Playmaking defender needed

[Rayman70]

I was laughing at the picture painted by @northerncowboynation in what his current status in life is, it's unfortunate you seemingly have taken umbrage with me pulling his post to LMAO,,, yet !when one feels the very nature of the forum orbits around them I can completely and truly appreciate yer' knee jerking words ,,,

I REALIZE WHY YOU WERE LAUGHING. I thought it was dang refreshing for someone to be so down to earth honest like he was. I failed to see the humor in it I guess. Call me old fashioned. I got thick skin. I can handle whatever is hurled my way. I am just an ole country boy myself and can relate to the guy. This is a knee jerk zone by nature..isn't that what we are all doing? That's why we are fans. WE KNEE JERK REACT. Whether we want to admit it or not. That's what makes this board great. No ill will here. Its all good.

 

[Rayman70]

Its the simple things in life man. Northercowboynation..kudos dude,you get it. Its not about being rich( I will never be)...but its about takin it one day as it comes and thanking God for each morning you wake up. Hope springs eternal. GO COWBOYS! Can't wait for Thursday. ..now back to my coffee and the old bushhog..got to get that acre mowed before church. Have a good one guys.

 

[Captain43Crash]

This is the only acceptable answer followed by TE

Who cares who are Mike, starting safeties, or 1tech is.. Skill positions win super bowls!!

This is humor? Your not serious?

 

[northerncowboynation]

Hang in there, this could be the year. I still rem watching Dallas win their 1st Super Bowl 24 to 3 over Miami .

Hell, your old as dirt, just like I am.

 

[Captain43Crash]

Huge concern. It was absurd, the increased amount of points and yards, that were given up during his departure last season.

Your right. It’s amazing the difference Lee made. We were a completely different D when Lee was out. We must find a couple stud LBers in the draft knowing Lee seldom makes it through 16 games.

 

[northerncowboynation]

Its the simple things in life man. Northercowboynation..kudos dude,you get it. Its not about being rich( I will never be)...but its about takin it one day as it comes and thanking God for each morning you wake up. Hope springs eternal. GO COWBOYS! Can't wait for Thursday. ..now back to my coffee and the old bushhog..got to get that acre mowed before church. Have a good one guys.

Bush hog! Nothing like neatly trimmed bush! I may be old but I dine in simple style. Did I just say that?

 

[Rayman70]

I like bush

 

[northerncowboynation]

I am rich Rayman. Not in money, in many many ways! Still have my teeth, my health, my mum, both my sister and brother, 2 kids I bestow my infinite wisdom on often, a good wife who uses a bush hog and and a 4 wheel drive, Dodge Ram that I trade every 2 years!! Wealth is measured in many ways

 

[HungryLion]

I think the odds of getting Earl Thomas are good, who will be a playmaker. But the key is Irving and DLaw being on the field for 16 games and Maliek Collins being healthy. Taco Carlton will likely start next year and be an 8-10 sack player.

Jaylon Smith, Awuzie, Xavier Lewis and Jourdan Lewis will all be better with another year's experience.

Put all that together and you will get more defensive plays.

While I do believe in Chido, Lewis and Xavier Woods as young talent with a lot of upside. I definitely would like to see the Cowboys hedge their bets by trading for Earl Thomas. Plus he would provide excellent championship caliber veteran leadership for the young guns.

 

[Proof]

 

[kskboys]

I like your optimism, but I think we need 3. I think we need to improve the entire middle of our defense, to have a stellar defense. Give me a play making DT-1T, MLB and Safety, and I think we're set.

I'm in.

 

[kskboys]

Vander Esch could fill Mike and allow Jaylon to go to will if Lee is out. I don't have faith that Jaylon is a Mike, but he's the only one the Cowboys have at this point. Need more size at mike even if Smith is there...

Actually, we need less size!!!!!!!! Or more aptly, less height. Those shorter quicker guys are generally the best in the middle. Look down the list of the best MLB's, and most are of the 6-0/245 variety. Why? Because in the middle you need to be able to pick through the mess to get to the ball carrier. Taller guys generally have more trouble.

Shazier, Bowmann, Wagner, Deion Jones, Kwon, Hicks, Preston Brown, Myles Jack, all MLB's at 6-1 and under.

 

[xwalker]

I think this team is one playmaking defender away from a Super Bowl. That is why I wanted Earl Thomas. Do we have that guy on the roster today? Who can it be?

Agree. They need to add playmakers/star-players more than they need to fill holes. This is true on both offense and defense.

They have good-enough players at all positions but not enough elite playermakers mixed in.

Basically they have players at all positions that can be good enough if surrounded by enough elite-players/playmakers. It won't work if all position just have good-enough players with no playmakers/difference-makers mixed in.

LB is OK. They have 3 good-enough or better NFL players for the 2 positions of MLB and WLB. Lee great when healthy. Jaylon good-enough by the end of last season. Thomas has been good-enough when starting games in the past and in pass coverage is above average.

The SLB only plays about 15% of the snaps and Wilson has been good enough.

