So what really needs to be secured for a deep and protected dominant defense, now?

[CCBoy]

I mean, even bland was out. This team got screwed this season almost as bad as Detroit.

Injury is an uncaring burden for sure.

 

[Cmac]

Coming into the 2024 season, the Dallas Cowboys cornerback room looked like one of the strongest position groups on their entire roster. The biggest boost to the group came in the fact that Dallas was returning their number one cornerback, Trevon Diggs, after he missed nearly the entire 2023 regular season with an ACL injury.

The Cowboys were set to pair Diggs with All-Pro DaRon Bland, creating what on paper looked like the best cornerback duo in the NFL. To make the position group even deeper, the Cowboys re-signed slot cornerback Jourdan Lewis in free agency and spent their fifth-round pick on Wake Forrest cornerback Caelen Carson.

Dallas appeared to have one of the strongest and deepest cornerback rooms in all of football. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, nothing has gone according to plan. The bad news for the cornerback room started two weeks before the beginning of the regular season when DaRon Bland broke a bone in his foot, forcing him to miss significant time.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...n-diggs-daron-bland-jourdan-lewis-josh-butler

There is the need for one more new, youthful, and very talented cornerback to protect this element in a pass dominant NFL

Number one but can come either in free agency or in the 1st or 2nd round of the draft.

Next in importance, is the defensive line for a truly dominant team. Dallas has leadership and dominance in depth at defensive end. It has some still young and still evolving defensive tackles and their contracts should stabilize this element for the short projection.

A really good defensive tackle needs some time to dominate and live on his own instincts. The best way to add this still needed element is to pay out in free agency and add a three year piece. Free Agency here you come. Stephen can't speak over Jerry the DC.

Fact is, Jerry, this is your one piece needed to elevate the entire team's product.

The rest of the box needed is linebacker. It is a good group, but I would resign all involved now, and add the very best middle linebacker in the draft, now. Overlap and learning need to stabilize this group for about five seasons. This is a very good group like the cornerback group and getting healthy is necessary as well. Good medical and Jerry pays a ton for his team staff.

The team always builds offensive linemen development for offense, but speed and break away dominance are still a need.

The Cowboys need a difference maker at running back and receiver.

That then becomes CB, LB, DT, RB, and WR...via the free agency and draft.

I would get the defensive tackle up front in free agency.

I would strongly dabble with running back, wide receiver, and linebacker with the first three picks in the draft now.

To save you a bit of writing......Watch the GB playoff game more than an Andy Griffith rerun. Go to HBCU or smaller schools too, find "dawgs".....meaning speed and country strong. Find a new & healthy "Overshown" or two, a couple of DTs and a DE........need to improve team speed on D.

Ideally, the best move would be to hire a GM (I'm reaching). Snatch Brett Veach (KC) or Eric DeCosta (Balt) since Howie Roseman is probably untouchable. Jerry and Stephen would still be able to smile and lie.

The offense definitely needs to attack the RB group and WR group......we don't need JAGs. This will help Dak and Cee Dee.

 

[CCBoy]

To save you a bit of writing......Watch the GB playoff game more than an Andy Griffith rerun. Go to HBCU or smaller schools too, find "dawgs".....meaning speed and country strong. Find a new & healthy "Overshown" or two, a couple of DTs and a DE........need to improve team speed on D.

Ideally, the best move would be to hire a GM (I'm reaching). Snatch Brett Veach (KC) or Eric DeCosta (Balt) since Howie Roseman is probably untouchable. Jerry and Stephen would still be able to smile and lie.

The offense definitely needs to attack the RB group and WR group......we don't need JAGs. This will help Dak and Cee Dee.

Writing a lot is really a pompous label.

Where I live was where Ronnie Bull came from. He was an All American at Baylor and then drafted by the Bears. He was the Rookie of the Year in 1963.

Sid Blanks was the first black player at Texas A&I as well as the first drafted player in 1964 with the Houston Oilers. I played at the Air Force Academy and then Texas A&I. I played with Don Hardemon, who was drafted also in the first round by Houston, as a running back in 1975.

I played with at A&I, the following players:

From A&I, Dwight Harrison, Eldridge Small, and Levi Johnson were secondary drafted players from 1971 to 1973. Also tight end David Hill. All were Pro Bowl during their carreers. They were joined by 1st round drafted DE Ernest Price and 1975 Houston drafted running back Don Hardemon.

Karl Douglas was drafted in the 3rd round by the Baltimore Colts in 1971. The year that Johnny Unitas and Earl Morrill left.

I'm really not ignorant nor blind of strengths of players drafted throughout the country and different sources of play.

