Team Needs

[Alexander]

They need QB2 and three. Counting on Romo to play a full schedule going forward is like counting on McFadden to do the same, foolish. They need to draft one and sign one, The whole back seven on defense needs multiple upgrades too. Cant count on Lee or McClain, Church is a first down waiting to happen, Wilcox is a failed project.

Good luck trying to stack the QB position.

We are not the only team with the need and above all else, we are still not convinced of Romo's mortality IMO. I am pretty much convinced they just think they screwed up the backup thing and gosh darn that injury luck again.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

@FuzzyLumpkins what needs do you think we'll be able to address in FA?

Another thing I noticed looking at that list is all the top 100 picks that are going to be available. With the new CBA giving the first three rounds 4 year deals means that those 90 or so players are now going to be hitting FA every year.

Now the first 32 picks all get 5th year options but not all of those are picked up. The way it used to be teams would sign them to shorter deals when they still had control at the expiration. Cowboys used that to leverage things quite often with say Ratliff. Later picks still get that dynamic but not the best 100 or so.

As a result the free agent crop is much richer I think. Looking at those corners and S and you can find talent all over the place.

 

[LocimusPrime]

Sure but glaring holes at skill positions are the worst kinds of holes you can have. QB WR and RB in particular. Plus there is a difference between a hole at a position and having players like Wilcox, Church, Hayden, DMC, Free, Street, and Cassel playing 40 or more snaps a game. Remember them trying to start Street? I don't think 'hole' does their play very much justice.

That is 5 starters and a QB away from having starting positions. That is before you start thinking of depth and ST. We need players and a lot of them. We can draft 7 but counting on more than 2 or 3 in year 1 is craziness. We going to sign 10 players to field a competent 45 man active roster?

1. Finding a future qb is a glaring hole, but Romo as the starter with cassel the backup is fine. Cassel with an entire offseason should be a serviceable backup.
2. Running back is fine ( could be improved but not a glaring hole) Cowboys have the 8 th best running offense with McFadden who is tied for the most 100 yard games and he didn't even start the entire year. Turbin is a fine back up and Dunbar is a good receiving option - if he heals up
3. WR - I guess we could upgrade the 4th receiver position. But Dez, twill , and beseley aren't going anywhere. We could draft a receiver to eventually replace twill. But once again it's not glaring. Almost every team could upgrade their receiving corps. Washington needs receivers, Eagles, tsmpaybay, buffalo, Carolina, Browns, ect...every team could upgrade somewhere in the receiving corps.
4. Defensively we are ok. We could use another DT upgrade. But we already have Crawford who is injured w a rotator cuff so his play is down this year and Irving. Hayden's spot would be the upgrade. At DE you got a log jam. Gregory, Lawrence, Hardy, mincey, and jack Crawford, with Russell on IR. Jack Crawford is a vest for the snaps he gets. Ok so let's talk about safety, well you get jones at fs and keep church at strong and that's serviceable. Now cbs - Carr, mo, scan. Scan will come back, and renogotiate with Carr or move him. Sign a sterling more type and draft one. No biggie. Linebackers, I guess we could sign one or draft one for fun. But Lee, McClain, hitchens, and Wilson will be here.

I would draft an OT to replace free or find one in free agency, sign a veteran CB and draft one, and if it's worth the pick draft a qb to groom. But all of these issues are basically cause Romo went down so we think the team is junk. I'm looking at the packers, Commanders, Eagles rosters right now and they look junker them ours. Everything looks better when you are winning with your starting qb and WR.. When you are losing everything gets questioned from ownership to coaches to rosters to schemes.

 

[TonyRomo17]

Having a top 5 QB can mask a lot of roster holes.

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

Things would have been different with a healthy romo , dez , and scandrick . We lost arguably the 3 best players on the team. No team could sustain that not even the pats. Take out brady , McCourty , and Rush gronk back at 60% . It wouldn't happen for them either. Was just bad luck. I'm convinced we can be right back in contention next year assuming we aren't snake bitten .

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

Wilcox is a failed project.

Seems he has at least one thing in common with his HC . . . . . .

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

I don't dislike the idea of stacking the QB position.

Stacking QB's on top of QB's. Ah, Garrett would love this . . . . . .

 

[Kaiser]

So overall we have gaping holes at FS NT RB1 QB2 SAM. WR2 maybe
we need better depth at WR DE LB OL RB secondary

This team is nowhere close.

This team is close, and it will have tons of money in FA and high draft picks.

I think Byron Jones plays FS extremely well next year and we sign a high dollar FA. Add a guy like Weddle and we will have a very good pair of Safeties.
Scandrick comes back with either Claiborne or Carr on the other side, which is OK.

