Stephen Jones optimistic after Cowboys ‘exceed’ preseason expectations

[Donhyphen]

2012 draft was just another poor decision in this era giving up or basically wasting our 2nd rd pick. There were other CB there in 1st rd without moving up. These poor decisions in 2nd rd this era are a symptom for the process taking so long for this rebuild to progress. As good as our 1st rd picks otherwise have been under Garrett the team has still missed the playoffs 5 of the last 6 years and are in jeopardy of missing again this year. Regardless of some of the talent that has been added the dynamics must all be questioned without better results thus far.

Is Smith ready to go?

 

[starfrombirth]

What he could have meant -

• they may have found their QB of the future against all odds ... in the 4th round
  
• the running game could be 90's Cowboys dominant.
  
• the defense, instead of getting steamrolled in training camp day in and day out by the best offensive line in football as most would have expected, held it's own
• Claiborne looks like a player helping boost a much improved secondary
• overall team depth is better than in the past excluding a few troublesome eyesores

Doesn't mean it will all work out to mean much. There are warts too. There is that very questionable pass rush and losing Romo any other year is a deal-breaker, maybe this year too. One of those eyesores is DE, not my first choice at where I'd want to be paper thin at. And I still question that 11th starter on offense, they still haven't found a perfect fit there since "Moose" it seems like.

Saying all that, this team has a certain toughness and a mix of 'ole wily veterans and youthful exuberance that I can't wait to see hit the field personally.

I agree with everything except the last bullet point. Our scrubs got steamrolled by the other team scrubs

 

[starfrombirth]

I am pretty happy with the starting defense though. Are starting defense beat the starting offensive almost 2 to 1. You can't ask for more than that.

 

[CouchCoach]

At the time Claiborne was drafted, no one other than genius fans on Cowboys message boards thought it was a reach. It's easy enough to go back through the draft profiles and rankings and see that. He hasn't worked out to this point, but it doesn't mean that they didn't do their due diligence.

Nothing wrong with Claiborne at that pick, he was a consensus top 10 and a lot of mocks had him in the top 5. The problem was giving up the 2nd rounder and "reaching" because of need. Most of the time when the Cowboys have gone based on need, it has not worked out well. Owens was an exception, Galloway and UT Williams were not.

I found it funny that the same ones that hammer Booger for drafting for need hammered him for taking Elliott, the BPA. I guess if your guy doesn't get picked, doesn't matter.

We have made some real questionable moves with our 2nd rounders but getting a top 6 pick before his injury and rolling the dice with him is not squandering that pick. And he just happens to be a need as well. If that doesn't work out, we will have to go high in 2017 and get a LB. If Smith responds, we can go DE or (gasp, dare I say it?) QB.

 

[Donhyphen]

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374 × 359 - quoteaddicts.com

 

[Risen Star]

I agree with everything except the last bullet point. Our scrubs got steamrolled by the other team scrubs

Our depth gets out played practically every week of every preseason in recent memory.

Now that would be bad enough but we're also blessed with two guys at the top of our personnel department that don't know any better and thus don't do anything to change it.

The proof is in the pudding. If we have suddenly become a good drafting team you'd see it in those games. The truth is we still struggle to identify college talent and our entire personnel department, including the legendary Will McClay, should be fired.

 

[kevm3]

Considering our history of 2nd round picks, giving up that 2nd to get Claiborne, who was considered one of the best defenders in the draft and at a time where we really needed better CB play, is a nonissue. Our history of 2nd rounders: Demarcus Lawrence is suspended, Randy Gregory is suspended. Bruce Carter isn't on the team anymore, Escobar hardly sees the field, Sean Lee has been excellent but you never know how many games he's going to play. Jaylon Smith isn't playing this year. Martellus Bennett could play, but his attitude wears teams thin quickly.

 

[Diehardblues]

Our depth gets out played practically every week of every preseason in recent memory.

Now that would be bad enough but we're also blessed with two guys at the top of our personnel department that don't know any better and thus don't do anything to change it.

The proof is in the pudding. If we have suddenly become a good drafting team you'd see it in those games. The truth is we still struggle to identify college talent and our entire personnel department, including the legendary Will McClay, should be fired.

