Sturm on Jaylon Smith

[Kaiser]

His leg does not function like that of a healthy human being. Saying he can be 90% as good is being incredibly naive.

Right, that is why Jaylon Stumpy McPirate got 81 tackles by running onto the field with his peg leg and hook for a hand. As a rookie.

And the LB Coach that sent him out there just got hired as an NFL Defensive Coordinator, but you are the guy with the stunning insights to see it all clearly.

Got it.

 

[CowboyChris]

Dallas is drafting 3 LB’s and bringing in a bunch of UDFA Lb’s. This FO is always one year behind.

like I always say...they are a day late and a dollar short

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I know everybody is probably tired of hearing this but honestly, this is why we need to bring in a quality 1Tech IMO. I mean, we do need more LB depth. Losing Hitchens was a big deal IMO. Drafting Jaylon and betting he would be an impact player was a huge risk. Lee is not getting younger and Wilson, a pick I loved BTW, is not getting it done. He should already be at the point of solidifying his role as a starter on this Defense and instead, he is screwing around with suspension etc. A better DL interior who could actually protect our LBs would be huge for this team. I know this may not fit the "more LBs" idea here, and believe me I do agree with the idea that we do need more talent at LB, but I just can't express how important it is to have quality DTs who can cover up your LBs, especially when you play undersized at the position. In todays game, you almost have to go undersized because you have to have LBs who can cover. That puts you at a disadvantage against the run. If you have to always send undersized LBs against Bigger OLs, then we are never going to have enough quality depth.

JMO

I'd LOVE for that to be the case, but I think a quality DT can be had later in the draft as well. This is especially since DT is quite deep in this draft. However, LB, particularly MLB, isn't so deep. Therefore, I think we MUST take a LB at 19.

 

[CowboyChris]

It's really a simple solution, you draft one fairly high that fits our scheme, and you find another in FA at some point, we can't just go in the draft to draft for need.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I'd LOVE for that to be the case, but I think a quality DT can be had later in the draft as well. This is especially since DT is quite deep in this draft. However, LB, particularly MLB, isn't so deep. Therefore, I think we MUST take a LB at 19.

I actually think you can get either later in the draft. There is depth at both LB and DT in this draft IMO.

 

[cowboyblue22]

smith was a bad pick at the time and is still a pick that should of never been made where it was bottom line

 

[jterrell]

That’s not how this works. If you were a pro bowl level player and had to amputate 10% of your leg, that doesn’t mean you could still be 90% as good as before.

His leg does not function like that of a healthy human being. Saying he can be 90% as good is being incredibly naive.

When was the last time you examined Jaylon's leg?
You are talking as much out of your behind as people saying he will be great this year.
The guy played a lot of snaps last year and made it through the season.
Any player would be expected to improve from their initial NFL playing time.

 

[Kaiser]

The middle of this defense is putrid in all aspects.

Right now, the middle of my computer screen is putrid in all aspects.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I actually think you can get either later in the draft. There is depth at both LB and DT in this draft IMO.

Fair enough, but yeah, with our first 4 picks, we need to do LB and DT in at least 3 of the first 4 picks, and then dabble a little bit there later in the draft too.

 

[DaBoys12]

No doubt Dallas walks away with a couple Lb's in this draft with 10 picks. I don't know that it has to be first round though. If our mans there great, if not, I think there are some nice options all through the first 4 rounds.

 

[Verdict]

We’ve almost pigeon holed ourselves into having to take 1 at pick 19.


Vander Esch will most likely be our pick.

I really hope they don't force the pick based on need. That seldom turns out well.

I think the talent available in the 2nd through 4th rounds may not be a lot different than the linebackers touted as first rounders.

 

[BlindFaith]

Dallas should draft without worrying about any of that.
But they also should have adequate LB depth come week 1.
You do that many ways including hoping value is there in the draft but the draft isn't there to solve THIS YEAR problems.
It's there to add the best talent to your roster.
Dallas to be open to 5-6 positions in round 1 for sure. But I'm fine with shading LB up in value.

Could they be back in on a guy like NBowman after the draft? Sure.
Could they trade a late pick in camp for a LB? Sure.
Could they pick up a vet cut because of salary in pre-season? Absolutely.

But if they have multiple injuries at any position to their best players they will struggle.
That's the NFL.
Lose Zeke and Rod Smith and we are really bad at RB.
Lose 2 QBs and we don't even have a 3rd guy.
Lose DLaw and DE is pretty ugly even tho DL might be our deepest position.
Lost Hurns plus Dez and you got TWill, Bease, Thompson... woof.
They have a lot of positions where you lose 2 guys and you are scrambling because most NFL rosters don't really go 3 deep.

Yes, unexpected injuries happen and you can't have starting caliber guys backing up every position.

But we know what this team looks like when Lee is out. And we know Lee misses games every year. We don't know what Smith will be.

As good as Lee is, how long do you want to keep rolling the dice on him? How many missed games a year is too much?

I'm looking at not only the present with much needed insurance, but also a possible plan to move on from Lee. As much as I'd hate to loose him, if I can get a guy that will be close to him in play, but be able to play every game, I'm looking long and hard at doing that.

