Mazi Smith's performance

[rambo2]

Mazi was supposed to be this athletic freak that had tremendous power and was a great run stuffing DT in last year’s draft class

So far— none of that has materialized. If he can’t display power vs NFL backups, he is simply not what anyone thought he was when he was drafted.

The question is why? He has been an enigma since being drafted. Is it mental? Is it motivational? Is it physical?

If we are having to try and coax, coddle, and convince a player to try and play at an NFL caliber level, we are better off cutting him if he doesn’t show anything this preseason.

Move on and make him a cautionary tale for other young players to learn from.

Depending on unreliable people to perform and produce is a horrid roster building strategy.

This horrid roster has won 37 games in the last 3 years. That's more than 30 teams.

 

[Hawkeye19]

This horrid roster has won 37 games in the last 3 years. That's more than 30 teams.

1. Where did I say the roster was horrid?

2. If you can’t tell our biggest issue on defense is stopping the run and that we lose every time a decent team commits to stuffing it down our throats— I don’t know what to tell you. It’s been happening for years now and we still haven’t found a solution for it.

3. MM was hired to “win now” and take a “great roster” to championship caliber performance in January. Touting regular season wins in the face of continued playoff failure is simply putting your head in the sand and denying the painful truth that this team has been a paper tiger

 

[Chasing6]

Agree but to be honest I don't thing Ferguson is holding Luke back as much as Luke is holding himself back.

Up to this point we are just looking for some normal progression from each of them but we're just not seeing it yet.

the light has to come on for at least one of them this season

Who was holding Ferguson back when we had Schultz? Who was holding Schultz back when we brought Witten out of retirement?

Who was our great TE2 when we had Witten for so long? We don't know how to run an offense with 2 TE's.

 

[Chasing6]

1. Where did I say the roster was horrid?

2. If you can’t tell our biggest issue on defense is stopping the run and that we lose every time a decent team commits to stuffing it down our throats— I don’t know what to tell you. It’s been happening for years now and we still haven’t found a solution for it.

3. MM was hired to “win now” and take a “great roster” to championship caliber performance in January. Touting regular season wins in the face of continued playoff failure is simply putting your head in the sand and denying the painful truth that this team has been a paper tiger

Funny how that is how we won our SB's, but we can't recognize we need to stop it.

Is that why MM was hired?

Since he has been here what have we done to attempt to fix our run D? Does he have authority to make those decisions?

Let me remind you, who decided to make the Trance trade? It was not MM.

 

[Buzzbait]

I mean people are always gonna write Mazi off to support their opinion that the Cowboys messed up. This is the guys second year. He deserves some grace.

I agree MC, on all counts. I watched Mazi a number of times today and never saw the slow get off like he had before. I didn't watch him all day, but I suspect some have become accustomed to past criticism and are just assuming nothing has changed. He looks better than he did before.

 

[Hawkeye19]

Funny how that is how we won our SB's, but we can't recognize we need to stop it.

Is that why MM was hired?

Since he has been here what have we done to attempt to fix our run D? Does he have authority to make those decisions?

Let me remind you, who decided to make the Trance trade? It was not MM.

The lack or urgency regarding the run defense is appalling.

This team is a lot like it’s owner: loves to talk, has big dreams for itself, and is more sizzle than steak.

The Lance trade? Not a huge deal to me. They were trying to get a first round talent on the cheap or on the rebound like they always do.

If he hit— you have more leverage over Dak and can trade Lance for a better pick than you gave up to get him.

If you miss— you lose a 4th round pick and this FO loves it’s comp picks— so in their mind— they aren’t risking much

 

[Chasing6]

The lack or urgency regarding the run defense is appalling.

This team is a lot like it’s owner: loves to talk, has big dreams for itself, and is more sizzle than steak.

The Lance trade? Not a huge deal to me. They were trying to get a first round talent on the cheap or on the rebound like they always do.

If he hit— you have more leverage over Dak and can trade Lance for a better pick than you gave up to get him.

If you miss— you lose a 4th round pick and this FO loves it’s comp picks— so in their mind— they aren’t risking much

Trance will result in zero comp picks.

 

[RonWashington]

Carlos Watkins still a FA. Call Jerry .

“ Hello Carlos , this is Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys . Your old locker is still available “


Would upgrade the position at this point .

 

[Hawkeye19]

Trance will result in zero comp picks.

I get that.

I am just telling you that this FO is fine risking a 4th rounder because they stockpile comp picks every year.

