Strong side DE Dilemma

[ccb04]

Hardy is the top DE talent available...but a few hurdles would have to be cleared: price, publicity, further punishment if any, etc. I've been talking about Sheard for over a year now.

I've mentioned adding Sheard...then possibly trading down to the earlier 2nd and selecting Orchard, depending on how the draft goes. The top 4 DE's would then be Sheard, Lawrence, Mincey & Orchard (all younger except Mincey at 31). Given the rotation that Marinelli likes to use...whether a player is a starter or not, the majority of D-Lineman active on game day will get a decent amount of snaps. A good example of quality rotational depth is Seattle...with guys like Avril, Bennett & Irvin at DE. Also, the injury bug continues to bite this Boys, with Lawrence missing 9 weeks last season on the DL...plus Gardner. Past significant injuries include Crawford and Spencer.

At 6-3/251...Lawrence was considered a tweener when they selected him. Anthony Barr was another guy they were interested in.

I like McPhee & his versatility, but not sure he's a guy I'd shell out $9 or $10 million for. He was actually a starter in 2012...but posted a 0.5 sack in 7 games and his playing time was reduced.

 

[LatinMind]

Have you been talking with my wife?

lol, Hardy is going to get paid. A player like him will have no problem getting the money.

 

[JeffInDC]

Hardy is the top DE talent available...but a few hurdles would have to be cleared: price, publicity, further punishment if any, etc. I've been talking about Sheard for over a year now.

I've mentioned adding Sheard...then possibly trading down to the earlier 2nd and selecting Orchard, depending on how the draft goes. The top 4 DE's would then be Sheard, Lawrence, Mincey & Orchard (all younger except Mincey at 31). Given the rotation that Marinelli likes to use...whether a player is a starter or not, the majority of D-Lineman active on game day will get a decent amount of snaps. A good example of quality rotational depth is Seattle...with guys like Avril, Bennett & Irvin at DE. Also, the injury bug continues to bite this Boys, with Lawrence missing 9 weeks last season on the DL...plus Gardner. Past significant injuries include Crawford and Spencer.

At 6-3/251...Lawrence was considered a tweener when they selected him. Anthony Barr was another guy they were interested in.

I like McPhee & his versatility, but not sure he's a guy I'd shell out $9 or $10 million for. He was actually a starter in 2012...but posted a 0.5 sack in 7 games and his playing time was reduced.

Sheard is perfect on so many levels for this team because of his age (won't be 26 until April), his skill set (excellent run-stopping DE with good pass-rush skills), and, because of his dip in production at OLB, shouldn't break the bank like Hardy and possibly McPhee and Graham will. I could see a club getting him for $5M/year.

 

[Stash]

Dude is 25 years old with ~6 sacks per year to his resume.
Even average fans know he is a good 4-3 fit.

I don't think he is as good as Hughes but he's only a half-step below.
And Hughes is turning his nose up at 8mil apparently.

I think Sheard is about the high end of what Dallas may actually do.

Anyways we'll know more in a week as the market will fire out of the blocks come Sunday.

Sheard seems to make the most dollars and sense.

Hardy would provide the biggest impact, but also the biggest cost.

The more I look at it, and the 'value' route that Stephen Jones alluded to, the more likely he seems.

 

[Corso]

Given the need across the league at the position, and the small number of quality options, and the amount of money that many teams will have, I'm thinking that it's going to be an inflated market and we'll all be shocked at some of the deals these guys are getting.

I tend to agree with this line of thinking.
Supply and demand.

 

[JeffInDC]

Dude is 25 years old with ~6 sacks per year to his resume.
Even average fans know he is a good 4-3 fit.

I don't think he is as good as Hughes but he's only a half-step below.
And Hughes is turning his nose up at 8mil apparently.

I think Sheard is about the high end of what Dallas may actually do.

Anyways we'll know more in a week as the market will fire out of the blocks come Sunday.

Another young (26) SDE that's fits the EXACT same mold is available as well - Derrick Morgan from Tennessee.

 

[Stash]

Another young (26) SDE that's fits the EXACT same mold is available as well - Derrick Morgan from Tennessee.

He is another option, and another example of a player not likely to return to his team due to a sheme change.

A solid player, but never a spectacular one who never quite lived up to his draft status.

He could be a starter/rotation guy but he's not good enough to allow you not to have to draft a DE early this year.

 

[LittleD]

He is another option, and another example of a player not likely to return to his team due to a sheme change.

A solid player, but never a spectacular one who never quite lived up to his draft status.

He could be a starter/rotation guy but he's not good enough to allow you not to have to draft a DE early this year.

I like the guys you have found and we definitely need to get a player who has been in the trenches. It takes
a year or two for a drafted guy to learn to play with hands, moves, power and quickness. It even took Ware a full year
to get into the groove. Got have at least one bridge guy who can hold the fort until we strike gold again.

 

[Stash]

I like the guys you have found and we definitely need to get a player who has been in the trenches. It takes
a year or two for a drafted guy to learn to play with hands, moves, power and quickness. It even took Ware a full year
to get into the groove. Got have at least one bridge guy who can hold the fort until we strike gold again.

