Take a breath

[Verdict]

Totally agree. That was largely my focus......... get an upgrade at S, get a real DT (preferably a good 1T) and I would have been kicking the tires at DE because even with Lawrence, our DEs after him are suspect with Gregory likely being gone for a bit.

We need depth at safety, for sure. But our starting safeties aren't the biggest problem with this team. DL for me is #1 and if they are going to play Lee and Witten they are problems 2a and 2b on this team right now.

 

[Sydla]

I think all of that is a reasonable interpretation of our current situation, but it also leaves a little bit of meat on the bone in terms of analysis. Beasleys snaps are going to someone, as would Tank's if he departs. Someone will be on the field during those snaps. That means opportunity.

While rookies often don't set the world on fire like high first round picks do they can be significant contributors. The young guys (drafted in the last two drafts) should start coming into their own now.

I share your concerns, but I believe that there are some groceries on the shelf that will be used this year and hopefully will contribute. No one saw Dak coming and he was a late 4th round pick. Let's see how it plays out.

Opportunity does not equal results.

In other words, if you cut Lawrence free and use a high pick on a DE, even with snaps, it's not very likely that guy is going to be nearly as productive as Lawrence in both the run and pass game.

And note, I was not opposed to trading Lawrence but in order to do that, this team needed to have a plan in place to use FA to help fill the hole. Most of the best edge rushers are now signed so they really have no choice anymore but to bring Lawrence back. They botched this seven ways from Sunday.

 

[Verdict]

We really aren't.

They are not even keeping active with Lawrence. Even slam dunks like Austin and Ladouceur are not getting done.

If they mean what they say, Lawrence in particular should already be in process. Instead, they seem comfortable with thinking they can wait until July.

That is a pretty dumb idea since he is delaying surgery until he gets a long term deal.

If the team doesn't move Tank in the next two days you can most likely expect for the team to be calling Tanks bluff and making him play under the tag, reducing his contract demands and signing or sitting out the year. If Tank really has dug in this is probably going to get ugly.

I would personally move on before the bottom falls out of this for the Cowboys, but they certainly know Tank better than I do.

 

[Sydla]

We need depth at safety, for sure. But our starting safeties aren't the biggest problem with this team. DL for me is #1 and if they are going to play Lee and Witten they are problems 2a and 2b on this team right now.

The starting SS was one of the worst in the league. Safety was a problem. For as hyped as people were about the defense, they were one of the bottom half of the league pass defenses. A large part of that was due to safety play.

And the reason I focus on S now is because there are still some names out there in FA that are an upgrade on Heath. The options in FA for DE are far more limited at this point. DT has a couple of names but no big names other than Suh, who we won't touch.

 

[Verdict]

Opportunity does not equal results.

In other words, if you cut Lawrence free and use a high pick on a DE, even with snaps, it's not very likely that guy is going to be nearly as productive as Lawrence in both the run and pass game.

And note, I was not opposed to trading Lawrence but in order to do that, this team needed to have a plan in place to use FA to help fill the hole. Most of the best edge rushers are now signed so they really have no choice anymore but to bring Lawrence back. They botched this seven ways from Sunday.

It's not quite that simple. They can plug in another player at another position on the DL to make up the difference.

I will also go one step farther. If Gregory actually plays this year (that's a HUGE IF) Gregory and whoever replaces Tank (Taco, Armstrong or a draft pick) will get more sacks this year than Tank and Gregory got last year.

 

[Verdict]

The starting SS was one of the worst in the league. Safety was a problem. For as hyped as people were about the defense, they were one of the bottom half of the league pass defenses. A large part of that was due to safety play.

And the reason I focus on S now is because there are still some names out there in FA that are an upgrade on Heath. The options in FA for DE are far more limited at this point. DT has a couple of names but no big names other than Suh, who we won't touch.

You guys are focusing on the wrong player. Heath is adequate. Woods isn't as good as Heath is. Heath missed a few tackles, but he should be playing FS. The team would be better off playing Frazier in the box and Heath at FS.

 

[Verdict]

Playing Heath at strong safety is like playing Byron at safety. It doesn't fit his skill set.