So even if Lance flames out and they cut him— in their minds they aren’t actually losing any draft capital because they added picks to their overall number of slots.

Their logic is simple (hypothetical since I don’t remember the actual number of comp picks we had last year): we started with 7 picks. Added 3 comp picks. Traded away 1 pick. Net positive because we are still up 2 picks over where we started

It’s the way this FO does their “math” lol

 

[coult44]

Some good and some not so good. Exactly what should have been expected.

It's still way to early to make judgement about Mazi. There is a lot more TC and practice back in Dallas and 2 more preseason games.

Now if he still looks the same 3 weeks from now it will be a different conversation.

In all of last year and in TC so far this year Mazi has never had one day as good as the Davis kid from Clemson who was playing 1 &3 for the Rams today. Not one. It might be too early for you to figure it out, but I’m not having that problem. Not with him. He’s not good, and he will never be good. Someone who’s body language as bad as he has, will be never be out of his own head enough to be good.

 

[coult44]

Carlos Watkins still a FA. Call Jerry .

“ Hello Carlos , this is Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys . Your old locker is still available “


Would upgrade the position at this point .

I wish we would’ve never cut Ridgeway. I know he’s not great, but he was someone we could’ve really used lately.

 

[Chasing6]

I get that.

I am just telling you that this FO is fine risking a 4th rounder because they stockpile comp picks every year.

So even if Lance flames out and they cut him— in their minds they aren’t actually losing any draft capital because they added picks to their overall number of slots.

Their logic is simple (hypothetical since I don’t remember the actual number of comp picks we had last year): we started with 7 picks. Added 3 comp picks. Traded away 1 pick. Net positive because we are still up 2 picks over where we started

It’s the way this FO does their “math” lol

That is the entire problem "In their minds".

 

[RonWashington]

I wish we would’ve never cut Ridgeway. I know he’s not great, but he was someone we could’ve really used lately.

Much prefer Watkins . Dallas played the Comnanders twice last yr never remember Ridgeway as a factor . Watkins was active when he was here . Good rotational fit.

 

[rambo2]

1. Where did I say the roster was horrid?

2. If you can’t tell our biggest issue on defense is stopping the run and that we lose every time a decent team commits to stuffing it down our throats— I don’t know what to tell you. It’s been happening for years now and we still haven’t found a solution for it.

3. MM was hired to “win now” and take a “great roster” to championship caliber performance in January. Touting regular season wins in the face of continued playoff failure is simply putting your head in the sand and denying the painful truth that this team has been a paper tiger

1. I was wrong.

2. They do have a depth issue at dtackle. The linebackers should be good.

3. We will see. Still in play.

 

[Hawkeye19]

That is the entire problem "In their minds".

100%

 

[Hawkeye19]

1. I was wrong.

2. They do have a depth issue at dtackle. The linebackers should be good.

3. We will see. Still in play.

Linebackers look improved, but the interior DL looks bad. Really bad.

MM has had 4 years to get this team “over the hump.” Head coaches are supposed to have their teams ready to play their best and when it has mattered most— this team has crapped the bed.

Either MM sucks at preparing players, or this group of players has tuned him out— but either way, IMO— he should have been held accountable and gotten fired after the GB debacle.

Somebody’s head should have rolled for that, and we all know the GM isn’t firing himself lol

 

[RonWashington]

Trysten Hill pick . When Dallas picks for “ need “ instead of best player on the board it blows up .

Guyton was a pick of need . Hopefully he breaks that trend .

 

[RonWashington]

Add Taco Charlton to the Trysten Hill draft strategy . Shante Carver . And Schoonmacher seemed to be a pick again where Dallas felt it had to get a specific position at that point in the draft .

 

[75boyz]

1. Where did I say the roster was horrid?

2. If you can’t tell our biggest issue on defense is stopping the run and that we lose every time a decent team commits to stuffing it down our throats— I don’t know what to tell you. It’s been happening for years now and we still haven’t found a solution for it.

3. MM was hired to “win now” and take a “great roster” to championship caliber performance in January. Touting regular season wins in the face of continued playoff failure is simply putting your head in the sand and denying the painful truth that this team has been a paper tiger

It's who he is.
It's what he does.
Period.

 

[Beast_from_East]

I was not impressed, he had a good play where he sniffed out the screen pass, but he was still slow off the ball and seen him getting pushed back multiple times

Dude is a bust, it appears the only position this team knows how to draft in the first round is OL.