State of the team one day before TC (3 days before first practice)

[Falco78]

We are in trouble with all of these suspensions

 

[Idgit]

I'm not sure there's been much good news on the defensive side. Signing Thornton and the presumptive return of Scandrick is, and at least we signed Durant in the wake of McClain's suspension. The rest (signing Mayowa, drafting Collins and Tapper) is shaky at best.

I do agree that the coaches (and scouts) need to prove their worth, but you can only do so much with what you've got. Obviously, you would expect less from a fourth-round DE or a low-salary FA than you would from a proven top FA or first-round pick. We're expecting lemons to be turned into lemonade without adding any sugar.

The Mayowa signing gets short shrift because he's not an established starter. But he really was only paid like a contributing player. He won't be a phenom for us by any stretch, but I think he'll end up an example of the kind of signing we ought to be making in FA. He'll log a lot of snaps for us and give us a steady player in the DL rotation we're trying to build.

 

[theebs]

I am just sad at what the opening press conference will be like. It seems every year instead of being excited about the season starting and hearing about football there is some nonsense that this organization causes or gets involved in and that is all that is talked about.

I expect very little from clarence hill, JJT, Mac Engle and many others but I can't blame them this year for most likely talking about everything but football this week.

Here is to hoping that Todd Archer and David Moore can keep some level headedness about all this and maybe keep it about football.

 

[DFWJC]

Just some trivia: the first training camp practice is in 3 days (Saturday Jul 30)

 

[AsthmaField]

Oh, I am fired up about the start of camp. I can't wait to see what some of these young guys can do.

But then, I always like to watch the young guys. Players like Romo and Witten have already shown their abilities... it is guys like Irving, Tapper, Elliott, Mayowa, Prescott, Frazier, etc. that I'm excited to see.

 

[Joe Realist]

 

[KJJ]

The offseason was about as discouraging as our season. We didn't address our two biggest needs, backup QB and DE with viable players and are banking someone will step up. Our two starting DEs will start the season suspended and one of them appears done with another failed drug test. Gregory has more failed drug tests than sacks. Romo is going to have to stay healthy and a few players are going to have to step defensively providing us with some resemblance of a pass rush or it will lead to another losing season.

 

[Idgit]

I am just sad at what the opening press conference will be like. It seems every year instead of being excited about the season starting and hearing about football there is some nonsense that this organization causes or gets involved in and that is all that is talked about.

I expect very little from clarence hill, JJT, Mac Engle and many others but I can't blame them this year for most likely talking about everything but football this week.

Here is to hoping that Todd Archer and David Moore can keep some level headedness about all this and maybe keep it about football.

Yep. The distractions take their toll. Hopefully, we've gotten them out of the way already and camp can just be about football.

 

[Stash]

Interesting situation he has created. He consistently campaigns for sub par players, and when his group doesn't produce, he gets a pass because his players suck.

He got "players" last year, in several areas. Where were the great results then? Easier to just blame it on the players year after year.

 

[theebs]

Yep. The distractions take their toll. Hopefully, we've gotten them out of the way already and camp can just be about football.

Man I hope so. We know the first week will be nothing but non football stuff. Suspensions, DV Accusations, Front Office Drafting problems, Players not being ready because of injury or returning from injury, The terrible situation with the bus accident and whatever else is on the horizon in the next 48 hours.

hopefully by the second week things can sort themselves out and the talk will be about football...or in a greedy way maybe some other team will have its own problems.

I look around the league and everybody has someone suspended or in trouble somehow, beckham announced the giants will win the super bowl, holdouts etc...Maybe those teams will pull some of the attention away.

being in Los Angeles however will probably make that not the case.

 

[Stash]

I am just sad at what the opening press conference will be like. It seems every year instead of being excited about the season starting and hearing about football there is some nonsense that this organization causes or gets involved in and that is all that is talked about.

I expect very little from clarence hill, JJT, Mac Engle and many others but I can't blame them this year for most likely talking about everything but football this week.

Here is to hoping that Todd Archer and David Moore can keep some level headedness about all this and maybe keep it about football.

I'm not defending the people you're singling out, but when these actions directly affect the on-field product, it is "about football".

If the news is bad, you don't shoot the messenger.

 

[Bullflop]

I expect the offense to perform anywhere from outstanding to mediocre, largely dependent upon full seasons of health from both Romo and Dez.

