long-term contract.

OLB Greg Ellis - His paranoia finally becomes reality as he's shown the door. Spencer will show himself worthy of starting and finances will show that you can't keep everyone. I think this year's draft tips the Cowboys' hand that they're looking for younger and cheaper at OLB.

DE Marcus Spears - Disappointing first round draft choice never developed into what the Cowboys had hoped. And you can get 'average' for less than what Spears is making.

QB Brad Johnson - End of the road for the aging veteran. If Johnson is forced into action in 2008, I think the Cowboys are in trouble. Father Time has seriously eroded his skills.


On the Bubble - Here are some guys the jury is out on for 2009:


LB Bobby Carpenter - He gets another chance because the cost of moving him was too high. Steps into the perfect role behind Zach Thomas. He gets it or he gets going.

SS Roy Williams - Has struggled the past several seasons in coverage and is not the dominant force he once was. His career is at a crossroads and he has one year to get it together in Dallas.

DE Chris Canty - Strictly a numbers issue. The Cowboys would like to keep him around - at the right price. With so many key players' contracts coming due, the Cowboys may not be able to keep everyone. If Canty's asking price gets too high, he may not stick in Dallas.


And the one I hate typing:


RB Marion Barber - I'm hopeful that he and the Cowboys work out a long-term deal but that's far from certain. Several factors are working against it - from his asking price, to the drafting of Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, to the current lifespan of an NFL running back. Teams are cautious of investing huge dollars in such a physically-demanding position and few running backs run with the physical style that Barber does.

Anyone else hane some 'names' to add to the list or disagree with those I've mentioned?

On your list, I think we keep Canty because he is a very good 3-4 end. Not many guys who can play the run and rush the passer like he can in this defensive formation.

Ellis will be kept because you just don't get rid of pass rushers. Next to QB and shutdown CB, it is the hardest position to fill on the roster.

Spears could stay - it depends on contract demands. If they are reasonable, I would keep him. I suspect Parcells will put in a big bid for him.

As for Henry, I would try and trade him if Pacman is re-instated and two of Ball/Scandrick/Jenkins/Oglesby are ready to fill the 3rd and 4th CB spots. Corners are always at a premium in the league and Henry is good when he is healthy.

Columbo, Glenn, Austin and Johnson are definitely on shaky ground. I would add Hurd to that list.

Roy gets one more shot to show he can justify his contract. Ditto for Carpenter.

As for Barber, I love the guy but so long as there is a salary cap I don't want to give him a 5 or 6 year deal because I don't think his body is going to hold up.

One more iffy player is TNew. The issue is compensation and the salary cap. I just don't think you get much bang for the buck from shutdown CBs with the new PI rules and the spread offenses.

 

[SuspectCorner]

I like the hard cap and suspect it is key to keeping the NFL the most competitive of the three major American sports.

 

[Eskimo]

I like the hard cap and suspect it is key to keeping the NFL the most competitive of the three major American sports.

Doesn't the NBA have a pretty level playing field? You can't sign other team's FAs if you are over the league cap. I think there is also a luxury cap threshold issue as well.

I like the NBA's system because it allows teams to sign their own FAs and promotes continuity. I also like the luxury cap aspect because it allows the small market teams to compete for players and promotes parity which is important for the overall strength of the league.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

We'll just have to agree to disagree on Thomas' coverage skills. Not saying he's bad, but I don't and have never heard of him percieved as a coverage backer. I think you're selling Burnett a little short, too. Obviously not a starter, but check his stats. his biggest knock to me is staying healthy. He's a starter anywhere else but Dallas.

Its wonderful that you haven't heard about his coverage skills. i have seen with my own eyes how he can cover someone the caliber of Witten.

Really though, Miami ran a 4-3 for years before Saban got there and who was the MLB in that perennial top10 Tampa 2 defense? Yeah that was Zach Thomas who was covering the whole middle of the field.

As for stats on Burnett have you even looked at his stats? He had like 1 PD all last year. Let that sink in for a minute. He played 400+ snaps and managed to deflect a single pass. Hes playing the short zone wehre in zone drops he should be in a great position to deflect passes becasue every pass through the middle that hasn't a lot of loft he has a chance at.

ONE SINGLE PASS DEFLECTION. No FF no picks. But hey it just doesnt stop at hsi complete inability to make plays. He also managed 48 tackles. Now i am sure you are thinking that thats good but its not when youre the NICKEL LB. What that means is he was tackling about 3 people a game after they had caught the ball.

Zach Thomas managed 2 PD last year in the 4.5 games he played. Burnett cant even sniff Thomas' jock.

 

[AbeBeta]

Spears could stay - it depends on contract demands. If they are reasonable, I would keep him. I suspect Parcells will put in a big bid for him.

According to the 3 year rule, Bill would be just about done with Spears now.

Really, he's a good player but he hasn't justified his draft position