Matt Miller's Dallas Report

[ConceptCoop]

If they "plan" for a DE to fall to 61 that is simply not using the law of averages in a smart way.

I think you're underselling the DE depth in this draft. There are 14 edge players with a 2/3 grade or better. There will be solid options at 60. If a CB is the top tier at 28--you take him.

 

[Plankton]

No I see him saying they have some solid guys but lack the playmaker. I take what he says at face value.

That's it. I don't then make this jump in logic that he's telling fans be prepared for them to draft a crap ton of CBs in this draft.

I think he is quite clear. We like what we have at DL but we realize we lack that dominant player.

I think that Jones was treading the line toward being truthful, but passing off that they aren't definitely locked in to taking an end and forcing a pick.

I don't see anything wrong with what he said.

 

[Sydla]

And FWIW, it's quite possible that the best player available at 28 could be a CB.

Some people around here talk out both sides of their mouths claiming the Cowboys shouldn't out think themselves and take the best player available at 28.................. just as long as it's not a CB. LOL.

And FWIW, the notion that good CBs don't necessarily come from the top of the draft is not exactly true.

I quickly googled Top CBs for 2017 and an article came up from NFL Network by Ike Taylor ranking the Top 10 CBs at year end.

1) Sherman
2) Peterson - 1st
3) Harris, Jr.
4) Peters - 1st
5) Norman
6) Jenkins
7) Jones - 1st
8) Rhodes - 1st
9) Talib - 1st
10) Ramsey - 1st

Of the Top 10 according to Taylor, 6 were first rounds picks and Jenkins was a high 2nd round pick.

Another article from NFL.com from Harmon had:

1) Rhodes - 1st
2) Talib - 1st
3) Heyward
4) Jenkins
5) Grimes
6) Peters - 1st
7) Sherman
8) Bouye
9) Ramsey - 1st
10) Smith - 1st

That's 5 of his Top 10 as 1st round picks and Jenkins and Casey Heyward were 2nd round picks.

That's not to say we have to take a CB at 1. Honestly, I am hoping one of the pass rushers are there. But this idea that taking a first round CB is kind of stupid and doesn't produce elite level CBs is fairly bogus.

 

[Stash]

I think you're underselling the DE depth in this draft. There are 14 edge players with a 2/3 grade or better. There will be solid options at 60. If a CB is the top tier at 28--you take him.

Backwards. Cornerback is deeper than pass rusher. Unless there's some crazy run and 9 of them go before pick #28, you take pass rush.

There's no corner that's going to cover for 6 seconds.

 

[ConceptCoop]

Backwards. Cornerback is deeper than pass rusher. Unless there's some crazy run and 9 of them go before pick #28, you take pass rush.

There's no corner that's going to cover for 6 seconds.

Both Edge and CB have 14 guys with a grade of 2/3 or better. (That's assuming Conley gets drafted.) Both positions are deep and both positions will offer value at 60.

 

[ConceptCoop]

It's worth pointing out that we were 13th in the league in sacks--and thats with David Irving and Tank Lawrence starting 5 games...combined. I want a DE myself, but it's not 28 or bust. Stick to the board and draft best tier available.

 

[Alexander]

I think you're underselling the DE depth in this draft. There are 14 edge players with a 2/3 grade or better. There will be solid options at 60.

If the seventh or eighth best edge in this class is a good rusher, then this is an all-timer deep DE draft. You can look back in draft history and not see another one like it.

 

[Stash]

Both Edge and CB have 14 guys with a grade of 2/3 or better. (That's assuming Conley gets drafted.) Both positions are deep and both positions will offer value at 60.

Who's "grade"?

If there were an equal amount of each position drafted prior to #28, I can see your point. Are you expecting that?

I'm not.

As I've said, unless you're taking about the 9th best pass rusher vs the 3rd best corner, I'm going pass rusher. And I expect the Cowboys will too.

 

[Stash]

It's worth pointing out that we were 13th in the league in sacks--and thats with David Irving and Tank Lawrence starting 5 games...combined. I want a DE myself, but it's not 28 or bust. Stick to the board and draft best tier available.

Where was that pass rush when they needed it most?

 

[ConceptCoop]

If the seventh or eighth best edge in this class is a good rusher, then this is an all-timer deep DE draft. You can look back in draft history and not see another one like it.

Plenty of these guys are going to bust; but that doesn't change the fact that there's likely to be quality edge prospects available at 60. Edge prospects that would have gone much higher other years.

In a perfect world, I'd love to see DE/S/CB in that order. But you scout all of these guys for a reason. If CB is the top tier on the board, you grab the CB.

 

[ConceptCoop]

If there were an equal amount of each position drafted prior to #28, I can see your point. Are you expecting that?

I have no idea. I hope we land a DE as well. Now that Conley is out of the picture, there is only one CB I like more more than Watt/Charles/Takk. But if they are gone, I'd much rather take a CB that they have a first round grade on than a DE they have a 2nd round grade on.

