Offseason/Draft Thoughts

[Cowboyny]

I think Kneeland will be fine setting the Edge…I just don’t think he’s ever going to give you a ton as a pass rusher.

I don’t mind the idea of resigning Golston to a short term DA type deal. He’s been a good rotational player.

Kneeland is going to be a guy who gets a lot of clean up sacks due to his motor, remember how Armstrong use to get a number of sacks with this team.

 

[Cowboyny]

I think the defense can be salvaged with small moves because we have 4 play makers in Parsons, Diggs, Bland, and Overshown. We just need solid role players at safety, middle linebacker, and defensive tackle. We have to use free agency and maybe overpay for solid play. Give me Gholston types at defensive tackle, middle linebacker, and safety. We would have a good defense next season.

I disagree, we need a playmaker at the DT position. Just look at the rest of the division, they all have one.

 

[cnuball21]

Kneeland is going to be a guy who gets a lot of clean up sacks due to his motor, remember how Armstrong use to get a number of sacks with this team.

DAs sacks total last year was the most inflated number I’ve ever seen. Half of them were blown assignment or stunts running clean…not an indicator of all about how good of a pass rusher he was.

That’s why solely using sacks as a pass rush eval tool isn’t accurate.

If Kneeland can generate a decent amount of pressure, give you 6ish sacks a season and be a great run defender that’s best case scenario IMO. You do not want him in space though.

 

[Cowboyny]

Correct. So you’ll need 5/6 DTs for quality depth instead of 4.

It’s be harder to get there.

You aren't drafting run type defenders high in the draft, much easier to find later. We need one impact DT and players who can occupy multiple blockers that cannot be moved out of position.

Remember, we are going to play nickel most of the time. Some of these run players will be coming off the field, where we will be playing more of a traditional front. You aren't going to need a big rotation at the DT position.

 

[cnuball21]

You aren't drafting run type defenders high in the draft, much easier to find later. We need one impact DT and players who can occupy multiple blockers that cannot be moved out of position.

Remember, we are going to play nickel most of the time. Some of these run players will be coming off the field, where we will be playing more of a traditional front. You aren't going to need a big rotation at the DT position.

Maybe…but those types of DEs are still hard to find so how good are they going to be?

Also if we’re playing nickel most of the time what’s the point?

Our young core in defense is used to a 4-3 base so changing schemes while trying to add new players, coaches etc over complicated things.

 

[Cowboyny]

DAs sacks total last year was the most inflated number I’ve ever seen. Half of them were blown assignment or stunts running clean…not an indicator of all about how good of a pass rusher he was.

That’s why solely using sacks as a pass rush eval tool isn’t accurate.

If Kneeland can generate a decent amount of pressure, give you 6ish sacks a season and be a great run defender that’s best case scenario IMO. You do not want him in space though.

It's a shame he got injured, thought he was playing well. He has already shown he can apply pressure, but in my opinion, is very raw in his plan to rush the passer. He needs development, but heard Greg Ellis/DLaw say glowing things about him. On his days off, he was asking Ellis if they can look at film together, DLaw said he was further along then most at this same juncture. This tells me he is a hard worker, who will put in the time to get better. I really believe he has the ceiling of an Anthony Spencer type of player. Might never be a 10 sack player, but he will be one who apply consistent pressure.

 

[baltcowboy]

I disagree, we need a playmaker at the DT position. Just look at the rest of the division, they all have one.

You don’t think Graham can be a playmaker?

 

[Cowboyny]

Maybe…but those types of DEs are still hard to find so how good are they going to be?

Also if we’re playing nickel most of the time what’s the point?

Our young core in defense is used to a 4-3 base so changing schemes while trying to add new players, coaches etc over complicated things.

The point is, we cannot stop the run at all. You got to fix that weakness or it won't matter how good you cover nor rush the passer. What I do know is, the 3-4 scheme was designed to do a better job stopping the run and the last time we were good at it, was when we we playing in that scheme.

 

[Cowboyny]

You don’t think Graham can be a playmaker?

No, he is a legitimate playmaker, not a role player. He is that impact type of DT we need!

 

[Aven8]

The Cowboys just have to many holes. You guys don’t seem to understand how good Detroit, Philadelphia, and Green Bay are. All three of those teams are 30 points better than a healthy Cowboys team. It’s gonna take luck, multiple draft success, and great moves by the front office to improve this team. Plus we are not even talking about Washington, Atlanta, Arizona, Seattle ect who are all loaded. San Francisco who is a bigger disappointment than us also is a better team. I don’t see much change.