 

[Sydla]

It's not quite that simple. They can plug in another player at another position on the DL to make up the difference.

I will also go one step farther. If Gregory actually plays this year (that's a HUGE IF) Gregory and whoever replaces Tank (Taco, Armstrong or a draft pick) will get more sacks this year than Tank and Gregory got last year.

Who?

At this point in FA, who can they plug in at another position to make up the difference that this team would even consider signing?

The fact you put so much faith in Charlton being able to pick up Tank's slack is pretty funny. He's shown ZERO in two years. The guy you hate, Lawrence, showed tons more potential his first two years than Charlton.

Counting on Charlton and Armstrong to pick up the slack at DE if we don't have Lawrence is pretty much exactly like saying we don't need a #1 WR and our WR by committee approach will do just fine. And if I recall, you were also pushing the WR by committee approach.

 

[Sydla]

You guys are focusing on the wrong player. Heath is adequate. Woods isn't as good as Heath is. Heath missed a few tackles, but he should be playing FS. The team would be better off playing Frazier in the box and Heath at FS.

Heath missed 21 tackles last year, one of the poorer results for starting Ss in the league.

He's not a good FS either. He's a backup. Not that Woods is Earl Thomas in his prime out there but Woods is the better safety and better FS.

In this thread you've claimed Heath is our best S and that Charlton and Armstrong will pick up Lawrence's production. Dude.

 

[Silver N Blue]

This team got destroyed in the famed second playoff game. Destroyed. If the organization isn’t taking this to heart then who gives a crap if they make the playoffs again only to get destroyed by superior talent and coaching. I’m no ET fan and have voiced for the past two years why but if he was actually brought in I could have some legit optimism. This organization is just dumbfounded and only concerned with the take home the Jones’s put in their banks. Sitting here in my chair watching the browns assemble the talent they have the past two years with Dorsey at the helm is what this organization should be doing. The Jones’s are literally slapping their true loyal fan base in the face with a joker smile while doing it. Absolutely pathetic.

 

[LittleD]

Every team in the league is far removed from the Pats combination of coach and qb.

We used to have it in the 90's with Jimmy and Aikman...no longer. As long as the FO continues to meander to the lowest
common denominator why spend loads of money on players who won't or can't make any difference.

 

[glimmerman]

We need depth at safety, for sure. But our starting safeties aren't the biggest problem with this team. DL for me is #1 and if they are going to play Lee and Witten they are problems 2a and 2b on this team right now.

I do think that we will somehow address the DT. Woods is going to improve and Crawford will still be around with Collins. We do however need to get better there and another edge rusher. Not sure if Armstrong will take the next step. Taco, well who knows. He got a bit of attitude last year. But Marinelli will squeeze the talent from someone. I still think we will sign D-Law, but his advice he got from someone to delay the shoulder surgery was dumb.

 

[glimmerman]

We used to have it in the 90's with Jimmy and Aikman...no longer. As long as the FO continues to meander to the lowest
common denominator why spend loads of money on players who won't or can't make any difference.

The problem is that JJ is stuck there in yester year. It could change with Moore. JJ said he wants change in the way the Offense is done. He wants to upgrade and told Moore if it wasn’t happening to come see him. By passing JG. I think he is about done with him.

 

[LittleD]

The problem is that JJ is stuck there in yester year. It could change with Moore. JJ said he wants change in the way the Offense is done. He wants to upgrade and told Moore if it wasn’t happening to come see him. By passing JG. I think he is about done with him.

I wish I could believe but, as long as Garrett is here and they hang their hat on a severely flawed QB, I don't see a ray of sunshine on the
horizon.

 

[glimmerman]

This team got destroyed in the famed second playoff game. Destroyed. If the organization isn’t taking this to heart then who gives a crap if they make the playoffs again only to get destroyed by superior talent and coaching. I’m no ET fan and have voiced for the past two years why but if he was actually brought in I could have some legit optimism. This organization is just dumbfounded and only concerned with the take home the Jones’s put in their banks. Sitting here in my chair watching the browns assemble the talent they have the past two years with Dorsey at the helm is what this organization should be doing. The Jones’s are literally slapping their true loyal fan base in the face with a joker smile while doing it. Absolutely pathetic.

