Terrell McClain is not a lock for the roster

[conner01]

hmm. Odd. When I listened to Talkin Cowboys, I didn't hear that, but on the Break, Broaddus mentioned that there was a lot of love for McClain, but he's always hurt, Eatman followed by saying to keep Coleman and Bishop and cut either Hayden or McClain. But fair enough. It's possible I missed it on Talkin Cowboys.[/quot

I didn't listen to the program but I can't imagine McClain ever being considered a lock
I don't think Hayden is a lock but mighty close

 

[guag]

he is totally unreliable and one of the main reasons why we are stuck with Hayden.

I think you're underestimating the power of a Marinelli love affair.

 

[LittleD]

I just can't figure out how Hayden is a lock

Because Marinelli loves the guy and what Marinelli wants, Marinelli gets... Get with the program!

 

[jrumann59]

Drafting a real nose in 2016, alas one can only dream...

*Sigh*

The trend seems to be most teams want a true nose and would love to draft one but they are almost like RB, a good one is nice to have but you can gloss over the position. Besides drafting it just seems teams just sign guys that have played int eh league and may be past their prime but are serviceable hoping one will fall in their lap come draft day.

 

[darthseinfeld]

I've heard Spagnola and Broaddus say it. I've seen it written by the DMN, FWST, and the blogosphere. I don't buy any of it.

First, the coaches deceive. Garrett has no issue misleading nor outright lying to the press. He will talk philosophy and history openly but when it comes to things like injuries, depth charts, scheme, gameplan, and opponent he is coy, dissembling and lies as a matter of course. I think of it as CIA Garrett. "We don't like to rank/compare," "it's too early to tell," "we haven't talked about/made those decisions yet," " we don't like to get into specifics," and "we think he is day to day" are all staples when those types of questions are asked. He has stuffed the injury report and he refuses to be pigeonholed by their narratives and interpretations. "I wouldn't say that," is another Garrettism.

Marinelli and Garrett also go to great lengths to create a competitive environment to keep these guys keen and attentive. That message is consistent with the press as consistency is part of the message itself. The motivational ploy of pitting man against man is done all manner of ways but a common theme is to set a role model of the guy who obeys orders unquestioningly regardless of outcome and use them as the foil for young recruits. In the press, Garrett and Marinelli like to talk up Hayden and bash Coleman and Russell. I have a feeling the last thing that they want to do is tell anyone of them they have made the team much less announce it to the press.

A few of the press core seem to get it. Ed Werder dances around questions. Clarence Hill plows on with his narrative anyway. Rowan Kavner used to get offended by it years ago.

One thing is clear to me though. They do not tell any of the media what their actual depth chart and roster strategy is. I have no idea why they think McClain is a lock. At least Hayden is the foil and Marinelli likes to gush about him.

McClain's contract is prohibitive neither way. He has $200k of dead money and a $1m contract that expires in 2016. No lock there.

On the field, McClain spends all his time with Brown and Mauer. He had that high ankle sprain last year, missed all of camp, and ended the season on IR with mediocre and out of control play in between. He struggled to change direction and get off blocks. He went to the OTAs this season and got hurt in the first week of camp again with another lower leg/high ankle injury. You don't put out HAH! tape with the trainers.

OTOH, you have Coleman and Bishop who are continuing to stack good practice after good practice.

I don't believe any of them are a lock to make the team but I do believe that they won't tell anyone they've made the team until cuts particularly with the young players. Thing is outside of groupthink I can see no justification to say that McClain has outperformed the young guys in either year much less in the now.

Personally I think Coleman is doing a hell of a job showing that he is going to be a handful for C to single block. My man Ken Bishop is strong at the poa and has developed a swim move and active hands to redirect and get off blocks following up a solid 2014. Hardy, Mincey, and both Crawfords are going to be terrors swimming over single blocks inside on passing downs. I don't think we need much more than that particularly if Russell sticks around.

I think McClain at this point, especially with Jack Crawford and Ryan Russell getting quality snaps at 3 Tech and Hardy likely getting snaps at 3 Tech during the season is pretty much a 1 Tech only. I dont see the staff going into the season with 3 DTs that only play the 1. Coleman can play both spots.

I think as far as roster spots goes, he is going to be competing with younger DE's like Russell and Gardener. Both have shown position flexibility that allows them to provide depth at multiple positions. Russell was drafted to be a part of the DE rotation in the future and could have an expanded role next year if Hardy walks ( which is likley). He isnt ready to get 500-600 snaps yet, but he has done nothing to make himself look like a failed pick.

 

[CCBoy]

One thing I do know, and that is Garrett's philosophy of the right kind of guy has found a home in the application of just that, in Rod Marinelli.

 

[xwalker]

I've heard Spagnola and Broaddus say it. I've seen it written by the DMN, FWST, and the blogosphere. I don't buy any of it.

First, the coaches deceive. Garrett has no issue misleading nor outright lying to the press. He will talk philosophy and history openly but when it comes to things like injuries, depth charts, scheme, gameplan, and opponent he is coy, dissembling and lies as a matter of course. I think of it as CIA Garrett. "We don't like to rank/compare," "it's too early to tell," "we haven't talked about/made those decisions yet," " we don't like to get into specifics," and "we think he is day to day" are all staples when those types of questions are asked. He has stuffed the injury report and he refuses to be pigeonholed by their narratives and interpretations. "I wouldn't say that," is another Garrettism.

Marinelli and Garrett also go to great lengths to create a competitive environment to keep these guys keen and attentive. That message is consistent with the press as consistency is part of the message itself. The motivational ploy of pitting man against man is done all manner of ways but a common theme is to set a role model of the guy who obeys orders unquestioningly regardless of outcome and use them as the foil for young recruits. In the press, Garrett and Marinelli like to talk up Hayden and bash Coleman and Russell. I have a feeling the last thing that they want to do is tell anyone of them they have made the team much less announce it to the press.

