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

[OmerV]

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.

I get that once or maybe twice, but I can't imagine 4 teams in 4 years unless there was some issue - either Boston's asking price is too high, or there was some issue with his play or maybe something else that kept teams from offering an extended contract.

 

[Hennessy_King]

I get that once or maybe twice, but I can't imagine 4 teams in 4 years unless there was some issue - either Boston's asking price is too high, or there was some issue with his play or maybe something else that kept teams from offering an extended contract.

I mean he didn't play all world great but was way better than heath and x woods. In san diego and az

 

[condoin125]

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!

Yeah you're nuts if you think Collins is overrated. The season he just had was definitely not as good as the previous two but to compare him to Roy's last year is so far off it's like you haven't watched the guy at all. I would love to get Collins but he'll probably want too much in FA.

 

[OmerV]

I mean he didn't play all world great but was way better than heath and x woods. In san diego and az

But "all world great" players aren't the only ones that get contract extensions or multi year contracts. Only a small number of players are that quality, and teams don't want to scramble to sign an new free agent safety every year, so if they have one that does a good job they typically will try to keep him longer than one year.

 

[conner01]

They were obviously interested in ET, and now it requires no picks. The only thing that’s changed is adding cooper and having to pay cooper
Does adding Coopers contract change their thinking on ET is the question
If you are going FA route then ET is the best out there if you can make the price work

 

[Direwolf63]

I've soured on Earl Thomas a bit.

He's on the wrong side of 30, has significant injury history and seems more interested in getting paid than team success.

An upgrade over Heath is definitely needed and I'm ok with Thomas on a short term deal. But I wouldn't close the doors to other options out there who are younger, healthier and cheaper. Richard should have some input on what he thinks would be the best options for an upgrade.

 

[CCBoy]

...The issue continues to be Stephen Jones, who prefers to spend their money on in-house guys.

There are exceptions to every rule and the concession for the Cowboys should be at safety. The back end of the defense had a good season, but they need a leader and a play maker in their secondary. The fix should be to bring in Thomas, who can do both.

Thomas is the game changer Dallas’ defense needs: he has 28 career interceptions, 10 forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries over the course of his career. As a veteran play maker who is always around the ball and is familiar with Kris Richard’s style of play, Thomas would immediately become the leader in the Cowboys’ secondary.

Age — Thomas turns 30 in May — and injury are concerns (he has missed 19 games in the last three seasons), but the chance to add a significant upgrade at a position of need outweigh those trepidation’s. If the Cowboys want to compete for a championship, they cannot continue to trot out Jeff Heath as a starting safety. Xavier Woods and Thomas would make a much better combination and has the potential to elevate the defense.

https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2019/02/10/dallas-cowboys-earl-thomas-2019-free-agency-target/

 

[KingintheNorth]

the answer is NOT Jeff Heath.

 

[xwalker]

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.

Tre Boston is Byron Jones at Safety but with a couple of more INTs per season.

I studied Boston last off-season because he was a free agent then also.

If not for the INTs I would rate Jones over Boston at FS.

Boston has averaged 3.33 INTs per season the past 3 years. He was not a starter prior to that.

Jones averaged 1 INT per season at FS.

Xavier Woods had 2 INTs in his 1st season at FS.

 

[blueblood70]

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...

actually Earl might be too much of a risk , not safe and getting player on his last contract who wants big money at hos age and is coming off seasons with injuries..you still have to be smart..

 

[Hennessy_King]

Tre Boston is Byron Jones at Safety but with a couple of more INTs per season.

I studied Boston last off-season because he was a free agent then also.

If not for the INTs I would rate Jones over Boston at FS.

Boston has averaged 3.33 INTs per season the past 3 years. He was not a starter prior to that.

Jones averaged 1 INT per season at FS.

Xavier Woods had 2 INTs in his 1st season at FS.

Jones averaged .66 at safety 2 in 3 years. Jones was an average safety. Better than Heath.

 

[xwalker]

Jones averaged .66 at safety 2 in 3 years. Jones was an average safety. Better than Heath.

I just used 2017 and 2016 because Jones played CB in some of the games his rookie year. More snaps at CB than Safety as I recall.