 

[CCBoy]

To save you a bit of writing......Watch the GB playoff game more than an Andy Griffith rerun. Go to HBCU or smaller schools too, find "dawgs".....meaning speed and country strong. Find a new & healthy "Overshown" or two, a couple of DTs and a DE........need to improve team speed on D.

Ideally, the best move would be to hire a GM (I'm reaching). Snatch Brett Veach (KC) or Eric DeCosta (Balt) since Howie Roseman is probably untouchable. Jerry and Stephen would still be able to smile and lie.

The offense definitely needs to attack the RB group and WR group......we don't need JAGs. This will help Dak and Cee Dee.

I agree on the WR and RB groups. Cam Skattebo added with Rico Dowdle could well solve tons of offensive problems.

 

[Cmac]

I agree on the WR and RB groups. Cam Skattebo added with Rico Dowdle could well solve tons of offensive problems.

Fair enough, I like Omarion Hampton to go with Rico.

 

[Chasing6]

Brandon Loree
@Brandoniswrite


The only cornerbacks under contract heading into 2025 for the Cowboys: - DaRon Bland - Trevon Diggs (knee injury) - Caelen Carson Cornerback is in serious consideration for Round 1 of the draft. #DallasCowboys


2:47 PM · Dec 29, 2024


Unless they have a shift in philosophy, it will be hard for the Cowboys to bring back Jourdan Lewis, who is a free agent at season’s end. With how he’s played this year, Lewis will almost certainly be offered a multi-year contract worth more money than the Cowboys will be willing to match. If Lewis does walk, Dallas would be down to just Bland and Carson as their starting corners until Diggs returns from injury late in the regular season.

After the performance he put on display this season, it would be very hard to envision the Cowboys trusting Carson enough to enter the season with him as one of their starting cornerbacks. If this is the case, it will almost force Dallas to spend one of the first three draft picks on a cornerback or acquire a starting-caliber corner that can play outside in free agency.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...n-diggs-daron-bland-jourdan-lewis-josh-butler

Jerry is infatuated with comp picks. He will most likely let our valued FA's walk.

 

[CCBoy]

Jerry is infatuated with comp picks. He will most likely let our valued FA's walk.

Comp picks abound come draft day.

 

[Johannes44]

Remember what Fletcher Cox was for Philly? Yea that's what we need in Dallas.

 

[StarLord]

Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa has been an excellent player for the price of a third-round pick, but in a weak defensive tackle market, his price could skyrocket. Odighizuwa is slightly less productive than Nnamdi Madubuike of the Baltimore Ravens, but his projected market is in that same range. At $20 to $25 million, Odighizuwa won’t be worth the cost for Dallas, and the team will need to use an early draft selection for his replacement.

Cornerback Jourdan Lewis might have priced himself out of Dallas with his play in 2024, but the injury to Treven Diggs might be enough to force the Cowboys’ hand. A multiyear contract will be necessary, and a cap hit of under three million isn’t enough this time. Lewis has shown an ability to perform in multiple defensive schemes, and Jerry Jones will find a way to keep him on the roster, if necessary, as Diggs insurance.

Chauncey Golston has had a breakout season, and while he doesn’t have the gaudy statistics, his play was invaluable for the injury-riddled Cowboys. His ability to stop the run as an edge defender helped the team improve defensively as the season progressed.

Golston is in the top 12 among defensive ends in run defense snaps, solo tackles, assisted tackles, and batted passes. He is in the top 20 in total snaps and run stops. His lack of pass rush will keep him from a huge payday, so if the defensive end market is down some, then it is possible the Cowboys can get him to return. A trade-off of losing Odighizuwa but keeping Lewis and Golston could be the plan for this front office.

https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/20...nts-in-house-odighizuwa-dowdle-golston-lewis/

Dak's demands, CDs demands, Micah's soon-to-be demands, and Jerry's willingness to completely cave will absolutely cost us good players currently on the team .. possibly all three that you've mentioned.

 

[Chasing6]

Comp picks abound come draft day.

Yes, a year later. So a late 5th, which is basically an early 6th, in reality is a 7th.

Jerry is a genius.

 

[CCBoy]

Dak's demands, CDs demands, Micah's soon-to-be demands, and Jerry's willingness to completely cave will absolutely cost us good players currently on the team .. possibly all three that you've mentioned.

There are plenty of options to pay for all of them and perhaps a couple of free agents.

 

[kskboys]

Remember what Fletcher Cox was for Philly? Yea that's what we need in Dallas.

Yup, and we passed him up for Mo. And yes, I thought it was stupid at the time, no hindsight.

