CFZ The case for a RB high in the draft

[Flamma]

everyone keeps assuming we could have had them both but once you change the top half of the draft and not take zeke it changes a lot of picks after and henry was no guarantee, thats hyperbole. a lot of ASSumptions being made that we could have had both just because henry got taken in the 2nd. no facts or truth to that,. and comparing our 4th overall to 26 is very different. many player like zeke, Fournette, and Barkley taken high as RB but the league has shifted that philosophy.

so its possible one or booth those backs will fall to 26, not guaranteed but the way the league drafts rbs now they could be there.. even though BR is top 10 type athlete hes RB and they simply wont be taking a back that early for long while.. none of those top 5 rbs have taken their teams to a SB or SB win from what ive witnessed.

I absolutely agree. It's all hindsight. My point was in regard to a mindset. Take the guy you can't get in the 2nd with a high pick. Pick the guy that could be there in the 2nd with your lower pick.

In other words, a Ramsey/Henry pick was possible. A Zeke/Ramsey pick was impossible.

 

[starfan1]

everyone keeps assuming we could have had them both but once you change the top half of the draft and not take zeke it changes a lot of picks after and henry was no guarantee, thats hyperbole. a lot of ASSumptions being made that we could have had both just because henry got taken in the 2nd. no facts or truth to that,. and comparing our 4th overall to 26 is very different. many player like zeke, Fournette, and Barkley taken high as RB but the league has shifted that philosophy.

so its possible one or booth those backs will fall to 26, not guaranteed but the way the league drafts rbs now they could be there.. even though BR is top 10 type athlete hes RB and they simply wont be taking a back that early for long while.. none of those top 5 rbs have taken their teams to a SB or SB win from what ive witnessed.

Maybe but I’m not sure it changes all that much if someone wanted rb the top 2 of the 16 draft was Henry and zeke and that’s how it played out if we took Ramsey are you suggesting Jax takes zeke?

Who knows and who am I but playing arm chair gm is fun lol

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

The Cowboys have never accomplished much running the offense through the QB, they have run it through the RB throughout their history with HOF RB's.

In 2016 and 2014, they ran it through the RB and got homefield. Coincidentally, the RB's made All Pro both seasons.

There are two RB's worthy of 1st round picks and the Cowboys need to land one of them because that is the immediate impact player out of this draft.

This is not a future pick, it is a pick for now because the NFC is there for the taking but they need to have a run control the game offense.

And Pollard is not that RB. Robinson or Gibbs are better backs and that's the easiest transition position next to PK in the league.

I've wavered between OL and DL but can't see them taking a DT in the 1st anyway, just not sexy enough and I considered WR and TE but I have settled on one of these two RB's and run the offense through them. Can't give the QB any better help than that.

I disagree whole heartedly. unless the plan is to get rid of Pollard next year. and I responded to similar thought process in another thread. in the past 8 years, 24 RBs finishing in top 3. 11 made it to the post season and none made it to the superbowl and 3 got past first round of playoffs.

first round pick needs to focus on the OL or DL. we can grab a RB in the 2nd or 3rd round.

and btw, what happened in 2014 and 2016? its not about getting to the playoffs. its about building a team for post season success. you do that by having a strong DL and OL.

 

[baltcowboy]

By all accounts, Barkley turned down a 12.5 million a year contract. Even if that number is wrong, we know he turned down what was offered. For RBs today, that's not wise. I just kind of find that number hard to believe. But they did offer him a contract.

It’s not wise to us ham and eggers but to Barkley who literally carried the Giants on his back. He wants to get paid. The franchise tag is killing running backs.

 

[Flamma]

Cowboys and Eagles are in different situations though. Eagles are coming off a SB appearance where they phased Miles Sanders out of their offense. Cowboys won 4 games and their approach should’ve been they sucked.

And I don’t disagree with you. Get a young guy you can build around on defense at 10. Im entirely there with you on that. They have a great offensive line…to me there are 5 guys in this draft that can have the same impact Bijan can with that offensive line.

But I can also understand them going Bijan in thinking they are a player away. Even though….they are probably more of a defensive player away than a RB.

I agree. As much as I wouldn't like it, I'd rather them take Bijan than Jalen Carter. Jordan Davis is going to wake up. Put him along side Jalen Carter and it's not going to be pretty. That has the potential to be another early 90s Eagles defensive line.

 

[big dog cowboy]

offensive line or defense line.

Games are still won in the trenches.

Stop the run. Rush the QB. Open run lanes. Block for the QB.

Fundamental football.

 

[kskboys]

Yeah honestly I still value the position and if I can get the best one in the draft why not? I see it as I get 5 years with a guy and maybe six on the franchise.

Don't get me wrong, Zeke's skillset didn't warrant that high of a pick, however he did propel our O into another dimension. Bijan would do the same, and should last much longer.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Gallup is still recovering from an ACL tear. Pollard is still recovering. Zeke is gone. Schultz is gone. Noah Brown is gone. Backups at RB and WR look bad.

Gallup and Pollard will be healthy. Thank God Zeke is gone. Replace him in the 3rd. Schultz's replacement is already on the roster. Brown's replacement is already on the roster. The Cowboys drafted their replacements.

 

[kskboys]

Doesn't matter when your #1RB is on his 1st contract.

They tagged Pollard because they were planning on letting Elliott walk and having him at 10M is no worse than Schultz at 11M.

They have not signed Pollard long term and don't know if they've even approached that.

Pollard is very good, but he's not as much of a game changer as people want to believe. I think you can find someone to do what Polly does in the mid rounds. Eric Gray, maybe, or Deuce Vaughn.

