Moving on... who gets replaced?

[whcarm]

After watching the Cowboys during the month of December and then watching them get beat by the Seahawks, a team without their top three CBs and two of their top WRs, it is pretty clear that some major changes need to be made. But where do we start?

1) Will Parcells return? I still like Parcells, but I think it is time for him to go. He is not a good game planner. He tries to play everything too vanilla. I don't know if he will go or not, if Romo had not emerged then I would say definitely, but now, I think there's only about a 70% chance he leaves.

2) Zimmer must go. Some say that Parcells is holding him back, but the same complaints about Zimmer have followed him for a long time. He simply is not aggressive enough and he cannot come up with good blitz schemes. We need some new blood on the defensive side of the ball.

3) The 3-4? A while ago Jones said that any coach coming after Parcells would have to be willing to run the 3-4 because the organization had switched to it permanently. I'm not sure whether Jones still feels that way. Whatever happens, I think we will probably try and stick with a Patriots' like defense where we can play a lot of either scheme.

4) Defensive line starters: Ferguson is getting older, but he was one of our best players on defense. Spears and Canty are both still young, promising players. I think, as long as we stay in the 3-4, that they all stay. We will probably try and get a better back up NT and maybe some better backups, but I don't see a lot of changes coming here.

5) Linebackers: I think the team really thought it had a solid group at the start of the season. But now we see that they can't get pressure and that they can't cover the fullbacks and/or TEs. But what do you do? We just gave James a big extension. We just brought Ayodele in. Ware is good no matter what scheme we play so he is staying. Carpenter really came on in the last few games and was one of the best defensive players last night. Will Ellis return? I still think he would like to move on to a team that plays the 4-3. The Rams might trade for him to pair with Glover. I think Burnett has proven that he is not starting material and may not even be a great backup. So, do we try to upgrade the starters here? I think we may need to, but I'm not sure which guy, James or Ayodele we would try and replace.

6) Cornerbacks: Newman and Hunter and most likely going to remain the starters. Glenn is getting older and looked pretty bad, in my opinion, last night. He might hang on another year or two, but if Parcells leaves, I could seem him retiring. Nate Jones and Reeves are decent in their role, but I don't really want to see them as the third CB that will play outside when Newman moves into the slot. I think we either try and draft a CB on the first day or bring in one via free agency.

7) Safeties: Williams is not going anywhere. He is what he is. When he is paired with a good free safety he can by dynamic, when he is not, he is ordinary in the pass game and still great in the run game. Watkins definitely has promise, but I can't see us going into next season relying on him as our starter. I doubt Parrish hangs around and I don't think we will go back to Davis as our starter. I think FS will be one or our top priorities. Hopefully there will be someone available in free agency or worthy or being selected in the first or second round.

8) Offensive line: At times they looked solid, at times they looked lost. Gurode and Johnson are both free agents. Will we try and bring either of them back? It will probably depend on who is available in free agency. I can't see us trying to get a center to start in the draft. So, if someone better than Gurode is available in free agency in free agency then we bring him in, if not then we probably bring back Gurode. I don't think Adams is going anywhere. He is inconsistent, but is still a pretty good LT. I think we bring back Columbo. His first year here was pretty good and another year of lifting in the offseason should make him even better. That leaves the guards. Rivera is getting old and is not that great. Kosier didn't play that bad, but he is nothing special. I would not be surprised if we tried to replace either one of them. I think we need to replace at least one and probably two guys on the offensive line with excellent players.

9) Running Backs: Jones and Barber are staying and are a pretty good pair. We will probably try and bring in a late round RB to be the third guy. Overall, this position is pretty strong.

10) Wide Receivers: Will TO or won't TO return? Who knows. I think it will depend a lot on whether Parcells stays or goes and what new coach comes in. If the team believes his hand injury was really serious then I think Jones will be willing to bring him back. But he is getting older and so is Glenn. Crayton is a good player, but at the most he can be a decent number 2 guy. Hurd and Austin are both promising youngsters, but I think we need to bring in a new guy here. Most likely in the first three rounds of the draft. Personally, I would not mind seeing TO and Glenn back as starters with Crayton as third and then a young guy via the draft to compete with Austin and Hurd.

11) Quarterback: I think we hitch the start to Romo and hope he continues to develop. I think the way the game ended will make him burn all offseason and will make him improve as a player. I doubt Bledsoe comes back as a backup. So, we will need a backup or even someone to compete with Romo. I think we probably try and bring in a veteran and then draft a guy sometime in the mid to late rounds.

12) Tight Ends: Witten is still one of the best. Fasano didn't have a great year, but hopefully he will develop more next year into a legitimate threat. We might bring in another guy to compete with Fasano, but I don't think this is a major area of need.

