Review of our 53 man roster

[PJTHEDOORS]

-Excited to see our entire draft class and a few undrafted fa's make the team. This is a young man's league and you have to add quality, cheap talent on a year to year basis. On paper this year's class could be very good for years to come.

-Couple depth areas of concern: Safety, Tackle, Linebacker, Running Back. We are all aware how thin we are at the safety position as the signing of Clinton-Dix turned out to be a big miss. Rather see them admit the mistake now, then a few weeks of bad play into the season. Tackle is concerning cause of the loss of Collins to start the year, depth should improve once he and Knight get healthy.

-Really like the depth within the DL. Even with the loss of McCoy and Gregory not allowed to play for the first month of the season. The biggest key will be about T. Hill. If he indeed has taken the next step, this unit could be the most improved. They are absolutely loaded at DE/Edge rushers.

-Excited to see both Lve/Jaylon switching positions. If only they can just return to production levels two seasons ago, this defense as a whole would be greatly improved. Health is a big question mark, not only for these two, but the entire unit. Lee didn't even practice and still got hurt, lol.

-I would like to see Trevon Diggs start day 1. After a slow start, he has shown to be a capable corner with legitimate ball skills. Sure, there will be some growing pains, but rather see him then Brown starting with the hopes of later in the season having a big improvement at the position. In my opinion, Diggs has a tremendous upside potential.

Why the concern at Running Back? Zeke/Pollard, what's the concern?

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Weakest starters:
1. Safety
2. Offensive Center
3. Tight End

You hate Jarwin?

 

[OGCowboy]

I love this team....on paper. Man, I just hope these vattos make me love em on the field...ballin’ for real. After all the bs of this year we need something positive to roll with. Can’t think of nothing better than a Cowboys team ballin’ it up big time...
Puro Cowboys

 

[plasticman]

Okay, so we have have multiple injuries to key positions to start the season off.....wouldn't be a Cowboy season if it didn't start out that way.

The Cowboys have built this team the right way, there should be enough talent to hold down the fort until everybody gets healthy enough. Hopefully, this team can play well enough to allow some of the older guys to rest up more for the end of the regular season so they can be fresher for the postseason.

 

[plasticman]

I love this team....on paper. Man, I just hope these vattos make me love em on the field...ballin’ for real. After all the bs of this year we need something positive to roll with. Can’t think of nothing better than a Cowboys team ballin’ it up big time...
Puro Cowboys

I couldn't say it better, NFL football is great medication for the emotional stress and frustration we are all feeling to some degree.

 

[DanA]

Part of the depth at TE is that the receiving TE on this roster is the 5th option to touch the ball.
- Bell is a known quantity as a blocking TE playing almost 50% of the playoff snaps for the Super Bowl champions.

Tony Pollard adds depth to WR. He could play slot WR if needed.
- With the top 3 all being options at outside WR it's much better depth than when one of the top 2 WRs is a slot WR only (most years with Beasley).

Erving has significant experience starting at OT in the NFL and Knight held up OK in his 1 start last season.
- It's not exactly the year of Chaz Green and Byron Bell as the backup OTs.

At RB it appears Pollard has starter level ability. It's hard to get better depth than that.

Connor Williams was playing really well last season until he went to IR.
- The LG would need to be and F for the starting OGs to average out to B+ considering that Zack Martin is A++++.

I would rate Looney's 2018 performance as a C or C+. He should be slightly better now.
- They have more OL that have played OC than most years or most teams.
- Looney, Biadasz, McGovern, Erving. They also had CW practice at OC with apparently good results.

This scheme will only use 2 traditional LBs. Even the Marinelli scheme only used the SLB for less than 30% of the snaps.
- LVE, Jaylon
- Joe Thomas, March
- Gifford, Lee by game 4.

Agree that CB is around B or B- until proven otherwise for the starters (top 3) but depth is very good.
- The potential is there to be an A for the starters.

Safety is about a C until proven otherwise.
- Thompson started a full season in 2017 and this scheme will hide is weaknesses better than playing single-high FS for the Giants or SS in last year's Cowboys scheme.
- Worley played both Safety and CB last season and looked OK. His best spot might be Safety, especially in the Cowboys new scheme.
- Carr will need some practice time in this scheme, but he would be a good fit at Safety in this scheme where the Safeties are more CB/Safety tweeners than in some other schemes.

I have DT as the top question mark.
- Trysten Hill as the starting 3tech rotating with Crawford who is returning from injury.
- Poe and Woods look good at 1tech if healthy, but neither have stayed healthy for long.