Boston is not not really an upgrade at FS over Xavier Woods and that's comparing to the 1st year for Woods at Safety in the NFL. I expect Woods to improve at bit in 2019 if he remains as the starting FS (i.e. ET not signed). Woods is a good hitter but smallish to play SS because the SS needs to get off blocks and cover TEs.

Between Heath and Jones most people don't even know which one played FS and which one played SS in 2017.

 

[buybuydandavis]

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 we play the *entire* free agent S market, instead of fixating on Thomas. I don't see us signing 2 with 3 guys under contract cheap.

I think there was some injured S in the next draft class. Had Jerry written all over him.

 

[buybuydandavis]

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

And they seem to like Woods a lot. And his price. It's hard for me to see them bringing in a guy to bench a cheap starter they like.

 

[Number1]

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...

1 - this is not a 4-3, it' a rather weird 4-2

2 - the SS in this system effectively plays SS and SLB (at the same time), that's Woodson ... not Earl, the difference is about 20 LBs of muscle, and 4" of reach.

3 - there are very few Ss in the game who match Heath's athleticism, his angles just suck
* I'd have signed Obi Melifonwu last year just to see if he could hang (24 yo and the best athlete at S, health in question)

4 - Earl Thomas is old and injured, with an ego, and price to go with it

5 - if they were gonna sign top S in FA they should have signed Reid last off season when he was cheap

and of course 4 of 5 big $ players in FAs turn out badly

just draft the best S on the board right after drafting the best pass rushing DT - keep this team young and hungry

 

[Hennessy_King]

I just used 2017 and 2016 because Jones played CB in some of the games his rookie year. More snaps at CB than Safety as I recall.

Boston is not not really an upgrade at FS over Xavier Woods and that's comparing to the 1st year for Woods at Safety in the NFL. I expect Woods to improve at bit in 2019 if he remains as the starting FS (i.e. ET not signed). Woods is a good hitter but smallish to play SS because the SS needs to get off blocks and cover TEs.

Between Heath and Jones most people don't even know which one played FS and which one played SS in 2017.

Totally agree with everything here. I actually wish they would have pursued Eric Reid we could have kept X woods at FS and Reid can play either SS or FS at a high level.

 

[MCMetal69]

the answer is NOT Jeff Heath.

Unless the question is : Who should not be a starting safety for the Dallas Cowboys ?

 

[CCBoy]

Safety

We know where this is leading to, the Earl Thomas recruitment. This has been building for over a year now and the Cowboys have their shot to acquire a winning piece on a player who wants to play for Dallas. He’s the perfect fit to bring leadership and playmaking skills to a secondary in desperate need of both.

Luckily for the Cowboys, though, if they don’t want to pony up for Thomas, there are other options at safety. This is a good free agent class that includes Landon Collins, Adrian Amos, Tyrann Mathieu, HaHa Clinton-Dix, LaMarcus Joyner, Marcus Gilchrist, and Kenny Vaccaro to name a few. Dallas should be looking for an upgrade over Jeff Heath to pair with Xavier Woods to make a more formidable last line of defense.

https://profootballtalkline.com/nfl.../news/128897/cowboys-free-agent-options.html/

 

[CCBoy]

actually Earl might be too much of a risk , not safe and getting player on his last contract who wants big money at hos age and is coming off seasons with injuries..you still have to be smart..

I still like him, and don't bottom out on a player who still possesses a top shelf talent and still has a time line to bet upon.

He adds a lot of an advantageous element...proven play making and strong, but good leadership. All players fight for a salary...some, deserve the respect as well. Thomas is one of these players.

 

[pacboyX]

I still like him, and don't bottom out on a player who still possesses a top shelf talent and still has a time line to bet upon.

He adds a lot of an advantageous element...proven play making and strong, but good leadership. All players fight for a salary...some, deserve the respect as well. Thomas is one of these players.

Thomas would definitely upgrade our safety situation. But would it move Woods back to a S/CB role? We would need a larger S through draft and I don’t see many good ones, leading most likely another undrafted “gem” starting in our mix.

A lower contract FA that’s of SS build, then draft another in mid/early 3rd and our S situation is solid.