I'd love to pick up Deuce in the 5th, as he'd be a game changer as a returner at the very least.

 

[CouchCoach]

I disagree whole heartedly. unless the plan is to get rid of Pollard next year. and I responded to similar thought process in another thread. in the past 8 years, 24 RBs finishing in top 3. 11 made it to the post season and none made it to the superbowl and 3 got past first round of playoffs.

first round pick needs to focus on the OL or DL. we can grab a RB in the 2nd or 3rd round.

and btw, what happened in 2014 and 2016? its not about getting to the playoffs. its about building a team for post season success. you do that by having a strong DL and OL.

I do not see an OL or DL in this draft as good as either RB and Carter comes with baggage.

I think Pollard is on a one year because of the injury and they are not sold he's true #1 for a 17 game season.

And when was the last time the Cowboys took a DT, the real DL need, in the 1st round? 32 years ago, Russell Maryland taken by Johnson and Parcells pulled the trigger on La'Roi Glover. Other than that, it is not a priority with the present management.

 

[stuckindc]

Good point. And Murray was just as effective as Zeke was if not more.

You see what they did in 2014 and 2016 with a dominant line. Build the trenches

 

[CouchCoach]

You see what they did in 2014 and 2016 with a dominant line. Build the trenches

Is there any OL in this draft that can have the impact of either RB? And Booger has an aversion to taking a DT in the 1st, he's never done it.

 

[ChronicCowboy]

Pretty good chance this is Pollards last season here so yeah getting a RB is a priority. Wouldn’t be thrilled if they take one in the 1st because I feel like a TE or DT could help us more this season. I’d look for a RB in rounds 3 and 4.

 

[shabazz]

They made him the highest paid running back of all time - despite having contract control for 2 years when they did it - and have $12 million in dead cap 4 years later.

It was a bad contract - the Cowboys caved. Not sure why anyone feels the need to try to spin it otherwise.

Agree 100%. even though Zeke was the best back in football I didn’t want Jerry to roll over and give Zeke a big chunk of our salary cap

not to derail the thread, the other big contract that has hurt the team was given to a guy without having any other option to fill his position.

You’d think a clever businessman would have provided himself options when there’s 20% of the salary cap on the line

 

[CouchCoach]

Agree 100%. even though Zeke was the best back in football I didn’t want Jerry to roll over and give Zeke a big chunk of our salary cap

not to derail the thread, the other big contract that has hurt the team was given to a guy without having any other option to fill his position.

You’d think a clever businessman would have provided himself options when there’s 20% of the salary cap on the line

If he takes a RB1 in this draft, he takes himself out of that situation with a RB on a tag.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I agree. As much as I wouldn't like it, I'd rather them take Bijan than Jalen Carter. Jordan Davis is going to wake up. Put him along side Jalen Carter and it's not going to be pretty. That has the potential to be another early 90s Eagles defensive line.

I agree. Bijan to the Eagles doesn’t scare me at 10….at 30? For sure. Carter is another interesting one. Intrigued to see where he goes and how far he falls.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Don't get me wrong, Zeke's skillset didn't warrant that high of a pick, however he did propel our O into another dimension. Bijan would do the same, and should last much longer.

Yeah it’s revisionist history on my part but looking at Zekes career he showed flashes of brilliance but it was mainly dependent on what was blocking in front of him.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

The Cowboys have never accomplished much running the offense through the QB, they have run it through the RB throughout their history with HOF RB's.

In 2016 and 2014, they ran it through the RB and got homefield. Coincidentally, the RB's made All Pro both seasons.

There are two RB's worthy of 1st round picks and the Cowboys need to land one of them because that is the immediate impact player out of this draft.

This is not a future pick, it is a pick for now because the NFC is there for the taking but they need to have a run control the game offense.

And Pollard is not that RB. Robinson or Gibbs are better backs and that's the easiest transition position next to PK in the league.

I've wavered between OL and DL but can't see them taking a DT in the 1st anyway, just not sexy enough and I considered WR and TE but I have settled on one of these two RB's and run the offense through them. Can't give the QB any better help than that.

OL would be contributing to the running game and would be my first choice, anything Dan Quinn wants would be my second choice!

 

[CowboyRoy]

The Cowboys have never accomplished much running the offense through the QB, they have run it through the RB throughout their history with HOF RB's.

In 2016 and 2014, they ran it through the RB and got homefield. Coincidentally, the RB's made All Pro both seasons.

There are two RB's worthy of 1st round picks and the Cowboys need to land one of them because that is the immediate impact player out of this draft.

This is not a future pick, it is a pick for now because the NFC is there for the taking but they need to have a run control the game offense.

And Pollard is not that RB. Robinson or Gibbs are better backs and that's the easiest transition position next to PK in the league.

I've wavered between OL and DL but can't see them taking a DT in the 1st anyway, just not sexy enough and I considered WR and TE but I have settled on one of these two RB's and run the offense through them. Can't give the QB any better help than that.

Common misconception. Those staubach teams could do it all and they had a great defense. Those Aikman teams ran through the Oline as much as Emmitt. They also had a great defense. So your skipping over a lot of facts to make a point just so you can ease into wanting to take a back in the first round.

A back without a line is useless. Pay the line not the back. This is what history has told us.

 

[Flamma]

Yeah it’s revisionist history on my part but looking at Zekes career he showed flashes of brilliance but it was mainly dependent on what was blocking in front of him.

Of course it's dependent on the line. But look what he did after getting through the line. He was an outstanding RB for the first 3 years. Then started downhill. I don't think anyone expected that at his age.