Twitter: Rapoport: The Cowboys are still looking for edge help, hosting former Lions DE Jason Jones

[cowboyblue22]

what the cowboys are going on is that they will be better with the return of tony dez and scandrick they believe regardless of what they say that is the reason for the 4 and 12 record jerry has said as much in interviews.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

Agreed.

Many label a draft "Good" or "Bad" on virtually nothing except their own perception, which many of us know is a pretty faulty mechanism due to our own biases and most often a total disregard for investigation of the facts.

Ultimately, what will stop the conversation is consistent winning.

 

[davey999]

We don't know what Ryan Russell is yet so he may come on. They are not playing Madden and they are going to
still have a team to work with this summer. I don't think they (FO) are going to consult with you or me on what the
team needs are they? Actually, they could care less what you, or I, or anyone on this board thinks or says.

Right, and they were 4-12 last year. Proof is in the result.

 

[LittleD]

Actually they have said that. Jones was very clear a month ago that pass rush was a big priority this offseason. And in Marinelli's system, pressure largely comes from the DL, especially the DEs, considering we don't blitz a whole lot.

Hardy is a non starter because Garrett simply doesn't want him around anymore so need or not, they aren't touching Hardy.

Oh, I am sure we will field a team come September, but isn't the goal to try to field a team that you believe can actually win something? Right now, we have serious questions at DE and the Cowboys have been shaking the trees on quite a few DEs in free agency, only to come up short other than a project from Oakland.

They tried to sign a couple and lost out. They are not going to overspend their budget period. They will draft a couple of lineman
in this draft, that's for sure. If the offense plays like it did in 2014 and Romo stays healthy, we have a good shot to have a decent team.
If not, we'll be picking in the top 5 of next year's draft. The best defense is for the offense to keep the defense off the field.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

what the cowboys are going on is that they will be better with the return of tony dez and scandrick they believe regardless of what they say that is the reason for the 4 and 12 record jerry has said as much in interviews.

I think an of course losing your All Pro level qb and wr and your best defensive back led to our poor record.

People keep acting like that's anything but fact.

I'm not afraid to say it.

 

[LittleD]

Right, and they were 4-12 last year. Proof is in the result.

They weren't 4-12 because of the defense. The offense couldn't function with the QB's we had and couldn't make
1st downs. The defense played pretty well but, couldn't get off the field and tired in the 4th qtrs. of games.

 

[cowboyblue22]

the future of this team depends on one player and if he gets hurt they wont win another game and we all know that is tony and has been that way for a long time now.

 

[CCBoy]

1. Still interested but has gone home. https://twitter.com/hamiltonb40/status/715164194220466176…
2. Bryan Broaddus added,
   
   Briheem @Hamiltonb40
   @BryanBroaddus May have missed it, but any news on the former Lions DE?
   
   

 

[Sydla]

I think anyone trying to deny that losing Romo and Bryant and Scandrick had an effect on the overall record is an idiot.

But the flipside to that is that people just assume if healthy this team is definitely a 12-4 team easily. But that might be a weak assumption too because the year before 12-4, they had just rung up multiple 8-8 seasons. It's quite possible that while 2015 was an anomaly, so was 2014.

I think anyone sitting there and thinking that we are just fine at DE and can throw a draft pick at it and we'll be fine is just being shortsighted. So in that sense, it's surprising to me that they've whiffed as badly as they have at DE, especially when they admitted a month ago that the pass rush was totally unacceptable last year.

 

[superonyx]

I think an of course losing your All Pro level qb and wr and your best defensive back led to our poor record.

People keep acting like that's anything but fact.

I'm not afraid to say it.

If we are going to add Scandrick to the list of reasons we went from 12-4 to 4-12 or aka from 1st to worst, then we have to also add that we "lost" the AP Offensive Player of the Year, 1st Team All Pro, and single season rushing record holder as well.....

I know people get all uncomfortable anytime Murray comes up...but he was an important part of our core that was not on the field from the 12-4 team.

 

[davey999]

They weren't 4-12 because of the defense. The offense couldn't function with the QB's we had and couldn't make
1st downs. The defense played pretty well but, couldn't get off the field and tired in the 4th qtrs. of games.

Best O line in the league can't win any games with their backup QB? That isn't a good team, then.

