Twitter: New Cowboy Keanu Neal discusses free agency and position change

[morasp]

Deablo is one of my pet cats. That dude screams hybrid Linebacker all day. He looks like a Dan Quinn fit. The linebacker room gonna look very different this year. Guys like Luke Gifford will get weeded out I expect. The cream will rise to the top.I personally would draft KJ Britt and Baron Browning, Divine Deablo, and find a roster spot for them and position.

I also like that he had 4 ints 12.5 tackles for loss and 3 forced fumbles in nine games last season.

 

[Rayman70]

I also like that he had 4 ints 12.5 tackles for loss and 3 forced fumbles in nine games last season.

you think he's a poor mans Kam Chancellor? I see that in him when he plays. He has deceptively good ball skills. Maybe he's more like Woodson was for us. Its a good convo to have. I would be pounding the table for him in round 3. He wont last longer than that.He has position flex too.

 

[Stash]

Agreed. Also Dallas needs Kazee to defend the pass the most, so I am not as concerned that EE trucked him.

Exactly my thinking as well. Kazee is a COVERAGE player, and a playmaker who gets his hands on the ball. A rare defensive back who has hands as good as some receivers. I’ll take the size and tackling trade off. Worst case, take him off the field in goal line or short yardage and play a Neal/Wilson combo at safety in those situations.

 

[JW82]

I think the WIL is probably trending into the position he’ll be playing and did play in ATL. Makes sense if you can get that 215-225lb tweener safety/LB guy that can hit and cover a little close to the LOS, that never has to come off the field. He seems built for it if he can stay healthy. Glad we got him.

 

[Trueboysfan]

Reminds me of how the Cowboys used Woody and Roy Williams.

 

[ColoradoCowboy]

Kazee being at best 190 had no chance, but it was funny to see him slide back a few yards after the hit. Neal taking on Zeke would have been more interesting.

As I said in another thread, watch that play a few more times. There is a second guy filling the hole and he COMPLETELY misses Elliot. What name/number is on that jersey? Start at 0:07 of JoeKing's clip.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I'd have to say that there are likely few FS that can stop Zeke.

Oh yah, that unstoppable force that is Zeke Elliott!!!

The guy that had all of 6 rushing TD's last year. Zeke has been so bad at short yardage the last few years they have been relying on Dak to get it when it really matters.

 

[AbeBeta]

Oh yah, that unstoppable force that is Zeke Elliott!!!

The guy that had all of 6 rushing TD's last year. Zeke has been so bad at short yardage the last few years they have been relying on Dak to get it when it really matters.

You do realize we played without several huge pieces of our OL, right?

Well, you likely don't since your understanding of the game appears to be based on nothing but fantasy stats

 

[JeffInDC]

I wish more people understood this

EXACTLY!!!!! I’m betting the Base D is Big Nickel with 2 SS - with Neal basically serving as the Rover.

 

[buybuydandavis]

It really isn't a position change. He's playing where he did in ATL in the nickel. Only difference is that he's also playing there in the base. That's a huge thing for him given that now he's playing with at least 4 DBs behind him. Keeps him close to the LOS which is where his true skills lie

But interesting that this wasn't *his* idea, and he was talked into it by Quinn.

I like the concept. I see it less as 4-3 and more as Nickel with a box SS instead of a CB. Shading the Nickel a little towards run.

 

[buybuydandavis]

You do realize we played without several huge pieces of our OL, right?

Really a disappointing season for the oline. Back in January, I hoped for and expected dominance, with Frederick returning to form, Smith seeming to have overcome his back issues, and Collins on the edge of Pro Bowl play. Dominance was a reasonable projection from what we saw in 2019.

But Frederick retires. Collins, Tyron, and Zach out for 6 games. Every quality starter we were counting on going into the season, out by the last 6 games.

The only question in January was Williams, and he turned into a quality starter, ranked 16th G by PFF, and on the debacle of our oline. Top quarter of Gs. That's a good player. A very good player for the weakest link on an oline. Adding him to the rest of the oline *healthy* really would have been dominant. Sad.

 

[buybuydandavis]

listening to him speak, he sounds like a confident alpha dog.

Neal struck me positively with his first sentence. Intelligence and a lack of BS. It's funny how intelligence can reveal itself in tone and phrasing. I can't analyze what it is, but I can often hear it. I heard it in Neal.

