PFW: Can Cowboys’ Carpenter remove bust tag?

[cowboyjoe]

Can Cowboys’ Carpenter remove bust tag?.Photos
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Cowboys LB Bobby CarpenterAbout the Author
Eric Edholm
eedholm@pfwmedia.com
Senior editor
.Recent posts by Eric Edholm

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TagsBobby Carpenter (215851)CowboysFeatured-homeJason Williams (264872)Keith Brooking (24396)Stephen Hodge (300744)
Posted July 10, 2009 @ 8:52 a.m.
By Eric Edholm
Bobby Carpenter is on the clock and already is considered a bust. He was drafted in the first round of 2006 and has only one career start, none since his rookie season. He is not projected to start this season with the addition of Keith Brooking but could get a chance to compete more on defense than he has since he joined the Cowboys.

Carpenter is slated to fill the spot vacated by Kevin Burnett, who left Dallas for the Chargers. Burnett was the Cowboys’ nickel linebacker last season and was considered by some to be the team’s 12th starter. The fact that the Cowboys let Burnett walk without too big a fight could be construed by some as a vote of confidence for Carpenter, but the flip side is that the team spent two draft picks on linebackers who will be trying to wrestle that nickel job away from Carpenter.

Third-rounder Jason Williams, the team’s top draft pick, is an athletic freak who runs the 40-yard dash in the 4.4-second range. But he also is not expected to jump right in and make a huge impact on defense after playing his college career at Western Illinois. The other rookie option would be Stephen Hodge, who is converting from college safety. He’s big and can hit but might not be ready to make the adjustment this season.

Carpenter has worked hard this offseason to get leaner, losing five pounds, with the idea that he would have to turn and run with a lot of tight ends in this projected role. In fact, Carpenter said he has worked out with Tony Romo and Jason Witten — a player he often goes up against in practice — this offseason to work on his footwork and change-of-direction skills.

In college, he was a pass rusher who did his best work going forward, but he hasn’t shown the ability to take on fullbacks, tackles and guards in the hole in the pros. And unless that changes, he probably won’t kick Brooking out of a starting role.

“[Carpenter] knows, and we know, it’s the time now for him to come through,” head coach Wade Phillips said in June. “Whether it’s us giving him more opportunity or not, the past is the past and we are going forward. I think Bobby is looking forward to this season, and we are, too, as far as him being able to play and contribute a lot more.”

 

[Apollo Creed]

Had he not had A.J. Hawk beside him, he never would've been considered a 1st round prospect. Overated and overhyped from the word go, and I would not hold my breath on him ever removing the 'bust' tag. He'll finish his career somewhere else as a lifetime backup and special teamer.

 

[big dog cowboy]

“[Carpenter] knows, and we know, it’s the time now for him to come through,” head coach Wade Phillips said in June. “Whether it’s us giving him more opportunity or not, the past is the past and we are going forward. I think Bobby is looking forward to this season, and we are, too, as far as him being able to play and contribute a lot more.”

Didn't I read this same thing one year ago?

 

[Juke99]

IMO, even if he does a good job of replacing Burnett, he's still a bust. You don't draft a LB in the middle of round one with the hopes that he'll be a good third down specialist

 

[Apollo Creed]

IMO, even if he does a good job of replacing Burnett, he's still a bust. You don't draft a LB in the middle of round one with the hopes that he'll be a good third down specialist

Yeah, then we took a backup TE in the 2nd.

Thank goodness for the 2008 draft for making up for some real stinkers.

 

[AsthmaField]

IMO, even if he does a good job of replacing Burnett, he's still a bust. You don't draft a LB in the middle of round one with the hopes that he'll be a good third down specialist

Agreed, Juke. Unfortunately, I don't think he will ever shed that bust lable. Frankly, I'd rather see J Williams or Hodge play well enough to take the nickel LB spot and just go ahead and let Carpenter give it a go with another franchise.

At this point, I'd rather see flashes from those guys than Bobby.

 

[Tovya]

I agree that he's a bust right now (especially being a 1st rounder), but I'm not giving up on him yet--he still may do something this season (uh, maybe, or maybe not, okay, just cut him now .

 

[CATCH17]

He is just not an inside backer.

Never will be.

If we have some 4-3 packages im sure he would do a solid job.

