McShay: 'Dallas is obsessed' with drafting RB; trading up for Bijan Robinson 'wouldn't shock me'

[gtb1943]

no game changers at RB. Barkley was supposed to be a game changer. how long did it take Giants to reach post season? and the times have changed. back then running game was key. these days, running games by committee. as mentioned, top 3 rushing RBs didn't make the playoffs.

Derek Henry

 

[Gaede]

no game changers at RB. Barkley was supposed to be a game changer. how long did it take Giants to reach post season? and the times have changed. back then running game was key. these days, running games by committee. as mentioned, top 3 rushing RBs didn't make the playoffs.

Barkley is a great example. I thought he'd be the next Barry Sanders. His career, like all RBs nowadays, will never ever reach those heights. Granted, he was a top 5 pick, so expectations were higher. But Robinson, to me at least, seems a similar player.

 

[Nova]

They have done basically nothing outside of the draft and fans are still buying the tickets

Pretty much

I'd say their draft history demonstrates clear restraint from flashy moves and a commitment to building a solid team, so I guess I shouldn't criticize them there.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

The NFL is a cycle as teams go small to try and cover everything the counter will be going back to smash mouth football to punish that. It's better to be ahead of the cycle than always chasing it.

it would be nice to be in the cycle, much less ahead.....

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Derek Henry

missed playoffs last year. lost in first round of playoffs the year before. lost in first round of playoffs the year before that.

and then there is Barkley..size, speed, pass catching. last year was his first time ever in the playoffs. only because Jones picked up his play.
Miles sanders played in the superbowl. is he a game changer? KC won the superbowl had the 25th highest runner.

 

[Nova]

Barkley is a great example. I thought he'd be the next Barry Sanders. His career, like all RBs nowadays, will never ever reach those heights. Granted, he was a top 5 pick, so expectations were higher. But Robinson, to me at least, seems a similar player.

My theory as to why no one will ever be Barry Sanders again is because freakish athleticism is now the ho-hum norm.

It's like the NFL populace has reached the peak of what's humanly possible.

So if you get a guy that really stands out above the rest in athleticism nowadays, it's unsustainable-- especially in load heavy positions like RB. Ligaments tear. Age creates a steeper drop-offs. So on and so forth.

Barry Sanders was a magician. But would he stand out today? At 5'8" 200lbs, I wonder.

 

[Sydla]

The NFL is a cycle as teams go small to try and cover everything the counter will be going back to smash mouth football to punish that. It's better to be ahead of the cycle than always chasing it.

This is the justification for pouring assets into the TB position?

LOL.

 

[fivetwos]

A team that relies on mostly the draft to acquire talent can’t be trading up, unless they are one player away, and I don’t think that’s the case.

This has gotta be the fair compromise amongst fans here….if he is there at 26 he is ours (even if that’s not what everyone wanted), but dealing up for him can’t happen.

 

[CouchCoach]

From the owner's viewpoint, what would make greater sense than to pick the best player in Texas?

He saw what that did for Houston with Earl and keeping Robinson in Texas would please a lot of alums and how many do you think the owner knows personally as well as sponsors?

Ya know, he caught a lot of flak for spending that 4th on a RB, only to get homefield with a rookie QB and RB.

Few of us look at this team like the owner does and him taking Robinson in a move up would be the splash of the 1st day.

The question is what are McClay and his scouts telling the owner?

 

[Stash]

Derek Henry

I don’t think the Titans made the playoffs.

 

[Gaede]

From the owner's viewpoint, what would make greater sense than to pick the best player in Texas?

He saw what that did for Houston with Earl and keeping Robinson in Texas would please a lot of alums and how many do you think the owner knows personally as well as sponsors?

Ya know, he caught a lot of flak for spending that 4th on a RB, only to get homefield with a rookie QB and RB.

Few of us look at this team like the owner does and him taking Robinson in a move up would be the splash of the 1st day.

The question is what are McClay and his scouts telling the owner?

Good points. Trading up for Bijan would not be just for the football

 

[Big_D]

Let's hope this team does not trade up. Stay put and draft smart in a deep RB draft.


Here's a rough estimate to move up from 26 ..


1st and a 4th - 24

1st and a 3rd - 21

1st and 2nd - 16

 

[Sydla]

A team that relies on mostly the draft to acquire talent can’t be trading up, unless they are one player away, and I don’t think that’s the case.

This has gotta be the fair compromise amongst fans here….if he is there at 26 he is ours (even if that’s not what everyone wanted), but dealing up for him can’t happen.

This is a great point others have made. The Cowboys are pretty open about their belief FA is largely fools gold and that they use it sparingly instead of chasing the big names to fill holes. They believe the proper way to build a team is churn the draft.

OK.

Well if the draft is where the real roster building happens, you can't be torching high picks to trade up for a TB. You just can't. This team isn't a TB away from dominating the league.

 

[Sydla]

From the owner's viewpoint, what would make greater sense than to pick the best player in Texas?

He saw what that did for Houston with Earl and keeping Robinson in Texas would please a lot of alums and how many do you think the owner knows personally as well as sponsors?

Ya know, he caught a lot of flak for spending that 4th on a RB, only to get homefield with a rookie QB and RB.

Few of us look at this team like the owner does and him taking Robinson in a move up would be the splash of the 1st day.

The question is what are McClay and his scouts telling the owner?

Zeke didn't change the trajectory of the franchise however. In 2014, the Cowboys were 12-4, won the NFCE and did that all with a TB that was a third round pick. They won a playoff game and got bounced.

After the team added Zeke using a Top 5 pick guess what? The team never got any further than the Murray-led Cowboys did. So yes, while Zeke had some great years the reality is he wasn't a needle mover for the franchise. He was a great player at a position where you probably could have survived using lesser resources and plowing prime resources into more important positions.

 

[xwalker]

My theory as to why no one will ever be Barry Sanders again is because freakish athleticism is now the ho-hum norm.

It's like the NFL populace has reached the peak of what's humanly possible.

So if you get a guy that really stands out above the rest in athleticism nowadays, it's unsustainable-- especially in load heavy positions like RB. Ligaments tear. Age creates a steeper drop-offs. So on and so forth.

Barry Sanders was a magician. But would he stand out today? At 5'8" 200lbs, I wonder.

I get your point but there hasn't been another RB with Barry Sander unique physical abilities.

There aren't any Deions at CB...

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Unusual story:

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...y-official-visits-were-to-philadelphia-tampa/

Top 30 visits are wrapping up, and only Philly + TB wanted to meet with Bijan? Is it because everyone already knows what he is and they don’t want to burn a visit on him?

 

[America's Cowboy]

If Robinson is there at 26 you take him because he is a top 5 player in this draft. You don’t take at a top 50 guard at 26.

Agreed.

 

[GuitarBytes]

I am not in favor of selecting a RB in the first round either, but, I think Bijan is something special, his footwork and body control is extraordinary, I think that if he were to fall around pick 20 the Cowboys would move up for him, having Bijan, would give the Cowboys the possibility of having in Pollard a bargaining chip that could give them a good draft pick for the following year,

 

[Bowdown27]

Good points. Trading up for Bijan would not be just for the football

He would be in the top 10 selling jerseys by camp

 

[Spottswoode]

If Robinson is there at 26 you take him because he is a top 5 player in this draft. You don’t take at a top 50 guard at 26.

100% agree…
However, we don’t know where they have guards ranked. If they went guard at 26, they likely didn’t have him ranked around 50.