Report: Manziel was highest rated player on Cowboys board at time of pick

[joseephuss]

The part I put in bold still remains to be seen. What happens if Romo can't play and Johnny Football is all that? The chances of Romo not being the same or getting hurt again are much higher than you think.

The chances of Manziel of being a bust are very high. Dallas need to have a future QB plan, but Manziel isn't it.

 

[khiladi]

Great point. And it would have been the same had they drafted Manziel. They would still be spewing forth nonsense. Same with every team. That is just how this stuff works.

Jerry himself alluded to this right before the draft. He essentially said they weren't going to pick Manziel and if the opportunity does present itself, and to Jerry he was a great player, they were going to look at the possibility I getting value out the pick.

The reality was probably Dallas looking to trade down, but nobody wanted to. It's clear Manziel wasn't as highly valued as the 'analysts' were saying right after pro day. Prior to that workout, he wasn't even the second or third rated QB.

One Pro Day, with a scripted plan, isn't going to change minds so dramatically as far as a QB is concerned IMO.

The NFL draft was moved to a new time as far as I know. They are making even more changes next year. Ratings were higher than both the NBA and NHL playoffs. The hype created around Johnny Football is partly responsible.

 

[DFWJC]

Most people don't even realize Manziel wasn't the Browns first pick in this draft.

21 teams passed. And if Cleveland had not traded up it could have been much more. Almost all (not all) of those teams had worse starting QBs than Dallas. Many by a mile.

In the end, JM could end up great someday, or he could end up only a sideshow.
Time...will....tell.

 

[joseephuss]

I think Jerry and his collection of decision makers don't understand the risk/reward system. If you are going to make that move in the 2nd, go big by making it in the 1st and get Donald. Period. I watched the film on Lawrence. Smallish guy with great balance that has "potential". I sincerely hope he was worth that knee jerk.

Forget about all of the Manziel talk. It is over & done. One can only hope they still have eyes for a McCarron or Murray today. I, personally, would be fine with either one. That said, perhaps someone can explain our reluctance in the 1st to trade up and get Donald. Do we study as much as Manziel? We did not "need" oline so please spare me that smoke screen.

You don't know if they did try to make a move in the 1st to get Donald. There is no guarantee that that kind of move up was possible.

 

[Bleu Star]

You don't know if they did try to make a move in the 1st to get Donald. There is no guarantee that that kind of move up was possible.

Well let's just be fair here...

You don't know how Manziel will do at the NFL level.

You don't know if Lawrence will grow into the potential they saw when they knee jerked.

You don't know how long a 34 year old's surgically repaired back will hold up on an NFL field for a whole season.

We will find all of these things out over time. Statements now like "Manziel will never make it in the NFL" are just as weak as anything else that has been spewed on this board over the last several days.

 

[OhSnap]

I bet Jerry is just spewing forth nonsense anyways for publicity and keeping the Cowboys and the NFL in the lime-light. Everybody was passing on Manziel.

Hill reported right after the draft the Cowboys had four players they were going after, not even considering Manziel. Two DTs, one LB and Martin.

LOL last thing Jerry did last night before getting in his hyperbaric chamber and going to sleep is make a list of ways to get more talk about the Cowboys and Manzeil stirred up because there wasn't enough Thurs. and Fri.

 

[joseephuss]

Well let's just be fair here...

You don't know how Manziel will do at the NFL level.

You don't know if Lawrence will grow into the potential they saw when they knee jerked.

You don't know how long a 34 year old's surgically repaired back will hold up on an NFL field for a whole season.

We will find all of these things out over time. Statements now like "Manziel will never make it in the NFL" are just as weak as anything else that has been spewed on this board over the last several days.

Actually it is easier to say whether a player will be good or bad than it is to say whether a trade was possible or not. We have watched the players and can perform some sort of amateur evaluation of them. We have nothing to base on whether trades were possible or not. And I do know Manziel won't be good enough at the NFL level.

 

[gimmesix]

I think Jerry and his collection of decision makers don't understand the risk/reward system. If you are going to make that move in the 2nd, go big by making it in the 1st and get Donald. Period. I watched the film on Lawrence. Smallish guy with great balance that has "potential". I sincerely hope he was worth that knee jerk.

Forget about all of the Manziel talk. It is over & done. One can only hope they still have eyes for a McCarron or Murray today. I, personally, would be fine with either one. That said, perhaps someone can explain our reluctance in the 1st to trade up and get Donald. Do we study as much as Manziel? We did not "need" oline so please spare me that smoke screen.

I think Dallas had its eyes on three defensive players in the first round and hoped one would reach the 16th pick (based on the reactions in the War Room). The first was Barr, the second Donald and the third Shazier, who was taken right before Dallas picked.

I believe the Cowboys then tried to trade down, likely to take Lawrence later in the round, couldn't get the deal it wanted and took Martin.

I could be wrong obviously, but just trying to read the activity and reactions.