 

[buybuydandavis]

I agree...but my question is still who’s coming off the field in the nickel. Does Jerry’s $12M feel good story Jaylon really sit on the sidelines a ton? I have no problem with that, just have a hard time seeing it.

In true pass defense Nickel, I expect Jaylon to come off the field. He's just a liability in coverage. LVE and Neal at nominal LBs. Small Nickel.

In base run defense, it will be Big Nickel with Jaylon, LVE, and Neal.

We really should have cut Jaylon, especially after we had signed Basham and Neal. For a run defense + blitz SLB, Basham gives us more than Jaylon. And Jaylon really just shouldn't be used in coverage.

 

[CowboyRoy]

You do realize we played without several huge pieces of our OL, right?

Well, you likely don't since your understanding of the game appears to be based on nothing but fantasy stats

So the Oline matters for Zeke, but not for Dak right? Classic troll agenda flip flopping.

All of a sudden, when defending Zeke, you know what Oline means. Ive been telling you about the Oline issues for years. Glad you finally figured out the importance of them.

One of Zeke's problems in short yardage and GL has nothing to do with the Oline. Its the fact that he isnt good at bouncing it outside. Doesnt have the speed or quickness. Lacks vision. He basically puts his head down and runs right into the middle of the line. Defenses realize this now and just run blitz the middle. Not too difficult to stop.

When Zeke was new to the NFL in 2016 and the line was the best in the NFL he was all world. But as the Oline has gotten older and more injury prone Zeke's ability to run declined along with the line.

Ironically, Dak has gotten better as the Oline and Zeke have gotten worse. Despite the Oline issues last year, Dak was the best he had ever been at leading the offense.

Much to your chagrin. The QB you analyzed to be an average bus driver continues to make you look silly.

As does your hero Zeke the fat and overpaid women beating drunk.

 

[tm1119]

In true pass defense Nickel, I expect Jaylon to come off the field. He's just a liability in coverage. LVE and Neal at nominal LBs. Small Nickel.

In base run defense, it will be Big Nickel with Jaylon, LVE, and Neal.

We really should have cut Jaylon, especially after we had signed Basham and Neal. For a run defense + blitz SLB, Basham gives us more than Jaylon. And Jaylon really just shouldn't be used in coverage.

Im 100% with you...I just don’t think it will actually happen.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Im 100% with you...I just don’t think it will actually happen.

You think Jaylon stays on the field even in clear passing downs?

Ugh. Guess it's possible. Really horrible. But possible.

 

[DuncanIso]

Really a disappointing season for the oline. Back in January, I hoped for and expected dominance, with Frederick returning to form, Smith seeming to have overcome his back issues, and Collins on the edge of Pro Bowl play. Dominance was a reasonable projection from what we saw in 2019.

But Frederick retires. Collins, Tyron, and Zach out for 6 games. Every quality starter we were counting on going into the season, out by the last 6 games.

The only question in January was Williams, and he turned into a quality starter, ranked 16th G by PFF, and on the debacle of our oline. Top quarter of Gs. That's a good player. A very good player for the weakest link on an oline. Adding him to the rest of the oline *healthy* really would have been dominant. Sad.

Philbin didnt help.

Knight and Steele were not playing like they belonged with the 1 unit.

Knight was either setting too deep or getting beat on inside rushes.

Steele looked overwhelmed from the start.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Philbin didnt help.

Knight and Steele were not playing like they belonged with the 1 unit.

Knight was either setting too deep or getting beat on inside rushes.

Steele looked overwhelmed from the start.

People like to give Philbin credit for the oline coming together, but I see all his decisions as materially wrong. The oline came together because our backups had some talent he didn't decide that talent into existence.
McGovern didn't train at C.
Williams didn't train at T.
Played Steele over Knight to start the season.
Played Looney over Biadasz in final games.

 

[eromeopolk]

Kazee got trucked!

 

[JoeKing]

People like to give Philbin credit for the oline coming together, but I see all his decisions as materially wrong. The oline came together because our backups had some talent he didn't decide that talent into existence.
McGovern didn't train at C.
Williams didn't train at T.
Played Steele over Knight to start the season.
Played Looney over Biadasz in final games.

This article says you are wrong about Joe Philbin as Cowboys O-line coach.

Don’t look now, but Joe Philbin has done a great job with this Cowboys offensive line - Blogging The Boys