Seahawks sign DT Hankins

[Sydla]

So when they drafted Mazi last year what was the point? Did they not think he had potential to be a home run or even a double or single? If they still feel the way about him now that they did last year then why would you spend money on a progress stopper?

The point was they were hoping they had found a good, quality DT. Their expectations were probably while he wouldn't be great, he'd be serviceable. He wasn't even close to that. He was downright bad. Sometimes you make a mistake in the draft. Sometimes you overestimate how good a player is or will be.

The season ended and it was clear to everyone, including the front office, that run defense was an issue again and that the DT play was not ideal. Since then, they watched their best run defending DT leave, lost another depth guy in Gallimore and have literally done nothing at all to try to improve or sure up the DT position. At the very least, signing some quality DTs would take the pressure off them in the draft and not have them have to force a pick on a DT. Or what happens if they target 4-5 DTs in the first three rounds and they all get snapped up before their picks? Then what? Grab some more slop post draft and watch the DT suck again.

No one who is honest or sane or smart can sit here and try to justify, even a little bit, what their strategy is here. No one who is honest can sit here and say that on March 20th, with a starting duo of Odi and Smith, that the Cowboys at least have a good base at DT to work from.

The Jones suck at this. Plain and simple. And they get to at least lead rich and lavish lifestyles while the fanbase is held hostage by Jerry and his son's idiocy.

 

[Sydla]

It only seems like that because we're one week into a process in which you know this front office is gonna draft first see what they didn't get in the draft and then they're gonna go through the free agents that are left or make a trade and they will fill out the roster then we can decide who they're going with right now that's just who's on the roster by the way oses not bad but how do we know that we're not gonna get sweat from Texas in the draft they don't know that but once they do know then they'll know who to pick up that's left in the free agent market which right now there's a lot and there could be a trade be made we trade for hankins the very guy we're sitting here talking about we made a trade for a couple years back and now he's just a one year player he is not irreplaceable come on guys!!

I mean let's be clear here. Hankins was OK as a player here. He was not great. Pointing to his acquisition as some sort of ground shifting acquisition at the DT position is silly. And when we had him pretty much everyone admitted the DT still had to get better.

What you just highlighted here shows the folly of the Cowboys way and why we continually come up short. If you have a real problem position, going to the draft, hoping you can fix it and then hitting the bargain bin in FA post draft if you can't draft the pieces you need often leads to weak positional groups. And right now the Cowboys arguably have the worst set up at DT in the NFL right now. They have ignored FA, in fact letting two DTs on the roster leave, resulting in them having only 3 on the entire roster. If they think the draft and then bargain bin shopping for slop in June and July is their solution to the DT position, then they are dumber than any of us could imagine.

While most teams look at FA and try to grab the players they want and think they need, the Cowboys sit back and then wait to see what players will come and play for them for the low bargain contracts they are willing to offer.

And then you guys wonder why this team continually comes up short when it matters most.

 

[starfan1]

I think Osi and Mazi are the starters. Wouldn't be two rookies.

and unless things change our achilles heel will still be run defense IMO

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

They thought he could be a plug in and play guy and he sucked. Wasn’t close to ready. So they were wrong last year and you think they’ll be a better team by doubling down on him?

The goal should be to win right now. If you can upgrade the position, a position of need and it can have residual effect across the whole defense then it’s not a progress stopper

If he can’t start this year they have an issue. I can forgive a rookie for struggling. You get less leeway as a second year guy.

 

[Sydla]

and unless things change our achilles heel will still be run defense

At the end of the day, it seems like their solution to the run D will be banking on Mazi improving significantly, whatever rookie they draft be an immediate impact and that whatever slop they sign for bargain pricing will be sufficient. Throw in Zimmer's coaching and DT play will be much better.

Seems like an incredibly risky, and downright dumb, strategy.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

It absolutely can get worse. If they sign a few bargain bin jags in a few weeks and Mazi Smith turns out to be a dud, that's going to be the worst DT rotation in the NFL.

I’m saying you can’t give up more than 200 yards a game. It’s never been done.

 

[blueblood70]

Replacing jags with hopefully just as good jags will hopefully make us as good as last years team….spoiler alert ; last years team wasn’t good enough.

