News: Tackle Darrion Weems resigned to practice squad

[dallasdave]

lol at the word resigned without a hyphen in the thread title. It reads as Weems reluctantly accepting the spot on the practice squad. I hope he doesn't get too depressed. I hope his pass blocking improves as well while he's there.

Don't bet your life on it !!!

 

[Stash]

Surprised and disappointed that they kept Weems over Mills on the practice squad.

 

[Nightman]

He may be 5th on the OT depth chart, not much to rue about.

 

[xwalker]

Yes,,, we all know that. An oft injured third round draft pick doesn't make it much less of a gamble.

They had Weems who they've tried to develop since Dec 2012. They had Wetzel returning as a 2014 practice squad guy. They draft an OT in the 3rd and another in the 7th.

I'm not sure what else they could do. They were not going to pay a starter from another team to come here as a backup or pay Free 5M to be a backup. They had Tony Hills as the backup backup last year (he was the primary backup when Parnell was starting) but they didn't want him back even after he was released after training camp by another team.

 

[xwalker]

Surprised and disappointed that they kept Weems over Mills on the practice squad.

They can always re-sign Mills to the 53 if they want him. He is on another teams practice squad. I was surprised he was eligible for the practice squad after being a 2 year starter.

In reviewing Mills, my conclusion was that he could step in and play RT now but is a low upside guy. He's doubtful to get much better because he lacks quickness. Maybe if he lost some weight, but I doubt that's enough. He has never played LT which makes him a poor fit as a swing Tackle.

Physically, Weems looks much more like an NFL OT than Weems; however, if he can't figure out the mental side of it by now I don't know if he will ever figure it out. I would liked to have seen him play RT in the preseason next to Martin instead of playing LT next to a rookie OG. Most of his issues were related to stunts and it's hard to know how much of that was the his fault and how much was the Guard's fault.

If a spot opens up on the 53 later in the season due to injury, I would consider signing the OT Battle from the Rams practice squad. He looks like a good developmental guy.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

They had Weems who they've tried to develop since Dec 2012. They had Wetzel returning as a 2014 practice squad guy. They draft an OT in the 3rd and another in the 7th.

I'm not sure what else they could do. They were not going to pay a starter from another team to come here as a backup or pay Free 5M to be a backup. They had Tony Hills as the backup backup last year (he was the primary backup when Parnell was starting) but they didn't want him back even after he was released after training camp by another team.

Free agency or trade, that's what you do when your drafting falls short, you have to pay or just roll the dice that your starting tackles won't get hurt. Who knows, maybe this Charlie Brown guy just needs the right coaching and we can all rest easy...

 

[xwalker]

Free agency or trade, that's what you do when your drafting falls short, you have to pay or just roll the dice that your starting tackles won't get hurt. Who knows, maybe this Charlie Brown guy just needs the right coaching and we can all rest easy...

Decent free agents will go to a team where think they have a chance to challenge to start.

Teams are not going to trade away their swing Tackle. They would have to find a team that has a quality 4th OT and even then that team would likely only trade that player if he was old. Teams are unlikely to trade away a decent young OT.


Personally, I think they could have signed Parnell as the starter and then let Free test free agency. It is unlikely that Free would have received any significant offers and they could have signed him as the backup for about 2M per season.

 

[Stash]

They can always re-sign Mills to the 53 if they want him. He is on another teams practice squad. I was surprised he was eligible for the practice squad after being a 2 year starter.

In reviewing Mills, my conclusion was that he could step in and play RT now but is a low upside guy. He's doubtful to get much better because he lacks quickness. Maybe if he lost some weight, but I doubt that's enough. He has never played LT which makes him a poor fit as a swing Tackle.

Physically, Weems looks much more like an NFL OT than Weems; however, if he can't figure out the mental side of it by now I don't know if he will ever figure it out. I would liked to have seen him play RT in the preseason next to Martin instead of playing LT next to a rookie OG. Most of his issues were related to stunts and it's hard to know how much of that was the his fault and how much was the Guard's fault.

I agree that Mills is a right tackle only, but I think he's shown more in his time in the league than Weems has. I wouldn't put Mills at left tackle, but I wouldn't put Weems there either. And I would feel better with Mills at right tackle than I would Weems. He at least has some game experience.

One thing I will blame the team for. All offseason, while Free was out, Weems was playing right tackle. Then, as soon as the preseason games started, it was "OK, go play left tackle!" The team did him absolutely no favors there.

If a spot opens up on the 53 later in the season due to injury, I would consider signing the OT Battle from the Rams practice squad. He looks like a good developmental guy.

I think any movement there will likely depend on whatever happens with Chaz Green. I like Battle as a prospect too. The Rams are taking a chance having him in the practice squad.

 

[dallasdave]

I agree that Mills is a right tackle only, but I think he's shown more in his time in the league than Weems has. I wouldn't put Mills at left tackle, but I wouldn't put Weems there either. And I would feel better with Mills at right tackle than I would Weems. He at least has some game experience.

One thing I will blame the team for. All offseason, while Free was out, Weems was playing right tackle. Then, as soon as the preseason games started, it was "OK, go play left tackle!" The team did him absolutely no favors there.



I think any movement there will likely depend on whatever happens with Chaz Green. I like Battle as a prospect too. The Rams are taking a chance having him in the practice squad.

Who is this Battle ? Can you give me some info on him? I would like to see Dallas get another OT !!!

 

[xwalker]

I agree that Mills is a right tackle only, but I think he's shown more in his time in the league than Weems has. I wouldn't put Mills at left tackle, but I wouldn't put Weems there either. And I would feel better with Mills at right tackle than I would Weems. He at least has some game experience.