 

[Stash]

I have no idea. I hope we land a DE as well. Now that Conley is out of the picture, there is only one CB I like more more than Watt/Charles/Takk. But if they are gone, I'd much rather take a CB that they have a first round grade on than a DE they have a 2nd round grade on.

If your scenario did happen - and Watt/Charles/Takk were all gone - I'd tend to agree with you. But then I think I'd be looking to trade down at that point.

Fortunately, I don't expect that to happen. I think at least one of those names, likely two, will still be there.

 

[Alexander]

Plenty of these guys are going to bust; but that doesn't change the fact that there's likely to be quality edge prospects available at 60. Edge prospects that would have gone much higher other years.

In a perfect world, I'd love to see DE/S/CB in that order. But you scout all of these guys for a reason. If CB is the top tier on the board, you grab the CB.

And what is to say the edge isn't also in that top tier of the board.

And let's be very real for a moment.

Teams construct their boards with "need" in mind.

If the comment is "well, we have good, solid" edge players and simply not enough bodies at CB, how do you think that board is going to be constructed?

It is not like the edge and corner groups are equally deep. The CB group is much deeper.

I count less than 10 quality pass rushing prospects. I count 15 that are starting quality corners, more if you count third/slot CBs as "starters".

 

[ConceptCoop]

And what is to say the edge isn't also in that top tier of the board.

I count less than 10 quality pass rushing prospects.

I never said an edge player won't be in the top tier come 28. If one is, I hope they take him. But they shouldn't take an Edge with a 2nd round grade over a CB with a 1st round grade.

Edge is LOADED:

Myles Garrett
Solomon Thomas
Derek Barnett
Taco Charlton
TJ Watt
Charles Harris
Takkarist McKinley
Malik McDowell
Tyus Bowser
Carl Lawson
Jordan Willis
Tarell Basham
Derek Rivers
Tim Williams
Tanoh Kpassagnon

 

[tyke1doe]

Exactly. Get the pass rusher first and you can still get the cornerback second. I don't think you can do it the other way. Not picking at #28 and 60.

We seem to have pretty good success taking corners later in the draft (Scandrick, Brown). We have been awful trying to take pass rushers later (including beyond the first round, see Gregory, Lawrence, Tapper - back injury - Crawford, etc.).
We NEED a pass rusher in the worst way. How many times do we have to fall short in the playoffs because Aaron Rodgers has enough time to order room service in the pocket or rolling out to find a receiver?

We find a pass rusher, we're in the NFC Championship (a relatively healthy team being the X factor, of course).

There are enough corners in this draft to get a talent in the second or third and coach him up. But pass rushers either have what is needed to do the job or they don't. You can coach them up, but they must have a quick-twitch, bend and relentlessness. Those qualities you can't really teach.

Get the pass rusher FIRST!

 

[Stash]

I never said an edge player won't be in the top tier come 28. If one is, I hope they take him. But they shouldn't take an Edge with a 2nd round grade over a CB with a 1st round grade.

Edge is LOADED:

Myles Garrett
Solomon Thomas
Derek Barnett
Taco Charlton
TJ Watt
Charles Harris
Takkarist McKinley
Malik McDowell
Tyus Bowser
Carl Lawson
Jordan Willis
Tarell Basham
Derek Rivers
Tim Williams
Tanoh Kpassagnon

And cornerback is EVEN DEEPER.

 

[ConceptCoop]

But pass rushers either have what is needed to do the job or they don't.

How many of the below have it?

Myles Garrett
Solomon Thomas
Derek Barnett
Taco Charlton
TJ Watt
Charles Harris
Takkarist McKinley
Malik McDowell
Tyus Bowser
Carl Lawson
Jordan Willis
Tarell Basham
Derek Rivers
Tim Williams
Tanoh Kpassagnon

 

[ConceptCoop]

And cornerback is EVEN DEEPER.

Nah. Equally deep. But both are deep enough to get a quality prospect--that would go much higher than 60 most years--at 60.

 

[Sydla]

I can't keep straight some of your arguments.

Are people saying that Dallas should go DE in the first round because CB is deeper?

 

[Stash]

We seem to have pretty good success taking corners later in the draft (Scandrick, Brown). We have been awful trying to take pass rushers later (including beyond the first round, see Gregory, Lawrence, Tapper - back injury - Crawford, etc.).
We NEED a pass rusher in the worst way. How many times do we have to fall short in the playoffs because Aaron Rodgers has enough time to order room service in the pocket or rolling out to find a receiver?

We find a pass rusher, we're in the NFC Championship (a relatively healthy team being the X factor, of course).

There are enough corners in this draft to get a talent in the second or third and coach him up. But pass rushers either have what is needed to do the job or they don't. You can coach them up, but they must have a quick-twitch, bend and relentlessness. Those qualities you can't really teach.

Get the pass rusher FIRST!

Yep. For me, and most everyone else I've read or listened to, they say the same thing. And the Cowboys front office has said the same.

Unless there's some catastrophic run where 10 pass rushers go prior to #28, I'm taking one. If they all go, then come and talk to me and we can adjust the strategy.

Given other team's needs and priorities, it's not happening. More than one of the players the team likes will be there at 28,