Parnell v. the Giants

[rbr651]

I guess you could say Jekyl and Hyde, but in reality it was one bad season, since the pay cut he's earned his paycheck. You can't afford an entire line of superstars in todays NFL, he is a solid player and not a liability.

One reason some here think more of Parnell is that we are tired of the Jekyl and Hyde Free.

 

[xwalker]

bothers me a bit that you talk of raw physical ability about a guy who has been around long enough to be more refined

Parnell has been a unique experiment. He was a college basketball player. He didn't play any football until his final year in college and that was at DE. The Saints had him in training camp and had him practicing as a TE. He was about 270 pounds when the Cowboys signed him and had never played OT on any level.

For comparison, Zack Martin started 52 games in college on the OLine.

Parnell has "been around" but there's a limit to how much you can expect a player to progress from just practice and preseason games. Fine tuning comes from playing in real games.

Free spent years adjusting his technique trying to find what worked best.

Part of my fascination with this player is the uniqueness of his background. It's interesting to see if a team can develop a legit NFL player from a guy with near zero experience as a football player.

 

[Titleist]

Parnell is playing lights out guys.. I love Free but Parnell wow. Maybe trade Free for a DE?

Funny how two years ago, most posters on the Zone said we'd be lucky to get a bag of Doritos for Free.

 

[Risen Star]

I personally scouted Parnell in that game.

The answer at RT isn't on the roster right now.

 

[conner01]

Yes, good observations. A big part of second level blocking is about timing and Free has been getting some good second level blocks this year. I noticed a couple of times that Parnell might have had a second level block if he reacted just a split second earlier. I think he'll fine tune his reactions if he gets a few starts.

he should get better with more playing time. seemed like to me he played better as the game went on. it's a tough position to play and lots of things to react to. and when you have'nt played much you think too much. the staff has to make a decision soon as to which they plan to keep because i don't see being able to keep free and parnell and parnell should be cheaper so it's going to be interesting as to what they do there and when
this off season is going to be huge for this team. lots of very tough decisions to make

 

[conner01]

Funny how two years ago, most posters on the Zone said we'd be lucky to get a bag of Doritos for Free.

free is a solid player. he has no real trade value because he has no contract going forward. if he was signed like he was two years ago toy could trade him but it would be silly to trade him with no other viable backup on the roster

 

[xwalker]

he should get better with more playing time. seemed like to me he played better as the game went on. it's a tough position to play and lots of things to react to. and when you have'nt played much you think too much. the staff has to make a decision soon as to which they plan to keep because i don't see being able to keep free and parnell and parnell should be cheaper so it's going to be interesting as to what they do there and when
this off season is going to be huge for this team. lots of very tough decisions to make

I often hate free agency and the salary cap. They finally have a good team with good chemistry and inevitably not all of them will return next year.

 

[Kaiser]

Parnell has been a unique experiment. He was a college basketball player. He didn't play any football until his final year in college and that was at DE.

And even that overstates Parnell's experience a little. He stopped playing football in the 8th grade to concentrate on basketball and the football he played in college was six games as a senior where they made him a designated pass rusher on passing downs. That's a spot for pure athleticism and basically doesn't require any knowledge of football.

IMO the key is that this was only Parnell's second start in the NFL. Like others have posted, its all about repetitions and Parnell was much better as the game went on. Free is a better player at the moment but IMO Free is an OK to slightly above average ROT. Parnell was a little below average in this game, should be average in the next but can/will be above average by the time Free is healthy again. Given the issue of age and contracts going into future seasons, I think if both players are performing at the same level you have to give the playing time to Parnell.

 

[cowboys1981]

I often hate free agency and the salary cap. They finally have a good team with good chemistry and inevitably not all of them will return next year.

I agree. Most may not return. If we resign Murray, Dez, RoMc who knows where that would leave us cap wise.

How much does cutting Carr save us post June? I know we didn't restructure his current deal this year.

 

[myslamsareolder]

I agree. Most may not return. If we resign Murray, Dez, RoMc who knows where that would leave us cap wise.

How much does cutting Carr save us post June? I know we didn't restructure his current deal this year.

Man, idk if you can cut Carr now. He is playing ok and who replaces him? Claiborne??? We may just have to overpay Carr unless we draft a 1st round corner, which usually struggle for a year or two like receivers.

 

[xwalker]

I agree. Most may not return. If we resign Murray, Dez, RoMc who knows where that would leave us cap wise.

How much does cutting Carr save us post June? I know we didn't restructure his current deal this year.

The problem with cutting Carr is that you have to replace him. His salary for 2015 is 8M. A top NFL CB would cost more than that. A mid level free agent would probably cost 5M or something similar. Is is worth bringing in a similar player to save 3M and then have to let that player learn this defensive scheme. There's also the issue of chemistry. The team chemistry seems good right now. You can't really assume that a rookie draft pick is going to start unless he's a 1st round pick or maybe early 2nd rounder and I don't think they really want to use a 1st on a CB right now.

 

[dallasdave]

Yes, good observations. A big part of second level blocking is about timing and Free has been getting some good second level blocks this year. I noticed a couple of times that Parnell might have had a second level block if he reacted just a split second earlier. I think he'll fine tune his reactions if he gets a few starts.

Parnell looks like he could be a good player, need to look at block of work in 3 or 4 games, then see if he is a good player or not.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

bothers me a bit that you talk of raw physical ability about a guy who has been around long enough to be more refined

I agree. What I love about our line is our guys are technically sound. They're excellent players with high IQ. I don't want any projects on the line just because they have good physical ability.

