Most Important Cowboy for 2014

[erod]

Okay, sold.

Depends on the price. Would you give up the second rounder? Next year's first?

 

[CowboyStar88]

Chris Jones!

Everyone hates the punter

 

[AsthmaField]

Depends on the price. Would you give up the second rounder? Next year's first?

No on both... but it wouldn't cost that to move up from 16 to around 11. Even in a draft where teams aren't looking to trade back it wouldn't cost that much.

A third would do it, I'm pretty sure... maybe even less.

 

[Sarge]

It's a team game and there is no one player, at least on this team, that is capable of putting us over-the-top. It's going to take multiple players and an extraordinary effort on both sides of the ball, as well as improved coaching to get to where we want to be.

 

[Chuck 54]

I agree that it will take the entire team, but no doubt Romo remains the key to our success. The OL and running game can't carry the team...they rely on Romo and his passing. The defense, even if it is improved, is a long way from being rebuilt in one season...middle of the pack would be a huge improvement, and even then they will rely on Romo keeping the offense on the field and putting up points.

When it comes to the tight games against above average opponents, Romo must get the job done without mistakes at crunch time. Yes, he pulls our bacon out of the fire quite often, but when I say he has to eliminate the costly mistakes, it isn't a knock on him but a necessity for a below average team to win tough games when there's no running game and the defense can't hold up. I have no doubt that Tony would have led us to a victory in that Philly game last season. Orton did an admirable job considering how long he'd been on the sideline, but Tony would have had us in the playoffs.

One player can't win a championship or even get a team to it, but when your team is weak or rebuilding, you need one player like Romo to win the game on the final drive without a mistake or one player like D. Ware to take over and sack the opposing QB or rush him into an INT at the critical moment.

As great as Ware was for us, he was seldom that player when we needed it most. To date, as great as Romo has been, he hasn't been that player who avoided mistakes and willed us to win when it really counted either.

In my opinion, Tony Romo is the #1 key to our season and any success, just as he has been.

 

[Setackin]

Claiborne... has to prove he is no bust... the future is always the most important.

 

[honyock]

Aaron Donald.​

Nicely done.

If the question gets framed as, which player, if he goes down, would make the biggest impact on the W-L record? Then Romo.

Or Donald.

 

[AsthmaField]

Or Donald.

I see you like Donald as much as I do.

 

[honyock]

I see you like Donald as much as I do.

Honestly, I don't do anywhere near the draft study that a lot of you do here, that's why I love this time of year on CZ. I'm impressed every year by how broad the knowledge base is among some of the draft junkie posters here, and I learn a ton from following the discussions and debates. I thought all the arguments about Chance Warmack last year were great. So yeah, you've sold me, I confess I've drunk the Donald koolaid.

 

[Zman5]

JG needs to stop having brain farts that loses games for us.
Even with the defense playing real bad last year, had JG managed few games (Detroit and GB) better, we would have been in the playoffs last year.

 

[Mactin]

It has to be that defense think about it the boys were ranked last in defense last season. I know some If not most if not all you guys witness that defense playing like crap throughout that whole season.

Sean Lee was doing so great at linebacker to the point to where he was pro-bowl bound until his injury half way through the season. He NEEDS to stay healthy in order for that defense to get better

Morris Claiborne was drafted in the first round and in my opinion has not yet lived up to the expectations of being a first round draft pick.

Demarus Ware, Jason Hatcher has been released.

And the safety's aren't really doing much.

It obvious.

 

[AsthmaField]

Honestly, I don't do anywhere near the draft study that a lot of you do here, that's why I love this time of year on CZ. I'm impressed every year by how broad the knowledge base is among some of the draft junkie posters here, and I learn a ton from following the discussions and debates. I thought all the arguments about Chance Warmack last year were great. So yeah, you've sold me, I confess I've drunk the Donald koolaid.

Well, to be fair, selling Donald isn't a difficult thing to do. The guy is a fantastic player.

If you think about it, usually you have a guy who has crazy good combine numbers but then you look back at his college career and Senior Bowl and you ask yourself why he didn't blow away the college competition (like Clowney). Then you have to decide if it was poor coaching that kept him from reaching his potential or what.

Or, you have a guy who just balled like crazy in college and won awards, but then when you get to the combine, he is a little slow and doesn't have the explosion you like to see. Then you have to decide if the jump in competition will be too much for his limited athleticism to overcome.

Or, you have a guy who has all the measurables, but he's immature and has off the field issues. Then you have to decide if he is going to blow it by being an idiot once he gets rich.

With Donald though, all you have to do is run down the check-list:

*His college production was some of the best that I've ever seen for a defensive tackle. He was in the opponents backfield almost as much as their running back was. I've never seen anyone penetrate the line of scrimmage as much as Donald did.

*He set the combine record for the fastest 40 time for a DT. That's as in 'ever'. He was among the strongest players at the combine. He was among the fastest/most explosive in every catagory they measure at the combine.

*He dominated one-on-one all week at the Senior Bowl practices. Nobody could block the guy and he even put Cyril Richardson (6-5, 330) flat on his back in one-on-one drills. Not only did he dominate there, but word is that all the other guys in his group were looking at him for leadership and what to do.

*His off the field demeanor is pristine and he is a dream to coach according to everyone who has ever met the guy. Ideal locker room player.

*His intangibles are just as good as his measurables are. He plays all out, all the time on every play. He loves to play football and acts that way. Blue collar work ethic and team leader.

*He even has a little bit of a nasty steak on the field.

Literally, everything that you look for in a football player, Donald has. The only negative on his is that at 285 pounds, he is a little light for most defensive schemes. However, in Marinelli's scheme, even that isn't a problem. Really, if he wasn't a little light, then I know for sure Dallas wouldn't have a shot at the guy because he'd go top 5 for sure. As it is, he will go in the top half of the first round only because he's a little light.

I don't remember a prospect that was as clean as Donald is. Probably Andrew Luck, but that's about it. He is certainly perfect for Dallas with the scheme they run on defense, that is for sure. I think they really, really need to find a way to make sure they get Donald on their team. He is everything they could want in a 3-tech prospect and they have a need there. To top it off, it is such a vital position in Marinelli's defense that any move up for him can absolutely be justified.

He will be worth it.