OT should be OK if Tyron can stay healthy until La'el is healthy. If Tyron misses any snaps while La'ell is out, then there are going to be problems.

I think we have similar opinions but just have a different way of grading. Part of the reason I'm grading it to assess how we should/might play. Recognising that Bell isn't as good as say Dallas Goedert acknowledges that we probably won't play as much 12 personnel and Bell won't see as many targets. Same goes with WR depth, I think if injuries occur we won't lean on our WR depth and instead will switch to utilizing Pollard more. Same opinion just different way of grading.

A few minor differences.
I'm not nearly as high on Erving
If I give Martin 97% and Williams 77% that creates a grade of 87% which is a B+
I have average as C. Looney is below average for an NFL starter.
I don't rate any of the OC cover options but have little to go by
I place no confidence in Lee being available week 4
I have Woods as a Average NFL starter and Thompson below average.

In terms of biggest question mark. I For me
Poe/Crawford > X.Woods/Thompson > Looney
Hill/A.Woods/Gallimore > Wilson/Robinson > Badiasz

Way less question marks at DT then safety or Center for me

 

[Cowboyny]

Why the concern at Running Back? Zeke/Pollard, what's the concern?

If Zeke would ever go down for an extended period, Pollard has never been a back who has carried the load, even in his college days. Dowdle is the complete unknown, was he kept strictly for special teams? Let's also not forget they didn't roster a FB, either.

 

[Cowboyny]

They want him to learn both.

Safety is much more similar to CB in this scheme than in the previous scheme.

DC Mike Nolan's basic concept is stop the run with the front 7 and play 2-deep Safeties with 2-deep actually being 2 at medium depth.

The Safeties are most often aligned inside and behind the outside CBs.
- The CB and Safety on each side can mix up coverage(s) from the same alignment.
- On pass plays the Safeties often play like CBs in off-coverage.
- With 2-deep there is less need for a FS with sideline to sideline range.
- With 2-deep there is less need for a SS that has to fight off blocks from OL and TEs.

Oddly, the success of the pass defense is dependent on the front 7's success at stopping the run.
- If they can't, then the Safeties have to become more involved in run defense.
- Nolan will tend to use bigger and bigger front 7 line-ups until they do stop the run.

I think this is why we haven't seen the front office go onto the market to add another safety. MM has stated a few times that they have position flex within their defensive backs, that some of the corners could play some safety if needed. Normally, teams would rarely move a corner to safety unless major injury occurs throughout the unit. However, if Nolan's scheme uses Safeties like zone corners, there is no reason why they cannot be successfully using a corner at the position.

 

[Cowboyny]

Erving has much better physical ability to play OT than Fleming, especially LT.

I believe Erving is a better fit for the zone blocking scheme. As a bonus, he can also backup all 5 OL positions. Is he a quality starter in this league? No, but he is an experienced, capable backup.

 

[Cowboyny]

we've already started the process with Diggs, Robinson
Diggs simply has to be at least the 3rd CB, skill set too good to be 4th string
i'm really for starting Diggs Game 1

- it's key to watch how coaches decide to implement Robison's role and snaps this season.
Will he be a 3rd safety by season's end this year ?
Or will he be primarily special teams this year , with the really big preparation set for 2021 -especially with vets like Xavier, Carr, Worley set
to be free agents next offseason.

- Jerry was stated comments that the team is seeing Robinson as a safety, and more so that's where i think he will end up.
Though i like the idea of getting drafting a well regarded safety prospect.. than trying to convert a guy into a safety (ala by byron jones)

I think this year is about getting Robinson's feet wet so to speak. His main role will be a core special teamer. Perhaps they will use Robinson in certain sub-packages. I don't think his position will be defined this year, based on next year's acquisitions may determine where he ultimately plays. Best hope is that Robinson is competing to become a starter in 2021.

 

[LeonDixson]

My ratings for the 53 man roster:

Defense:
DE: A+ starters, A+ depth
DT: B starters, B depth
LB: A- starters, D depth (Raises to C+ if Sean Lee is healthy)
CB: B- starters, A depth (I'm pretty high on Diggs, Worley, and Awuzie)
S: D starters, D depth

Offense:
QB: B+ starter, A+ depth
RB: A+ starter, B depth
TE: C+ starter, C- depth
WR: A+ starters, D depth
OT: A starters, F depth
OG: B+ starters, C+ depth
OC: D starter, D depth

Weakest starters:
1. Safety
2. Offensive Center
3. Tight End

Least depth
1. Offensive Tackle
2. Safety
3. Wide Receiver
4. Offensive Center

* Linebacker sits at no.2 for least depth until Sean Lee is healthy.

