Peter King MMQB on Dallas draft weekend - Talks about the Paxton ,Ogbah and J.Smith situations

[Plankton]

This is what I've been saying. We say we're Romo-friendly, implying that our strategy is to build a team that will win a Super Bowl with Romo, then we act like a building-for-the-future team, taking picks that are going to pay off later yet Romo's later is shorter.

Which are we?

We seem bi-polar, schizophrenic with our strategy.

“I think with winning organizations there are processes that are in place and there is a way to do things, a philosophy, a belief that you have and everything is built around that,” Aikman said. “If you take Seattle for instance, if you say ‘hey, what is their philosophy,’ you kind of know what that is. They’re going to play great defense, they’re going to run the football and they draft players who fit the mold of what they’re looking for. I don’t know that the Cowboys . . . the Cowboys tend to change their beliefs each year on what it is they need or what they’re about. I find that to be somewhat unusual for a club that has been owned by the same owner for however long it’s been.”

- Troy Aikman

Jerry doesn’t have a football philosophy, but I like what he does. He tries to get all the information he can. He’s not a talent evaluator. Now, some days he thinks he is. Some days I think I’m an oilman, but I’m not. He’s an oilman.

- Bill Parcells

 

[erod]

No scout or personnel guy has that question.

YR

There are more questions from scouts about Ramsey's ability to play corner than there were about Mo Claiborne.

He'll be a really good player that would have made almost zero difference for this team until about 2018. By then, Romo is gone, as are Witten, Lee, and several others, and Dez is beginning his decline.

Elliott makes a big impact right now.

 

[erod]

“I think with winning organizations there are processes that are in place and there is a way to do things, a philosophy, a belief that you have and everything is built around that,” Aikman said. “If you take Seattle for instance, if you say ‘hey, what is their philosophy,’ you kind of know what that is. They’re going to play great defense, they’re going to run the football and they draft players who fit the mold of what they’re looking for. I don’t know that the Cowboys . . . the Cowboys tend to change their beliefs each year on what it is they need or what they’re about. I find that to be somewhat unusual for a club that has been owned by the same owner for however long it’s been.”

- Troy Aikman

Jerry doesn’t have a football philosophy, but I like what he does. He tries to get all the information he can. He’s not a talent evaluator. Now, some days he thinks he is. Some days I think I’m an oilman, but I’m not. He’s an oilman.

- Bill Parcells

Dallas is a physical offensive football team built to run the ball and destroy teams with play-action with a talented QB and group of receivers. Defense is bend but don't break.

There's your philosophy. There's the identity. They have both now.

Indianapolis and New Orleans won Super Bowls similarly to this. Denver just won a title with absolutely no offense whatsoever.

 

[Sydla]

Did you read his post with an open mind, or did you read it interpreting it through your own bias? This is what TwoDeep3 said:



He didn't say ALL. He didn't even say MAJORITY. There were many people on this board who made arguments that the passing game is what fueled this team's attack in 2014. In fact, one prominent poster here makes that argument.



Romo wasn't able to do anything until we committed to the running game. We had a Romo-friendly offense prior to our commitment to the run in 2014, and we fell flat, even though we had a better defense, particularly in 2007.

Even though we made the playoffs with our Romo-friendly offense, we end up getting blown out. Either that or 8-8 and not making the playoffs.

In 2014, even with our awful defense, we had a legitimate chance of beating the Packers.

So, yes, we need Romo. But Romo needs a running game. And that's the point many of us were making. I'm sorry you interpret this as misrepresenting your position. But people have actually made the very point TwoDeep3 brought up. And I gave you my exhibit because it was spot on.

Seems odd he would have such a lengthly post against an opinion that was largely a fringe opinion in terms of not taking Elliott at 4.

The wide majority of the anti-Elliott at 4 crowd was basing that stance on the fact that the running game was important but with this OL you didn't need to invest the 4th pick in a TB.

 

[tyke1doe]

“I think with winning organizations there are processes that are in place and there is a way to do things, a philosophy, a belief that you have and everything is built around that,” Aikman said. “If you take Seattle for instance, if you say ‘hey, what is their philosophy,’ you kind of know what that is. They’re going to play great defense, they’re going to run the football and they draft players who fit the mold of what they’re looking for. I don’t know that the Cowboys . . . the Cowboys tend to change their beliefs each year on what it is they need or what they’re about. I find that to be somewhat unusual for a club that has been owned by the same owner for however long it’s been.”

- Troy Aikman

Jerry doesn’t have a football philosophy, but I like what he does. He tries to get all the information he can. He’s not a talent evaluator. Now, some days he thinks he is. Some days I think I’m an oilman, but I’m not. He’s an oilman.

- Bill Parcells

 

[tyke1doe]

Seems odd he would have such a lengthly post against an opinion that was largely a fringe opinion in terms of not taking Elliott at 4.

