Paxton Lynch/Connor Cook thread

[CowboyRoy]

The whole "reality" phrase really gets thrown around like it means something other than being pessimistic and fed up with Jerry (which is an understandable position). In 2014 we weren't even a few players from winning the SB, we were a few PLAYS from winning it. Last year we were many players (some of which were under contract but not on the field for various reasons) and many plays away, for sure.

But what decisions have been made in the last few years that were one-year fix moves? Building one of the best young OLs in the league? Fixing our cap and not overpaying for guys like Murray? Making the team younger? I certainly won't say the FO has been hitting on all cylinders, far from it. But the desperate moves thing is in this team's past, and it has been thinking longer term. I mean one of the worst recent past decisions (letting Ware go) was made exactly with the future of the cap in mind and getting younger.

Anyway, I'm excited for THIS season, especially with Philly doing lord knows what with their next couple years and no real threats in the division, other than I suspect the Giants will have a resurgent year.

To address the thread - I saw numerous interviews with Paxton this week and I really liked how humble and yet confident he seemed. It sounds like he is eager to learn and has the tools to do it. I like the idea of getting him by trading down.

Well...........If Washington signs the CB this division might be getting back to respectability. I agree that Philly is rebuilding.

 

[Sydla]

They were all high first round picks. It doesn't take a genius scouting mind to figure it out. We scouted Terrence Newman as well




And it was all for not until Harbaugh came along.

Just like AJ Smith was a genius and then he got Schottenheimer fired and the talent on the Chargers fell off the earth. Or when Scott Pioli was a genius evaluator in New England and looked like an idiot in KC. Having Todd Haley and Romeo Crennel as HC's will do that. Or how Jerry was finding Pro Bowlers under Parcells, having terrible drafts with Wade and has now found Pro Bowlers with Garrett.





Jones ran for 490 yards on the season at 3.4 ypc. Morris ran at 3.7 ypc. Crowder was an afterthought in the Skins passing game as they have Jackson and Reed, both of which McCloughan had nothing to do with.

As I've said more times than I can count, for the most part the draft consists of players with virtually the same grade for each team. If a player is graded as a 2nd rounder by the Packers, it's likely he's right around a 2nd round grade for almost all of the other teams. The players then are drafted depending upon how the chips fall and it's up to the HC and the position coaches to know how to develop that player. Schottenheimer is an example of a great developer of players. And for a long time, so was Coughlin. He had great drafts despite having different GM's. He wasn't just lucky to be paired with GM's who were world class talent evaluators. Instead, he was a great developer of players and the GM's just happened to be there. Just like McCloughan. Nobody was raving about McCloughan's drafting when the Niners couldn't win. And suddenly they became a different team when Harbaugh got there. And when Trent Baalke thought it was all about talent evaluation, he learned the hard way when Harbaugh left for Michigan.




YR

LOL. He's considered one of the best talent guys in football right now.

But I know, sometimes it's hard to take off the blue and white Cowboys goggles and admit that maybe a rival is doing something smart.

 

[erod]

Its called reality. The problem with the Cowboys is that is been run by people that think like you do. That every year we are just one or two players away from winning the SB and making desperate, one year fix type moves. Its time for somebody in management to wake up and realize that long term is the ONLY way to run a franchise.

Wow, there is no such thing anymore as "long term".

If you have a QB, you are on the brink all the time. Great teams are a thing of the past. Denver and Carolina would have struggled to make the playoffs in 1995. Free agency guts everything at lightning speed.

Teams didn't used to go from 5-11 to 11-5. Now, it happens all the time. Every year. Both directions.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I understand the signings of Carr, and Hardy. Big moves, that didn't work. ,but with Romo in the twilight of his career, I don't blame Jerry for trying to 'win now'. I understand your opinion, although I think it is a bit extreme. Jerry and company have been pretty consistant the past few years in attempting to build thru the draft and and fill the roster with modest FA signinngs, There is some hit and misses, but the Oline is proof that the Boys are building the team the' right way'.

