Players to target at #14

[MichaelWinicki]

I agree with you but this draft is OG/CB strong draft and I rather not reach for a need position .

Agreed.

Not in the first couple of rounds anyway.

 

[burmafrd]

The challenge is that it's not a good year for 3-4 OLBer pass-rusher types... At least those that can step right in and give this team say double-digit sacks. I don't see any of them that are are "gimmees". Most seem rather "Spencer-like" in that they'll give you a solid half-dozen sacks, but then I question their ability to stop the run.

I think the best potential for generating more pass rush is grab one of the guys like Winn or Wolfe who seems to have some potential for creating some pass rush as a 3-4 DE.

If you want more pass rush here are the numbers to chew on...

Coleman 1 sack
Spears 1 sack
Ratliff 2 sacks

yeah hard to chew that. I would love a Seymour type at DE but they are very rare. easier to get a OLB that can rush the passer. We need someone that can give us Ellis type numbers; 8-10 a year

 

[burmafrd]

I agree with you but this draft is OG/CB strong draft and I rather not reach for a need position .

frankly this reach stuff is all too often BS. If the guy will do what you need him to do then where he is picked is meaningless. We need a guy who can rush the passer seriously on a steady basis. FA, Draft, trade whatever.

 

[Nova]

I agree with you but this draft is OG/CB strong draft and I rather not reach for a need position .

I think the reasoning for this is that most, including me, assume we can beef up the OL and secondary in FA. To me, that's the more surefire way to know what you're getting.

Sadly, for OLBs, there aren't any better FA OLBs on the market than Spencer. Both Melvin Ingram and Courtney Upshaw wouldn't be bad. Ingram is an instinctive play maker, and Upshaw is Alabama's best pass rusher. Either would be fine with me, and then take the best available CB in the second.

If it were up to me I'd take a run at Michael Griffin and Ben Grubbs/Carl Nicks in FA, get an OLB to replace Spencer and the money he really doesn't deserve, and take the 350 lb NT Dontari Poe, allowing Ratliff to move over to DE and also help with the pass rush. Jenkins and Scandrick on the outside with good safety help are a much improved secondary over what we have, might as well give the QB even less time to throw the ball.

Of course, I wouldn't mind the reverse approach. Depends on who is available when it's our turn up. I just think the best 2 CBs will be gone by the time we're up.

 

[Doomsday101]

Sounds like a pretty good list. There is good and bad about going into this draft. The bad news is we need so much help in so many areas. The good news is nose should have a very good player fall to us since we have so many needs in so many positions. So even if we miss out on someone like decastro we should still be able to get another good player who can help us.

If the Cowboys do not go G with the 1st pick I think OG Kevin Zeitler would be a nice addition in the 3rd if he last that long.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I don't see this team being that far off...

3 question marks on offense G C G
5 question marks on defense DE, OLB, ILB, CB, S

Now you could say that 8 is a lot, but at least a couple of these are going to be solved by resigning guys like Spencer, Elam or by filling in with youngsters already on the club like Carter or one of the young offensive linemen.

That will leave 5 or 6 spots left.

If the Cowboys have a good draft 3 of those spots could be filled.

The rest will need to come from free agency.

Bottom line is that I do not think it's that dire.

 

[Doomsday101]

I think the OP's list is far to wide... Several players there I don't think merit the consideration of the 14th pick like Still & Glenn.

DeCastro & Kirkpatrick. Those are it for me.

I don't see any of the OLBers being a big improvement over Spencer quite frankly when you look at both pass rush and run defense.

Since Spencer is a FA though I would expect he will want to see what is out there. I have no problem having Spencer return but I would be leery on the size of the contract given to him.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Since Spencer is a FA though I would expect he will want to see what is out there. I have no problem having Spencer return but I would be leery on the size of the contract given to him.

No doubt.

If the Cowboys thought he was worth big $$ he probably would have been resigned during the season. Obviously they're a little unsure of him also.

 

[gmoney112]

I don't see this team being that far off...

3 question marks on offense G C G
5 question marks on defense DE, OLB, ILB, CB, S

Now you could say that 8 is a lot, but at least a couple of these are going to be solved by resigning guys like Spencer, Elam or by filling in with youngsters already on the club like Carter or one of the young offensive linemen.

That will leave 5 or 6 spots left.

If the Cowboys have a good draft 3 of those spots could be filled.

The rest will need to come from free agency.

