Mayowa, Russell, Tapper, Irving

[Jarv]

These 4 have 2 career sacks between the lot of them and 2 are later round rookies, who historically almost never have a real impact in their first season.

I can't imagine how anyone can make the argument that game would have been different with this list of complete inexperience on the field.

Well if you add Jack Crawford to the mix it's 8 career sacks, he got 4 last year in limited play.

We have lost nothing but "potential" with Gregory out of the mix, he didn't get a sack in 12 games last year.

I'm always a pessimist when it comes to the Boys and again this year I have high hopes for our Dline. These guys produced at a high level in Div I in college and Crawford, Crawford, Thorton and Lawrence have done so in the NFL. Coach M likes to bring waves and he has young, hungry talented guys to rotate through. I'm sticking to my "glass of half full" theory and let's talk again in mid-October.

Just for the record, I'm against signing Hardy and Freeny.

 

[Stash]

Well they are young and unknown so we have no idea what they can do. But let's not blame them when they weren't on the team

That's fair, as long as you don't then try to play the "maybe they'll be good" card when none of them have done anything. If you don't want to blame them for things that happened when they weren't around, don't try to talk them up for things they've never done either.

 

[Stash]

The Raiders let DMC walk for nothing last year and he gave us 1000 yards rushing. The Raiders aren't the gold standard of talent evaluation and even then, they didn't want to pay Mayowa. Time will tell, but Will McClay is the guy who pushed for him. McClay is also the guy that got 8 sacks out of Mincey on a bargain contract and before that, got 8 sacks out of George Selvie after signing him as a street free agent. Its not hard to imagine McClay that got another 8 sack guy - or better.

Russell and Tapper were both mid round picks but both clearly have the talent to do well and clearly would have been drafted higher if they didn't play in schemes that were bad fits.

Irving clearly has above average physical talent and would have been drafted but for off the field issues. He hasn't had any problems as a Pro and has the talent to be an above average player.

These threads remind me of the threads three years ago about how we had no OL and Jerry Jones was a fool to talk up a UDFA from the Practice Squad. That UDFA was Ron Leary, who started every game that season and was named to the All-Division team.

Other than the part where you credit both Selvie and Mincey with more sacks than they ever got, sure, great post.

 

[DallasDomination]

We might have the worst defense in the league if we stay healthy... if there's injuries we'll compete with ourselves with one of the worst of all time.

 

[Denim Chicken]

We might have the worst defense in the league if we stay healthy... if there's injuries we'll compete with ourselves with one of the worst of all time.

Doubtful. I'm guessing well have another year ranked around 15 or 16.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Does anyone else find it mind-numbing that we're now heading into YEAR FOUR of this defensive scheme and this is the best our front office has been able to come up with?!

For a defensive coordinator who's predicating his entire gameplan around creating pressure on the QB, this is simply unacceptable.

That has to be one of the worst front fours I have ever seen. This is what happens when you prioritize offense with the majority of your first round picks, then whiff in the second round with the majority of the picks.

Jerry Jones is still living in the old days as if he has 100 draft picks to make mistakes with and no salary cap. You have to draft consistent and conservative. Slow and steady wins the race with the draft.

The sad part is that Garrett actually has the right motto in RKG's. Its just too bad that Jerry doesnt care about that. I have to assume that its Jerry that keeps deviating from the RKG thing.

I also dont blame Marianelli for much as he has been handed a bag of junk by his GM Jerry. Clearly the defense is the red headed step child on this team. The only thing I would say about Marianelli is that he has advised them to pass on some VERY good DT's in the draft that he claimed didnt fit his scheme.

 

[Denim Chicken]

That has to be one of the worst front fours I have ever seen.

But you've never seen them, so how can that be?

 

[Sydla]

The Raiders let DMC walk for nothing last year and he gave us 1000 yards rushing. The Raiders aren't the gold standard of talent evaluation and even then, they didn't want to pay Mayowa. Time will tell, but Will McClay is the guy who pushed for him. McClay is also the guy that got 8 sacks out of Mincey on a bargain contract and before that, got 8 sacks out of George Selvie after signing him as a street free agent. Its not hard to imagine McClay that got another 8 sack guy - or better.

Russell and Tapper were both mid round picks but both clearly have the talent to do well and clearly would have been drafted higher if they didn't play in schemes that were bad fits.

Irving clearly has above average physical talent and would have been drafted but for off the field issues. He hasn't had any problems as a Pro and has the talent to be an above average player.

These threads remind me of the threads three years ago about how we had no OL and Jerry Jones was a fool to talk up a UDFA from the Practice Squad. That UDFA was Ron Leary, who started every game that season and was named to the All-Division team.

Ron Leary was given a third round grade by most scouting guides. He fell out of the draft because of concerns over a degenerative knee condition. So it's not like the Cowboys found a diamond in the rough. They took a chance on a guy with a high draft grade that fell because of a serious injury concern.

 

[speedkilz88]

No. 7) Who Will Lead The Defense In Sacks?

