Linebackers, linebackers, linebackers

[LittleBoyBlue]

Why not?

It's the offseason. Is there any harm in it?

Yup.

Figure out your real deal starters.

Add depth.

Soon you realize... You don't have all that much.


Having sooooo many means you really don't have that much at all.

Like philly with 4 QBs... Doesn't necessarily mean they have even one?

 

[Rogerthat12]

How about some CB competition... We got Jones... Who will probably play FS.. Scandrick, Patmon, Carr who might be a June 1st cut. And Claiborne... Not a fuzzy feeling here... One of the 7th rounders should of been spent on Ifo Ekpre-Olomu.. ACL aside he'll at least be on PUP and then provide some depth..

Garrett and Henderson said specifically that he will play at cb, if Carr stays and Mo returns they may explore possibilities at Safety since he has position flex.

 

[RS12]

Linebackers,linebackers, linebackers

Lee and McClain have offices in the trainers room. The rest are meh.

 

[xwalker]

Yes there is such a thing as having too many linebackers, especially in a 4-3. Think about it, most 4-3 teams keep anywhere from 6-8 linebackers on the team. I think our scouts over value the position way too much. 3 linebackers are on the field in the base defense. Base defenses see the field about an average of 25% of the time. Most of the time defenses are in nickel and dime packages which call for 1-2 linebackers to be left in the game.
We now have McClain, Lee, Hitchens, Brinkley, Gachkar, Wilber, Rivers, Smith, Watson, Davis, Anderson, Lawrence, Wilson and Nzeocha. 14 players at a position where 75% of the time only 2 linebackers will be on the field. The picks could have been spent better elsewhere like interior defensive line, defensive backs or even running back. I would have went DB heavy considering that most of the time you will have 5-6 defensive backs in the game at the same time.
I just don't understand why we always seem to focus in on linebackers. The 3-4 I could understand, but a 4-3 it just doesn't add up to me.

McClain
Lee
Hitchens
Brinkley
Gachkar

Wilber - Not a great fit in this defense.
Rivers - Talented but oft injured veteran on non-guaranteed minimum contract.
Smith - Practice Squad guy.
Watson - Super athletic, but was cut by Jax 1/2 season after getting a significant contract.
Davis - Practice Squad type.
Anderson - Gone. (The roster on DC.com is incorrect)
Lawrence - Special teams only type player.

Wilson - Probably the 6th guy on the roster to start 2015. Brinkley and McClain could be gone after 2015. Lee rarely makes it through a season.
Nzeocha - Currently injured. Could be put on IR for 2015 and then given a better shot at a roster spot next season when McClain and Brinkley could be gone.

Summary: After the top 5, Rivers and Watson seem the the only true competition for the rookie(s).

 

[xwalker]

Last year 3 of our top 4 linebackers were all injured at some point in the season...

You need 5 to 6 linebackers to successfully run the 4-3 in this league where linebackers are easily injured.

Yes, the Cowboys seem to have learned that they need excess depth going into training camp. They've had so many season where a position looked to be in good shape in the spring and then ended up struggling to find enough bodies to make it through the season. It was OL in 2012, DL in 2013 and LB in 2014.

 

[Tabascocat]

Yes, the Cowboys seem to have learned that they need excess depth going into training camp. They've had so many season where a position looked to be in good shape in the spring and then ended up struggling to find enough bodies to make it through the season. It was OL in 2012, DL in 2013 and LB in 2014.

hope that doesn't mean secondary in 2015

 

[Galian Beast]

Yes, the Cowboys seem to have learned that they need excess depth going into training camp. They've had so many season where a position looked to be in good shape in the spring and then ended up struggling to find enough bodies to make it through the season. It was OL in 2012, DL in 2013 and LB in 2014.

And yet they've gone thin at CB something that has bit them year after year...

 

[Shinywalrus]

We take 90 players to training camp. If we plan to roll with 7-8 linebackers, 13-14 is basically the number we should take to camp.

What's the big deal?

 

[BigD5]

Let's not forget that LBs generally make great ST players. Add that to our oft injured starters and I have no problem with having this many on the roster right now.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

How many premium picks did we invest in lb?

How many guaranteed free agent dollars did we invest in lbs?

 

[Zekeats]

Yes, the Cowboys seem to have learned that they need excess depth going into training camp. They've had so many season where a position looked to be in good shape in the spring and then ended up struggling to find enough bodies to make it through the season. It was OL in 2012, DL in 2013 and LB in 2014.

You could argue that about any position. What do we do if Crawford goes down? Then after that Brent goes down? Where is the depth there? What happens if the rookie corner and Wilcox go down? Who's playing in the secondary then?

Your point is pointless.

 

[mmohican29]

agree....

I think what this is really telling you 12=0

um no. a team that has Sean Lee and RoMc and AH definitely has more than "0" at LB.

 

[sureletsrace]

I think they're throwing numbers at the position because McClain and Lee are not sure things to be playing. Don't be surprised if we carry 9 LBs and stash the rookies on the PS.

 

[ConstantReboot]

I wished that we could have selected as many runningbacks as we did linebackers. I think its overkill having this many linebackers and lack of oversight not having enough runningbacks to start the season. Having only 4 backs is not going to cut it. Yet we have this many linebackers? Something doesn't make sense here.

 

[mmohican29]

Lee and McClain have offices in the trainers room. The rest are meh.

Anthony Hitchens was definitely not "meh" last season. If anything, he played above and beyond expectations for a 1st Rd selection, let alone a 4th rd one.

 

[Alexander]

We take 90 players to training camp. If we plan to roll with 7-8 linebackers, 13-14 is basically the number we should take to camp.

What's the big deal?

Drafting them instead of letting the UDFA class dictate it.

 

[CF74]

Marinnelli was told we need to go thru a bunch of helmets this summer...

 

[Kaiser]

I think people are reading too much into this. The team wants more depth because Lee and McClain are obvious injury concerns and Gachkar takes over a Special Teams ace role that Dwayne Harris had last year. On top of that, Cam Lawrence was only a Special Teams player that shouldn't have been on the roster in the first place if the team had better depth.

IMO, Lee, McClain and Hitchens are the starters. Brinkley, Wilber, Rivers and Wilson are the backups with Gachkar the Special Teams Ace.

If you have an injury in training camp, someone like Keith Smith or Nzeocha can compete for that spot and if not, they go back on the Practice Squad. This situation is a good thing, not a bad thing.

 

[Kaiser]

You could argue that about any position. What do we do if Crawford goes down? Then after that Brent goes down? Where is the depth there? What happens if the rookie corner and Wilcox go down? Who's playing in the secondary then?

Your point is pointless.

The point is that you plan ahead and try to avoid the problem in the first place. Is your point that a team that has drafted well shouldn't have depth?

 

[Zekeats]

The point is that you plan ahead and try to avoid the problem in the first place. Is your point that a team that has drafted well shouldn't have depth?

Where is the depth at QB, S, DT?