Team being held hostage again, Sean Lee over again

[Cowboyny]

We have never progressed very far with the offense carrying the team. Some of that was Garrett's philosophy, but it's just also difficult to win with just one side of the ball being good.

The trench on the offensive side of the ball is not broken yet. The trench on the defensive side is a shambles.

Is Tyron near the end of his career? Probably. But worrying about that while the defense is burning down is not the way to victory. Even if the line ends up being LT Collins, LG Williams, C Biadasz, RG McGovern and RT Martin, it is still much better than anything we can stick out there on defense between the ends.

For me, drafting an OL early this year would be something Dallas should do only if it can't move and the OL is much better than a defensive selection. The first three rounds would be focused on defense otherwise.

With the depth this year at tackle, makes a lot of sense to find our future starter. Maybe one of our 3rd rd picks would make some sense if one is the highest rated on their board

 

[gimmesix]

I look more towards the division stacking their defensive lines and our inability to run the football with any consistency.

When Dak was healthy, offense wasn't really our problem, even with players like Steele out there. It's not ideal, but again, last year was an anomaly.

 

[gimmesix]

With the depth this year at tackle, makes a lot of sense to find our future starter. Maybe one of our 3rd rd picks would make some sense if one is the highest rated on their board

We can agree on that, but for me there has to be a clear difference between the best corner, safety, defensive tackle or linebacker available and the best offensive tackle available. Because of the depth at OT, that's a possibility.

 

[Floatyworm]

I agree. People tend to ignore the OL issues we have. They think the offense is set and all we need to do is improve D. Our offense is set at skilled positions, but that's it. The offensive line is a big question mark.

Yup.....The more I keep playing this out in my mocks.....It makes sense for us to trade down....get an extra pick or 2 and go OT....

 

[Cowboyny]

We can agree on that, but for me there has to be a clear difference between the best corner, safety, defensive tackle or linebacker available and the best offensive tackle available. Because of the depth at OT, that's a possibility.

CB, S, DT are clearly are top draft priorities, where we certainly need a future starter at both Tackle and Linebacker. There is strong depth at both corner and tackle, but those are high valued positions and are usually over drafted due to demand. Think we can address linebacker even on day 3, but it will depend on how our board falls in the earlier rounds. We know the front office doesn't value the two down NT, my expectation, that doesn't get filled until day 3.

 

[Cowboyny]

When Dak was healthy, offense wasn't really our problem, even with players like Steele out there. It's not ideal, but again, last year was an anomaly.

Offense was kind of a problem, they led the league in turnovers. A lot had to do with our line and Zeke's early fumbling issues. If you remember, teams were getting big leads and playing prevent the rest of the way.

 

[Flamma]

Yup.....The more I keep playing this out in my mocks.....It makes sense for us to trade down....get an extra pick or 2 and go OT....

It really does make sense. And I'm never for trading down. This has to be the first time. But id Dallas trades back to like 18-25, they'll get an extra 2nd at the least. More if later than 18. With the players available early, it makes sense. Dallas can still get a top 3 CB. Or QB if need be. Just not top 3.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

It really does make sense. And I'm never for trading down. This has to be the first time. But id Dallas trades back to like 18-25, they'll get an extra 2nd at the least. More if later than 18. With the players available early, it makes sense. Dallas can still get a top 3 CB. Or QB if need be. Just not top 3.

And any of those players can be better than what they have now...

 

[Flamma]

And any of those players can be better than what they have now...

Dallas is in a really bad cap situation right now. Dallas signing Dak does nothing other than to further the hype and popularity of the team. We're not winning anything. Signing Dak would be for the purpose of having a big name, nothing more. But maybe that's all they want.

 

[gimmesix]

Offense was kind of a problem, they led the league in turnovers. A lot had to do with our line and Zeke's early fumbling issues. If you remember, teams were getting big leads and playing prevent the rest of the way.

