Lawrence: Daily Battles With Smith Will Eventually Pay Off

[ufcrules1]

I think he's going to be better than Ealy, who likely would've been the pick there. Will he be better than Ealy+Turner? That's a much steeper task.

But yeah, I like the player. He seems like he's got that 'edge' about him.

Agreed. Good pick but better than Ealy and Turner combined on a team desperate to fill holes? No way.

 

[dmq]

I watched a few games of his in college where I focused just on him. He is Mr Pursuit. Also seems to play very aware.

 

[jazzcat22]

He may end up being a great player but no way in hell was he worth 2 draft picks. It was not smart at all to give up our 3rd. When a team is in rebuild mode and is years away from competing for a super bowl, it is very important they get their top 3 picks. Those guys should all be starters. Last years 3rd was Williams and Wilcox. Both starters.

And there is great merit to what you are saying, I can't disagree about 2 for 1 in a team that needed players and better talent.
But if he ends up being a great player, then I have no issues with it. As the 2 lower picks could have turned out just "ok" players. Just never know anymore. A long way to go. May take several years.

 

[ufcrules1]

And there is great merit to what you are saying, I can't disagree about 2 for 1 in a team that needed players and better talent.
But if he ends up being a great player, then I have no issues with it. As the 2 lower picks could have turned out just "ok" players. Just never know anymore. A long way to go. May take several years.

It was the wrong decision period but yeah, it would be awesome if he turned into a pro bowl caliber player. You never know how players are going to turn out and that is the reason you try to get more in the earlier rounds. You have a better % of success that way.

If you haven't read this article yet.. you should read it. Rick knows what he is talking about here.

http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sports/...-lawrence-but-cowboys-overpaid-to-get-him.ece

 

[khiladi]

From what I've heard he's not really giving Tyron too much trouble. The last report I heard was that Tyron was pretty much giving him nothing and the beat reporter was kind of concerned that Lawrence would lose motivation because of it.

I don't think that's a bad sign. Tyron is a tough, tough match-up for any pass rusher.

Well, at least we know Tyron hasn't lost a step...

 

[jazzcat22]

It was the wrong decision period but yeah, it would be awesome if he turned into a pro bowl caliber player. You never know how players are going to turn out and that is the reason you try to get more in the earlier rounds. You have a better % of success that way.

If you haven't read this article yet.. you should read it. Rick knows what he is talking about here.

http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sports/...-lawrence-but-cowboys-overpaid-to-get-him.ece

I hadn't seen that article. Probably because it was written by Gosselin...
However, he was on with Norm talking about this, which is probably another reason I missed it.
And I understand what he is saying, and agree with to a certain exent.

However, Stephen Jones talked about this. Actually I made a thread about it, on a conference call, he had with season ticket holders. This was brought up what Gosselin was saying.
1st, Jerningan wasn't even on the Cowboys radar, he did not fit into what their plans were.
2nd, they considered Ealy, and all the possibilities of wh may still be available when their pick cam up. But Ealy played the opposite side, and they didn't want to get into flipping around players jsut for one draft pick. So the risk vs. reward and for a higher rated player on their board, they went with the trade.

It's easy for a reporter or we as fans to sit here and say such things, but we do not know what the logic, or unlogical thinking is at times, and i'm sure he needed to write something before he found out this, or even bothered to ask them. I don't know, but just stating my opinion.

However, I will watch to see how Trent Murphy does as a comparison, I think we all will.

 

[xwalker]

Nick Eatman DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas – Ever since the Cowboys drafted him in the second round of the NFL Draft back in early May, DeMarcus Lawrence said being an NFL player wasn’t exactly “official.”

Despite being a second-round pick (34thoverall) and participating in rookie minicamps, OTA practices and even part of a full-team minicamp, the missing piece was signing the dotted line to his contract.


Lawrence was able to complete that process on Wednesday, which is seemingly the final step to reality.

“It feels official now. It’s real,” Lawrence said this week, just minutes after he signed his four-year contract worth about $5.5 million. “I’m not saying I was ever really worried about. That’s something I let my agent control. But until you sign and officially become a Dallas Cowboy … I’m just excited to get that out of the way and now it’s all about football.”

If there was the slightest bit of the distraction for Lawrence this offseason, that has to be a good sign for the Cowboys, who seem more than pleased with the rookie’s progress. Although the pads have to come on, Lawrence has been highly competitive in practice, especially in the one-on-one battles with Tyron Smith , a Pro Bowler who is now considered one of the best left tackles in the league.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/a...Pay-Off-/dab24b96-3026-4359-a64a-cedd958c3c96

According to his position coach, Lawrence already has a trait most pass-rushers can’t lean on so early in their careers.

“This kid has some strength to him,” defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said. “He’s a lot stronger than I thought he was. He’s got some power moves that he uses to his advantage. You don’t always see that from young guys. They have to get in (the weight room) and eventually it’s something they can add to their game. But he’s got that power right now. I think that’s going to help him this year.”

I had him as the strongest and best run defender of any of the Right (Weak-side) DEs in the draft other than Clowney and a better run defender than some of the Strong-Side guys. I thought that he was on another level as a run defender from guys like Ford, Barr, and Attaochu.

His pass rushing also incorporated power and leverage as compared to a speed only guy like Barr.

 

[ufcrules1]

or unlogical thinking is at times.

You nailed it with that comment. There is a reason we have had a lack of succes the past 18 years. I know they have a reason or rationale for why they do things but they have been unsuccessful for a very long time BECAUSE of that failed reasoning/rationale.

I did hear Stephen's reasoning but didn't think it made any sense for a team who is years away from competing for a super bowl and needs all the starters they can get. I would have preferred Ealy and Turner and think that would have been better for the team long term. Ealy could have switched to the right side.