 

[Bleu Star]

Actually it is easier to say whether a player will be good or bad than it is to say whether a trade was possible or not. We have watched the players and can perform some sort of amateur evaluation of them. We have nothing to base on whether trades were possible or not. And I do know Manziel won't be good enough at the NFL level.

Your last sentence clearly helps me understand that this conversation will go no further. Thanks for saving valuable life for both of us.

 

[Bleu Star]

I think Dallas had its eyes on three defensive players in the first round and hoped one would reach the 16th pick (based on the reactions in the War Room). The first was Barr, the second Donald and the third Shazier, who was taken right before Dallas picked.

I believe the Cowboys then tried to trade down, likely to take Lawrence later in the round, couldn't get the deal it wanted and took Martin.

I could be wrong obviously, but just trying to read the activity and reactions.

Makes sense. Still sucks. But our oline will be beastly. Perhaps, for once, we will make better use of the run game. I won't hold my breath.

 

[joseephuss]

Your last sentence clearly helps me understand that this conversation will go no further. Thanks for saving valuable life for both of us.

It took you that long? I've been pretty clear on my stance on Manziel along with the other top name QBs in this draft for a while now. I don't think any of them will be good NFL QBs and not worth the #16 pick. That doesn't mean I don't have concerns about Romo's back or am against Dallas grabbing a QB later in this draft.

 

[jnday]

Not at all. Your assuming 90 percent of us don't want to prepare for the future w/o Romo and that is simply not true. What we don't want is to use a first round pick when Romo can still play at a high level and with so many needs that if those needs are ignored Roger could play QB and it wouldn't matter.

The support on this board for Romo isn't emotion based. Every conceivable conclusion including his numbers, the team he plays on, what came before him and the eye test test logically tells us he's our best option.

However, the dislike for him absolutely is.

It has nothing to do with dislike for Romo. How is he our best option? Are you saying for the next season or two. I think he should be here for a couple of years. After that, it is possible that he is not an option. It's not just possible, it is likely. With the number of holes on this team, it is not like they have a chance to be Super Bowl contenders anyway. How is Romo the best long term option?

 

[cml750]

The chances of Manziel of being a bust are very high. Dallas need to have a future QB plan, but Manziel isn't it.

You have absolutely no way of knowing that for sure just as there are no guarantees he will become what many think he will. I feel quite certain the only reason they passed on him was because of Romo and his contract not because of his bust potential.

 

[joseephuss]

You have absolutely no way of knowing that for sure just as there are no guarantees he will become what many think he will. I feel quite certain the only reason they passed on him was because of Romo and his contract not because of his bust potential.

I disagree. The bust potential played a part. That is why other teams that needed a QB also passed on him.

 

[cml750]

I disagree. The bust potential played a part. That is why other teams that needed a QB also passed on him.

I believe they doubled down on Romo and his health which to me is a much bigger gamble than Manziel's bust potential, not to mention Jerry's delusional idea that Romo can play 6 more years. Romo is the only reason we have won at least 8 games with our head coaching deficiencies so when(and if) he goes down or is not the same due to injuries we will regret being stuck with Orton.

 

[Fredd]

The part I put in bold still remains to be seen. What happens if Romo can't play and Johnny Football is all that? The chances of Romo not being the same or getting hurt again are much higher than you think.

what if demarco murray goes down? what about dez? what about ty smith...you don't plan on guys getting hurt...Manziel would sit in dallas AND they wouldn't have gotten an OL in the first

 

[cml750]

what if demarco murray goes down? what about dez? what about ty smith...you don't plan on guys getting hurt...Manziel would sit in dallas AND they wouldn't have gotten an OL in the first

Nobody is as important as a franchise QB. We needed another o-line less than we need to have someone waiting in the shadows to replace our 34 year old QB who just had back surgery. Truth be told we aren't going anywhere this year anyway regardless of Romo's health. When this team is good enough to win Romo is probably too old or too injured to make a difference and we will be stuck in QB hell for several years. I think Manziel's potential would have been well worth the gamble given our defensive targets were gone. Manziel's leadership and intangibles are off of the chart which is why I think he will succeed. Those things can't be taught.

 

[Fredd]

Nobody is as important as a franchise QB. We needed another o-line less than we need to have someone waiting in the shadows to replace our 34 year old QB who just had back surgery. Truth be told we aren't going anywhere this year anyway regardless of Romo's health. When this team is good enough to win Romo is probably too old or too injured to make a difference and we will be stuck in QB hell for several years. I think Manziel's potential would have been well worth the gamble given our defensive targets were gone. Manziel's leadership and intangibles are off of the chart which is why I think he will succeed. Those things can't be taught.

Manziel could have potentially sat for most of his rookie contract...thus, you waste a first round pick when there are a million needs for that pick...

 

[Proximo]

I haven't read much of this thread, but I don't care where Dallas had Johnny on their board, I'm just glad they didn't take him.

 

[BrassCowboy]

I haven't read much of this thread, but I don't care where Dallas had Johnny on their board, I'm just glad they didn't take him.

exactly. and to think they got a great pick in Martin as well..