 

[superonyx]

the future of this team depends on one player and if he gets hurt they wont win another game and we all know that is tony and has been that way for a long time now.

Unfortunately this has proven to be true last season.....BUT what this truth also exposed is the glaring weakness we have in the coaching department. No other team in the NFL falls as far and as fast as our Cowboys did when 1 player isn't available to play. Our inability to score points without Romo is a disgrace and one that should put more pressure on the Coaches than just the back up QB position.

Brandon Weeden embarrassed us by going to Houston and winning games with a team and offense he wasn't even familiar with...meanwhile after being coached up for years on our team he could produce a single victory.

As long as JG is in charge we will need a magician at QB to have any realistic chance at winning a championship. Let's all hope Romo has many many more rabbits he can pull out of his hat.

 

[LittleD]

Best O line in the league can't win any games with their backup QB? That isn't a good team, then.

I can't argue with you. The OL had to completely change the way it blocked when DMC became the main runner. They had to evolve to
power blocking from zone blocking which is quite a feat for a line to do. We just did not have a QB and set of WR's who could move the chains
and we paid the price. Actually, without Romo, this team is hamstrung and everyone knows it. Moore did pretty well for a youngster who
hadn't really played in many games. If they had gone with him early, we might have made the playoffs.

 

[jjktkk]

I think anyone trying to deny that losing Romo and Bryant and Scandrick had an effect on the overall record is an idiot.

But the flipside to that is that people just assume if healthy this team is definitely a 12-4 team easily. But that might be a weak assumption too because the year before 12-4, they had just rung up multiple 8-8 seasons. It's quite possible that while 2015 was an anomaly, so was 2014.

I think anyone sitting there and thinking that we are just fine at DE and can throw a draft pick at it and we'll be fine is just being shortsighted. So in that sense, it's surprising to me that they've whiffed as badly as they have at DE, especially when they admitted a month ago that the pass rush was totally unacceptable last year.

Overpaying for mediocre, or has been DEs. isn't the answer either. I would think Dallas will pounce on one of these veteran DEs after the draft, once their asking price goes down.

 

[Sydla]

Overpaying for mediocre, or has been DEs. isn't the answer either. I would think Dallas will pounce on one of these veteran DEs after the draft, once their asking price goes down.

Who has said overpay for mediocre DEs?

It's a risky game to just sit there and wait and hope all your options are still sitting there 5 weeks from now without homes and then you can swoop in and throw lowball offers at them and get them to sign. Especially when you went into free agency with the stated goal that you had to improve your pass rush, especially then knowing that Gregory is out 4 games and one failed test from a full year suspension and the fact that your head coach wants nothing to do with Hardy.

So sure, you don't pay a guy like Jason Jones a lot of money or drop your pants and panic and give him $5MM more than he's worth, but you also don't think you can get him for a million or two less than what his value probably is just because you think you can.

Let's hope you are right, and that 5 weeks from now, Jones is still floating out there or maybe they even revisit Hardy and get him for real cheap or better there's some interesting June 1 cuts that shake free.

 

[jjktkk]

Who has said overpay for mediocre DEs?

You. You're complaining that Dallas hasn't signed one of these veteran DEs. Your posts seem to indicate that Dallas is through addressing their need for pass rushers. There's the draft after the draft, and the whole Summer for Dallas to address their DE needs.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Best O line in the league can't win any games with their backup QB? That isn't a good team, then.

Did you see the back-up QB play???

 

[AsthmaField]

Moore did pretty well for a youngster who
hadn't really played in many games. If they had gone with him early, we might have made the playoffs.

That is what I think as well. Maybe we wouldn't have… But there's a chance some of those close losses would've been wins.

 

[LocimusPrime]

Yea but we were also 28th I sacks in 2014 and after signing Hardy, Drafting Gregory ,B Jones and having Lawrence step up we finished 2015 25th in sacks and 32nd in turnovers.

Even looking back to his first season as a defensive coordinator (2013), our defense has been awful. I don't feel optimistic that any moves we could make in the draft will be enough to suddenly have a top flight defense under Marinelli. I hope I am wrong.

You will not be wrong. A handful of defensive rookies will not make this defense a top 10. I fear that our Dline may have regressed as well. We shall see. Hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Are the Cowboys simply undervaluing the market right now?

No they are not going to overpay for FA's. It's the fans who are overvaluing right now.