Our top pick is a CB, Sam or WR, which solves one of those holes.

We get a RB early in the draft and probably sign a RB in FA, which solves those holes.

Hardy resigns because Jerry doesn't let talent get away, Hardy, Gregory, DLaw and Mincey make for a good rotation.

That leaves several holes depending on how the draft and FA play out, but it won't be too different from this year. It will be a team that can go deep in the playoffs if their starting QB stays healthy - which is the same position a lot of good NFL teams are in.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

1. Finding a future qb is a glaring hole, but Romo as the starter with cassel the backup is fine. Cassel with an entire offseason should be a serviceable backup.
2. Running back is fine ( could be improved but not a glaring hole) Cowboys have the 8 th best running offense with McFadden who is tied for the most 100 yard games and he didn't even start the entire year. Turbin is a fine back up and Dunbar is a good receiving option - if he heals up
3. WR - I guess we could upgrade the 4th receiver position. But Dez, twill , and beseley aren't going anywhere. We could draft a receiver to eventually replace twill. But once again it's not glaring. Almost every team could upgrade their receiving corps. Washington needs receivers, Eagles, tsmpaybay, buffalo, Carolina, Browns, ect...every team could upgrade somewhere in the receiving corps.
4. Defensively we are ok. We could use another DT upgrade. But we already have Crawford who is injured w a rotator cuff so his play is down this year and Irving. Hayden's spot would be the upgrade. At DE you got a log jam. Gregory, Lawrence, Hardy, mincey, and jack Crawford, with Russell on IR. Jack Crawford is a vest for the snaps he gets. Ok so let's talk about safety, well you get jones at fs and keep church at strong and that's serviceable. Now cbs - Carr, mo, scan. Scan will come back, and renogotiate with Carr or move him. Sign a sterling more type and draft one. No biggie. Linebackers, I guess we could sign one or draft one for fun. But Lee, McClain, hitchens, and Wilson will be here.

I would draft an OT to replace free or find one in free agency, sign a veteran CB and draft one, and if it's worth the pick draft a qb to groom. But all of these issues are basically cause Romo went down so we think the team is junk. I'm looking at the packers, Commanders, Eagles rosters right now and they look junker them ours. Everything looks better when you are winning with your starting qb and WR.. When you are losing everything gets questioned from ownership to coaches to rosters to schemes.

Cassel is not acceptable. Even if he suddenly figures out how to read the entire offense he still cannot throw an NFL ball. He has to windup like a pitcher and he doesn't have the consistent mechanics to be accurate. That type of thing is very unlikely to change at age 34. If you want QB talent that doesn't cost another Romo you have to draft it. If there is a QB with a first round grade there with our top 7 pick and we take the 2nd of any other position I will be really annoyed. Ramsey or that DE then fine but otherwise we need a QB over the next 5 years.

DMC's role in the passing offense is as a checkdown receiver. His pass protection is inconsistent. He has poor vision as demonstrated by his YPC on zone carries. If we spend a top 100 pick I think we have a really good shot to improve over what DMC gives us. DMC is nearing the bucket as well. Acquiring RB makes too much sense.

TWill had another disappearing act this year. That inconsistency also appears in games. He still struggles to highpoint the ball with his hands. If we spend a top 100 pick we have a fair chance to improve this starting position and provide depth. His rookie deal is coming up soon as well.

Hayden Church and Wilcox are not okay. Church cannot play man coverage and he has poor range in space. Hitchens at SAM is not okay. "You cannot fill every hole" doesn't mean that you just ignore where your weak spots are.

We need to maximize our resources. Leverage the rounds to get scarce positions. Use as much cap space as possible to bring in players that are better than what we have. Plenty of opportunities for improvement on a 4-12 squad.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

This team is close, and it will have tons of money in FA and high draft picks.

I think Byron Jones plays FS extremely well next year and we sign a high dollar FA. Add a guy like Weddle and we will have a very good pair of Safeties.
Scandrick comes back with either Claiborne or Carr on the other side, which is OK.

Our top pick is a CB, Sam or WR, which solves one of those holes.

We get a RB early in the draft and probably sign a RB in FA, which solves those holes.

Hardy resigns because Jerry doesn't let talent get away, Hardy, Gregory, DLaw and Mincey make for a good rotation.

That leaves several holes depending on how the draft and FA play out, but it won't be too different from this year. It will be a team that can go deep in the playoffs if their starting QB stays healthy - which is the same position a lot of good NFL teams are in.

If this team is lucky with injuries it's close. This is football though. Attrition is a given. Cowboys don't seem to account for that very well.

You don't draft for backups though. You have to approach it from the vantage point of trying to improve the guys who play. They make all that lip service about competition yada yada. Actions not words.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

6
0
3
16
0
7

Those are the point totals for Cassel's last six halves of football as a starter. That's brutal anyway you slice it.