I did everything but sit in my chair during that game. It was the worst display of Defense we saw all year. I don’t know if JG has them in pads during the week and they were worn out or if Marinelli called the game. We looked in prevent mode with little pressure. Couldn’t stop the run our LB made no plays. Lee has a chance when goff rolled out and looked like he was held but still a play he usually makes. I was embarrassed and angry. And still am. But I know we have a team assembled now that can and likely will make the playoffs. We need a few players to either step up this year or added somehow to get over the edge of having a average HC. I always said that our players have to win the playoff games despite our HC. And that comes from having a strong OC and DC.

 

[glimmerman]

I wish I could believe but, as long as Garrett is here and they hang their hat on a severely flawed QB, I don't see a ray of sunshine on the
horizon.

With the players around him I am not as worried about the QB as I am JG. That sounds odd to say.

 

[GenoT]

So far I don’t see much to worry about. We are signing our own players and getting healthy.

Look, this team got to the second round of the playoffs last year. With injuries on the O-Line. They will be healthy and Dak has another TC with them and a whole year with Cooper now.

The only way I see us taking a hit and getting worse is if we lose D-Law. Irving wasn’t there all year and Gregory didn’t do that much till late in the season and drew some penalties at bad times also. I think we will sign D-Law.

We lost beasley and that sucks but his production can be replaced if the FO does it right. You can’t plug Noah Brown in there. Thing is that beasley was quick and Dak was comfortable with him. That catch in the giants game was sweet. He had hands. But Witten will help out with the TE position more than he will hinder it.

I think we make the playoffs this year pretty easily. Once you get there anything can happen. JG is my only concern. He has hit his ceiling and gets outcoached in the playoffs. So I am hoping our OC and DC gets our players rolling in the right direction.

I think Richard doing interviews instead of concentrating on the rams game plan hurt. The rams game looked like a Marinelli called game all the way.

We knew there was going to be no splash in the FA. Let’s look forward to the draft. Grab us a couple of instant impact players. Sign our own and set back and watch. Another camp for Jaylon and LVE to get better.

We should be off the hook this year if Moore is half as smart as some think.

So you’re saying the sky ISN’T falling...and that I reinforced the roof on my double-wide for nothing??!?

 

[glimmerman]

Heath missed 21 tackles last year, one of the poorer results for starting Ss in the league.

He's not a good FS either. He's a backup. Not that Woods is Earl Thomas in his prime out there but Woods is the better safety and better FS.

In this thread you've claimed Heath is our best S and that Charlton and Armstrong will pick up Lawrence's production. Dude.

My last year of hope for Taco to get it. Armstrong could take that next step. We need to sign D-Law and get DT help. As long as Marinelli is there we will not get a road block 1 tech. Heath is what he is. And I see us drafting a safety. Maybe we get Berry as a limited snap coaching type safety.

 

[glimmerman]

So you’re saying the sky ISN’T falling...and that I reinforced the roof on my double-wide for nothing??!?

Lol. Not even the first snap of 2019 yet. Enjoy the ride. And I did the same to my double wide.

 

[Silver N Blue]

I did everything but sit in my chair during that game. It was the worst display of Defense we saw all year. I don’t know if JG has them in pads during the week and they were worn out or if Marinelli called the game. We looked in prevent mode with little pressure. Couldn’t stop the run our LB made no plays. Lee has a chance when goff rolled out and looked like he was held but still a play he usually makes. I was embarrassed and angry. And still am. But I know we have a team assembled now that can and likely will make the playoffs. We need a few players to either step up this year or added somehow to get over the edge of having a average HC. I always said that our players have to win the playoff games despite our HC. And that comes from having a strong OC and DC.

I can't make excuses for futility. The colts game was on par with the Rams game. Those few players are A level players and going the draft doesn't count esp this year when the team doesn't have a pick until day two. There really isn't any A level talent left. Both cheeks are pretty red. As you i have been embarrassed and angry for so many years I don't even count anymore. With this regime and organization the caring left in 14 playoff game where I was suckered into believing that team was legit. Just another paper mirage blown away by superior talent and coaching.