So let me get this straight everyone's up in arms over hankins leaving, now you're calling him a Jag and if we replaced him with something similar you still won't be happy even though you're severely unhappy we allowed Hankins to leave hmmm ??!

you know how bipolar that is ?you know hypocritical that is?? OHH by the way, you think every player available still right now in free agencies a Jag? you're telling me there's nothing good left after the first seven days of free agency?? 6months before game 1? you're saying that every team now that adds players out of this free agent pool and the draft are doomed this year???

Please allow me to give you some leeway and explain how people are up in arms over losing players like tyron Smith who he thought should leave four years ago some of the players who are leaving off this team is no surprise yet including our center including some of our defensive players that went to Washington our running back was not up to par but how do you know the rest of free agency we can't replace them with equal or better value you can't answer that because there's a lot of really good players that are available now that'll be further released and available after the draft because that's what happens once teams know what they need and don't need they'll do some more June 1st cuts and then there'll be some up for trade before they're cut again before the season starts...

You all have bought into the fact that you don't get any of the top players in the first seven days of free agency it's over like everything is a wash and let me give you a newsflash most teams would love they have 36 wins two division titles three straight playoff appearances in the last three years you say it's not good enough no not to get to a Super Bowl but there's about 25 other teams that would love to be in our place they literally never even get that close... So from that information we know the Joneses are not the worst front office in football they're not the cheapest they're not the most delusional they're not the most clueless because they're better than 25 other teams on a yearly basis and really we're only chasing about three other teams two right now maybe in the NFC that are better than the Cowboys or at least we need to get past...​

​

So as much as you may hate the front office as much as you want to exaggerate and this place makes them look like they're just ignorant and don't know what they're doing you're wrong because at least they're doing it better than the majority of the league and yes we all wanna improve and there's still a chance to improve that's what I'm telling you...​

​

Y'all have made-up your minds in the first seven days once again like we heard a couple years back about a historically bad offseason and somehow we're still relative we're competitive we're in the playoffs we were a home team with the second seed apparently the front office has some kind of clue we just hope this year the players they choose to fill out this roster will be better we have no idea right now there's no barometer this is a incomplete to be determined situation that everybody's freaking out about...​

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

But it’s smart to hold the position hostage with a player that’s shown nothing

What position are you talking about that’s being held hostage?

 

[CTcowboy203]

If he can’t start this year they have an issue. I can forgive a rookie for struggling. You get less leeway as a second year guy.

Forgiving it is fine, relying on him for a team with supposed championship aspirations and a mandate to stop the run in the offseason….fools gold. That’s that cowboys “hope”

 

[Sydla]

If he can’t start this year they have an issue. I can forgive a rookie for struggling. You get less leeway as a second year guy.

This is the kind of thinking that the Jones' exhibit and why they consistently come up short.

You need 4 DTs, at a minimum, on your roster. Adding a quality FA DT doesn't relegate Smith to the trash heap. Even if they added Christian Wilkins, Mazi would still have played a lot. So if they are using Mazi starting as their excuse to not bring in better DTs in FA, then they really are dumb.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Forgiving it is fine, relying on him for a team with supposed championship aspirations and a mandate to stop the run in the offseason….fools gold. That’s that cowboys “hope”

So when do you think Mazi will be ready? 4 or 5 years down the road? Either he has it or don’t. You should be able to tell this year.

 

[CTcowboy203]

So let me get this straight everyone's up in arms over hankins leaving, now you're calling him a Jag and if we replaced him with something similar you still won't be happy even though you're severely unhappy we allowed Hankins to leave hmmm ??!

you know how bipolar that is ?you know hypocritical that is?? OHH by the way, you think every player available still right now in free agencies a Jag? you're telling me there's nothing good left after the first seven days of free agency?? 6months before game 1? you're saying that every team now that adds players out of this free agent pool and the draft are doomed this year???

