Our DE need

[MichaelWinicki]

If we roll with the same Dline plus a rookie DE, expect the same or worse results then last year. Dline must improve significantly to make it deep in the playoffs.

I just can't see any significant improvement coming from tank, mayowa, Irving, Ryan Anderson ect. Hey but if it happens, I'll be pleasantly shocked!

Mayowa and Irving both played well towards the end of the season... Even a slight increase from both would make for maybe a very good player in Irving and a good player in Mayowa.

 

[Bluefin]

How much do you think McClain is going to get paid?? The $ you save on McClain might get a 1/3 of a DE that can make an impact in free agency.

Almost all I read here is that Terrell McClain is better than Cedric Thornton and the free agent to be just had the best season of his career as the starting NT last season.

The players are the same age and play the same position. Thornton's deal averages $4.25M per season, so that is the starting point.

And whatever the dollar amount ends up being, it would be better allocated on a new RDE.

 

[haleyrules]

The Cowboy defense is not good enough and it will kill the club for at least 2 more years. It eeds a serious boost in talent starting with down linemen an going from there. Don't kid yourself!!

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Almost all I read here is that Terrell McClain is better than Cedric Thornton and the free agent to be just had the best season of his career as the starting NT last season.

The players are the same age and play the same position. Thornton's deal averages $4.25M per season, so that is the starting point.

And whatever the dollar amount ends up being, it would be better allocated on a new RDE.

Agreed.

Let Thornton be the two-down #1 tech DT.

 

[robbieruff]

Are you kidding I would be thrilled if we got O.J. Howard at 28, that said he is probably going in the top 15.

No...not kidding...using is as hyperbole to make the main point which is that we don't come out of the draft without a marquis defensive lineman...

 

[tm1119]

Stephen Jones at the Senior Bowl:

“Well, we’ve been wanting to improve on that for several years now,” Stephen Jones said. “We’ve taken shots at it. A couple years ago we did, and it didn’t work out. We’re playing good, sound defense, but obviously, that’s our No. 1 priority, is to continue to try to get pressure on the passer. We’re big believers that it can certainly change the dynamic of your defense and therefore your football team. So we’ll continue to try to improve in that area.

Jerry Jones on the radio this week:

On if he would go out and get a top pass rusher...

Jones: If I have a chance to bring one of these premiere pass rushers, one of these war daddies that takes two to block, if I have a chance to get a player like that - I would...it's not a question of that. It's a question of where is he? And who gives him up if he's a veteran, or where is he in the draft, or where is he anywhere? So, yeah we do need pressure. We're going to try to do something about it.

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I don't know how the team will address the DL, re-sign their own, sign new guys, and/or the draft.

But they know help up front is needed.

I'm by no means advocating that we are fine at DL. I'm just stating that from a sheer #'s standpoint it's not going to be as cut and dry easy as most fans are making it sound. I hope you're right and McClay/Stephen figure out how to bring a new influx of talent in. If it were up to me I'd keep McClain + sign Addison/Sheard/Perry + a 1st or 2nd round pick at DE...unfortunately I'm just not confident it's going to end up like that. But again, hopefully I'm wrong.

 

[gmoney112]

That's awesome. We need all the help we can get.

Still shouldn't affect our off-season plan to reduce opponent passer rating by 10 points though, and I'm actually a huge Tapper homer.

Come out of the draft and FA with at least 2 DE. If Tapper and Lawrence are healthy, even better.

 

[Bleu Star]

It seems like most everyone considers DE to be the most critical need area on the team. It's not a want it's a must get. Early in the draft if not in FA and there doesn't look to be anyone realistic in FA. At least with all their fingers and toes.

Here's the deal though. It's not what you think. It's not what I think. It's what the team thinks that's going to actually shape our offseason.





I'm sure there will be a lot of eye rolling to those tweets but these are two recent draft picks. Lawrence has proven he can play in the league, Tapper hadn't had his chance to fail. There's no reason the Cowboys would feel any differently toward his talent now than they did a year ago drafting him in the 4th round. Both appear healthy and ready to go for next year medically.

So is it possible that while the entire Cowboys fan base views this offseason as pass rusher or bust that the team sees it differently? Not that they will have no interest in a pass rusher at some point but the need isn't nearly as critical as the fans believe it is.

