Moore: Cowboys in serious bind at DE after whiffing on Chris Long

[LocimusPrime]

We will be lucky to get 20 sacks with our dline as it is constructed now. Should be an NFL record.

 

[DeaconMoss]

Coples is a proven quitter. Want him nowhere near this team.

I personally have seen him numerous times live in football at the college and pro level, and I respectfully disagree.

 

[Bowdown27]

Yep. Our whole season depended on Chris Long.

We can draft a guy in the second to third round and will probably have same amount of production.

 

[Stash]

I do not have a problem bringing back Crawford. But he now has leverage. Not great.

Back for $1 million or less? No problem. Back for $2-$3 million? Big problem.

 

[phildadon86]

Coples is a proven quitter. Want him nowhere near this team.

Mario Williams is a proven quitter too. Almost everyone here wanted him lol

 

[Idgit]

We will be lucky to get 20 sacks with our dline as it is constructed now. Should be an NFL record.

For a team that platoons players the way we do, we don't have enough good players. Some of the players we do have, though, are pretty good. Lawrence, Crawford, Gregory (unreliable), and Thornton are all decent-to-good players in this league. We've potentially got a couple rotational guys in Irving, McClain and, hopefully, Crawford. What we need is at least two more quality role players. And what we're completely lacking is that one impact guy that's nowhere in sight this side of Hardy.

We can also bring pressure from from the WIL in this defense, if we want to go that route. We can blitz the CBs more. It's not going to be NFL-record dire. What we need, though, is more young defensive talent, and that only really comes through the draft.

 

[Stash]

We will be lucky to get 20 sacks with our dline as it is constructed now. Should be an NFL record.

To go with our 'record' for turnovers this past season.

 

[jjktkk]

Yeah, let's follow up one mistake by making two more.

Now that we've missed out on Long, let's panic and overpay to retain an average player in Jack Crawford.

I doubt they are going to overpay for Crawford. Not a huge market for him.

 

[DandyDon1722]

It seems to me that the Cowboys are waiting Hardy out and threatening to replace him in FA to bring his price down.

That would imply they are interested in having him around - they simply are not.

This whole thread just convinces me even more about drafting Elliott. I get the you're not supposed to draft RB's in the top five but consider the two post important statistics to winning in the NFL.

Defense Pass Rating
Points Per Drive

Last year best DPR was Denver
Last year best PPD was Carolina

Two years ago the top four PPD teams were Green Bay, Dallas, Seattle, New England.

Which are we closer to excelling at? Elliott brings back our '14 identity and make the offense elite again. If we were close to being elite on defense I'd be all for Bosa, Ramsey or Jack but we're not. Plus we have an entire draft that is supposed to be deep to find defensive players and we've done a pretty good job of drafting lately.

With Elliott, the only wild card in not getting us back to a playoff run is getting back to creating turnovers.

There's a saying - soar with your strengths - which means do what you do well, so let's get back to dominating on the offensive side of the ball.

 

[Stash]

For a team that platoons players the way we do, we don't have enough good players. Some of the players we do have, though, are pretty good. Lawrence, Crawford, Gregory (unreliable), and Thornton are all decent-to-good players in this league. We've potentially got a couple rotational guys in Irving, McClain and, hopefully, Crawford. What we need is at least two more quality role players. And what we're completely lacking is that one impact guy that's nowhere in sight this side of Hardy.

We can also bring pressure from from the WIL in this defense, if we want to go that route. We can blitz the CBs more. It's not going to be NFL-record dire. What we need, though, is more young defensive talent, and that only really comes through the draft.

If Lawrence is healthy, I really like the projected starting 3 of Lawrence, Crawford, and Thornton. Thornton would be a huge upgrade over Hayden and that in itself is reason to celebrate. But that huge hole at the remaining defensive end position is certainly cause for worry.

Putting Hardy there looks a lot better than not having an answer, and expecting a draft pick to get it done is foolish, especially if you're using that #4 overall pick to do it.

 

[Stash]

I doubt they are going to overpay for Crawford. Not a huge market for him.

I sure hope not, but I thought the same for both McClain and Hanna but both received more expensive deals than anything I expected too.

 

[Stash]

That would imply they are interested in having him around - they simply are not.

This whole thread just convinces me even more about drafting Elliott. I get the you're not supposed to draft RB's in the top five but consider the two post important statistics to winning in the NFL.

Defense pass rating
Points Per Drive

Last year best DPR was Denver
Last year best PPD was Carolina

Two years ago the top four PPD teams were Green Bay, Dallas, Seattle, New England.

Which are we closer to excelling at? Elliott brings back our '14 identity and make the offense elite again. If we were close to being elite on defense I'd be all for Bosa, Ramsey or Jack but we're not. Plus we have an entire draft that is supposed to be deep to find defensive players and we've done a pretty good job of drafting lately.