The wide majority of the anti-Elliott at 4 crowd was basing that stance on the fact that the running game was important but with this OL you didn't need to invest the 4th pick in a TB.

Well, maybe you read more into his comments than I did.

Nevertheless, I thought his point was well-stated, and maybe because I read it in context - or maybe because he didn't indict everyone like so many posters do when they address their critics - that's likely what made it exemplary to me.

But it was my superlative. I don't expect others to think it was as fantastic as I thought it was.

And, for what it's worth, I respect your opinion and position on drafting Elliott at 4. You made a very convincing argument prior to the draft, and I had no problem with your position.

 

[Wolfpack]

Dallas is a physical offensive football team built to run the ball and destroy teams with play-action with a talented QB and group of receivers. Defense is bend but don't break.

There's your philosophy. There's the identity. They have both now.

Indianapolis and New Orleans won Super Bowls similarly to this. Denver just won a title with absolutely no offense whatsoever.

Under GM Jerry there has not been any sort of basis for team building in his 20 years, that is what Bill and Troy are talking about in that quote. He makes his choices based on which way the wind blows not some desire to build something specific.

If you look at just the JG years, you'll see a wide range of choices that don't support a singular identity.

 

[JoeKing]

Murray being gone in 2015 wasn't the reason the season sucked. The running game wasn't a point of weakness (McFadden was 4th in rushing in the entire league). Drafting Zeke didn't suddenly fix anything. Romo being on the field will help. A healthy Dez Bryant on the field will help. A pass rush will help. More turnovers will help. Did the draft fix these things? The pass rush, maybe but this draft did nothing to fix the major factors for last years downfall.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

what? do you live in your own little world? Many scouts say he's a safety. Deion Sanders even says he's a safety.

Scouts say he can play CB or safety. That's the question, what is he better at. Not if he can play corner at all.






YR

 

[Yakuza Rich]

There are more questions from scouts about Ramsey's ability to play corner than there were about Mo Claiborne.

There are no questions about Ramsey's ability to play corner.

It's whether or not he would be a better corner or a better safety. But either way, the scouts believe he is a great corner prospect. Do you want a Patrick Peterson or a Troy Polamalu?

Claiborne wasn't nearly the athlete that Ramsey is. He had incredible ball skills, but they also threw Claiborne's way more often because of his average speed. And we've seen how many INT's Claiborne has made as a pro.






YR

 

[tyke1doe]

I'm of the opinion that none of the quarterbacks drafted this year will amount to spit.

And I laugh at all the "experts" who suggest that Houston is a major contender now that they've drafted additional weapons for their new quarterback, Osweiler. This is the same QB that Denver had and said, "Meh, no thanks. Good luck somewhere else. We'll take a flyer on somebody we barely know."

Hopefully, the Broncos saved Jerry from himself with Lynch. When I heard about how relatively immature and stupid he is for a quarterback, that soured me on him. I'd rather gamble on Jaylen Smith's knee recovering than Lynch's brain doing things it's never done before.

This line made me

 

[percyhoward]

I knew it all along and refused to bow to the pass happy people out there that refused to give the proper credit to the running game and where it took us in 2014.

For some people, the 2014 "running game" equals "Demarco Murray."

 

[morasp]

Nothing changes, bro.

Offense has been our signature since Romo arrived.

At least now we have a player who can get it done for years to come.

DMAC and Morris were temp plugs.

Happy Day.

A lot of people like to blame losses on the defense when they can't get a stop in fourth quarter in close games. If your'e not one of those than we're in agreement.

 

[percyhoward]

Except very few actually said this. This is a total strawman on your part.

What they said was that with this OL Dallas could still have a great running game without having to use the 4th pick in a draft on a TB. Further, that while the running game was very important to the success of that season, the glue that holds it all together is Romo and once you subtract Romo from the mix, it doesn't matter who you have running the ball.

Sums it up well.

 

[hutch1254]

Peter King has a lengthily article about the Dallas draft in his MMQB this morning. It really goes in depth about Dallas decision not to trade back with Baltimore, Trying to move up for Lynch, Garrett wanting Elliott over Ramsey and Prescott vs Cook. One thing that interested me is if we moved back in the Baltimore trade and Elliott and Ramsey were taken, we would have taken Leonard Floyd at 6.
*********************
Garrett, on Monday, closed his office door and spent seven hours looking at every snap of Ramsey at Florida State in 2015, and every snap of Elliott at Ohio State in 2016. He liked Ramsey. He loved Elliott. Garrett told the Joneses he favored Elliott. So the group was solid as the clock ran down here for pick number four of the first round of the 2016 draft.


http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2016/05/01/nfl-draft-dallas-cowboys-war-room-jerry-jones-peter-king

That was nice read. I like the intricacies of the details behind the scenes described. Had that Elway to Marino 30 for 30 feel to it . Thanks for posting.