 

[Ranching]

Apparently he did some film study on Jaylon and determined that he didn't really improve late in the season and that the Cowboys really need some LBs. Rafael Vela who used to run the cowboyszone.com website and was one of the best writers in Cowboys land apparently hated the pick so much that he retired lol. This offseason has been 85% discussion about the offense, but this is the worst unit on the team and the defense still is the thing holding this franchise back. 100 Dez threads a day, but this is the real problem.

Prende La Vela!! If you don't recognize that, Google Raymond Orta. Lol

 

[BlindFaith]

I really hope they don't force the pick based on need. That seldom turns out well.

I think the talent available in the 2nd through 4th rounds may not be a lot different than the linebackers touted as first rounders.

I get a sense that after Evens and LVE the talent drops pretty significantly.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I get a sense that after Evens and LVE the talent drops pretty significantly.

Fred Warner is also a good player, but after that, I'm not so sure about the rest of the talent at LB that would be available for us. Still, we need to load up on LB and DT in the draft along with getting a safety (which, I think we might actually be okay at).

 

[Verdict]

I get a sense that after Evens and LVE the talent drops pretty significantly.

Edmonds may be the cream of this crop. He seems to check all the boxes.

LVE might turn out to be great but I'm cautious on him because he seems to be a classic workout warrior type who no one knew about 6 months ago.

Roquan was a fantastic college LB and may be a great pro. In fact he may be phenomenal. But I don't think he will be a good fit for Dallas because we seem to insist on using undersized DTs and don't protect our linebackers.

I'm intrigued by OBO because of his motor and he seems to be a very strong, sturdy linebacker but I'm not sure about his coverage ability.

If you compare Roquan and OBO Roquan may be a great coverage backer but be a liability on 1st and 2nd down. OBO may be dominant on first and second down and great as a situational pass rusher but a liability in coverage. Neither may be first or second round worthy. IDK what to make of it. I just don't see a clear cut player in the first after Edmonds.

 

[jterrell]

Yes, unexpected injuries happen and you can't have starting caliber guys backing up every position.

But we know what this team looks like when Lee is out. And we know Lee misses games every year. We don't know what Smith will be.

As good as Lee is, how long do you want to keep rolling the dice on him? How many missed games a year is too much?

I'm looking at not only the present with much needed insurance, but also a possible plan to move on from Lee. As much as I'd hate to loose him, if I can get a guy that will be close to him in play, but be able to play every game, I'm looking long and hard at doing that.

Completely agree with all that.
LB has a lot of question marks.

But Dallas played 2 LB 67%~ of the time in 2017 and may play even more now that they have a young box safety in Frazier getting regular snaps.
Dallas has:
Will: Lee/Thomas
Mike: Jaylon/DamienW
part-time Sam: Wilson

So they've already got 4 guys playing really 2 spots.
Do we really want 6 quality LB to play 2 spots?

Or we do we need a 3rd starting caliber guy and then roll with that?

 

[blindzebra]

Translation...I did not like the pick then, so I want to be right. Sturm is still talking about Zeke being a mistake too.

 

[BlindFaith]

Fred Warner is also a good player, but after that, I'm not so sure about the rest of the talent at LB that would be available for us. Still, we need to load up on LB and DT in the draft along with getting a safety (which, I think we might actually be okay at).

Carters name is floated around as well.

And I think safety is actually more of a pressing need than LB. But unless we can somehow get James, I don't see any other first round safeties.

Some mocks have Reid in the late first. Some have Reid in the third. Bates seems consistently a top half second guy.

My ideal would be that James somehow slips to 16 or 17 and we give up a fourth to move up and get him. But I think he goes way before that.

Plan B is moving down a few spots. Picking up a fourth, maybe a third. And then getting Evans.

Then if Reid is still there somewhere in the top part of the second, give back our extra pick to get him. Or Bates. Or sit tight if you think one of those two will fall to you.

Then look for a 1T in the third. And Oline in the fourth.

Now, if we dump Dez, things change.

 

[BlindFaith]

Edmonds may be the cream of this crop. He seems to check all the boxes.

LVE might turn out to be great but I'm cautious on him because he seems to be a classic workout warrior type who no one knew about 6 months ago.

Roquan was a fantastic college LB and may be a great pro. In fact he may be phenomenal. But I don't think he will be a good fit for Dallas because we seem to insist on using undersized DTs and don't protect our linebackers.

I'm intrigued by OBO because of his motor and he seems to be a very strong, sturdy linebacker but I'm not sure about his coverage ability.

If you compare Roquan and OBO Roquan may be a great coverage backer but be a liability on 1st and 2nd down. OBO may be dominant on first and second down and great as a situational pass rusher but a liability in coverage. Neither may be first or second round worthy. IDK what to make of it. I just don't see a clear cut player in the first after Edmonds.

Smith and Evans are sure fire, three down backers. A little under sized, but in the mold of the new breed at the position. Both can run and hit.

LVE scares me a little just because of the lack of physicality in his game for someone his size. And he's not as fast as the other two. But he could be a very good player.