Sean Lee question

[arglebargle]

Hindsight drafting makes everyone a genius.

And 'injury prone' should be applied just to players who've shown a pattern of similar injuries. Don't think there was much that showed Lee'd had any concussions before. And even then, you just can't tell: Frank Gore had two serious knee scopes in college, and fell into the 2nd round because of it. And he's still playing well over a decade later.

 

[Jenky]

We were one of the few teams wise enough to have Bowman ranked as a 1st rounder. Of course, Bowman turned out to be injury prone too.... ;(

Wouldn't really say Bowman is injury prone. He had 1 freak injury. That's about it. That guy is a monster.

 

[daveferr33]

Yes but if you're using that barometer of "we could have taken so and so instead of him" when nobody was upset with the pick at the time, then you're just playing the hindsight game. Its not like Lee was a colossal reach or a choice of an inept FO.

I personally loved the pick and am a big fan of Lee (I'm also a psu alumn from western pa).

My simple point is playing the hindsight game is called evaluation.

If in hindsight, we decide that it was a bad pick, then we figure out how not to make that mistake again. Maybe you decide not to draft players who fall into the second round because of injuries or an injury history.

I understand this is an academic exercise for us fans, but that's what we do.

But to answer Risen's question--It was not a good pick. Its a roster spot that's a perennial a question mark. It is impossible to build a defense around him.

 

[SultanOfSix]

Lee is great. Unfortunately, Jerry's curse of the snake bitten "black magic" has also been transferred to Sean and caused all of these injury problems. If he was on the Pats, he'd probably be in the HOF by now.

 

[T-RO]

Good draft pick. We got value.

Average the superlatives he sometimes delivered with his absences...and you get 'good'.

 

[Jstopper]

I personally loved the pick and am a big fan of Lee (I'm also a psu alumn from western pa).

My simple point is playing the hindsight game is called evaluation.

If in hindsight, we decide that it was a bad pick, then we figure out how not to make that mistake again. Maybe you decide not to draft players who fall into the second round because of injuries or an injury history.

I understand this is an academic exercise for us fans, but that's what we do.

But to answer Risen's question--It was not a good pick. Its a roster spot that's a perennial a question mark. It is impossible to build a defense around him.

But you realize even the best teams at drafting have hiccups right? Sometimes it's completely unavoidable. Sometimes that surefire can't miss pick ends up being the exact opposite. No way you would know it at the time.

 

[Jenky]

Let's say Lee is pretty much done with his career. I'm not saying he is or probably is, just for this hypothetical let's assume the head issue is something he can't play with anymore.

If that's the case, how do you view the use of that 2010 55th overall selection? Was it a good decision? Bad? Would you do it again knowing what you know now?

I will hold off on my own thoughts on this as I know how respected and influential I am around here and I want your honest take on it before I correct it.

He was worth the chance. Would I do it again? No. Some way, some how, I'd go for Bowman.

 

[Nightman]

Let's say Lee is pretty much done with his career. I'm not saying he is or probably is, just for this hypothetical let's assume the head issue is something he can't play with anymore.

If that's the case, how do you view the use of that 2010 55th overall selection? Was it a good decision? Bad? Would you do it again knowing what you know now?

I will hold off on my own thoughts on this as I know how respected and influential I am around here and I want your honest take on it before I correct it.

You can't even look it at that way. He already exceeded any expectations of a second round pick when he made the team Year Two. Even Bruce Carter was a successful 2nd round pick.

His talent was a mid first talent so we you could say we got what he expected. I will still take the good over the missed games. It is not like he is Greg Oden and we wasted the number one overall pick.

All we did was save ourselves from drafting another TE like Ed Dickson.

 

[arglebargle]

Wouldn't really say Bowman is injury prone. He had 1 freak injury. That's about it. That guy is a monster.

It was a jib at folks who think any two injuries is cause to label a player as 'injury prone.'

To paraphrase one college coach, 'If you find a college football player who wasn't injured, he didn't play.'

 

[Nightman]

I thought we had Bowman around the same area.

Bowman went one pick after our original pick in the 3rd but we traded that pick to move up in the first for Dez and a 4th.

 

[Nightman]

It was a jib at folks who think any two injuries is cause to label a player as 'injury prone.'

To paraphrase one college coach, 'If you find a college football player who wasn't injured, he didn't play.'

Especially inside LBers

 

[JoeKing]

We could not of known he would be plagued with injuries his whole career so considering how good he is when he is healthy, I do not feel bad about drafting him with the 2010 55th overall pick. If his playing career is over I would consider him for a coaching position and put him in charge of Nzeocha's progress.

 

[perrykemp]

If you're going to take a chance, you might as well do it on a great player. It just didn't work out. Resigning him was the bigger mistake.

The Cowboys waste their #2 picks which is one of the reasons IMHO why they've been to the playoffs just once in the past 5 years.