Bottom line is that I do not think it's that dire.

It certainly couldn't be any worse than this year.

 

[Primetime42]

This is one draft that if Jerry were going to trade a future first rounder to get back in the first round, he should go ahead and do it.

The corner crop this year sucks. I'd almost rather trade out then go all out next year for the Honey Badger.


Almost.

 

[This is Our Year]

As badly as we need a guard and we do, I have a hard time seeing us take one so high at #14. I'd go CB or DE/ OLB with the 1st pick.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

As badly as we need a guard and we do, I have a hard time seeing us take one so high at #14. I'd go CB or DE/ OLB with the 1st pick.

The trouble is the guys at DE/OLB aren't any better than Spencer IMO. And if that's the case, then you resign Spencer and look at another position at the 14th spot.

 

[TheSport78]

The trouble is the guys at DE/OLB aren't any better than Spencer IMO. And if that's the case, then you resign Spencer and look at another position at the 14th spot.

This is just an opinion. We have no idea whether or not Melvin Ingram or Courtney Upshaw will be better than Spencer. Spencer isn't that good at all so basically you're saying Ingram and Upshaw are JAG's that won't be successful in the NFL. How can we tell this before they even step on an NFL field?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

This is just an opinion. We have no idea whether or not Melvin Ingram or Courtney Upshaw will be better than Spencer. Spencer isn't that good at all so basically you're saying Ingram and Upshaw are JAG's that won't be successful in the NFL. How can we tell this before they even step on an NFL field?

As much as folks love to hate on Spencer he's not quite a JAG.

While I'd like to see more than the 6 sacks a season, he does a good job vs the run.

To gain a couple sacks a season with another guy, but lose traction vs the run doesn't knock my socks off.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

This is just an opinion. We have no idea whether or not Melvin Ingram or Courtney Upshaw will be better than Spencer. Spencer isn't that good at all so basically you're saying Ingram and Upshaw are JAG's that won't be successful in the NFL. How can we tell this before they even step on an NFL field?

The other thing is that DeCastro is a better prospect than Upshaw or Ingram IMO, so if DeCastro is there...

He must be taken.

 

[NeonNinja]

The other thing is that DeCastro is a better prospect than Upshaw or Ingram IMO, so if DeCastro is there...

He must be taken.

Agreed.

 

[TheSport78]

As much as folks love to hate on Spencer he's not quite a JAG.

While I'd like to see more than the 6 sacks a season, he does a good job vs the run.

To gain a couple sacks a season with another guy, but lose traction vs the run doesn't knock my socks off.

I think Spencer is a prime example of "dumb" players that we have on defense. It's not a coincidence that these players cannot grasp Wade's or Rob's defensive scheme. Dumb players do dumb players (Spencer going offsides at a crucial point or getting an unnecessary roughness penalty against Philly are examples). We need to weed out the dumb and get smarter football players IMO.

The other thing is that DeCastro is a better prospect than Upshaw or Ingram IMO, so if DeCastro is there...

He must be taken.

I think this depends on what we do in free agency. If we grab Ben Grubbs or Carl Nicks in FA, I wouldn't draft an interior lineman in the first round. That's just me though.

 

[Bigtommyb]

I think the OP's list is far to wide... Several players there I don't think merit the consideration of the 14th pick like Still & Glenn.

DeCastro & Kirkpatrick. Those are it for me.

I don't see any of the OLBers being a big improvement over Spencer quite frankly when you look at both pass rush and run defense.

Check out Whitney Mercilus from Illinois, 6'4 265 very long projrcted as olb in pro's . 8ff and 16 sacks nose for taking that ball away. Besides Upshaw who is a lil shorter who actually won't be there at 14. This guy is projected a lil lower teens,but i'd take a serious look, check him out and get back to me. I like him.

 

[Gaede]

Right now, I really like Kirkpatrick, DeCastro and Ingram at our pick.

DeCastro for obvious reasons, but the other two because they're football players, would bring some much needed physicality to this team.

I also like Dennard but not at 14, likewise for Upshaw

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Check out Whitney Mercilus from Illinois, 6'4 265 very long projrcted as olb in pro's . 8ff and 16 sacks nose for taking that ball away. Besides Upshaw who is a lil shorter who actually won't be there at 14. This guy is projected a lil lower teens,but i'd take a serious look, check him out and get back to me. I like him.

I think both of those guys have talent, but neither is a better player at their positions than what DeCastro is at his.