I am scared to death of what the three stooges are going to do with our 1st round pick. At the very least expect a dog and pony show. The extension of Dak killed us in the leverage department. The Cowboys have to protect their investment. As of right now I can’t see them not picking Jeanty with the first pick. He is the best weapon in the draft.

As of today I’m picking Jeanty and adding everything else in the draft and FA. You will get your 5 years and close to 8k yards out of him and send him off on a rookie deal with Dak at the end of it. He’s the best RB prospect I’ve seen since AD.

 

[cnuball21]

It's a shame he got injured, thought he was playing well. He has already shown he can apply pressure, but in my opinion, is very raw in his plan to rush the passer. He needs development, but heard Greg Ellis/DLaw say glowing things about him. On his days off, he was asking Ellis if they can look at film together, DLaw said he was further along then most at this same juncture. This tells me he is a hard worker, who will put in the time to get better. I really believe he has the ceiling of an Anthony Spencer type of player. Might never be a 10 sack player, but he will be one who apply consistent pressure.

Sure hope so…wasn’t a fan of the pick but would love to be wrong.

 

[cnuball21]

The point is, we cannot stop the run at all. You got to fix that weakness or it won't matter how good you cover nor rush the passer. What I do know is, the 3-4 scheme was designed to do a better job stopping the run and the last time we were good at it, was when we we playing in that scheme.

That’s fair but that was also forever ago. If we’d simply overhaul the DT room I think we’d see a world of difference.

I don’t think it’s a 4-3 vs 3-4 thing and I’d rather build off the franchise players we have then have to start over and go hunting for 3-4 DEs to try and fix it.

 

[Cowboyny]

Sure hope so…wasn’t a fan of the pick but would love to be wrong.

We also have to change our mindset of what Marinelli/Quinn wanted. They wanted quick twitch rushers to fly off the ball and play the run on the way to the QB, where teams have taken advantage of our over aggressiveness. It's more of a read/react team that does better stopping the run.

 

[Cowboyny]

That’s fair but that was also forever ago. If we’d simply overhaul the DT room I think we’d see a world of difference.

I don’t think it’s a 4-3 vs 3-4 thing and I’d rather build off the franchise players we have then have to start over and go hunting for 3-4 DEs to try and fix it.

We need a impact DT period!

Still going to need our DL to do their jobs:

-Protect their linebackers so they can make the tackles
-Set the edge and force teams to run where we have the most defenders

I know we cannot hold up inside and that Parsons is a miscast as a run 4-3 DE.

 

[baltcowboy]

No, he is a legitimate playmaker, not a role player. He is that impact type of DT we need!

I have added him to my must draft list along with Hunter and Carter. The problem is I am not sure you can trade out of the top 6 to get those guys.

 

[baltcowboy]

As of today I’m picking Jeanty and adding everything else in the draft and FA. You will get your 5 years and close to 8k yards out of him and send him off on a rookie deal with Dak at the end of it. He’s the best RB prospect I’ve seen since AD.

I think he is one of the Cowboys top options but there are plenty of running backs to draft in the top 75 that are better than what we currently have. Zeke hurt me brother. He really was overrated.

 

[Aven8]

I think he is one of the Cowboys top options but there are plenty of running backs to draft in the top 75 that are better than what we currently have. Zeke hurt me brother. He really was overrated.

He hurt me as well. I mean he carried Ohio St to the championship. We just didn’t know he didn’t have commitment. That’s really Zeke’s issue.

 

[cnuball21]

We need a impact DT period!

Still going to need our DL to do their jobs:

-Protect their linebackers so they can make the tackles
-Set the edge and force teams to run where we have the most defenders

I know we cannot hold up inside and that Parsons is a miscast as a run 4-3 DE.

I thinks Parsons run defense is over exaggerated…but yea we def agree we need major help at the DT position.

 

[gtb1943]

He hurt me as well. I mean he carried Ohio St to the championship. We just didn’t know he didn’t have commitment. That’s really Zeke’s issue.

I think that whole suspension farce messed with his mind; he was different before that
he was a monster

 

[cnuball21]

As of today I’m picking Jeanty and adding everything else in the draft and FA. You will get your 5 years and close to 8k yards out of him and send him off on a rookie deal with Dak at the end of it. He’s the best RB prospect I’ve seen since AD.

RB is the least expensive position, has the shortest shelf life and is the easiest transition from college to NFL in the draft.

I can’t justify a RB in the top 10.