A few of the press core seem to get it. Ed Werder dances around questions. Clarence Hill plows on with his narrative anyway. Rowan Kavner used to get offended by it years ago.

One thing is clear to me though. They do not tell any of the media what their actual depth chart and roster strategy is. I have no idea why they think McClain is a lock. At least Hayden is the foil and Marinelli likes to gush about him.

McClain's contract is prohibitive neither way. He has $200k of dead money and a $1m contract that expires in 2016. No lock there.

On the field, McClain spends all his time with Brown and Mauer. He had that high ankle sprain last year, missed all of camp, and ended the season on IR with mediocre and out of control play in between. He struggled to change direction and get off blocks. He went to the OTAs this season and got hurt in the first week of camp again with another lower leg/high ankle injury. You don't put out HAH! tape with the trainers.

OTOH, you have Coleman and Bishop who are continuing to stack good practice after good practice.

I don't believe any of them are a lock to make the team but I do believe that they won't tell anyone they've made the team until cuts particularly with the young players. Thing is outside of groupthink I can see no justification to say that McClain has outperformed the young guys in either year much less in the now.

Personally I think Coleman is doing a hell of a job showing that he is going to be a handful for C to single block. My man Ken Bishop is strong at the poa and has developed a swim move and active hands to redirect and get off blocks following up a solid 2014. Hardy, Mincey, and both Crawfords are going to be terrors swimming over single blocks inside on passing downs. I don't think we need much more than that particularly if Russell sticks around.

I would like to keep Bishop, Coleman and Russell.

I think McClain is better than Hayden when healthy but he can't seem to stay healthy.

Jack Crawford looks good but for some reason I'm skeptical about him being consistent and staying healthy.

I would be fine with keeping 11 DL which they did at times last season.

 

[Nightman]

How many do they keep? 8-10

Greg Hardy
Randy Gregory
D Lawrence
Jeremy Mincey
Ben Gardner
TCrawford
Nick Hayden
Ken Bishop
Davon Coleman
Jack Crawford
Ryan Russell
T McClain
Lavar Edwards

 

[conner01]

I would like to keep Bishop, Coleman and Russell.

I think McClain is better than Hayden when healthy but he can't seem to stay healthy.

Jack Crawford looks good but for some reason I'm skeptical about him being consistent and staying healthy.

I would be fine with keeping 11 DL which they did at times last season.

I hope we keep 11
That's a spot I think we have some decent players who can contribute

 

[StarBoyz83]

Mcclain won't make the 53

 

[Alexander]

Mcclain won't make the 53

If he does not show out in the next three weeks, it would be criminal if he backed his way onto the 53.

 

[CF74]

The trend seems to be most teams want a true nose and would love to draft one but they are almost like RB, a good one is nice to have but you can gloss over the position. Besides drafting it just seems teams just sign guys that have played int eh league and may be past their prime but are serviceable hoping one will fall in their lap come draft day.

Yeah I'd rather rent one on a rookie contract for 4-5 years...

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

By going the follow the money and draft pick investment method I think the following are locks:

DLaw - top 100
Mincey - paid him $500k to come to camp, best incumbent
Gregory - top 100
98 - rising star
(Hardy) - ~$10m contract/suspension

Hardy isn't going to count towards the total in the first 4 weeks. Given that, you need 3 DT and a DE to get a first and second string and there are likely one or two more spots they would be willing to keep.

3-4 DT spots Hayden, 58, Coleman, Bishop, McClain
1-3 DE spots Russell, Gardner, Edwards, Obada

That is what I see as the bubble.

 

[BAT]

One McClain too many on this team??? Say it aint so Jerry. Terrell better get himself on the field if he doesn't want those young guns to supplant him:

But even if Cowboys keep 11, some of these guys could be displaced by cuts from other teams. Seattle especially has some good DTs that will be available. Jesse Williams and Will Tukuafu (also plays FB, TE as well as DL) are intriguing.

 

[Alexander]

Because Marinelli loves the guy and what Marinelli wants, Marinelli gets... Get with the program!

If what the talking heads say is true and McCain does have a reserved roster spot, that is indeed on Marinelli.

 

[LittleD]

If what the talking heads say is true and McCain does have a reserved roster spot, that is indeed on Marinelli.

I was speaking about Hayden. Hayden is a lock for this team this year because Marinelli is going to keep him. Now I don't think McCain
is a lock for this team this year because he seems to always be hurt and there are too many good younger players breathing up his backside.

 

[BIGDen]

How many do they keep? 8-10

Greg Hardy
Randy Gregory
D Lawrence
Jeremy Mincey
Ben Gardner
TCrawford
Nick Hayden
Ken Bishop
Davon Coleman
Jack Crawford
Ryan Russell
T McClain
Lavar Edwards

I think Edwards gets gut, Hardy doesn't count for the first 4 games, and couldn't they put T. McClain on PUP? Unless I'm mistaken, that's 10 DL on the game 1 roster.

 

[starfrombirth]

Of all the players I consider a lock for the roster this off season, McClain was never one of them.

Actually, my surprise cut for the year is Hayden. Rod might like his effort but at a certain point potential that is being lost outweighs the effort being gained.

 

[DallasDW00ds0n]

Because Marinelli loves the guy and what Marinelli wants, Marinelli gets... Get with the program!

My bad my bad, you right you right

 

[xwalker]

I think Edwards gets gut, Hardy doesn't count for the first 4 games, and couldn't they put T. McClain on PUP? Unless I'm mistaken, that's 10 DL on the game 1 roster.

T. McClain is not eligible for the PUP. He has practiced in training camp which makes him ineligible.