With Elliott, the only wild card in not getting us back to a playoff run is getting back to creating turnovers.

There's a saying - soar with your strengths - which means do what you do well, so let's get back to dominating on the offensive side of the ball.

If the offensive line is as good as people say, why would you also need to make such a huge and costly investment for a running back as well?

And if you need the upgrade that badly, why didn't you sign a proven guys without sacrificing your #4 overall pick too?

 

[jjktkk]

I'll say it again.

Mario Williams would sure make DE look a lot better than it does right now on a deal like Miami signed him to that gave them the ability to dump him with little to no pain after the year.

The Cowboys have botched defensive end this offseason unless the plan all along was to act like Hardy was a non-option only to then swoop in at the last minute and sign him for a really cheap deal.

Yea! Give out a big contract to a guy who is a great talent, but decides from season to season to turn on and off his switch. Then you could of chastised Jerry for overpaying for a diva DE. Brilliant strategy!

 

[tm1119]

S

For a team that platoons players the way we do, we don't have enough good players. Some of the players we do have, though, are pretty good. Lawrence, Crawford, Gregory (unreliable), and Thornton are all decent-to-good players in this league. We've potentially got a couple rotational guys in Irving, McClain and, hopefully, Crawford. What we need is at least two more quality role players. And what we're completely lacking is that one impact guy that's nowhere in sight this side of Hardy.

We can also bring pressure from from the WIL in this defense, if we want to go that route. We can blitz the CBs more. It's not going to be NFL-record dire. What we need, though, is more young defensive talent, and that only really comes through the draft.

Sorry but Randy Gregory is not a good NFL player. Maybe he will be 1 day, but he's proven nothing so far besides a lack of desire to be a good player. He can't be counted on at all next year as a contributor, anything we get from him from week 5 on will be an added bonus. If I were constructing the D line I would build it as it Gregory didn't exist and hope he's able to be a nice surprise.

 

[sideon]

How did the best DE in the draft do last year? It's not a position where rookies do much of anything... Tell me any that did.

Leonard Williams for the Jets had a pretty impressive rookie season.

 

[YosemiteSam]

At this point that crap player is better than what we have. Nothing.

He was needed for depth and stability. He don't him to get 15 sacks and be an all-pro. He's still serviceable, and I doubt the Patriots would sign him if he was crap.

No he wasn't needed. He isn't better than anything we had.

 

[Idgit]

Sorry but Randy Gregory is not a good NFL player. Maybe he will be 1 day, but he's proven nothing so far besides a lack of desire to be a good player. He can't be counted on at all next year as a contributor, anything we get from him from week 5 on will be an added bonus. If I were constructing the D line I would build it as it Gregory didn't exist and hope he's able to be a nice surprise.

I don't want to quibble too much, because I get what you're saying. And he's definitely completely unreliable. But I definitely think he's a guy you look at in your lineup and are pretty ok with him holding down one of those 8 jobs. He was the talk of camp before his injury. I know his stat line, but I also know he was coming on at the end of the year like you'd expect, and that the team is high on his on-field performance, overall.

 

[slick325]

I hope Dallas takes advantage of the talent and depth of the interior DL. That can also help with the pass rush. Paying Thornton should not keep them from drafting DTs. Quickest way to get pressure on a QB is right up the middle.

Don't reach on DEs just because it is a need. If a DT is rated higher then take him. Front 7 talent no matter where will help the pass rush and the defense as a whole.

 

[Idgit]

If Lawrence is healthy, I really like the projected starting 3 of Lawrence, Crawford, and Thornton. Thornton would be a huge upgrade over Hayden and that in itself is reason to celebrate. But that huge hole at the remaining defensive end position is certainly cause for worry.

Putting Hardy there looks a lot better than not having an answer, and expecting a draft pick to get it done is foolish, especially if you're using that #4 overall pick to do it.

That's the thing. Hardy and either the 1st or 2nd round draft pick makes the DL on paper go from 'uh-oh' to 'oh-no.'

Whatever really went on, the longer FA goes on, the better the chances we end up bringing Hardy back. If the conversation's going to be had, we'll probably be hearing about it this week or next.

 

[Idgit]

Well then the fact Crawford has not real options other than us re-signing him because we appear to be panicked at how defensive end is going for us thus far, that should tell you all you need to know about Jack Crawford.

I've already said I"m surprised Crawford hasn't had more real options. That suggests to me that he was asking for a lot of money. But we're reportedly working on getting a deal done with him now, too, so I don't know.

We seem far from panicked about DE, though. We pretty much calmly watched them all come off the board. For a team with a closer like Jerry in the bull pen, that's not panic. Personally, I'd have liked to see a little bit of panic, as the draft is not a great option for us for an impact edge rusher.