 

[ufcrules1]

According to his position coach, Lawrence already has a trait most pass-rushers can’t lean on so early in their careers.


I had him as the strongest and best run defender of any of the Right (Weak-side) DEs in the draft other than Clowney and a better run defender than some of the Strong-Side guys. I thought that he was on another level as a run defender from guys like Ford, Barr, and Attaochu.

His pass rushing also incorporated power and leverage as compared to a speed only guy like Barr.

So you would have taken DL over Barr?

 

[morasp]

You nailed it with that comment. There is a reason we have had a lack of succes the past 18 years. I know they have a reason or rationale for why they do things but they have been unsuccessful for a very long time BECAUSE of that failed reasoning/rationale.

I did hear Stephen's reasoning but didn't think it made any sense for a team who is years away from competing for a super bowl and needs all the starters they can get. I would have preferred Ealy and Turner and think that would have been better for the team long term. Ealy could have switched to the right side.

I didn't understand Turner. I would have preferred to go front seven if we traded back into the third over OL.

 

[xwalker]

So you would have taken DL over Barr?

Barr was drafted on upside. He has the frame to get strong like Lawrence but he was just not there yet. Lawrence on the other hand is never going to have Barr's athleticism.

I expect Lawrence to be the better player as a rookie; however, once Barr is in an NFL weight training program, his upside is really high.

If had had to choose between Barr and Lawrence at #16 or at #9 where Barr was drafted, then I would have to go with Barr; however, I my choice was Barr at #9 or #16 vs Lawrence at #34, then I would have gone with Lawrence.

 

[ufcrules1]

I didn't understand Turner. I would have preferred to go front seven if we traded back into the third over OL.

Because he probably would have been BPA and it would have solidified our oline for a decade. And then we could put most of our focus on fixing the dline next. Instead of reaching and losing picks on a team that isn't going anywhere anyway.

Would you have preferred us not take BPA in the first round in Martin and instead reach for a defensive player at 16 just because our defense sucked last year?

You pick for the future when your team cant compete...

 

[xwalker]

I didn't understand Turner. I would have preferred to go front seven if we traded back into the third over OL.

Going into the draft I don't think they were expecting to draft Martin in the 1st and therefore had it in mind to get a Guard in the 2nd/3rd area. Turner was probably their top target in the 3rd in that scenario and they probably spent a lot of time studying him. Once you're sold on a player you tend to want him regardless of the fact that you've already drafted an OL.

Trai Turner came out as a redshirt Sophomore and has a high upside, IMO. Martin was more developed, but there is a good chance that Turner is as good as Martin after a year in the NFL.

 

[xwalker]

Agreed. Good pick but better than Ealy and Turner combined on a team desperate to fill holes? No way.

If I had a do-over for the Cowboys draft, I would trade down to #26 or #27 and draft Lawrence there and get and extra 3rd. That would result in:
#27: Lawrence
2nd: ??
3rd-1: Turner
3rd-2: ??

 

[jazzcat22]

Because he probably would have been BPA and it would have solidified our oline for a decade. And then we could put most of our focus on fixing the dline next. Instead of reaching and losing picks on a team that isn't going anywhere anyway.

Would you have preferred us not take BPA in the first round in Martin and instead reach for a defensive player at 16 just because our defense sucked last year?

You pick for the future when your team cant compete...

Was going to reply with something like this. As Stephen Jones did mention that. They would have took Turner, and OL would have been set for 10 years.
But went back to risk vs reward on Lawrence and needed to address DL on a sure player [not that Turner wasn't a sure player]. But I took it as you still have Leary as a younger player on OL too.

 

[pugilist]

meh offseason / training camp 1 on 1 battles are so overrated

how many times did we hear Mo going against Dez or Ware going against Free / Parnell and this guy v. this guy was going to make them so much better.. if you suck, you suck

 

[morasp]

Because he probably would have been BPA and it would have solidified our oline for a decade. And then we could put most of our focus on fixing the dline next. Instead of reaching and losing picks on a team that isn't going anywhere anyway.

Would you have preferred us not take BPA in the first round in Martin and instead reach for a defensive player at 16 just because our defense sucked last year?

You pick for the future when your team cant compete...

I always think of BPA as when your pick comes up who on our board is rated the highest. There were reports they almost did a trade up back into the third for Turner. I heard they liked Kirksey from Iowa over Hitchens but I don't know where they had him ranked. When you look at our OL there are three first round picks. When you look at our Defensive Line there are none.

 

[ufcrules1]

If I had a do-over for the Cowboys draft, I would trade down to #26 or #27 and draft Lawrence there and get and extra 3rd. That would result in:
#27: Lawrence
2nd: ??
3rd-1: Turner
3rd-2: ??

I can't say I disagree with this. We would have gotten 3 sure fire starters. It's painful for me to say that too because I have a bro crush on Martin. The realist in me won't let my emotions get in the way of sound logic though.

 

[morasp]

If I had a do-over for the Cowboys draft, I would trade down to #26 or #27 and draft Lawrence there and get and extra 3rd. That would result in:
#27: Lawrence
2nd: ??
3rd-1: Turner
3rd-2: ??

That's exactly what I thought they should have done.

 

[Jstopper]

Because he probably would have been BPA and it would have solidified our oline for a decade. And then we could put most of our focus on fixing the dline next. Instead of reaching and losing picks on a team that isn't going anywhere anyway.

Would you have preferred us not take BPA in the first round in Martin and instead reach for a defensive player at 16 just because our defense sucked last year?

You pick for the future when your team cant compete...

You're saying that as if it's gospel when none of us can tell the future. It's your opinion that we're a losing team who isn't going anywhere, but it's exactly that; an opinion. I say we can compete.