Bryan Broaddus: Benson Mayowa. I really do believe that the pro scouts got this player right from what I was able to see from the OTA practices and on his tape from the Raiders. He showed me the ability to capture the edge and I believe he has the ability to finish. I know the numbers don't say that now but at the end of the season I think they will. I also like the fact that he started his career with the Seahawks. Those scouts know a thing or two about edge rushers and they saw something in him that gives me some hope that he can develop.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/07/20/20-questions-who-will-lead-cowboys’-defense-sacks-2016

 

[DeaconMoss]

Thornton, while a very smart signing, isn't likely to help in the pass rush department. I think that's the real point of the OP.

1 Techniques usually dont get alot of sacks. They have to take on the double team in the run game

 

[Doc50]

Maybe one of these guys will find something deep inside himself and develop as a player and surprise us all. We're do for it.

I'm afraid if we look deep inside we'll just find another bag of coke.

Contracts should be null and void following substance violations.

Jerry must be doin the stuff himself to be so empathetic.

 

[speedkilz88]

I'm afraid if we look deep inside we'll just find another bag of coke.

Contracts should be null and void following substance violations.

Jerry must be doin the stuff himself to be so empathetic.

Weed?

 

[gimmesix]

Does anyone else find it mind-numbing that we're now heading into YEAR FOUR of this defensive scheme and this is the best our front office has been able to come up with?!

For a defensive coordinator who's predicating his entire gameplan around creating pressure on the QB, this is simply unacceptable.

We added the player considered the best pass rusher available in free agency last year in Hardy and he didn't pan out.

We also spent an almost first-round pick on a pass rusher in Lawrence and then spent a late second on another in Gregory trying to fix the pass rush. (I also believe we would have drafted Bosa ahead of Elliott if he had not been taken, but that's simply my opinion.)

Without suspensions and Hardy being a knucklehead, we would probably have Hardy, Lawrence and Gregory as our top three ends this year. That would have been the best that this front office could have come up with, but instead we're scrambling to find rushmen.

Now, since Hardy-Lawrence-Gregory plan did not work out, I would have done more than sign Mayowa, draft a fourth-round DE and rely on two holdovers who have one sack between then.

 

[Verdict]

Who is to say that Tapper won't take over and become a sack machine? What if Mayowa turns into a late blooming player who sets the world on fire? Neither are all that far fetched actually. Why don't we wait and see what happens before predicting doom and gloom? But what fun is being reasonable????

 

[jazzcat22]

Still excited about Irving. I was more excited about him than Gregory anyways.

Yes, I want to see the progress he has made, and hopefully he steps up and takes hold of that position. Same with Mayowa as to see what he brings. Gregory can be a back up / rotation guy when he returns. As he will have earned nothing but to sit and play if / when needed.

 

[Sydla]

Who is to say that Tapper won't take over and become a sack machine? What if Mayowa turns into a late blooming player who sets the world on fire? Neither are all that far fetched actually. Why don't we wait and see what happens before predicting doom and gloom? But what fun is being reasonable????

I wouldn't say far fetched but history shows that it's pretty rare for a rookie DE taken in the 4th round or a guy who has been on 2 teams in 3 years to develop immediately into stud pass rushers.

Now Tapper, down the road, might end up being a guy like that given his skill set, but yes, it would be a big, big surprise if he came out this season and became a sack machine.

You see it as people being negative and predicting doom and gloom............... I see it as reality. The Cowboys have MAJOR questions at DE now.

 

[Stash]

Who is to say that Tapper won't take over and become a sack machine? What if Mayowa turns into a late blooming player who sets the world on fire? Neither are all that far fetched actually. Why don't we wait and see what happens before predicting doom and gloom? But what fun is being reasonable????

Sure thing, you make a ton of baseless assumptions based on nothing more than a fan's hopes and call that "being reasonable"...

 

[Shinaoi]

I'm afraid if we look deep inside we'll just find another bag of coke.

Contracts should be null and void following substance violations.

Jerry must be doin the stuff himself to be so empathetic.

I meant one of these backups in the title, not the suspended bunch.

 

[Verdict]

Sure thing, you make a ton of baseless assumptions based on nothing more than a fan's hopes and call that "being reasonable"...

You taking the doom and gloom perspective isn't factual. It is your opinion. It may turn out to be true, but at this point it is merely an opinion. I didn't "predict" great things in my prior post, but merely state that it is possible that good or great things "may" happen. That is a realistic possibility, isn't it? Do you want the team to fail so that you can be right? If so, why do you invest so much time in being a fan of the Cowboys?

 

[Verdict]

I wouldn't say far fetched but history shows that it's pretty rare for a rookie DE taken in the 4th round or a guy who has been on 2 teams in 3 years to develop immediately into stud pass rushers.

Now Tapper, down the road, might end up being a guy like that given his skill set, but yes, it would be a big, big surprise if he came out this season and became a sack machine.

You see it as people being negative and predicting doom and gloom............... I see it as reality. The Cowboys have MAJOR questions at DE now.

Yes, there are questions. That is factual. But it remains to be seen if what we have is enough or not. Time will tell.