13) Fullback: Polite is probably gone... again. Hoyte looks promising, but I would not mind bringing in a true, tough FB to lead the way for Jones and Barber. But even if we do, it will probably be a rookie free agent or a late round pick. I don't see any great FBs being available on the open market.

14) Special Teams: McBriar is not going anywhere. He is a great punter. Our coverage teams were pretty good. We have two very good kick returners in Austin and Thompson. I would not mind seeing us get a better punt returner. Crayton is simply not good in that role and I hate seeing us risk Newman's health by having him back there. That leaves us with Gramatica. I think he played well enough for us to keep him. Jones has already said we aren't going to pay a ton for a new kicker. So that probably means we aren't going to draft one either. At the most, we will probably bring in a rookie free agent to compete with Grammatica.

 

[theogt]

1. Free agent 3-4 OLB.
2. Free agent RG.
3. WR/CB in 1st and 2nd rounds.
4. OL and DL for rounds 3-7.
5. New defensive coordinator.

I might as well make that my sig for the next 4 months.

 

[LatinMind]

1. Free agent 3-4 OLB.
2. Free agent RG.
3. WR/CB in 1st and 2nd rounds.
4. OL and DL for rounds 3-7.
5. New defensive coordinator.

I might as well make that my sig for the next 4 months.

what would a new DC do? really? parcells will never run a traditional 3/4, the next Dc will ahve to gameplan around parcells parameters. and parcells will never let ware passrush the way most of u want him to in a 3/4. he's said it over and over and none of u seem to be paying attention. he said he doesnt care about wares sack numbers, he wants a complete lb.

which i think is playing against ware's skills. he can be a complete lb'er but he's a DE

 

[Jimz31]

9) Running Backs: Jones and Barber are staying and are a pretty good pair. We will probably try and bring in a late round RB to be the third guy. Overall, this position is pretty strong.

Both backs' contracts are up. This will be an interesting one to watch.

 

[theogt]

what would a new DC do? really? parcells will never run a traditional 3/4, the next Dc will ahve to gameplan around parcells parameters. and parcells will never let ware passrush the way most of u want him to in a 3/4. he's said it over and over and none of u seem to be paying attention. he said he doesnt care about wares sack numbers, he wants a complete lb.

which i think is playing against ware's skills. he can be a complete lb'er but he's a DE

The new DC will design and coach plays better. Pretty simple.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Both backs' contracts are up. This will be an interesting one to watch.

Both backs' are signed through 2009 according to NFLPA unless they've got some voidable years in it. Even so, I believe both will be here through 2008 barring a change at the position.

 

[goshan]

I generally agree with the post.
Here is what I think will happen - High Probability and Medium Probability.

A. High Probability Moves:
1. Replace Marco R. with a FA or draft.
2. Decide if Watkins can be the man at FS. If not, get a good starter there.
3. Draft a young WR.
4. Draft a young corner.
5. Add a another LB in the mix that could potentially start.
6. Sign a veterman backup who can play a little if Romo doesn pan out.
7. Back-up NG.

Potential Replacements occur at OG, LB (James?), FS

B. Medium Probability Moves
1. Package JJ and get another RB (draft probably).
2. Get a new DE/DT and give up on Spears
3. Add a good blocking FB or TE.
Potential Replacements: RB, DE/DT, 2nd TE, FB

 

[Sarge]

As I read this thread it makes me sick that we basically have as many holes to fill now as when manboobs got here. It's nauseating quite frankly, and that doesn't bode too well for someone with a hangover.

At any rate.................is this team better than it was 4 years ago.....of course. Any pea-brain with half a pea could have made Campo's team better. Parcells had 4 years to better a pathetic team and the amount of improvement made, isn't justified over that period of time.

Label me unimpressed.

 

[SacredStar]

6) Cornerbacks: Newman and Hunter and most likely going to remain the starters. Glenn is getting older and looked pretty bad, in my opinion, last night. He might hang on another year or two, but if Parcells leaves, I could seem him retiring. Nate Jones and Reeves are decent in their role, but I don't really want to see them as the third CB that will play outside when Newman moves into the slot. I think we either try and draft a CB on the first day or bring in one via free agency.

You mean Henry.

 

[theogt]

As I read this thread it makes me sick that we basically have as many holes to fill now as when manboobs got here. It's nauseating quite frankly, and that doesn't bode too well for someone with a hangover.

At any rate.................is this team better than it was 4 years ago.....of course. Any pea-brain with half a pea could have made Campo's team better. Parcells had 4 years to better a pathetic team and the amount of improvement made, isn't justified over that period of time.

Label me unimpressed.

I think we really have 2 glaring holes and one debatable hole. LOLB and RG are the two big holes and RCB is the debatable hole.

Give Parcells credit for Ellis, because before he went down we had the answer at LOLB.

The back injury on Rivera is really an unknown. Had that not happened, who knows how he would have played over the past couple years. Yeah, Parcells flubbed on the Peterman pick, but Gurode and Colombo look like keepers for a while, and Kosier is more than serviceable. We may also have a stud in McQ (though I'm very hesitant).