Please allow me to give you some leeway and explain how people are up in arms over losing players like tyron Smith who he thought should leave four years ago some of the players who are leaving off this team is no surprise yet including our center including some of our defensive players that went to Washington our running back was not up to par but how do you know the rest of free agency we can't replace them with equal or better value you can't answer that because there's a lot of really good players that are available now that'll be further released and available after the draft because that's what happens once teams know what they need and don't need they'll do some more June 1st cuts and then there'll be some up for trade before they're cut again before the season starts...

You all have bought into the fact that you don't get any of the top players in the first seven days of free agency it's over like everything is a wash and let me give you a newsflash most teams would love they have 36 wins two division titles three straight playoff appearances in the last three years you say it's not good enough no not to get to a Super Bowl but there's about 25 other teams that would love to be in our place they literally never even get that close... So from that information we know the Joneses are not the worst front office in football they're not the cheapest they're not the most delusional they're not the most clueless because they're better than 25 other teams on a yearly basis and really we're only chasing about three other teams two right now maybe in the NFC that are better than the Cowboys or at least we need to get past...​

​

So as much as you may hate the front office as much as you want to exaggerate and this place makes them look like they're just ignorant and don't know what they're doing you're wrong because at least they're doing it better than the majority of the league and yes we all wanna improve and there's still a chance to improve that's what I'm telling you...​

​

Y'all have made-up your minds in the first seven days once again like we heard a couple years back about a historically bad offseason and somehow we're still relative we're competitive we're in the playoffs we were a home team with the second seed apparently the front office has some kind of clue we just hope this year the players they choose to fill out this roster will be better we have no idea right now there's no barometer this is a incomplete to be determined situation that everybody's freaking out about...​

Actually my point is that they should have made an upgrade over Hankins. I also don’t hate the front office I just think they are incredibly wrong in how they have handled the off season. The issue with you is everything is so black and white ; if you criticize the front office then you hate them. Please.

You also have a habit of grouping me in with group think…I never wanted to get rid of Tyron 4 years ago, I wasn’t even here four years ago dude. Lol

 

[CTcowboy203]

So when do you think Mazi will be ready? 4 or 5 years down the road? Either he has it or don’t. You should be able to tell this year.

My interest are in the Dallas cowboys becoming a Super Bowl champion and on defense stopping the run, Im not gonna sit out good moves because it may hurt mazi’s feelings. Should the cowboys have just waited on taco to develop?

 

[Sydla]

So let me get this straight everyone's up in arms over hankins leaving, now you're calling him a Jag and if we replaced him with something similar you still won't be happy even though you're severely unhappy we allowed Hankins to leave hmmm ??!

you know how bipolar that is ?you know hypocritical that is?? OHH by the way, you think every player available still right now in free agencies a Jag? you're telling me there's nothing good left after the first seven days of free agency?? 6months before game 1? you're saying that every team now that adds players out of this free agent pool and the draft are doomed this year???

Please allow me to give you some leeway and explain how people are up in arms over losing players like tyron Smith who he thought should leave four years ago some of the players who are leaving off this team is no surprise yet including our center including some of our defensive players that went to Washington our running back was not up to par but how do you know the rest of free agency we can't replace them with equal or better value you can't answer that because there's a lot of really good players that are available now that'll be further released and available after the draft because that's what happens once teams know what they need and don't need they'll do some more June 1st cuts and then there'll be some up for trade before they're cut again before the season starts...

You all have bought into the fact that you don't get any of the top players in the first seven days of free agency it's over like everything is a wash and let me give you a newsflash most teams would love they have 36 wins two division titles three straight playoff appearances in the last three years you say it's not good enough no not to get to a Super Bowl but there's about 25 other teams that would love to be in our place they literally never even get that close... So from that information we know the Joneses are not the worst front office in football they're not the cheapest they're not the most delusional they're not the most clueless because they're better than 25 other teams on a yearly basis and really we're only chasing about three other teams two right now maybe in the NFC that are better than the Cowboys or at least we need to get past...​

​

So as much as you may hate the front office as much as you want to exaggerate and this place makes them look like they're just ignorant and don't know what they're doing you're wrong because at least they're doing it better than the majority of the league and yes we all wanna improve and there's still a chance to improve that's what I'm telling you...​

​

Y'all have made-up your minds in the first seven days once again like we heard a couple years back about a historically bad offseason and somehow we're still relative we're competitive we're in the playoffs we were a home team with the second seed apparently the front office has some kind of clue we just hope this year the players they choose to fill out this roster will be better we have no idea right now there's no barometer this is a incomplete to be determined situation that everybody's freaking out about...​

People are up in arms over the fact that Hankins, even despite being just decent, was our best DT and the Cowboys have done nothing to fill his leaving OR, more importantly, actually try to improve upon a positional group that WITH HANKINS, wasn't all that good.