The defense might perform anywhere from mediocre at best to terribly poor at worst. Much depends upon some of the youngsters to surprise us.

 

[gimmesix]

The Mayowa signing gets short shrift because he's not an established starter. But he really was only paid like a contributing player. He won't be a phenom for us by any stretch, but I think he'll end up an example of the kind of signing we ought to be making in FA. He'll log a lot of snaps for us and give us a steady player in the DL rotation we're trying to build.

The trouble is that the suspensions have left us short on "phenom" players. I think the Cowboys have high hopes and if the pro scouting department has done a good job, Mayowa might be more than just steady, and we need to hit on those kinds of players using the strategy that we're using.

Players like Mayowa, Irving, Tapper, Russell and Collins have to prove the staff right or Tyrone Crawford will be the only consistent pressure player we have through the first four games at least.

 

[KJJ]

And as much as the suspensions suck, McClain and Gregory were both guys I considered undependable anyway.

Even though a lot of fans didn't see them as dependable the team was depending on them and didn't cover themselves. Depending on undependable players is part of what helped destroy our 2015 season. We cut two players during the season we were counting on and it left us scrambling. Any team that's counting on players with drug issues, giving them key roles needs to reevaluate how their organization is run.

 

[theebs]

I'm not defending the people you're singling out, but when these actions directly affect the on-field product, it is "about football".

If the news is bad, you don't shoot the messenger.

That is what I said though, this time those reporters who always go on and on about non football stuff have a right to. They are not creating this story or keeping it alive. This time the organization has done that.

 

[Frosty]

This is the year Coach M shows he is can still run a defense or he no longer has it. I expect him to show he can still coach.

Gotta have players to coach, 3 starters out for drug issues, resigning the always injured MO Claiborne, No Pass rushers and the Jones not bringing in any FA's to help. If I was coach M, I would be glad it's my last year under contract. This team is a MESS from the leadership on down.

 

[AsthmaField]

Gotta have players to coach, 3 starters out for drug issues, resigning the always injured MO Claiborne, No Pass rushers and the Jones not bringing in any FA's to help. If I was coach M, I would be glad it's my last year under contract. This team is a MESS from the leadership on down.

I don't think this is Marinelli's last year under contract, although I didn't check and could be wrong. I think he signed a 3 year deal after the 2014 season... which leaves him two more years.

I pretty much agree with the team's free agent philosophy. I got so tired of spending big money on other people's players and having them come in and be average or worse. The cap was always in trouble and overall, it just wasn't a good way to do business.

Now the cap is one of the better in the league and they still bring in solid players like Thornton.

We can't have it both ways... which is the only way they could keep all the fans happy.

 

[Idgit]

That is what I said though, this time those reporters who always go on and on about non football stuff have a right to. They are not creating this story or keeping it alive. This time the organization has done that.

We always do it. Somehow or another, we've got a circus going on all the time. And you're right that those sorts of things take their toll on a team. One of the things I appreciate about Garrett (and I don't want this to be a Garrett thread) is that he's good at tamping down on the distractions. But it just seems like Dallas has an inordinate number of distracting events happening. Things like the bus crash this week (horrible), or the Brent accident. And those things on top of the chaos Jerry likes to rain down on everybody all the time.

 

[theebs]

We always do it. Somehow or another, we've got a circus going on all the time. And you're right that those sorts of things take their toll on a team. One of the things I appreciate about Garrett (and I don't want this to be a Garrett thread) is that he's good at tamping down on the distractions. But it just seems like Dallas has an inordinate number of distracting events happening. Things like the bus crash this week (horrible), or the Brent accident. And those things on top of the chaos Jerry likes to rain down on everybody all the time.

Since 06 and the signing of Owens it has been consistent. There is never a break from it. The Jones family has to have something going on at all times.

Its really a drain. I just want Romo & Witten to walk away champions and rise above this nonsense they are constantly surrounded with. I don't know how they can however because there is always something.

I fully expect Tyron Smith's arm to fall off while eating lunch at camp or something in the coming week.

 

[Stash]

That is what I said though, this time those reporters who always go on and on about non football stuff have a right to. They are not creating this story or keeping it alive. This time the organization has done that.

Sorry, guess I misunderstood your post.