Stephen Jones on FA losses

[black label]

If Heath is our Day One starter, this team is in trouble.

Big Time

 

[Bullflop]

Stephen at least sounds like he has a plan to improve that will point Will McClay in a direction that's sorely needed. Here's hoping the draft opportunities in terms of talent fall to us much in favor of success. I'm somewhat encouraged by his decisiveness over Jerry's ahem-ing and hawing. The draft's talent pool appears to favor the team's needs as well, especially in favor of the secondary. Let's see where it all takes us.

 

[gimmesix]

I don't think so myself. I think church was a solid player but not a super star and we won with him. You really can't have it both ways. If church was nothing special then replacing him with a jag wouldn't make that much difference and Heath seems to at least not be a liability

He was not a liability on a limited number of plays playing a different role than Church. As a full-time strong safety, he very well could be a liability. This is why I prefer that a veteran be brought in to at least compete with him. Yes, we might hit on a safety in the draft, but there's certainly no guarantee of it. Let's get someone in here who has at least got some starting experience at strong safety. If that player is beaten out by Heath or a rookie, then Heath or rookie at least will have had to beat out some competition for the job instead of just being handed it.

 

[Texas_Pete]

Whoa!

 

[Texas_Pete]

 

[gimmesix]

Webb or McDonald are the only appealing options. The two are old, injured or both.

At this point, we are going to get far from an ideal candidate. The players we'll be looking at will either have not been picked up because of age, injuries or suspect play. That doesn't mean one of these players can't bring some valuable experience to the spot. Someone like Jairus Byrd, for example, did not play as well in New Orleans as he did in Buffalo so, couple with his age, his stock is down.

He doesn't have to come in here, though, as a guaranteed starter, just someone who has proven he can start in this league and can compete for a spot.

 

[waving monkey]

Now all of a sudden one game is enough evidence to jump to conclusions...right

There's nothing intelligent about that..as a matter of fact, nobody with an ounce of intelligence agrees w your conclusion

I've always believed if you've done once you can do it again. I do know we'll all have to quit and see

 

[waving monkey]

Last year we were in trouble with predictions of as low as 4/12 and many predicting 8/8
I know we all remember that.

 

[Sydla]

Don't have an issue with letting Church or Wilcox walk. Same with Carr. I get Jones' logic but I still think it would have been wise to bring Claiborne back on that one year, $5MM deal. It takes a little pressure off you in the draft. You probably need 2 CBs in this draft if you don't sign anyone and you also need a S. That's 3 of your 6 picks right there.

If you had brought Claiborne back, it gives you a bit of flexibility in the draft.

 

[jjktkk]

It does sound accurate. And it points out the hypocrisy of fans who want to criticize the players for disappointing while they're here but then want to rue when they leave.

If nothing changes, nothing changes.

These type of fans are also usually doing the 'Jerry sucks, Jerrys drunk, yada, yada, yada, wash, rinse, repeat' chants as well. Never even attempting to give Stephen and Will props for finally building this team correctly.

 

[Idgit]

Last year we were in trouble with predictions of as low as 4/12 and many predicting 8/8
I know we all remember that.

I don't think people do remember. These same threads, every offseason. Then what people worry about never ends up being the thing people ought to have been worrying about in the first place.

 

[jjktkk]

Stephen at least sounds like he has a plan to improve that will point Will McClay in a direction that's sorely needed. Here's hoping the draft opportunities in terms of talent fall to us much in favor of success. I'm somewhat encouraged by his decisiveness over Jerry's ahem-ing and hawing. The draft's talent pool appears to favor the team's needs as well, especially in favor of the secondary. Let's see where it all takes us.

Agree. Stephen and Will have been doing a great job the past few years with sound drafting and not overpaying free agent acquisitions either. Its been a sound strategy imo.

 

[tyke1doe]

Intelligent people watch that game and see a safety capable of starting.

Do intelligent people make an evaluation based on one game?

 

[tyke1doe]

nice stuff. But was i the only one who had to mute that creepy voice? i was waiting for chris wallace to pop out.

LOL! He sounds like a late night radio dj for the "Quiet Storm" hours. The mellow, sexy voice is not what you want for a highlight tape.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

That's just math. It means we haven't signed as many qualifying free agents to replace the ones we lost. Those comp picks will be great in 2018. They do nothing for our defense this year.

After the draft comes & goes I think a better determination of the defense can be made.

 

[jjktkk]

He was not a liability on a limited number of plays playing a different role than Church. As a full-time strong safety, he very well could be a liability. This is why I prefer that a veteran be brought in to at least compete with him. Yes, we might hit on a safety in the draft, but there's certainly no guarantee of it. Let's get someone in here who has at least got some starting experience at strong safety. If that player is beaten out by Heath or a rookie, then Heath or rookie at least will have had to beat out some competition for the job instead of just being handed it.

Remember in Marinelli's defense, the safeties are pretty much interchangeable. Plus I don't see Heath being "handed" the job, but rather Heath having shown enough to have earned it. Maybe they will bring in a verteran to compete with him, as well as Dallas drafting a S, but Heath is now a young verteran, so it might be time to see what we got with Heath as a starter.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Been saying this for a long time.

I think all of this means we will play more zone. Tough to play zone without pressure and Stephen saying that pressure is a #1 priority is in line with a team that wants to play more zone.

Making more plays on the ball generally requires more zone as well. Tough to fool offenses with man, but man is certainly needed at times.

By the sounds of it, they think Heath is the starting SS and are probably not looking at a safety in the draft unless one is clear and away the BPA.




YR

 

[big dog cowboy]

The fear here is they force pick defensive players in the draft because they have to.

Well, that is where all the team needs are.

Lucky for the Cowboys the defensive side of the ball is loaded with talent this year.

 

[dogunwo]

I was hopeful Stephen would play these things closer to the vest.

When he does people accuse the Joneses of never saying anything of substance and talking in circles. They can't win.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Awesome!