News: T.J. Watt & Taco Charlton – Forever Joined

[CCBoy]

T.J. Watt & Taco Charlton – Forever Joined

http://profootballtalkline.com/nfl-analysis/news/107080/t-j-watt-taco-charlton-forever-joined.html/


At the bottom of the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft the Dallas Cowboys were on the clock and they had a stated desire to draft a “war daddy” to get to the QB according to owner, GM, team doctor and Swami Jerry Jones. The NFL Draft had started with a small handful of players that would possibly be available if the draft fell the Cowboys way. They were down to two.

T.J. Watt & Taco Charlton
At the bottom of the first round and to be frank in this draft overall there weren’t any “War Daddy” pass rushers to be had after DL’s Myles Garrett and Solomon Thomas went off the board at picks one and three respectively. That ship had sailed. If you have a first step that makes people think of “War Daddy” when they see you and any collegiate production to back it up, the top five is where your NFL Draft experience begins and ends.

However ……

T.J. and Taco were still on the board and for many it was an easy pick. J.J.’s little brother had many of the same tools as his bigger sibling. Cowboys Nation was all smiles as the pick made it’s way to the podium. Visions of pressure from the weak side the club hasn’t seen since DeMarcus Ware left town were dancing in the Dallas faithful’s heads.

Then the name “Taco Charlton” was read from the podium and bedlam ensued. When the Pittsburgh Steelers snapped up T.J. two picks later karma crystallized. As of that moment Taco Charlton and T.J. Watt were forever joined at the hip as far as the NFL is concerned.

It’s a bad comparison. One word details the ultimate reason. Versatility.

Watt is a bit lite for a 4-3 DE. However he could make it work if he had to as a specialist from the weak side. He ran 252 lbs at the combine. Pittsburgh is playing him as a very natural WLB in the Steelers 3-4 D and he had a field day in his first game delivering two sacks.Two sacks. Count em. Dos, one plus one. Impressive. Or was it?...

 

[big dog cowboy]

Watt is a bit lite for a 4-3 DE. However he could make it work if he had to as a specialist from the weak side. He ran 252 lbs at the combine. Pittsburgh is playing him as a very natural WLB in the Steelers 3-4 D and he had a field day in his first game delivering two sacks.Two sacks. Count em. Dos, one plus one. Impressive. Or was it?...

Two sacks in one game is impressive. But it was a preseason game. We've seen preseason All Pro performances before from players who fail to make the 53 or any teams 53.

 

[Sydla]

I would have been OK with Watt but when you think about it, in this defense, he would be a specialist. He wouldn't play in our base defense, for example. His ideal fit would probably be in our 4-2-5 defense where the 4th DL is a LB who rushes. But how often do we use that alignment? Not a ton.

So would you have gotten true first round value on a guy that might play 30% of your snaps on defense, if that?

 

[mmohican29]

Two sacks in one game is impressive. But it was a preseason game. We've seen preseason All Pro performances before from players who fail to make the 53 or any teams 53.

didn't we have a guy that had three sacks in a pre-season game fail to make the 53? I forget the player's name. He was a small college kid, thought he should have made the squad but never latched on anywhere else either.

 

[Hardline]

To me Taco Charlton and Reuben Foster will be joined at the hip.

 

[sbark]

didn't we have a guy that had three sacks in a pre-season game fail to make the 53? I forget the player's name. He was a small college kid, thought he should have made the squad but never latched on anywhere else either.

Yup.it was last year. Tore it up....gone gone gone like a sad old country song

 

[armadillooutlaw]

didn't we have a guy that had three sacks in a pre-season game fail to make the 53? I forget the player's name. He was a small college kid, thought he should have made the squad but never latched on anywhere else either.

Wasn't it some guy named Shaniel Jenkins or something like that?

 

[XDez88BeastX]

I like the size & length thinking of Irving & Taco at the end positions moving forward. It reminds me of Julius Peppers & Israel Idonije in Chicago when Rod was there

 

[Manwiththeplan]

Wasn't it some guy named Shaniel Jenkins or something like that?

Yea, he got injured. Had a shot to make the 53. He spent the offseason with Seattle and a few days with Green Bay before being released

 

[Nova]

Two sacks in one game is impressive. But it was a preseason game. We've seen preseason All Pro performances before from players who fail to make the 53 or any teams 53.

Yup. Like when George Selvie kept wrecking Dallas Thomas.

 

[Idgit]

I liked Watt better--both for us and overall. But I"m ok with Taco, too. Both of these guys could turn into pretty good players, eventually.

 

[ThreeandOut]

Going into the draft, I thought they would go with a more prototype WDE (Harris, McKinney or Watt). But Taco's done pretty well in preseason at RDE. Both of his sacks have come from that side.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

But Taco's done pretty well in preseason at RDE. Both of his sacks have come from that side.

Well it's certainly not going to be easy week 1 facing Erik Flowers....

Sorry, couldn't say that with a straight face