They were good-enough last year with Heath at FS and Jones/Frazier splitting the SS based on pass=Jones and run=Frazier. This year Woods will likely be the SS with Frazier possibly still getting snaps on 3rd and short type situations. Awuzie could play Safety if needed.

DT is OK with Irving/Collins as starters and Price as the run down rotational guy.

They can manage at LG by moving La'el if needed or having Fleming play OG. Marcus Martin has the physical ability but has not quite put it all together yet, similar to Cooper before coming to the Cowboys.

WR is OK but they need to mix in a playmaker and future #1.

 

[blueblood70]

I didnt realize that Playmakers were needed on any team..dang thanks for the heads up..

 

[sjmike]

Agree. They need to add playmakers/star-players more than they need to fill holes. This is true on both offense and defense.

They have good-enough players at all positions but not enough elite playermakers mixed in.

Basically they have players at all positions that can be good enough if surrounded by enough elite-players/playmakers. It won't work if all position just have good-enough players with no playmakers/difference-makers mixed in.

LB is OK. They have 3 good-enough or better NFL players for the 2 positions of MLB and WLB. Lee great when healthy. Jaylon good-enough by the end of last season. Thomas has been good-enough when starting games in the past and in pass coverage is above average.

The SLB only plays about 15% of the snaps and Wilson has been good enough.

They were good-enough last year with Heath at FS and Jones/Frazier splitting the SS based on pass=Jones and run=Frazier. This year Woods will likely be the SS with Frazier possibly still getting snaps on 3rd and short type situations. Awuzie could play Safety if needed.

DT is OK with Irving/Collins as starters and Price as the run down rotational guy.

They can manage at LG by moving La'el if needed or having Fleming play OG. Marcus Martin has the physical ability but has not quite put it all together yet, similar to Cooper before coming to the Cowboys.

WR is OK but they need to mix in a playmaker and future #1.

I agree with your assessment. A playmaker is what takes a good defense to a great defense.That's what we need

 

[xwalker]

I didnt realize that Playmakers were needed on any team..dang thanks for the heads up..

Some teams including some past years for the Cowboys were more about just filling holes trying to have a passable player at each position. Some teams have the 2017 version of Chad Green type players as starters.

 

[Hadenough]

I'm 60. Hope is about all I have to hold on to. Heck if I went on stats alone and looked at my own physical trajectory, I would be one depressed dude. I'd be like... my gut is getting bigger and softer, I smoke and my lung capacity isn't what it used to be (I hope to give up smoking but history says I won't), I have less hair, wrinkles, less stamina. Daaaaam, history says I'm getting old. Isn't that the way man! Yet, I remain hopeful .

Football and sports... the great microcosm for life. The old get culled and put out to pasture, youth and brawn are connected, experience breeds bad habits and trepidation, lack of decisions leave you rooted to one place, change is inevitable, the hopeless is never that hopeless. deep thoughts by Jack Handy lol

Hey, it's Sunday morning. The sun is shining. Spring has sprung. Hope springs eternal

And just think! When Elliott powers his way in from the 5 yard line and you look around and see the oline pushing the defense backwards no matter how much you smoke or drink it makes you feel like you were out there blocking too!!

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Actually, we need less size!!!!!!!! Or more aptly, less height. Those shorter quicker guys are generally the best in the middle. Look down the list of the best MLB's, and most are of the 6-0/245 variety. Why? Because in the middle you need to be able to pick through the mess to get to the ball carrier. Taller guys generally have more trouble.

Shazier, Bowmann, Wagner, Deion Jones, Kwon, Hicks, Preston Brown, Myles Jack, all MLB's at 6-1 and under.

Nonsense. That's because getting the bigger guy with speed is hard to to, not because they're best suited for inside linebacker because they're short.
Asking a 230 lb linebacker to take on 320 lb. guards doesn't work too well.

Don'ta Hightower 6-4, CJ Mosley 6-2. Luke Kuechly 6-4 (all 2017 Pro Bowlers) Clay Matthews 6-3. All inside linebackers.

Who was the last Mike we had that really could fill the position (other than Lee, and we see how he got injured a lot at Mike)? R. McClain, 6-4 and 255 lbs.

Cowboys gave up 104 yards rushing per game last year. 4.1 yards per rush, 25th in the league.

Sure if you can get a 6-1 guy that's 250 lbs, get him. But Vander Esch has the weight and height, if you can get both you should do it.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

We have Heath. That's our playmaker at the moment.

He needs to improve, though, which might happen if Awuzie, Brown and Lewis continue to improve...

 

[cern]

Actually, we need less size!!!!!!!! Or more aptly, less height. Those shorter quicker guys are generally the best in the middle. Look down the list of the best MLB's, and most are of the 6-0/245 variety. Why? Because in the middle you need to be able to pick through the mess to get to the ball carrier. Taller guys generally have more trouble.

Shazier, Bowmann, Wagner, Deion Jones, Kwon, Hicks, Preston Brown, Myles Jack, all MLB's at 6-1 and under.

Interesting. Never gave it much thought. Sam mills and singletary also come to mind.