I like your list but I think Looney is an average NFL center. I'd give him a "C".

 

[quickccc]

He would have needed to practice there from the beginning of training camp.

If they had him practice at OT it would likely be more at LT because that the side he has always played.

Erving has significant experience starting games at OT.

They have Knight and if he is not healthy they signed another OT that has been in the NFL (primarily practice squads) shine 2017.

https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/cam-erving/9452

I believe Erving is a better fit for the zone blocking scheme. As a bonus, he can also backup all 5 OL positions. Is he a quality starter in this league? No, but he is an experienced, capable backup.

i'd like to scowl irving's starts at LT with KC Chiefs to see how many of his 5 sacks allowed were his own breakdowns ...and how much was coverage sacks as much as pass happy Chiefs were airing out so many times per game.

i do worry about the reports of irving also not being in best of shape which caused him to miss camp practice catching up per conditioning.
is this our teams problems or league wide issue per pandemic?

here's a bigger dilenma should tyron smith gets nicked or goes down while irving is playing RT, then team would have to shuffle
irving to left T, while knight would be asked to play RT,..if knight is healthy and available himself.

 

[DanA]

I like your list but I think Looney is an average NFL center. I'd give him a "C".

Looney is the 27th highest paid Center in the league and that's probably about where I rank him. Well below average IMO.

 

[EGTuna]

Are there currently 7 WRs on this team with the addition of Turner? That’s not making sense to me.

 

[Cowboyny]

https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/cam-erving/9452


i'd like to scowl irving's starts at LT with KC Chiefs to see how many of his 5 sacks allowed were his own breakdowns ...and how much was coverage sacks as much as pass happy Chiefs were airing out so many times per game.

i do worry about the reports of irving also not being in best of shape which caused him to miss camp practice catching up per conditioning.
is this our teams problems or league wide issue per pandemic?

here's a bigger dilenma should tyron smith gets nicked or goes down while irving is playing RT, then team would have to shuffle
irving to left T, while knight would be asked to play RT,..if knight is healthy and available himself.

Yes, with both Collins/Knight hurt, it makes depth at the position extremely thin. Let's hope they can ride it out for a few weeks. This also tells us that the front office needs to start developing a future starting tackle.

 

[xwalker]

https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/cam-erving/9452


i'd like to scowl irving's starts at LT with KC Chiefs to see how many of his 5 sacks allowed were his own breakdowns ...and how much was coverage sacks as much as pass happy Chiefs were airing out so many times per game.

i do worry about the reports of irving also not being in best of shape which caused him to miss camp practice catching up per conditioning.
is this our teams problems or league wide issue per pandemic?

here's a bigger dilenma should tyron smith gets nicked or goes down while irving is playing RT, then team would have to shuffle
irving to left T, while knight would be asked to play RT,..if knight is healthy and available himself.

A few months ago I reviewed all of Erving's games in 2019.

Today I reviewed all sacks given up by the Chiefs during the 8 games he started.

Most of the sacks were in the 4th quarter when the Chiefs were behind or tied.

Erving looks good any many plays and then just whiffs occasionally.
- Erving looked better in 8 starts at LT than Doug Free did when he played LT.
- He is the OT version of Xavier Sua-Filo.
- Both have repeatedly demonstrated the required physical ability but have just never been consistent enough.
- With XSF my conclusion was that he just lost concentration occasionally and might have forgotten the play or the snap count.
- Erving is the opposite of Fleming.
- Fleming was always about 0.1 seconds from losing the pass pro snap due to lack of athletic ability at LT but he was consistent.

In general Erving appeared to be overly concerned about protecting the inside.
- I think they coached their OTs to error on the side of giving up the edge over giving up the inside to pass rushers.

1st Sack of the Season

• On his 1st sack given up for the season, it was 3rd & 15 with 7 defenders on the line.
• There was 1 down DL over the OC and 3 stand-up players on each side of center.
• The RB was offset to the right (Erving was at LT).
• Erving played it as a short set to protect if the player to his inside blitzed.
• The outside player is the one that rushed and due to the short set had the advantage over Erving.
• The QB held the ball too long for that type of situation.
• If the RB had aligned left, then the sack likely would have come from that side (i.e. Too many pass rushers).

It comes down to needing to have 1 of Tyron or La'el healthy for all games.
- They can manage a few games without 1 of them, but if both are out it will be a problem, IMO.
- Obviously it will be a problem if Tyron were out long term but for a few games I'm more confident with Erving at LT than last year with Fleming at LT.
- I think Fleming would have been OK at RT and might even be a passable started at RT but he just didn't have LT type athletic ability.