2006: Fasano - Never contributed in Dallas. Left and is still producing. Respectable player.
2007: Traded away
2008: Martellus Bennett - Never contributed in Dallas. Left and is still producing. Pro-bowl player
2009: Traded away
2010: Lee - Known injury issues in college. They took a chance on his talent but they've never been able to depend on him due to annual injury issues. Hasn't finished a season since 2011!
2011: Carter - Known injury issues in college and was one of the concerns with him him at NC was his motor. Played his rookie contract, was <mainly> disappointing and is gone.
2012: Traded Away - Traded away pick as part of the Claiborne deal
2013: Escobar - 3 years in looks like he'll never bee a contributor in Dallas.
2014: Lawrence - Cowboys traded up to get D-Law. 16 games (played) in and has 1 sack to his name. Too early to make a real judgement but you'd hope for more production for a guy they invested this much in
2015: Gregory - 8 games in and 0 solo tackles, 0 assists, and 0 sacks. Been injuried -- it's way to early to make a judgement.

 

[Chuck 54]

Very good to great player when healthy and on the field.
Knowing what I know now, injuries and games missed, hell no I wouldn't draft him again...I'm not stupid.
More importantly, no way I'd sign him to the contract we gave him, not knowing what we know now. Injured players handicap a team only slightly less than guys who bust.

Players like Lee have suddenly had a run of healthy luck almost as good as their run of unlucky injuries. One can only hope...because so far he hasn't been worth the pick or contract.

 

[percyhoward]

The Cowboys waste their #2 picks which is one of the reasons IMHO why they've been to the playoffs just once in the past 5 years.

2006: Fasano - Never contributed in Dallas. Left and is still producing. Respectable player.
2007: Traded away
2008: Martellus Bennett - Never contributed in Dallas. Left and is still producing. Pro-bowl player
2009: Traded away
2010: Lee - Known injury issues in college. They took a chance on his talent but they've never been able to depend on him due to annual injury issues. Hasn't finished a season since 2011!
2011: Carter - Known injury issues in college and was one of the concerns with him him at NC was his motor. Played his rookie contract, was <mainly> disappointing and is gone.
2012: Traded Away - Traded away pick as part of the Claiborne deal
2013: Escobar - 3 years in looks like he'll never bee a contributor in Dallas.
2014: Lawrence - Cowboys traded up to get D-Law. 16 games (played) in and has 1 sack to his name. Too early to make a real judgement.
2015: Gregory - 8 games in and 0 solo tackles, 0 assists, and 0 sacks. Been injured way to early to make a judgement.

Kinda hard to criticize the Lee pick when our track record (2006-13) makes the Lee pick look good.

 

[CowboyStar88]

Injuries are part of the game. Lee is a talent and a guy who plays 100 MPH and unfortunately his body isn't the type of body that can hold up front that. He was a great pick and I would make that pick again if it were me because injuries are a 50/50 thing. Sucks though he could've been one of the best.

 

[perrykemp]

More importantly, no way I'd sign him to the contract we gave him, not knowing what we know now

The irony is THEY DID sign him to a huge new contract despite Lee injury concerns.

Not only that, they RUSHED to do it after Lee was just 3 years into his rookie deal that had another year left....

Completely idiocy by the front-office.

 

[slick325]

If Dallas could do it over Bowman is the better player even after his horrific injury. But...the draft is an inexact science so I would still pull the trigger on Lee. Good decision at the time but he will not go down as a player fans speak of years from now because he wasn't on the field enough. Period. Flashed talent but nothing consistent in my eyes. I'm fine with or without him at this point.

 

[Nightman]

If Dallas could do it over Bowman is the better player even after his horrific injury. But...the draft is an inexact science so I would still pull the trigger on Lee. Good decision at the time but he will not go down as a player fans speak of years from now because he wasn't on the field enough. Period. Flashed talent but nothing consistent in my eyes. I'm fine with or without him at this point.

Moving up to get Dez cost us a chance at Bowman. Getting Lee at 55 was a steal then and a steal now.

Lee's body has nothing to do with getting kneed to the head by his 270lb teammate RoMc.

 

[perrykemp]

Hindsight drafting makes everyone a genius.

And 'injury prone' should be applied just to players who've shown a pattern of similar injuries. Don't think there was much that showed Lee'd had any concussions before. And even then, you just can't tell: Frank Gore had two serious knee scopes in college, and fell into the 2nd round because of it. And he's still playing well over a decade later.

A brief history of Lee's injuries:

2008 - blew out a ACL at Penn State
2011 - dislocated his wrist
2012 - season ending foot injury
2013 - season ending neck injury
2014 - season ending ACL
2015 - 2 concussions in 8 games

Here were some of the comments about him before the draft in 2010:

• “I love him as a player,” one NFL GM said, “He can coach your whole defense. But he’s slight [6-2, 236], so durability is an issue. I’m not sure he can last on the inside in this league.”
• “Helluva player,” said an NFL defensive coordinator, “but those knees are a concern.”
• “He’s better than either Connor or Posluszny,” an NFL personnel director said, “He has great hands and great instincts. But we have medical concerns. I wish he was stouter.”
• “He’s the best linebacker in this draft,” another NFL defensive coordinator said. “But can he stay on the field for you?”

How much hindsight there on Lee?

He was considered a big risk by other NFL clubs.

Cowboys decided to roll the dice.

I'm not sure the outcome has been surprising at all.