Off-season must focus on defense

[Killerinstinct]

I would only target one FA and I would go all out for him. We all know filling holes with FA doesn't work a high percentage of the time but if there is one player that you know what you are going to get if you sign him it is Eric Berry.

HE's the one to sign!

 

[punchnjudy]

It's not like they haven't been trying. As good as they've been at drafting OLinemen, they've been terrible at picking defensive players under JG's regime.

Our best defensive players past 7 years have been players from Parcells and Wade era (DWare, Lee, OScan).

Yeah, since 2010 I counted 10 defensive selections in rounds 1-3 compared to 9 on offense.

Are we bringing out the dartboard from the mid-90's when we select defense?

 

[LocimusPrime]

Don't worry right around summer, there will be new threads like : Ryan Russel is da bomb, Cowboys young defensive lineman will attack in waves, So&so was third in the NFL is pressures, after a year of off season training So&so is back stronger and more quick twitchy lol

When we didn't sign any veteran free agents, people were applauding. We got gems. Who needs to spend money ect.... Value is da way to go.

 

[Trouty]

Defense may be the focus, but the offense is not set.

TE and WR are needs.

No, they're not as big a need as Defense. Not even close. We are very adept at finding offensive guys in the undrafted free agent pool. D, not so much. I will be irate if WR or TE is chosen in the top 5 rounds (especially with Swaim and Hanna on the team).

Eric berry would be awesome

He isn't going anywhere. They'll (KC) lose Poe before losing Berry. Going nowhere, Nick.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

Defense may be the focus, but the offense is not set.

TE and WR are needs.

And let's not forget a bruising FB.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

No, they're not as big a need as Defense. Not even close. We are very adept at finding offensive guys in the undrafted free agent pool. D, not so much. I will be irate if WR or TE is chosen in the top 5 rounds (especially with Swaim and Hanna on the team).


He isn't going anywhere. They'll (KC) lose Poe before losing Berry. Going nowhere, Nick.

They can be found in the later rounds but they are a need.

 

[Trouty]

They can be found in the later rounds but they are a need.

I won't disagree. But the first 5 rounds need to be keyed into D, imo, Zimmy.

Also, to those that want Poe, we don't need an elite NT/1T, we need elite edge rushers. I understand what having Poe would do for the line, but without the rest of the personnel to accommodate his prowess (and contract value), it would be a meaningless sign, imo. Pass on Poe. Go hard after JPP. Who, mind you, just won NFL Comeback Player of the Year, and has changed his tune recently about staying with Big Blue. @MichaelWinicki

Edit -- if Tank was a consistent 10-12 sack guy, I would be all over Poe. What he could do with our up and coming Collins and substituting occasionally with Thornton, with a good edge pressence. Wowza. But alas, like I said earlier, we don't have that. But that's all part of the trenches. We must find that elusive, very good-to-elite, edge "Rushman"

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Buy/Trade for a DE
Draft a DE ... move up if you have too.

THIS DEFENSE is NOT that bad. A pass rush and they can only get/look better.

They helped us win 13 games with no pass rush. You cant expect them to cover forever.

 

[Baileyneverfailey]

Our secondary would be fine with a pass rush. Claiborne, Scandrick, Brown as the top 3 corners next year are fine, Jones and Church/Wilcox at safety are fine. Our linebackers will be fine if Jaylon Smith is the guy they think he can be and Lee stays healthy again.

If Collins going forward is going to be as good as he flashed this year, then that's one DT that's solid. Basically they need either one elite pass rusher, or about 3 more guys that can be 5-7 sack guys in a rotation. The rush absolutely has to be better.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

The defense isn't in shambles to be fair. There's solid players at every position besides safety probably. Just no real game changers that elevates the rest of the defense

4 of our secondary players who saw significant action are free agents and its an open question if any of them should be brought back.

We have extremely limited talent in the front seven. Lee is proven. Who else?

By defensive metrics that matter the most (correlated to winning most closely) this defense ranked 20th in the league.

What exactly isn't in shambles?

 

[bayeslife]

4 of our secondary players who saw significant action are free agents and its an open question if any of them should be brought back.

We have extremely limited talent in the front seven. Lee is proven. Who else?

By defensive metrics that matter the most (correlated to winning most closely) this defense ranked 20th in the league.

What exactly isn't in shambles?

We have quality depth on all levels of the defense but no actual playmakers. a solid but not great unit.