What people were hoping for was SUPPLEMENT what we have to get better at DT. Not tear it down and think a rookie who was terrible last year, another likely rookie in this draft and then whatever slop they sign/trade for will greatly improve our DT play.

You have such disingenuous takes but that's expected from fans who are completely in the tank for the Cowboys and what the Jones boys want to sell them.

 

[starfan1]

At the end of the day, it seems like their solution to the run D will be banking on Mazi improving significantly, whatever rookie they draft be an immediate impact and that whatever slop they sign for bargain pricing will be sufficient. Throw in Zimmer's coaching and DT play will be much better.

Seems like an incredibly risky, and downright dumb, strategy.

you may be right.I do think DT needs to be a round 1 or 2 priority. Banking on Mazi and Osa and the back up scrubs will be a huge mistake.Run defense is this teams biggest issue

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

This is the kind of thinking that the Jones' exhibit and why they consistently come up short.

You need 4 DTs, at a minimum, on your roster. Adding a quality FA DT doesn't relegate Smith to the trash heap. Even if they added Christian Wilkins, Mazi would still have played a lot. So if they are using Mazi starting as their excuse to not bring in better DTs in FA, then they really are dumb.

Huh? What Jones thinking? Because I think a 1st round pick should be starting by year 2? That's their thinking and that's why they come up short lol?

They will sign some DT's. Probably draft. So if it's a matter of having bodies? I'm sure they will have them. They have Gholston, they have Osa they have Mazi. They will sign or draft another one.

And let's don't be naive......we know this front office doesn't value the DT position enough to spend money on it.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

lol another hole to fill.

Cowboys have resigned Carl Davis. 6-5 and 335 lbs.

Not saying he's a great player or even equal to Hankins.

But the hole left has been filled, whether it's good enough or not remains to be seen...

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

you may be right.I do think DT needs to be a round 1 or 2 priority. Banking on Mazi and Osa and the back up scrubs will be a huge mistake.Run defense is this teams biggest issue

I think people believe though that interior on the line is why our defense was bad and that's just not the case. This defense had issues stopping the run and a lot of those big runs came running at our best defensive player.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

I agree

You cannot trust Mazi and Carl Davis

Too early to tell, remember Mazi lost weight, if he puts some back on, he might still turn out well.

In any case, I'm not consigning him to the trash pile yet....

 

[Sydla]

You all have bought into the fact that you don't get any of the top players in the first seven days of free agency it's over like everything is a wash and let me give you a newsflash most teams would love they have 36 wins two division titles three straight playoff appearances in the last three years you say it's not good enough no not to get to a Super Bowl but there's about 25 other teams that would love to be in our place they literally never even get that close... So from that information we know the Joneses are not the worst front office in football they're not the cheapest they're not the most delusional they're not the most clueless because they're better than 25 other teams on a yearly basis and really we're only chasing about three other teams two right now maybe in the NFC that are better than the Cowboys or at least we need to get past...​

​

This is a stone cold pile of BS.

I pointed this out to you earlier. Since Brandon Carr was signed and we decided to sit out FA, there have been 12 teams that have made the SB over that time period. And 22 teams overall that have at least made a conference title game.

So no, there aren't 25 teams that are just dying to have the kind of success we have had. Over the last decade, we are literally one of the bottom third teams in the NFL by playoff success, which is the only measure that matters.

PS - I hate to burst your bubble, but when you start digging into actual cash spent over certain periods, yeah, the Jones are actually some of the cheapest owners in the NFL. For example, from 2016-2020, they were DEAD LAST in actual cash spent to players. For the last two years, they are in the BOTTOM 5 in actual cash spent.