 

[CCBoy]

Mike: The first name that springs to mind was Josh Butler. As Cowboys fans waited for DaRon Bland to return followed by losing Trevon Diggs, it was Butler who stepped in and looked extremely impressive. He led the team in tackles against Washington which helped the team get a surprise victory on the road and of it wasn’t for injury this cornerback position wouldn’t look so bad (and have to watch Andrew Booth). Another one who surprised who stepped in due to injury has been Marist Liufau. His playmaking abilities on defense has been fun to watch and the future looks bright for the young linebacker and seeing him develop this season has been an exciting highlight.

Dana: One of the more exciting guys to watch this season was Marist Liufau. He saw a lot of snaps in the later part of the season due to DeMarvion Overshown’s injury and he did a great job showcasing the type of player he is. He is a very physical, hard-hitting linebacker that attacks the ball to create turnovers. In back-to-back games in December, he forced two fumbles and logged 1.5 sacks. In the three games since Overshown’s injury, Liufau has had 16 total tackles. Fans should be excited about having LB’s like Overshown and Liufau together once Overshown is healthy.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...fseason-al-harris-mike-mccarthy-marist-liufau

 

[CCBoy]

In our most recent Mike McCarthy Replacement Rankings, Brady wrestled the No. 1 spot away from Detroit’s Ben Johnson, so we roll with him in our initial mock offseason. Brady runs a passing offense that is huge on pre-snap motion (66% this year) and a West Coast attack, which Dak Prescott has run under McCarthy. The run game is a zone scheme, which has worked in Dallas in the recent past.

https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/li...ead-coach-free-agency/?itm_source=parsely-api

 

[Hadenough]

I would strongly dabble with running back, wide receiver, and linebacker with the first three picks in the draft now.

DE, DT, LB

 

[CCBoy]

Carl Lawson: Successful Return To The NFL​

When the Cowboys signed veteran Carl Lawson in late August, nobody batted an eye. The former Cincinnati Bengal and New York Jet had not recorded a sack since 2022, and his health was a major concern for teams.

With DeMarcus Lawrence, Sam Williams, Marshawn Kneeland, and Micah Parsons all missing time in 2024, he was asked to step up, and he did.

Lawson will enter Week 18 with five sacks under his belt and 15 quarterback hits in just 14 games played. Only three of those games were starts, which makes his stats even more impressive. Only Parsons has more sacks than Lawson this year, as he’s tied with DeMarvion Overshown for the second most on the team.

2024 may not have been a good year for Dallas, but it gave a career revival to one of the most veteran Cowboys players. Carl Lawson has earned his way back into the league, and he will see that work rewarded with a contract this offseason.

https://insidethestar.com/3-cowboys-players-that-exceed-their-preseason-expectations

 

[CCBoy]

Bring back:

DE DeMarcus Lawrence​

DT Osa Odighizuwa​

Edge Carl Lawson​

Edge Tyrus Wheat (ERFA)​

DT Chauncey Golston​

LB Eric Kendricks​

The Cowboys ended this game with six sacks. (I had predicted 5)

Of those six, 2.5 are attributed to Micah Parsons, who etched his name in the history books once again.


https://insidethestar.com/cowboys-loss-comes-at-the-buzzer-in-23-19-thriller-against-commanders

 

[stilltheguru]

People mentioning coaches is so funny to me. Robert Saleh will save the day right?

 

[CCBoy]

Osa Odighizuwa and Micah Parsons give the Cowboys quite the inside-outside pairing on the defensive line. The two explosive pass rushers offer Dallas a variety of options. Both can play from a variety of techniques and pass rush through a variety of gaps. They can twist and stunt with the best of them and they feed off each other, offering the Cowboys a great combo to work with.

Unfortunately, Odighizuwa is a free agent, and the Cowboys may not be willing to pay him to come back. If the Cowboys only had a stout presence to pair with Odighizuwa on the inside, they could have unlocked even more production from their free agent to-be.

https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/lists/long-term-questions-takeaways-cowboys-commanders-week-18/

Ask me if this pair is a pretty important duo for the defense...

 

[CCBoy]

Mazi Smith’s rookie season was historically poor. The Cowboys top draft pick failed in every phase of the game, and if it wasn’t for his draft status, he probably wouldn’t have been retained in Year 2. Smith didn’t play great in his second year, but he was certainly serviceable. In Week 18 Smith offered more of the same, looking like a decent rotational defensive tackle but not someone who looks like a starter.

This is really a big win considering what he looked like in 2023. On most defenses, Smith would slot somewhere around DT4 but his draft status may influence the Cowboys to consider him Plan A at starting DT heading into the 2025 offseason.

https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/lists/long-term-questions-takeaways-cowboys-commanders-week-18/