Food for thought. Don't dismiss it. This could easily be true and lead to a lot of Coughlin faces on draft week.

I love those tweets man. Both players can still be big time contributors. I see us loading up in the secondary for some strange reason along with perhaps another DE in the middle rounds and a DT. Competition always makes you stronger and I feel as though our draft gurus will ensure without a doubt that the Defense is an area of strength next year.

 

[ThreeandOut]

I think it's very much a pure RDE or bust for Dallas in this draft. There's going to be a fairly limited pool of players that they think can fill that role. So if they bypass a player like Taco Charleton at 28, don't be surprised.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I think it's very much a pure RDE or bust for Dallas in this draft. There's going to be a fairly limited pool of players that they think can fill that role. So if they bypass a player like Taco Charleton at 28, don't be surprised.

I question if Taco makes it that far (28).

In addition how much will a rookie contribute?

Personally I think if they sign Addison or Sheard, team them with Mayowa on the weakside... It could be good enough.

Plus IF Tapper is healthy, he's a WDE all the way, so you have another guy to throw in the mix.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

The Cowboy defense is not good enough and it will kill the club for at least 2 more years. It eeds a serious boost in talent starting with down linemen an going from there. Don't kid yourself!!

The fact is it could be at least two more years.

But it could be quicker than that.

Obviously a lot of moving parts to the defense, but if the right pieces fell into place at DE, this defense could make the jump from slightly below average to lower top-10 this coming season.

It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

 

[ThreeandOut]

I question if Taco makes it that far (28).

In addition how much will a rookie contribute?

Personally I think if they sign Addison or Sheard, team them with Mayowa on the weakside... It could be good enough.

Plus IF Tapper is healthy, he's a WDE all the way, so you have another guy to throw in the mix.

I think their preference is to build the DL through the draft. And having taken Mayowa with in free agency last year, I don't think they go there again this year.

While Tapper has the straight line speed for RDE, I'm not sure he has the complete skill set for the position. I think he may end up as more of a RDE/LDE tweener. But it's hard to say what Tapper will be given his injury and the type of defense he played in during his college career.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I think their preference is to build the DL through the draft. And having taken Mayowa with in free agency last year, I don't think they go there again this year.

While Tapper has the straight line speed for RDE, I'm not sure he has the complete skill set for the position. I think he may end up as more of a RDE/LDE tweener. But it's hard to say what Tapper will be given his injury and the type of defense he played in during his college career.

And you maybe right as far as their approach to free agency.

That being said I was pretty pleased with what Mayowa was bringing to the table at the end of the season... Find another like him and it would be a good thing.

We'll know which direction they're taking here pretty soon!

 

[ThreeandOut]

And you maybe right as far as their approach to free agency.

That being said I was pretty pleased with what Mayowa was bringing to the table at the end of the season... Find another like him and it would be a good thing.

We'll know which direction they're taking here pretty soon!

Another way they may approach this is to take a player like Ryan Anderson who could play SLB and RDE. That would give you a player that could stil contribute if Tapper emerges as a RDE or Gregory returns at some point.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Another way they may approach this is to take a player like Ryan Anderson who could play SLB and RDE. That would give you a player that could stil contribute if Tapper emerges as a RDE or Gregory returns at some point.

Not a big Ryan Anderson fan but I understand the point.

 

[reddyuta]

I hope people remember our playoff game,we had to resort to blitzing to get pressure and thats is not olds man motto.I think there are several players we can get in this years draft who are way more talented (even in the 2nd RD) than any DE on our roster.

 

[Alexander]

Not a big Ryan Anderson fan but I understand the point.

Not with this defense scheme. This flexible player would be wasted.

 

[xwalker]

Lol a healthy Lawrence needs someone to take the double teams, kinda like Hardy did for him. So yea two guys with back injuries is pretty stupid to count on them.

Re-sign Hardy.

 

[Alexander]

We've got some guys that are free agents that we need to sign. Then, we need to continue to develop players like [Charles] Tapper. We need to continue to see the evolving and developing of [David] Irving. And then we need to get [Tyrone] Crawford well. And we need to see the expected improvement in [Maliek] Collins inside - Terrell McClain had a good year there, and we need him.

Sounds like Terrell McClain has got some real leverage to work with.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Not with this defense scheme. This flexible player would be wasted.

Point taken.