Unless you are just trying to be hyperbolic.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

We have quality depth on all levels of the defense but no actual playmakers. a solid but not great unit.

Unless you are just trying to be hyperbolic.

What am I being hyperbolic about? Yo didn't address anything I posted. "Quality depth." What does that even mean? We have second stringers masquerading as starters and third stringers pretending to be backups.

We have different definitions of "quality depth." And again...4 secondary players that could all be described as starters in one form or the other for us are not even technically a part of this team.

And it's one thing to be like we have guys...just no playmakers....as if you can just wish up playmakers and as if drafting in the bottom of each round you have a high chance of just grabbing some.

We could go all defense in this draft and not grab a single playmaker and it wouldn't be anything out of the norm for us or any team.

 

[Supercowboy1986]

I don't like these kind of threads because they make too many assumptions. Such as a DE or any defensive player being the BPA when we make our choice.

Unfortunately if the BPA is an offensive player we either try to trade back or take the offensive player.

Drafting for need is not the way to go. We followed our board with TF, DP, and AB just to name a few. We should and will continue to follow our board.

 

[ak47kaehu]

Sign D-Ware if he is healthy, draft the best available player on defense (DE, CB or even a playmaking S) in every round, unless Jake Butt falls to the third.

I'm sure he'll take a hometown discount. He could be their 3rd down pass rush specialist.

 

[TheHerd]

Our secondary would be fine with a pass rush. Claiborne, Scandrick, Brown as the top 3 corners next year are fine, Jones and Church/Wilcox at safety are fine. Our linebackers will be fine if Jaylon Smith is the guy they think he can be and Lee stays healthy again.

If Collins going forward is going to be as good as he flashed this year, then that's one DT that's solid. Basically they need either one elite pass rusher, or about 3 more guys that can be 5-7 sack guys in a rotation. The rush absolutely has to be better.

So you're gonna resign Mo? And who is gonna play when he's out for 10 games? And Scandrick was a shell of his former self this year.

 

[bayeslife]

What am I being hyperbolic about? Yo didn't address anything I posted. "Quality depth." What does that even mean? We have second stringers masquerading as starters and third stringers pretending to be backups.

We have different definitions of "quality depth." And again...4 secondary players that could all be described as starters in one form or the other for us are not even technically a part of this team.

And it's one thing to be like we have guys...just no playmakers....as if you can just wish up playmakers and as if drafting in the bottom of each round you have a high chance of just grabbing some.

We could go all defense in this draft and not grab a single playmaker and it wouldn't be anything out of the norm for us or any team.

If they're so bad why is Dallas top 10 in points allowed?

 

[Toruk_Makto]

If they're so bad why is Dallas top 10 in points allowed?

A mixture of playing weak offenses and playing with the lead more than in 2015.

From an advanced analytics standpoint we were worse these year than last. And our bad defense is why we don't have a game this weekend.

 

[Baileyneverfailey]

So you're gonna resign Mo? And who is gonna play when he's out for 10 games? And Scandrick was a shell of his former self this year.

Yeah, I'm re-signing Mo assuming he takes the type of money he's earned so far and doesn't get overpaid by another team for his potential after his hot start this season. You can't assume he's going to be hurt every year. Any more than you replace Sean Lee because you're afraid he gets hurt.

Scandrick wasn't good this year, but he wasn't awful, and was also hurt some. Mo/Scandrick/Brown is a fine top 3 set of corners if you have a better pass rush. We're an offensive team, we're not going to have studs at every position. We just need a better pass rush.

 

[TheHerd]

Yeah, I'm re-signing Mo assuming he takes the type of money he's earned so far and doesn't get overpaid by another team for his potential after his hot start this season. You can't assume he's going to be hurt every year. Any more than you replace Sean Lee because you're afraid he gets hurt.

Scandrick wasn't good this year, but he wasn't awful, and was also hurt some. Mo/Scandrick/Brown is a fine top 3 set of corners if you have a better pass rush. We're an offensive team, we're not going to have studs at every position. We just need a better pass rush.

I agree those three are a "good enough" group, particularly if the pass rush improves.

And I can assume Mo will get hurt. You have to plan for it. I'm not saying replace him, but plan for it, just like they planned for Sean Lee getting hurt as evidenced by the type of contract he was given.

 

[StarBoyz83]

For sure need new blood on defense. All areas.