Having to put a rookie out there because you're missing a starting tackle is going to have some effect. But we only had to do that because Knight and Erving were hurt to start the season and McGovern wasn't ready coming off a year on the sideline. Steele would probably not have been the starting right tackle if any one of those things had been different. If Knight and Erving had been healthy, it's likely they would have been the starting right and left tackles.

If our offense was not affected at all by all the injuries we had to the line, it would have been a miracle. However, we can't let a freak season cause an overreaction. The offensive line was not as good as it would have been because of all the injuries. The defense was bad because of not having enough talent.

 

[gimmesix]

CB, S, DT are clearly are top draft priorities, where we certainly need a future starter at both Tackle and Linebacker. There is strong depth at both corner and tackle, but those are high valued positions and are usually over drafted due to demand. Think we can address linebacker even on day 3, but it will depend on how our board falls in the earlier rounds. We know the front office doesn't value the two down NT, my expectation, that doesn't get filled until day 3.

I'd like to see the opinion of the two-down NT change, or Dallas even seek a player there who can go three downs (someone like McNeill). Truth is, we've seen teams like Philly, Washington and New York play good defense at least in part because they've had two quality DTs.

Washington had two first-round DTs starting (Payne, Allen). The Giants had a second (Tomlinson, pick 55) and an early first (Williams) starting. Philly started a first-rounder (Cox) and a third-rounder (Hargrave. pick 89). During their Super Bowl season, the Eagles traded for Timmy Jernigan, a second-rounder (48th overall). That does not even include the first-rounders at DE.

Until we get serious about investing resources into DT, we are not very likely to get much better. The highest pick we've used on the position since 2005 was the 58th pick on Hill in 2019, and that was questionable since Hill was not even a full-time starter at a smaller school.

We can continue to throw all the blame on the coordinators (and they've deserved a share of it), but teams with good defenses understands that you've got to be able to hold and collapse the middle to succeed on that side of the ball.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Offense was kind of a problem, they led the league in turnovers. A lot had to do with our line and Zeke's early fumbling issues. If you remember, teams were getting big leads and playing prevent the rest of the way.

In a few games, yes. B

Dallas is in a really bad cap situation right now. Dallas signing Dak does nothing other than to further the hype and popularity of the team. We're not winning anything. Signing Dak would be for the purpose of having a big name, nothing more. But maybe that's all they want.

That's correct, and in that case there is certainly little money to sign all or even nearly all of the 17 unrestricted free agent they have.

Just another reason to trade down and get more draft picks, rookie contracts will cost less than signing multiple of their own free agents, because we all know just about any player will get a good offer from other teams. Heath signed a two year $8 mil contract, and he's not even a starter for the Raiders, and certainly wasn't a top starter at Dallas.

Can you imagine what somebody like Woods will get offered? A multiple year starter? Certainly will be more than $4 mil a year...

 

[Future]

Dallas is in a really bad cap situation right now. Dallas signing Dak does nothing other than to further the hype and popularity of the team. We're not winning anything. Signing Dak would be for the purpose of having a big name, nothing more. But maybe that's all they want.

Not really, unless Dak plays the season on the tag.

Which is why they're going to get a deal done.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Offense was kind of a problem, they led the league in turnovers. A lot had to do with our line and Zeke's early fumbling issues. If you remember, teams were getting big leads and playing prevent the rest of the way.

My first reaction to your statement was "yeah, that's right".

But I went back and checked game scores, using halftime for the measuring stick, and find this, listing of the games and the halftime scores in games Dallas lost:

Cowboys 14 Rams 13
Seahawks 23 Cowboys 15
Browns 31 Cowboys 14
Cards 21 Dallas 3
WFT 22 Cowboys 3
Cowboys 9 Eagles 7
Cowboys 13 Steelers 9
WFT 17 Cowboys 13
Ravens 17 Cowboys 10
Giants 20 Cowboys 9

In only 3 of the losses was Dallas behind at the half 10 or more points. 3 losses they were actually ahead at the half.
Don't think teams play prevent defense when behind at halftime or ahead by less than 2 scores.

Cowboys' problems go far beyond getting behind early....