News: The Dallas Cowboys shouldn’t play it safe at safety

[CCBoy]

The Dallas Cowboys shouldn’t play it safe at safety
https://thelandryhat.com/2019/02/12/dallas-cowboys-safe-safety/



It’s time the Dallas Cowboys invest dollars and picks back into the safety positions. Does the team lure Earl Thomas in, or should Big D head to the draft?

Let’s settle our wish list. The Dallas Cowboys need safety star power. That is all. Eight points are what separated the Cowboys from the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. In the six losses over the 2018 regular season, Dallas lost by a combined sum of 62 points.

...Free safety Xavier Woods, a 2017 sixth-round pick, played in 14 games. He totaled 56 tackles, a forced fumble, and two interceptions. He turns 24 this July. Safety Jeff Heath, who turns 28 in May, played in all 18 possible games for the Cowboys. He totaled 85 tackles, zero sacks, a forced fumble, and one interception. The six-foot-one pro is entering his seventh season.

You have to figure that the Dallas Cowboys know his baseline, his ceiling, so despite his cool field goal kicking, it’s time the team looks at an immediate upgrade. The NFL is full of Jeff Heaths. Many safeties with Jeff Heath’s attributes can plug-in and play for this type of 4-3 base defense. The Cowboys need a brand in the backfield. A play-maker. A Darren Woodson hitter. Is Earl Thomas that guy? Maybe...

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

Considering that safety doesnt have a strong class this draft and that safeties are dirt cheap in FA, I really hope we attack the position in FA by signing one mid tier and one high tier safety.

 

[Ebnorice]

Considering that safety doesnt have a strong class this draft and that safeties are dirt cheap in FA, I really hope we attack the position in FA by signing one mid tier and one high tier safety.

Landon Collins and earl would be my dream

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

Landon Collins and earl would be my dream

With Woods playing as well as he is, I wouldn't want to bench him and replace him with a high priced FA while on his rookie deal. I can see the appeal though.

My absolute perfect scenario would be
Adrian Amos as the high priced FA
And Kenny Vacarro as the mid-tier FA who could backup both FS and SS spots

 

[AKATheRake]

With Woods playing as well as he is, I wouldn't want to bench him and replace him with a high priced FA while on his rookie deal. I can see the appeal though.

My absolute perfect scenario would be
Adrian Amos as the high priced FA
And Kenny Vacarro as the mid-tier FA who could backup both FS and SS spots

We need turnovers/playmaking and leadership in the backfield. Adrian Amos does not provide either.

We have those attributes on the d-line and at LB. Only level on defense we are missing that is in the backfield.

Earl Thomas exemplifies those attributes. Now Woods is coming into his own and is only 23, will be 24 by training camp. If we got ET he obviously starts at FS and Woods is more of a FS size wise but plays SS.

Heath plays both solid yet unspectacular in a pinch and can be the back up and continue to be utilized on ST's even more if that is the case. Heath costs us $2,450,000 in total cap, would save us $2 million in cap space and cost $450,000 in dead cap if cut. But I think he is very good depth at that contract as both ET and Woods have missed games due to injury recently. Heath is a UFA after this coming season and his contract would not impact our books.

Now that's where I like your Kenny Vaccaro addition as he only made $1,500,000 last season, had a strong season and would be a nice hard hitting pair up with ET at SS. He turns 28 in 2 days so we're not dropping off in age against Heath, is born, raised and played college in Texas. But he is going to want to start, not back up. So that pushes a very youthful Woods to backup and not getting that starting experience. The thing is, Wood's been hurt the last 2 seasons for good periods, so in a playoff run can we rely on him for a full season? So far, no. So if Vaccaro is willing to compete to start then I like the addition.

If we could get Vaccaro at 2 years $6 million total we keep Heath, Woods is on a very cap friendly deal as a very strong backup those 2 years anyways and when Vaccaro is 29 his contract runs out and Woods is 26 entering 2021 as a UFA. One thing to mention is I'm not so sure Kris Richard is high on Vaccaro and it does service us justice to play Woods more if we believe he can handle a full season where we are certainly thinking playoff run but taking a shot at the title.