At some point we'd hope all of this great drafting we're doing will result in more successful seasons.

Results like making the playoffs used to be a measurement of success. Now it appears revenue and fantasy teams are?

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

Due diligence?

They called him the "next Deion". If that doesn't denote lazy scouting, I don't know what does.

They weren't the only ones...Claiborne was pretty much considered a no risk pick. You can try to change history but it was pretty much universally praised as a sure thing.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

The bigger argument was not whether Claiborne was the most talented CB in draft but was he worth moving up giving up our 2nd rd pick for. And were there greater needs we had with both of those picks.Even if Claiborne had developed sooner or reached closer to the expectations the pick and trade were very questionable. It wasnt only forum fans questioning the pick. Local beatwriters and sportscasters did as well.

Which is a different argument altogether.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

Our depth gets out played practically every week of every preseason in recent memory.

Now that would be bad enough but we're also blessed with two guys at the top of our personnel department that don't know any better and thus don't do anything to change it.

The proof is in the pudding. If we have suddenly become a good drafting team you'd see it in those games. The truth is we still struggle to identify college talent and our entire personnel department, including the legendary Will McClay, should be fired.

And this is why when we lose one or two key players we might as well throw in the towel.

 

[Diehardblues]

So much had been made of our great first round picks but at least part of the reason our depth lacks and the rebuild has been so slow is the rest of the drafts haven't produced enough talent.

And a big component in that equation is our misses in 2nd rd due to high risk or simply giving it away.

 

[Redball Express]

the only man in AMERICA that has more job security than garrett is jerry.

I hope you are wrong..

to me Garrett is now auditioning for his future with DAK.

If he doesn't show progress with DAK and keep the team in the hunt for the NFL East...

I think it will effect his status going forward..

Garrett has to be showing he can overcome adversity and win.

so far he has struggled with that..

last year and in the 8-8 seasons where one more win meant the playoffs.

Nothing..

Wade Phillips did better than Garrett.

If Garrett can'take get it done..

I think he'should be gone.

Let Linehan or Marinelli give it a shot.

Either of them are better than Garrett.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Our depth gets out played practically every week of every preseason in recent memory.

Now that would be bad enough but we're also blessed with two guys at the top of our personnel department that don't know any better and thus don't do anything to change it.

The proof is in the pudding. If we have suddenly become a good drafting team you'd see it in those games. The truth is we still struggle to identify college talent and our entire personnel department, including the legendary Will McClay, should be fired.

In every week of every preseason we pull our starters and second string at least a series or two before the opposition. Sometimes like in the Seattle game it is much more pronounced. Marinelli also likes to put rookies and young players in a unit ahead to see how they perform. Coleman, Nzeocha, Hitchens, Brown, Russell, and Wilcox have all gotten that treatment.

The Cowboys don't put their players in positions to win nor do they really try all out strategically to win in the preseason. Your expectations are just out of whack.

The 2013 draft was the last draft of the Ciskowski era. Fred is the only pick left and although Wilcox and Escobar are still one the team from that draft they have not accomplished much. TWill has been productive.

The next two drafts have netted us Jones Martin DLaw Green Hitchens Wilson Nzeocha and Swaim. This year it looks like they have hit on Brown and Dak late and there are several promising prospects outside of them like Zeke, Collins, Tapper, and Jackson. We'' have to wait and see on Smith.

The average number of players teams hit on in drafts is 2. If you hit on 3 then you are ahead of the curve. If you are expecting to hit on even half of the picks you are delusional.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

The bigger argument was not whether Claiborne was the most talented CB in draft but was he worth moving up giving up our 2nd rd pick for. And were there greater needs we had with both of those picks.Even if Claiborne had developed sooner or reached closer to the expectations the pick and trade were very questionable. It wasnt only forum fans questioning the pick. Local beatwriters and sportscasters did as well.

I recall a lot of pundits say we got good value and the best defensive player in the draft. The instant reaction is just about worthless so I don't know why it matters now.

 

[Gameover]

At some point we'd hope all of this great drafting we're doing will result in more successful seasons.

Results like making the playoffs used to be a measurement of success. Now it appears revenue and fantasy teams are?

You were born in 2015?