Offense Lacks Speed

[DallasEast]

maybe im misreading what the OP was trying to say, but i didnt read it like speed is the only thing this offense needs and were elite. Of cousre our OL is a massive need that needs to get addressed first. Our skill guy's are elite already . But for years most people on this board including myself we have been chomping for a speedy slot guy 2 guy's that come to mind that alot of us really wanted during past drafts where mike wallace and mike thomas both were 3rd and 4th round picks not saying we need to use a 1 on a speeedy slot guy here but we could use a guy like this but then again what team couldnt ? lol

I read it as an opinion which stated that the team lacks speedy wide receivers. If that's the case, there have been more than enough visual examples made by our current receivers to indicate otherwise.

Of course, if eyes have seen our wide receivers run below video game speed, I understand why some would think differently.

 

[Doomsday101]

Anybody else think our offense just lacks speed I mean sure we have big physical receivers but I dont see them stretching the field with there speed

I'm all for adding more but I think Dallas has some good speed on offense. No matter how much speed you do have when a QB makes a 7 step drop you got to protect and we did not do that.

 

[Stautner]

Some here are ridiculing the OP by suggesting Miles and Austin are burners. They aren't. They have good speed, but that's not what the OP is talking about. He's talking about the kind of speed that really scares defenses.

That said, while I think a true speed guy would be a nice addition, I think that's far from a major concern in light of the O-line problems. Teams can win without the elite speed guys, but they can't win without a quality O-line. That has to be our biggest offensive priority.

 

[CATCH17]

Some here are ridiculing the OP by suggesting Miles and Austin are burners. They aren't. They have good speed, but that's not what the OP is talking about. He's talking about the kind of speed that really scares defenses.

That said, while I think a true speed guy would be a nice addition, I think that's far from a major concern in light of the O-line problems. Teams can win without the elite speed guys, but they can't win without a quality O-line. That has to be our biggest offensive priority.

I disagree. If Miles gets a step on you he is out 9 out of 10 times.

 

[respectdatstar]

I do think that it would be nice to get a speedy WR ala DeSean Jackson to compliment the possession WRs we have. Not entirely necessary, just a luxury. But do agree with the like that the O-Line is the reason the offense isn't firing on all cylinders.

 

[Stautner]

I disagree. If Miles gets a step on you he is out 9 out of 10 times.

If a lot of receivers get a step they are hard to catch up to. Like I said, Miles has good speed, but I think he was talking more about the kind of guy that can blow past a DB even when the DB has a step on him. The type of guy that few DB's can run with.

Again though, I don't think we are weak in the speed area, and I don't think it's a big problem.

 

[burmafrd]

Don't need any more than we have right now.

 

[baj1dallas]

Timed speed for Austin and Dez was 4.4 and 4.5 respectively. They are fast, but they aren't in the class with some of the real burners out there. True burners change a lot of coverages and they do open up other things underneath for sure. Is it a glaring need IMO, no. Is it something that if the right guy fell into our laps would we be interested heck yes.

In basketball there's a saying you can't coach height. You either have it or you don't. Speed is the same thing in Football. Look at D. Jackson and Wallace for Pittsburgh. They change defenses with their speed without a doubt, because they can flat out outrun just about any DB out there.

Do Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson, Dallas Clark & Marvin Harrison, Wes Welker, Marques Colston, Greg Jennings & Donald Driver, have "burner" speed?

This team has plenty of big play speed. More isn't going to make them significantly better.

 

[InmanRoshi]

amazing how Dez returns all those kicks for TDs without speed.

 

[perrykemp]

I think we are fine speed-wise. <Pure> speed is a bit over-rated at WR. Perfect example is Greg Jennings in GB. He isn't a burner (4.45 coming out of college), however, he is currently probably the league's most precise route runner -- he averages 16+ yards per catch and is a terror after the catch.

I doubt any of the Packers WR's run any less the 4.45 - 4.5 40's... yet when people talk about them they say they say the Packers have the fastest set of WRs in the league, etc etc

Functional speed is different than 40 time.

Having said all that, if all of our WRs were exactly like Dez Byrant you might have a problem. Big Strong WRs in the Dez Bryant / Brandon Marshall / Nicks mold are great, however, it does help to have the counterpart great route running WRs....

 

[locked&loaded]

...says the guy with a signature saying Mike Holmgren will be our new coach.

And wouldnt it have been glorious.

 

[Cowboys&LakersFan]

amazing how Dez returns all those kicks for TDs without speed.

Austin as well before he was a starter. Remember against Seattle in the Wild Card.

 

[goshan]

The OP's point is fair.

For all of you who think Dez is a burner, he isn't. He runs over a 4.5 and he looks like it. Miles is a little faster, like 4.45. Felix is also about a 4.5 guy, maybe even a little slower.

Not sure it is high priority, but it would be nice to have a sub 4.4 guy we can put on the field occasionally.

 

[TheSport78]

The OP has a valid point.

For all of you who think Dez is a burner, he isn't. He runs over a 4.5 and he looks like it. Miles is a little faster, like 4.45. Felix is also about a 4.5 guy, maybe even a little slower.