One thing I will blame the team for. All offseason, while Free was out, Weems was playing right tackle. Then, as soon as the preseason games started, it was "OK, go play left tackle!" The team did him absolutely no favors there.



I think any movement there will likely depend on whatever happens with Chaz Green. I like Battle as a prospect too. The Rams are taking a chance having him in the practice squad.

I would not have been against keeping Mills on the practice squad. I don't know if it was the team's decision or his decision not to sign on to the Cowboys PS.

Mills upside appears to be a guy that could play RT but one that you would always be trying to replace if he was your starter.

Weems upside, IMO, is a guy that could be a quality starting RT or swing Tackle if (big if) he could ever get the mental side of it.

You are correct about them having Weems practice at RT and then having him play LT in the games. That was a bad idea, IMO.

I was surprised that they didn't retain Gibson on the PS. Yes, he was a mess and needed a lot of work, but that was obvious when they drafted him. I guess it's possible that they offered him a spot and he preferred to sign on to another team's PS.

 

[xwalker]

Who is this Battle ? Can you give me some info on him? I would like to see Dallas get another OT !!!

Isaiah Battle (Clemson). He was selected in the supplemental draft by the Rams with a 5th round pick.

 

[dallasdave]

Isaiah Battle (Clemson). He was selected in the supplemental draft by the Rams with a 5th round pick.

Thanks is he a big guy ?

 

[xwalker]

Thanks is he a big guy ?

6'6-1/2", 308 is the listing but guys in the supplemental draft don't go through the combine or Pro Days so I don't know how accurate the info is for supplemental guys.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

Decent free agents will go to a team where think they have a chance to challenge to start.

Teams are not going to trade away their swing Tackle. They would have to find a team that has a quality 4th OT and even then that team would likely only trade that player if he was old. Teams are unlikely to trade away a decent young OT.


Personally, I think they could have signed Parnell as the starter and then let Free test free agency. It is unlikely that Free would have received any significant offers and they could have signed him as the backup for about 2M per season.

Exactly what I would have done,,, Free may have been a pricier backup than 2mil but so what? That would be the perfect spot for him and in the end this team needs to do whatever is necessary to have a decent swing tackle in place. I'm afraid if Tyron goes down this season is toast,,,

 

[Stash]

Who is this Battle ? Can you give me some info on him? I would like to see Dallas get another OT !!!

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-clemsons-isaiah-battle-in-supplemental-draft

 

[Stash]

I would not have been against keeping Mills on the practice squad. I don't know if it was the team's decision or his decision not to sign on to the Cowboys PS.

Mills upside appears to be a guy that could play RT but one that you would always be trying to replace if he was your starter.

Weems upside, IMO, is a guy that could be a quality starting RT or swing Tackle if (big if) he could ever get the mental side of it.

You are correct about them having Weems practice at RT and then having him play LT in the games. That was a bad idea, IMO.

I see limitations with Mills and a lack of position flex, but I don't see the upside with Weems at all. For me, Mills can't play left tackle and Weems just can't play. I think both he and Wetzel on the practice squad is a waste of time.

I was surprised that they didn't retain Gibson on the PS. Yes, he was a mess and needed a lot of work, but that was obvious when they drafted him. I guess it's possible that they offered him a spot and he preferred to sign on to another team's PS.

That was the word on Gibson - "tired of getting beat up". I think Dallas offered him a spot but he chose to go to Kansas City. I gad hoped they could keep him around as I believe he has the tools yo develop, but it makes you wonder about him if he thought things were too tough in Dallas.

 

[xwalker]

I see limitations with Mills and a lack of position flex, but I don't see the upside with Weems at all. For me, Mills can't play left tackle and Weems just can't play. I think both he and Wetzel on the practice squad is a waste of time.



That was the word on Gibson - "tired of getting beat up". I think Dallas offered him a spot but he chose to go to Kansas City. I gad hoped they could keep him around as I believe he has the tools yo develop, but it makes you wonder about him if he thought things were too tough in Dallas.

I don't know about Gibson, but I could see in some of the video of the one on ones in TC that they seemed to be trying to push Weems past his breaking point intentionally. They had him go repeatedly against rested DLinemen when other OL were not going on consecutive reps. He looked exhausted both physically and mentally. I assume they did the same thing to Gibson at some point. If he can't handle it, then he's probably not worth the time to develop.

No offense, but if you can't see the upside of a guy like Weems as compared to a guy like Wetzel, I don't know what to tell you. Weems definitely has NFL physical ability while Wetzel is physically limited. I have no way to know if Weems can get it together mentally, but physically he definitely has the required ability. It's now basically free to keep him on the practice squad (i.e. He is not taking up a valuable spot on the 53) so it's worth giving him a little more time. He was really close to turning the corner in the preseason, IMO.

 

[Stash]

I don't know about Gibson, but I could see in some of the video of the one on ones in TC that they seemed to be trying to push Weems past his breaking point intentionally. They had him go repeatedly against rested DLinemen when other OL were not going on consecutive reps. He looked exhausted both physically and mentally. I assume they did the same thing to Gibson at some point. If he can't handle it, then he's probably not worth the time to develop.

No offense, but if you can't see the upside of a guy like Weems as compared to a guy like Wetzel, I don't know what to tell you. Weems definitely has NFL physical ability while Wetzel is physically limited. I have no way to know if Weems can get it together mentally, but physically he definitely has the required ability. It's now basically free to keep him on the practice squad (i.e. He is not taking up a valuable spot on the 53) so it's worth giving him a little more time. He was really close to turning the corner in the preseason, IMO.

I'm not making a distinction between Weems and Wetzel. I don't think either one can play.

I agree that I think Weems has some physical ability to do it, but I haven't seen the technical part show up.

 

[dallasdave]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-clemsons-isaiah-battle-in-supplemental-draft

Thanks for the info