I think I would agree with most of that. But some of it has to do with just trying to be smart and get out of all the trouble they get themselves in with the salary cap and this roster. I like the low cost moves because Jerry has been so bad with high cost moves in the past. He cant screw up big time if he isnt trying big time.

At this point I am not looking forward to this season. Depending on how the draft goes my general feeling is that this team is on a slow decline out of the Romo era. OUtside of a long shot that Romo stays healthy for 16 games and possible playoffs one year, it will be hard going moving forward and into grooming his replacement.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Stop. Just stop.

We were not a "few plays from winning the SB". We were a few plays from possibly just making the NFC Title game. It's quite a leap in logic to state that if Bryant's catch is ruled a TD that we then would have romped to the SB title.

And people are sleeping on the Commanders for some reason. I hate to break it to some of you but the Skins aren't really your Danny Snyder dopefest anymore. They have a real GM in place that helped build two SB teams in Seattle and San Fran.

And we may not even have won the game had we scored the TD with Brant. Do we really walk into Seattle and beat them a 2nd time at their place? Not likely at all. And look how easily all that fell apart when Romo went down. It was a miracle season that is further from likely to happen again.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Wow, there is no such thing anymore as "long term".

If you have a QB, you are on the brink all the time. Great teams are a thing of the past. Denver and Carolina would have struggled to make the playoffs in 1995. Free agency guts everything at lightning speed.

Teams didn't used to go from 5-11 to 11-5. Now, it happens all the time. Every year. Both directions.

Yep, I knew you would come around. You are the classic "we can turn it all around in one off season" guy. How many teams go from 12-4 to 4-12 in one season? Whatever you may think, there is little to no chance this team wins a SB next season. So all your rants about maybe we could sneak into the playoffs is rather moot. Playoff are great for waving pom pom, but I would rather build a year in and year out contender for the long term.

And you are wrong about long term. There is just no long term in Dallas. Plenty of other team are built for the long term with systems and strategy in place they stick to.

 

[JBell]

Connor Cook would instantly leapfrog JJ Wilcox as my least favorite player.

I'd rather draft another TE in the 2nd round than draft that prick.

 

[erod]

Yep, I knew you would come around. You are the classic "we can turn it all around in one off season" guy. How many teams go from 12-4 to 4-12 in one season? Whatever you may think, there is little to no chance this team wins a SB next season. So all your rants about maybe we could sneak into the playoffs is rather moot. Playoff are great for waving pom pom, but I would rather build a year in and year out contender for the long term.

And you are wrong about long term. There is just no long term in Dallas. Plenty of other team are built for the long term with systems and strategy in place they stick to.

What a load of crap.

Romo got hurt, or did you not notice?

 

[CowboyRoy]

What a load of crap.

Romo got hurt, or did you not notice?

Lets talk reality here: Romo got hurt, Murray was not resigned, the defense couldnt create a turnover to save its life or mount an pass rush. Garrett was exposed for the fact that he does absolutely nothing here. Now we are looking at losing our top 3 pass rushers going into next season. The ONLY thing looking up since last year is the fact that we signed Morris and a solid run stuffing DT. Now if we draft Elliott, then maybe the short term can look up. But in no way will that solve what will no doubt be one of the worst defenses in the NFL.

Actually, the best thing about next season is the posh schedule. But the Giants and the Commanders are both looking like they will steal the show.

And lest we forget that Romo is one hit away from total disaster again. You are living on a pipe dream which is exactly what 2014 was. If you think that is the REAL Cowboys then you are sorely in la la land.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Its called reality. The problem with the Cowboys is that is been run by people that think like you do. That every year we are just one or two players away from winning the SB and making desperate, one year fix type moves. Its time for somebody in management to wake up and realize that long term is the ONLY way to run a franchise.

People like me? Are you really trying to pigeonhole me into the 'realist vs. homer' dualism with that insipid strawman?