I'm with you, Goshan.

Sure, Miles and Dez have the ability to get open and make big plays, but I'm talking about the slot WR who will make the tough catches over the middle, gain great separation and stretch defenses by running great routes. Dez and Austin don't really get great separation at times, and Roy needs no introduction.

 

[Stautner]

amazing how Dez returns all those kicks for TDs without speed.

Unfair point.

First, the OP didn't suggest Dez was slow, so you have no point.

Second, Kelvin Martin was a quality punt returner without great speed. The key is to find a seam, and with the potential tacklers all having their momentem going the opposite direction the return man is gonig, if he can find a seam and blow through it he doesn't have to have elite speed to be effective.

 

[Baileyneverfailey]

It's been said many times in this thread, but the lack of good O-line play is what has prevented us from stretching the field as well as we want to. Period.

Miles, Dez, and Felix are not the fastest guys in the NFL, but they're plenty fast enough to score points. Give me the overall skillset of our two receivers over a burner like Desean Jackson who has 7 TD bombs a year and disappears the rest of the time, and can't come through on routes over the middle.

You don't need guys who can run 1/10th of a second faster in a 40 to stretch the field, you need an o-line that can keep your QB standing up long enough to let your guys get downfield.

 

[TheSport78]

It's been said many times in this thread, but the lack of good O-line play is what has prevented us from stretching the field as well as we want to. Period.

Miles, Dez, and Felix are not the fastest guys in the NFL, but they're plenty fast enough to score points. Give me the overall skillset of our two receivers over a burner like Desean Jackson who has 7 TD bombs a year and disappears the rest of the time, and can't come through on routes over the middle.

You don't need guys who can run 1/10th of a second faster in a 40 to stretch the field, you need an o-line that can keep your QB standing up long enough to let your guys get downfield.

I'm with you, but what if Roy doesn't come back next year? I wouldn't be comfortable with Ogletree or Manny Johnson as the #3 WR.

Better yet, what if Roy DOES come back? I still don't like him as a #3 WR.

We are set at the WR position, starting wise (Dez and Austin), for the next 5 years, but we did miss Crayton on 3rd downs last year. We need that clutch, chains mover who will stretch the field.

 

[sonnyboy]

The OP's point is fair.

For all of you who think Dez is a burner, he isn't. He runs over a 4.5 and he looks like it. Miles is a little faster, like 4.45. Felix is also about a 4.5 guy, maybe even a little slower.

Not sure it is high priority, but it would be nice to have a sub 4.4 guy we can put on the field occasionally.

As another poster just said, you and the OP are confusing functional speed with a published 40 times.

Austin, Bryant and Jones as football fast. They're are plenty of very successful players in the NFL with less functional speed than these three guys.

I care little for published 40 times of existing players. Sure it's useful in evaluating college prospects, but with NFL players, there's plenty of film out there to evaluate just how much foot speed a guy has.

I've seen Austin, Bryant and Jones beat defenders with pure speed often enough that I would not question their speed.

How many times have we seen Austin and Bryant run away from or by defenders? A lot.
How many long runs have we seen Jones break? A lot.

The absolute last concern this team should have is any lack of speed on offense.

 

[goshan]

As another poster just said, you and the OP are confusing functional speed with a published 40 times.

Austin, Bryant and Jones as football fast. They're are plenty of very successful players in the NFL with less functional speed than these three guys.

I care little for published 40 times of existing players. Sure it's useful in evaluating college prospects, but with NFL players, there's plenty of film out there to evaluate just how much foot speed a guy has.

I've seen Austin, Bryant and Jones beat defenders with pure speed often enough that I would not question their speed.

How many times have we seen Austin and Bryant run away from or by defenders? A lot.
How many long runs have we seen Jones break? A lot.

The absolute last concern this team should have is any lack of speed on offense.

Yeah ok. Look again. They look as fast as their 40 times.

 

[Stautner]

As another poster just said, you and the OP are confusing functional speed with a published 40 times.

Austin, Bryant and Jones as football fast. They're are plenty of very successful players in the NFL with less functional speed than these three guys.

I care little for published 40 times of existing players. Sure it's useful in evaluating college prospects, but with NFL players, there's plenty of film out there to evaluate just how much foot speed a guy has.

I've seen Austin, Bryant and Jones beat defenders with pure speed often enough that I would not question their speed.

How many times have we seen Austin and Bryant run away from or by defenders? A lot.
How many long runs have we seen Jones break? A lot.

The absolute last concern this team should have is any lack of speed on offense.

Funny, I don't remember any of these guys blowing past people with no one able to run with them. Yeah, they all run well - similar to a DB with good speed. Dez has the extra element that he can out jump defenders, but I don't recall our WR's actually getting a big gap between them and a defender on a deep route.

Again, I don't think our speed is a problem, but the OP is correct that we don't have the Desean Jackson tupe guy that can leave DB's in the dust. It would be a nice added element to our offense, but not a necessity by any means.