 

[Verdict]

If you see Parnell in person, he is a mountain of a man, even beside the other Cowboys linemen. You have to see it to believe it. The good news here is that we haven't missed a beat. We could probably get by with the combination of Free/Parnell or Parnell/Free next year and get by fine.

If we upgrade the RT spot using a first/second round pick and keep one or the other, or both, that would be ideal too. But you only get one pick in each round, (and that pick is looking later and later in the round with each game played). We might be looking at a rt late in the first or early in the second. I don't see us getting a premier pass rusher where we will be picking in the first round, so you guys can probably mark that off of your wish list!!

 

[Hoov]

If you see Parnell in person, he is a mountain of a man, even beside the other Cowboys linemen. You have to see it to believe it. The good news here is that we haven't missed a beat. We could probably get by with the combination of Free/Parnell or Parnell/Free next year and get by fine.

If we upgrade the RT spot using a first/second round pick and keep one or the other, or both, that would be ideal too. But you only get one pick in each round, (and that pick is looking later and later in the round with each game played). We might be looking at a rt late in the first or early in the second. I don't see us getting a premier pass rusher where we will be picking in the first round, so you guys can probably mark that off of your wish list!!

A speedy edge rusher/sack specialist might be tough to find there - but what about a power type DE that has a good bull rush and enough speed to collapse that side of the pocket and play contain against QB/RB's while pressure comes from the weak side and up thye middle from the 3 Tech.

I think they could find someone to fit that bill in the bottom of the first round.

 

[Verdict]

A speedy edge rusher/sack specialist might be tough to find there - but what about a power type DE that has a good bull rush and enough speed to collapse that side of the pocket and play contain against QB/RB's while pressure comes from the weak side and up thye middle from the 3 Tech.

I think they could find someone to fit that bill in the bottom of the first round.

Potentially, you are right, but you could also probably also get that guy in the 2nd-4th rounds. Moreover, we have that sort of guy in Crawford, and he hasn't been nearly as good at defensive end as he has been at defensive tackle. Barring a complete collapse the rest of the way, or a guy falling to us based on character concerns, we will have a hard time getting a premium edge rusher late in the first round.

I know we took Lawrence in the second, and I hope he pans out for us, but I don't think Lawrence is going to be mistaken for Ware anytime soon. Guys like Ware don't fall very far in the draft .... even when they are from Troy University.

 

[burmafrd]

premium edge rushers go in the first 10-15 picks at worst. No way we get one +20

 

[LatinMind]

I agree. Most may not return. If we resign Murray, Dez, RoMc who knows where that would leave us cap wise.

How much does cutting Carr save us post June? I know we didn't restructure his current deal this year.

The cap is going to go up more then the projected 140mil. The CBS deal and the new Direct TV deal is going to pump a whole lot of money into the cap. Right now Dallas is 2 mil under for next yr roll over the 2 mil from right now thats 4mil. Add in most likely Meltons 9mil that is counting right now. Thats 13mil. Add 7mil thats off because of Free voided deal. thats 20mil. Cutting car in June saves around 6 mil thats 26mil. All that before the new cap which will be higher than 140 mil guaranteed because of the 2 tv deals going into effect. Tell me this team wont have room to sign their players.

Dez will be resigned.
Murray has been offered a contract, and its been reported Dallas will not offer Murray 5 mil a season.
R McClain still will scare teams and he likes the coaches in Dallas.
Carter isnt going to break the bank for any team.
Free will not be making more then what he makes now. Somewhere under 4mil
Moore will get around 1-2mil per yr
Leary can be tendered
Beasley might be gone but with escobars development and Street how much will he be missed?

The rest can walk.

 

[Hoov]

Potentially, you are right, but you could also probably also get that guy in the 2nd-4th rounds. Moreover, we have that sort of guy in Crawford, and he hasn't been nearly as good at defensive end as he has been at defensive tackle. Barring a complete collapse the rest of the way, or a guy falling to us based on character concerns, we will have a hard time getting a premium edge rusher late in the first round.

I know we took Lawrence in the second, and I hope he pans out for us, but I don't think Lawrence is going to be mistaken for Ware anytime soon. Guys like Ware don't fall very far in the draft .... even when they are from Troy University.

Right. But I'm thinking about a 4-3 de that will be a productive player that is not a freak of an athlete but has good skill set.

Like an Anthony spencer type player but with a big frame. Maybe 275# - 280#.

 

[burmafrd]

The cap is going to go up more then the projected 140mil. The CBS deal and the new Direct TV deal is going to pump a whole lot of money into the cap. Right now Dallas is 2 mil under for next yr roll over the 2 mil from right now thats 4mil. Add in most likely Meltons 9mil that is counting right now. Thats 13mil. Add 7mil thats off because of Free voided deal. thats 20mil. Cutting car in June saves around 6 mil thats 26mil. All that before the new cap which will be higher than 140 mil guaranteed because of the 2 tv deals going into effect. Tell me this team wont have room to sign their players.

Dez will be resigned.
Murray has been offered a contract, and its been reported Dallas will not offer Murray 5 mil a season.
R McClain still will scare teams and he likes the coaches in Dallas.
Carter isnt going to break the bank for any team.
Free will not be making more then what he makes now. Somewhere under 4mil
Moore will get around 1-2mil per yr
Leary can be tendered
Beasley might be gone but with escobars development and Street how much will he be missed?

The rest can walk.

the cap might go up a lot and it might not. Depends on expenses which have been rising quickly each year as well. That all comes off the top before the money is split between the owners and players.

That is why the salary cap is not set until just before the league year begins. Because its not until then that all the expenses for that year are figured in.