I never said we were close. I never said we were far either. I don't really think like that and find oversimplifications a waste of time. You can call it whatever you like but that doesn't deduct it being defeatism.

I don't think anyone, even those with other pet cats, dismiss drafting a QB or developing talent in general.

 

[erod]

Lets talk reality here: Romo got hurt, Murray was not resigned, the defense couldnt create a turnover to save its life or mount an pass rush. Garrett was exposed for the fact that he does absolutely nothing here. Now we are looking at losing our top 3 pass rushers going into next season. The ONLY thing looking up since last year is the fact that we signed Morris and a solid run stuffing DT. Now if we draft Elliott, then maybe the short term can look up. But in no way will that solve what will no doubt be one of the worst defenses in the NFL.

Actually, the best thing about next season is the posh schedule. But the Giants and the Commanders are both looking like they will steal the show.

And lest we forget that Romo is one hit away from total disaster again. You are living on a pipe dream which is exactly what 2014 was. If you think that is the REAL Cowboys then you are sorely in la la land.

Without Romo, the running game was far less effective, the passing game was non-existent, the defense was on the field far more, the opposing teams were never behind and took absolutely no chances. The turnovers dried up as a result, and the schedule was too tough to compete without the two best players on the team.

Take Rodgers, Nelson, and Hyde off the Packers. Same result.

Add Romo, Dez, Scandrick, Elliott, Thornton, and whatever else is added through the draft and beyond. Things can change in a jiffy.

Football isn't that hard to understand.

 

[noshame]

I think Wentz is the second best Qb in the draft. My only concern is not having a QB coach who can develop him into a franchise guy, which he has the potential to be...in spades.

 

[NickZepp]

Connor Cook isn't an Pro QB. Lynch is real raw but could be a better QB than any QB in this years draft.

 

[RJ_MacReady]

Without Romo, the running game was far less effective, the passing game was non-existent, the defense was on the field far more, the opposing teams were never behind and took absolutely no chances. The turnovers dried up as a result, and the schedule was too tough to compete without the two best players on the team.

Boom. Not to mention that even with deplorable back-up QB play, we lost several close games. Off the top of my head: the Saints in OT, Eagles in OT, Seattle by 1-point, and the Bucs with a BS holding call. We're not a horrible team.

 

[JoeKing]

So many fans are freaked out at our 4-12 finish last season. The reality is we are not that far off from being a playoff quality team. Given another season to develop, a Super Bowl victory is quite possible. Romo has the skills to get us there. If the offence can force the other team to play from behind, the defense will be getting more forced turnovers. I think Lynch has the skill set to learn from Tony and mature into a top quality QB.

 

[Qbert]

Just listened to a podcast on ESPN with Kiper he said he's hearing Cook to Dallas at 34 if he's there, FWIW

 

[mattjames2010]

What's the Connor Cook hate? Actually, what's with the Lynch love? Lynch has looked like trash in every game I've watched him in, I think Cook has things you can work with. Neither of them I would want to draft.

 

[Hoofbite]

Would anyone here be opposed to aggressively trading back into the first round for Lynch if they can get Ramsey or Elliot with #4? I'm talking about moving next year's first if we have to.

I wouldn't move next year's first.

Dallas is far too reliant on the health of 1 particular player to gamble with that 1st rounder. Romo goes down in the first month of the season and Dallas is likely picking Top 5 again. If not for a chance at another top QB, then for the chance to be the beneficiary of some ridiculous trade.

If you could tell me that Dallas would be picking in the teens even without Romo, you might be able to convince me to part with that 1st rounder if the right player was there. The ransom teams have been getting for the top few picks is far too great for any team that could foreseeably end up there to just give away.

 

[DFWJC]

Just listened to a podcast on ESPN with Kiper he said he's hearing Cook to Dallas at 34 if he's there, FWIW

With a 2nd round so full of talent, that'd be crushing.

 

[lurkercowboy]

I'd be happy with Lynch in the first round even at four