Exactly! None of them come in and set the world on fire. Even the great JJ Watt only managed 5 sacks as a rookie. It just doesn't happen quickly for those guys.

In terms of ratings, I see three tiers:

Greg Hardy - Jerry Hughes

Jabaal Sheard

Derrick Morgan

 

[LittleD]

Exactly! None of them come in and set the world on fire. Even the great JJ Watt only managed 5 sacks as a rookie. It just doesn't happen quickly for those guys.

In terms of ratings, I see three tiers:

Greg Hardy - Jerry Hughes

Jabaal Sheard

Derrick Morgan

It's a fair list though I'm not a Hardy fan because of his issues and he's likely going to be overpaid by someone.
Sheard would be my no1 choice if I could be guaranteed just one.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Given the need across the league at the position, and the small number of quality options, and the amount of money that many teams will have, I'm thinking that it's going to be an inflated market and we'll all be shocked at some of the deals these guys are getting.

If he goes early... Like in the first 3 days, then yeah, I think he's going to get a bunch of $$$.

 

[ccb04]

Sheard is perfect on so many levels for this team because of his age (won't be 26 until April), his skill set (excellent run-stopping DE with good pass-rush skills), and, because of his dip in production at OLB, shouldn't break the bank like Hardy and possibly McPhee and Graham will. I could see a club getting him for $5M/year.

Well said. Have been touting those attributes for a while...and hopefully the Boys have interest.

 

[LittleD]

Well said. Have been touting those attributes for a while...and hopefully the Boys have interest.

Bring on Mr. Sheard and we've solved half the puzzle.
So let it be written, so let it be done!!!

 

[CCBoy]

Yup and this forum thinks he'd take a discounted price.

I would be happy with Dallas filling the DE need in Fa and just go into the draft from there. All i want is one player in Fa thats a DE.

If the team is able to add a viable weak side rusher, then I would be in the hunt for a quality cornerback.

 

[LittleD]

If the team is able to add a viable weak side rusher, then I would be in the hunt for a quality cornerback.

Buster Skrine has been mentioned a couple of times and he looks pretty good on film.
If he could be had for reasonable money, I would kick the can pretty hard.

 

[jterrell]

Another young (26) SDE that's fits the EXACT same mold is available as well - Derrick Morgan from Tennessee.

not sure he has quite the upside of jabaal but yes it is the right kind of young guy and fit.

 

[CCBoy]

Buster Skrine has been mentioned a couple of times and he looks pretty good on film.
If he could be had for reasonable money, I would kick the can pretty hard.

I'm paying attention here...

 

[ccb04]

Exactly! None of them come in and set the world on fire. Even the great JJ Watt only managed 5 sacks as a rookie. It just doesn't happen quickly for those guys.

In terms of ratings, I see three tiers:

Greg Hardy - Jerry Hughes

Jabaal Sheard

Derrick Morgan

Personally, I'd obviously rank Hardy above Sheard (or any other free agent DE), but not Hughes.

While I think Hughes has come into his own a bit as a player...he played on a very talented defensive line & defensive unit. If you took away the 10 sacks Hughes had in 2014, the Bills still would have had 44 sacks. Mario Williams, Dareus, and Kyle Williams, combined for 30 sacks between the three of them...that's 2 more sacks than the entire Cowboys defense had. In his rookie season, Sheard had 55 tackles, 8.5 sacks & 5 forced fumbles...despite RDE Jayme Mitchell managing just 1.5 sacks. Sheard is also a better run defender & has quite a bit of experience at LDE.

Hughes -- like McPhee -- is another player I wouldn't pay $8 or $10 million for. If willing to pay that much, might as well ante up a bit more & pursue Hardy IMO.

 

[CF74]

I think that can be Sheard

Who? Yeah maybe. All we need is a guy who can put up 6-8 sacks and seal off the edge in a rotational role. Maybe a 2-4 Mill $ player and a nice draft pick behind him to keep him honest. Somebody with "Future Potential" with time in Marinelli's sauce pot...

 

[xwalker]

Personally, I'd obviously rank Hardy above Sheard (or any other free agent DE), but not Hughes.

While I think Hughes has come into his own a bit as a player...he played on a very talented defensive line & defensive unit. If you took away the 10 sacks Hughes had in 2014, the Bills still would have had 44 sacks. Mario Williams, Dareus, and Kyle Williams, combined for 30 sacks between the three of them...that's 2 more sacks than the entire Cowboys defense had. In his rookie season, Sheard had 55 tackles, 8.5 sacks & 5 forced fumbles...despite RDE Jayme Mitchell managing just 1.5 sacks. Sheard is also a better run defender & has quite a bit of experience at LDE.

Hughes -- like McPhee -- is another player I wouldn't pay $8 or $10 million for. If willing to pay that much, might as well ante up a bit more & pursue Hardy IMO.

Yes, Hughes would worry me. I've reviewed some of his game footage and he was just OK. His price will likely be super inflated due to his sack totals with were inflated due to playing with 3 All-Pro DL.