Same problem with Henry. The guy looked pretty good last year until his injury. He hasn't looked the same since. It's quite possible that he's been battling a knee injury this year as well. Who knows, but he certainly doesn't look anything like he did in the 1st seven games when we signed him, and it's hard to fault Parcells for that.

Basically the 3 big holes are arguably holes because of injury. You can't fault a coach for that.

 

[fanfromvirginia]

As I read this thread it makes me sick that we basically have as many holes to fill now as when manboobs got here. It's nauseating quite frankly, and that doesn't bode too well for someone with a hangover.

At any rate.................is this team better than it was 4 years ago.....of course. Any pea-brain with half a pea could have made Campo's team better. Parcells had 4 years to better a pathetic team and the amount of improvement made, isn't justified over that period of time.

Label me unimpressed.

That seems to me the completely wrong reaction to the list. As much as BP has been a disappointment, this list is significantly shorter than previous years' lists. Go back to the Campo era and any realistic hindsight list would include all of the following: QB (!), #1 WR, #3 WR, starting TE (remember what that position was like pre-JW?), starting RB (remember Hambrick?), C, RG, RT (isn't Columbo better than The Carousel?), K (Grammatica was a late find but a find nonetheless), upgrade at P (unless you don't consider the best punter in 40 years to be a significant upgrade), DT, DE, LB, FS (best evidence for the no-improvement argument but I'd still rather have Watkins and Davis than some of the combos of a few years back), and at least one starting CB.

On edit: I see that you admit these changes in your 2nd paragraph, thereby contradicting everything in your first, which is what I was responding to. I do agree with the sentiment that BP should have improved this team more than he did.

 

[whcarm]

You mean Henry.

Lol, yup, I meant Henry. Ever since Hunter left and Henry came in I have always mixed their names up. :bang2:

 

[TwoSteppinJJ]

James gets replaced by Carp and Burnett becomes a starter next year.

Ware - Ayodele - Carpenter - Burnett

I doubt that will happen but thats what I hope happens. Carpenter becomes the main man at LB. Im glad team management didnt loose faith in him or label him a bust like many of the people around here had him pegged for.

 

[theogt]

James gets replaced by Carp and Burnett becomes a starter next year.

Ware - Ayodele - Carpenter - Burnett

I doubt that will happen but thats what I hope happens. Carpenter becomes the main man at LB. Im glad team management didnt loose faith in him or label him a bust like many of the people around here had him pegged for.

Burnett is too light and weak to play LOLB.

 

[TwoSteppinJJ]

Plenty of time to bulk up...

 

[theogt]

Plenty of time to bulk up...

He's had 2 years to bulk up. Parcells has stated that he just can't seem to get above that 230-235 range.

 

[CF74]

Tuna, Zimmer, James, in that order...:laugh2:

 

[EastDallasCowboy]

-Bradie James just got a fat contract extension. He's simply not going to be cut. Nor will he be traded. He's here next year, that's just a fact of life right now....his cap number would be too high.

-Anthony Henry. First, remember that's he's been playing hurt. Then remember that even good corners don't grow on trees, and think back to all the spares we've had at CB over the past decade. Then look at the contract he signed in 2005, 5 for $25 and a $9m bonus. Henry too is not going anywhere.

-Roy Williams just got a fat contract extension. 5 years for $25.2 with $11.1 guaranteed. See: Bradie James. He's not going anywhere either.

Let's start every speculation thread with those premises, and they will be much more believable.

 

[whcarm]

I don't want Burnett starting. He has not shown anything. I don't know why they were taking Carpenter out on third down. Why weren't they letting him rush the passer more? I still think he could be a better OLB to compliment Ware. But if they move him inside then we have to do something with James or Ayodele, which I don't really see happening. Regardless, I hope Carpenter gets a lot more playing time next year. He has shown he deserves it the last couple of weeks.

Also, something I forgot to add... we need a new holder. Parcells was stupid to keep Romo holding when Gramatica came in. At that point, he should have made a change and had McBriar or someone else do it.

 

[theogt]

I don't want Burnett starting. He has not shown anything. I don't know why they were taking Carpenter out on third down. Why weren't they letting him rush the passer more? I still think he could be a better OLB to compliment Ware. But if they move him inside then we have to do something with James or Ayodele, which I don't really see happening. Regardless, I hope Carpenter gets a lot more playing time next year. He has shown he deserves it the last couple of weeks.

Also, something I forgot to add... we need a new holder. Parcells was stupid to keep Romo holding when Gramatica came in. At that point, he should have made a change and had McBriar or someone else do it.

Carpenter isn't that good at rushing the passer. Needs more size and strength to be an effective LOLB. I don't see why he couldn't take over James's spot at ILB next year.