 

[Kaiser]

You don't draft for backups though. You have to approach it from the vantage point of trying to improve the guys who play. They make all that lip service about competition yada yada. Actions not words.

Agree, but I don't see them drafting for backups. Assuming their pick is around #5, they can take an impact CB, LB or WR at that pick. Then you can still pick up a starting caliber RB in the 2nd and a QB for development in round 3.

You can also trade down from the #5 pick and take a RB like Elliot early, then get two very good players in the 2nd round with the extra pick.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Agree, but I don't see them drafting for backups. Assuming their pick is around #5, they can take an impact CB, LB or WR at that pick. Then you can still pick up a starting caliber RB in the 2nd and a QB for development in round 3.

You can also trade down from the #5 pick and take a RB like Elliot early, then get two very good players in the 2nd round with the extra pick.

Ramsey is the only CB I'm interested in. Now I haven't looked at the WR but draftscout has the top rated one at around 9 overall. There is no clear cut WR out there. There is no Shazier dynamic LB type either. The top guys weakness is in coverage. There are coverage LB I have seen later in the round but not there at 5.

There are likely to be 2 of those 4 QBs that are bandied about that end up with a first round grade. There are very few players in this draft I want over a first round QB talent.

Around 5 sounds right.

 

[Kaiser]

Ramsey is the only CB I'm interested in. Now I haven't looked at the WR but draftscout has the top rated one at around 9 overall. There is no clear cut WR out there. There is no Shazier dynamic LB type either. The top guys weakness is in coverage. There are coverage LB I have seen later in the round but not there at 5.

I'm still in the mode of trading down from the top 5 but its obviously too early to say anything definitively. Also we haven't seen what Juniors will enter the draft, also on LBs, most of the early writeups have Jaylon Smith and Myles Jack in their top ten.

 

[RS12]

6
0
3
16
0
7

Those are the point totals for Cassel's last six halves of football as a starter. That's brutal anyway you slice it.

It is one the thing to have the arm strength of an 8 Y/O girl if you can get the ball in the end zone. It is another if you cant.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I'm still in the mode of trading down from the top 5 but its obviously too early to say anything definitively. Also we haven't seen what Juniors will enter the draft, also on LBs, most of the early writeups have Jaylon Smith and Myles Jack in their top ten.

I like that idea too. And yeah there are highly rated LB. Jaylon Smith has no ball skills and reminds me of Bruce Carter in deep coverage with his lack of awareness. He is a versatile blitzer though. I don't hate the idea of a SAM. OTOH if we are developing players not ready out the gate I would rather it be a QB.

Ultimately, I just think that the first round pick is going to be the only chance we have in the next couple of years to get a QB. I don't want to wait until the other side of the Romo era. There is a very good chance that a QB with a first round grade is there when we pick.

We can sign CB in free agency. We can find SAM and WR prospects in later rounds. Not so with QB.

 

[waving monkey]

I like that idea too. And yeah there are highly rated LB. Jaylon Smith has no ball skills and reminds me of Bruce Carter in deep coverage with his lack of awareness. He is a versatile blitzer though. I don't hate the idea of a SAM. OTOH if we are developing players not ready out the gate I would rather it be a QB.

Ultimately, I just think that the first round pick is going to be the only chance we have in the next couple of years to get a QB. I don't want to wait until the other side of the Romo era. There is a very good chance that a QB with a first round grade is there when we pick.

We can sign CB in free agency. We can find SAM and WR prospects in later rounds. Not so with QB.

Ultimately, I just think that the first round pick is going to be the only chance we have in the next couple of years to get a QB. I don't want to wait until the other side of the Romo era. There is a very good chance that a QB with a first round grade is there when we pick.

thats the reality I view

 

[Carson]

I'm still in the mode of trading down from the top 5 but its obviously too early to say anything definitively. Also we haven't seen what Juniors will enter the draft, also on LBs, most of the early writeups have Jaylon Smith and Myles Jack in their top ten.

Figures the year we get a top 5 pick, they are mostly average!

 

[LucaBrasi]

QB2 and QB3
Safety (probably 2)
At least 2 corners
2 one tech's ( or 1 depending on your opinion of terrel McClain).
MLB
at least 1 DE
speed WR
RB
Backup G/C

 

[CF74]

QB2 and QB3
Safety (probably 2)
At least 2 corners
2 one tech's ( or 1 depending on your opinion of terrel McClain).
MLB
at least 1 DE
speed WR
RB
Backup G/C

Terrel looks good enough to be a #2 and make Hayden expendable but he can't stay on the field. Two years in a row he goes down...