But inside a 3-4 he just isn't physical enough to play that position.

 

[Silverstar]

He needs a pick 6 and a few sacks, before I'll even think about removing that bust label.

"He's a finesse type of linebacker" - Jerry Jones


Wearing #54 just adds to my angst.

 

[Hoofbite]

Yeah, then we took a backup TE in the 2nd.

Thank goodness for the 2008 draft for making up for some real stinkers.

Did you really just say both of these things in the same post?

 

[jobberone]

uhhh, how many years has he played for the Cowboys and done what you say????

(Jeopardy tune)

 

[lewpac]

He needs a pick 6 and a few sacks, before I'll even think about removing that bust label.

"He's a finesse type of linebacker" - Jerry Jones


Wearing #54 just adds to my angst.

There's no such thing as a "finesse type" linebacker. The words finesse and linebacker shouldn't even be used in the same sentence.

Butkis
Nitchke
Lambert
Jordan
Ham
Singletary
Taylor
Etc, etc, etc...................

The position is LINEBACKER, as in BACK THE DEFENSIVE LINE. The position, middle, weak side, strong side, left or right, whatever...............is at or near the top of the preeminent and critical positions on the field. The middle linebacker is usually the QB and play-caller for the defense. It's not a job for the faint of heart of the "finesse" fellahs.

Goldilocks ain't gonna' make it. He was a Parcells "family" pick (his old man played fullback for Parcells with the Gints) from the get-go. This time, the "Parcells loyalty" thing went awry. It was a nice gesture and all, but a wasted draft pick. At this point, his only usefulness is to put him at fullback when it's third and goal. A "novelty" player like the Fridge.

I say, free up a roster spot that is currently being taken up by a waste of time.................

 

[cowboyjoe]

Didn't I read this same thing one year ago?

dont know, i found it new on draftdaddy.com so i posted it;

 

[NextGenBoys]

Had he not had A.J. Hawk beside him, he never would've been considered a 1st round prospect. Overated and overhyped from the word go, and I would not hold my breath on him ever removing the 'bust' tag. He'll finish his career somewhere else as a lifetime backup and special teamer.

Well put couldnt have said it better

 

[burmafrd]

Hawk has not exactly lit the world up by himself either has he?
I think it worked out in college that they complemented each other.

 

[Alexander]

He is just not an inside backer.

Never will be.

If we have some 4-3 packages im sure he would do a solid job.

But inside a 3-4 he just isn't physical enough to play that position.

I still don't quite understand how there is this assumption he's automatically better in a 4-3.

He would still have to be physical in that defense as well. That is the problem just as much if not more than the scheme he's asked to play. He just cannot handle the point of attack. That flaw would follow him regardless of the defense. He'd have still to be covered up by a big DL and face little interference.

 

[THUMPER]

I think no matter what Carpenter does this year he is already a bust considering where he was selected. Parcells took him because he knew his dad but the kid was a reach and should never have been taken that high. Had we selected him in the 2nd or 3rd round he would be OK but not in the middle of the first.

That said, I just don't see him as a good fit for our defense and he will be gone after this season, assuming he even makes the final roster after preseason. Personally, I would rather see if we could trade him to Miami since Parcells wanted him so bad to begin with. I would hate to keep him at the expense of one this year's draft picks only to scrap him after the season.

IMO you are either a potential starter or you're not, and he's not, at least not in this defense. If he can't step up in TC and pre-season then I'd trade him or cut him and keep a guy with the potential to become a starter for us.

He might become a player in a 4-3 defense but I just don't see him as a 3-4 LB. Maybe a team like the Colts would be willing to trade for him.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I'm not sure he will be able to remove the bust lable now.

 

[billknows]

Wearing #54 just adds to my angst,,, :bang2:

 

[burmafrd]

ALL the scouting reports had Carpenter as the most NFL ready LB in the draft.
Some of you are convienently forgetting that the experiment with Ellis at OLB had not happened and no one knew if it would work.
Carpenter was thought of as the safest pick we could make. Turned out wrong but no one really knew that at the time. I have no doubt that BP did factor in his pedigree and knowing his dad- because that USUALLY is a good indicator. The more you know about a pick USUALLY the better. Did not work in this case but at the time it looked like a safe pick.