 

[waldoputty]

Nice article.
I like the draft a lot because it is consistent with superbowl or bust approach.

Zeke makes sense because he is probably the one player in the draft that can help us win the super bowl this year. Yes, DMC can get more than 1000 yards in 2016. Yes, Murray got 1800 yards in 2014. However, Zeke is the complete back and that matters when you are in the playoffs and the opponent's defense is really good. DMC has trouble with ZB and thus leaves meat on the bone. Murray, despite 2014, fumbles and is a little slow. If you want to win an important game(s), an extra yard or two matters, as does increased fumbling. With a little more burst, 5 yard gains can become homerun threats. Zeke makes the offense more complete and unstoppable than any other player available in the draft. For example, Henry had great speed but lack burst so run blitzing is more effective. While Henry may get lots of yards, it is possible to scheme against him. That is why the coaches wanted Zeke - no weakness to scheme against. May be it is easier to get a great back than the great S/CB, but we need that great back NOW in 2016 and 2017 in Romo's window.

If we had Zeke in 2014 instead of Murray, we may have won it all.

If Romo gets hurt and we are bad again, then who cares. We would never win the super bowl any way. Lynch (even Goff) would not make up for Romo's absence in 2016. In a way, getting Dak instead of Lynch is a good thing. A bad 2016 (tank) would allow us to draft a better QB next year, if Dak does not develop much this year.

I don't blame Jones for the 2nd round. It seems like we went by the board, and the other teams took the DEs we wanted. It happens. I am of the opinion that there is a 20% chance that Smith can play later in 2016. Having talked to 2 nerve recovery PhDs about this, here are important facts:
1. Peripheral nerves always regrow to recover. He is feeling tingling - a good sign the nerve is regrowing.
2. The nerve needs to grow about 6 inches and is probably half way there. In 3-4 months, we will have a good idea about his chances for 2016.
3. The risk is whether there is something blocking the regrowth. He is feeling tingling - a good sign.
4. Cowboys doctor did the surgery and is monitoring the post-op. He would have a good idea of the risks. We are 4 months post-op and no change in prognosis (no surprise at this point - knock on wood).
5. The doctor saw the condition of the nerve and knows what condition it is in and probably has a very good idea of his chances for proper functional recovery.

 

[percyhoward]

I think that is asinine. Murray had 1800 yards and broke a lot of franchise records. A franchise that happened to have the all time leading rusher in the history of the NFL. To expect a rookie to come in and eclipse that is foolish.

Let's tap the breaks. But first, a quick disclaimer: I love the Zeke pick and I agree he has a better all-around game then Murray, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll have a better year than Murray in 2014. That was an anomaly.

Both of you missed my point if you thought I was cheerleading. The point is, if Murray was able to do that behind this OL when Romo was playing, you probably shouldn't be spending the #4 pick on a RB.

Unless your focus is on when Romo is no longer playing. Then the Elliott pick makes more sense.

 

[TwoDeep3]

The point isn't that the running didn't help in '14, the point is you did it with a third rd back and the ufa that no one wanted last year ran for over 1000 yds in essentially eleven full games without the precense of Romo who by the way is THE most important cog make no mistake. No Romo= no playoffs Elliott or no Elliott.
For me it was Bosa or bust, so I was not heartbroken when they picked the rb, but I just don't feel any running back is worth a top four pick when you almost know you'll be looking for a new one in five to six years max.

1. I value Murray far more than most people here. I understand injuries brought him down. But unlike Percy, I am not buying into 2014 was an anomaly. I believe Elliott will reveal this in 2016.
2. McFadden will crash and burn this year. he is both more susceptible to injury and a bigger fumbler than Murray was. And comparing 3 TDs versus Murray's is the whole story.
3. I do not believe in Bosa or one defensive player would change this defense into meat eaters. So the proposition is to keep the defense off the field, for me.
4. draft slotting doesn't mean jack squat to me other than the fact you get the best players at the top. The argument about paying too much for Elliott will become academic after about the third ling distance TD he rips off. Then no one will care.
5. Elliott is better than both Ramsey and Bosa in my eyes. My thinking is Ramsey will seriously disappoint because he can't take the ball away.

 

[percyhoward]

1. I value Murray far more than most people here. I understand injuries brought him down. But unlike Percy, I am not buying into 2014 was an anomaly. I believe Elliott will reveal this in 2016.

I'm not about to try and guess, so what are you talking about?

 

[tyke1doe]

The fourth-round pick of the Colts, Florida linebacker Antonio Morrison, was arrested in July 2013 for barking at a police dog. Charges were dropped three days later, with the state saying Morrison didn’t bark at the dog out of malice. In the police report in Alachua County, Fla., officers said Morrison’s defense was he barked because the dog barked first.

I didn't know you could get arrested for barking at a police dog?