We have very good players at safety and the depth behind them at good pricing. We don't have to invest a 2nd or 3rd round pick in the position where we can go for a DT, TE who can start, another WR or any BPA in this year's draft.

 

[CCBoy]

Bill Belichik has come out and stated that his target age now, is 26. That serves for him, now, as the target average for his team and the upper end for player signings. (He bends it to suite his demands on execution and consistency.)

 

[Zekeats]

Landon Collins and earl would be my dream

Collins is so overrated. Giants fans can't stand him, always out of position constantly getting beat. Remember Roy Williams last years here? That's what you'll get, pass!

 

[Ebnorice]

Collins is so overrated. Giants fans can't stand him, always out of position constantly getting beat. Remember Roy Williams last years here? That's what you'll get, pass!

I need to do lore research on Collins then apparently. Because if he is Roy number 3 than I’ll pass but you know Roy killed it with woody. Maybe if Collins has earl back there similar results ?

 

[StarBoyz83]

They will. heath and woods will be the starters.

 

[ItzKelz]

My guess is that SJ wont over pay for Earl. I suspect we will end up looking towards the draft.

 

[DuncanIso]

Considering that safety doesnt have a strong class this draft and that safeties are dirt cheap in FA, I really hope we attack the position in FA by signing one mid tier and one high tier safety.

I hope Richard will have some influence here.

We’ve needed help at S for many seasons now.

 

[GenoT]

In before this becomes yet another full-blown Earl Thomas debate thread.

 

[Ddisco22]

With Woods playing as well as he is, I wouldn't want to bench him and replace him with a high priced FA while on his rookie deal. I can see the appeal though.

My absolute perfect scenario would be
Adrian Amos as the high priced FA
And Kenny Vacarro as the mid-tier FA who could backup both FS and SS spots

Woods would stay , Jeff would be gone

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

Woods would stay , Jeff would be gone

The other poster suggested signing Landon Collins and Earl Thomas. That would put Woods on the bench.

 

[Pompey-Cowboy]

Though not a fan of grabbing someone else's cast off's in FA, I do think we have to take a chance on one of the obvious candidates on this particular occasion. The other obvious need is at TE but I think that can be addressed in the draft or by simply relying on one we already have continuing to progress. The right safety could be the difference between having a very good D and a dominant one.

 

[Ddisco22]

The other poster suggested signing Landon Collins and Earl Thomas. That would put Woods on the bench.

I don't know if I can see Dallas picking up two free agents, possibly one but who knows with all of the contract talks.
I wouldn't be surprised if they opted out of taking either

 

[OmerV]

I cringe when I read the comment that the team needs "star power" or a "brand" in the backfield. It's not about glitz or media attention or marketability, it's about effectiveness. The Cowboys could definitely use an upgrade at safety, but I don't care about name recognition or whether he is the hottest commodity on the market or anything else but whether he can upgrade the position and get the job done.

 

[Hennessy_King]

Tre boston is back on the market. I'm not sure how he played tho. I was hoping Reid would be available as well because he played pretty well but carolina gave him a 3 year deal. I would take boston and amos to sure up the back end. I'm not an earl thomas fan at 30 years old coming from back to back broken legs.

 

[OmerV]

Tre boston is back on the market. I'm not sure how he played tho. I was hoping Reid would be available as well because he played pretty well but carolina gave him a 3 year deal. I would take boston and amos to sure up the back end. I'm not an earl thomas fan at 30 years old coming from back to back broken legs.

Boston obviously has talent, but if he signs with somebody other than AZ he will be on his 4th team in 4 years. Does anyone know what is causing that?

In any case, I don't see them spending on two veteran starters at safety.

 

[Hennessy_King]

Boston obviously has talent, but if he signs with somebody other than AZ he will be on his 4th team in 4 years. Does anyone know what is causing that?

In any case, I don't see them spending on two veteran starters at safety.

Boston I thought has always played well. I don't think he's ever been suspended or any non sense like that. I just think the safety market is saturated and I mean the chargers let him walk and lucked out by having derwin james fall to them. We need to invest in the position Heath is not a starter in this league. Most teams probably would have cut him by now.