The front office has failed to build depth - again

[Stash]

Depth means a lot of things.

Picking the right players has a lot to do with it.

So does developing them and providing the best environment to succeed. That is on coaching.

We picked Jaylon Smith and Chaz Green in rounds 2 and 3.

Those players are supposed to be building blocks, not liabilities.

And the big kicker is, since we spent high picks on them, we coddled the pair of them.

We provided them with inferior competition. They did not have to earn anything.

As much as we talk about things like competition, it certainly does not roll out that way.

And it's also not factoring in a player's injury history enough.

Always thinking they can "steal" a guy on the cheap because he got injured while failing to consider the effects of the injury or the fact that some players are, in fact, injury prone.

But they never accepted that fact with Romo (until Dak showed he could play) either.

As you said, around here, hope is a strategy.

 

[Alexander]

And it's also not factoring in a player's injury history enough.

And character as well. Case in point Randy Gregory.

No we aren't even consistent with those approaches, which is maddening.

Pursue NaVorro Bowman? Oh no, no. He has a bum knee. Too beat up. Trade for Marcel Darius? Bad character. Lazy or something.

We would rather hope for the future that a player blossoms into a star.

And BTW, better not have anyone in the way of that development.

 

[Sydla]

I don't think OL depth is OK.

I don't think either of the backups can play. Green was abysmal, but Bell was no better when he came in. They're dead in the water if either of those guys has to play left tackle.

But yeah, sit on your hands while you keep guys around like Benwikere and March-Lillard who you never want to see the field.

All while guys like Green, Bell, and Jaylon Smith help you end up with another wasted season.

I am not ready to chuck Green out yet. He also played very well before. I think they should have just left him at OT. Morning him to OG was a mistake IMO.

 

[Sasquatch]

Mediocre GM and mediocre coach produces mediocre results.

 

[Stash]

I am not ready to chuck Green out yet. He also played very well before. I think they should have just left him at OT. Morning him to OG was a mistake IMO.

I agree about leaving him at OT. All along I said that was dumb.

But I disagree about being ready to throw him out. It wouldn't matter to me one way or another at this point. Heck, bring in Greg Robinson and try to rehabilitate him. At least he would likely hold up better physically.

I think Chaz Green is a fragile player. Physically and mentally. A nice guy? Sure I guess. But on the offensive line, in the trenches, nice guys finish last.

I don't even expect to see Green out there this week. If Smith doesn't give it a go, I expect the geniuses to go the "veteran route" with Byron Bell. And he looked every bit as bad as Green did when he got his turn. He looks like a guy who's just happy to dance around like a fool and collect his paycheck. "You mean you want me to play?"

The team's only chance in my opinion is getting Smith back on the field. Somehow, some way. Short of that, tie one hand behind the offense's back and use two of yours to try and block one of theirs.

 

[CATCH17]

We literally have no depth at LB.

Sean Lee has a well known injury history.

Anthony Hitchens was injured during the pre season.

And they came into the season with. NO viable LB back ups. They chose to rely on a second year player with one leg.

So when Lee gets hurt, the defense can’t stop the run. And we have no chance to win.

It was a huge mistake.

But this is what happens when you crap the bed in free agency. You can’t build depth through the draft alone. You need to find solid, cheap veteran free agents to be back ups.

They failed miserably.

Linebacker is the #1 offseason need.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

Depth? Right now they're simply trying to find 22 solid starters, depth usually comes later, though Dallas should consider maintaining their OL integrity as being more important right now. It would be nice to have a golden armed QB that could erase all of your team's deficiencies but most teams don't have one of those.

 

[Alexander]

Linebacker is the #1 offseason need.

Offseason priority. Meaning looking at both free agency and the draft.

Looking for LB help in this upcoming draft is not exactly shopping where supplies are plentiful.

 

[CATCH17]

Offseason priority. Meaning looking at both free agency and the draft.

Looking for LB help in this upcoming draft is not exactly shopping where supplies are plentiful.

I look forward to the next Akin Ayodele.

 

[9of11]

I'm beginning to really believe letting Callahan walk was a big mistake, there is no way green looks that bad under his tutelage

Exactly! Ive been saying the same thing. This Oline has not been the same since he left.

 

[mardwin]

The problem is that we take too many risks with our 2nd rounders. We traded up and gave up a 2nd round to snatch Claiborne, that pick was meant to draft Bobby Wagner the stud LB for the Seahawks. We drafted poorly in 2013 with Gavin Escobar who did not develop into the type of TE we were hoping. Two years later we took a risk on a guy with troubled history in Randy Gregory and he hasn't been able to stay on the field. Jaylon Smith is just another bad 2nd round gamble that is looking very improbable to payoff.

 

[Alexander]

There is partial blame on the Front office and on the coaching staff. The front office rolls the dice to often on project players, and the coaching staff is too stubborn to make adjustments when they are needed. They tend to stick to the plan until it's too late.

It is not just about in game adjustments.

The coaching staff's job is to field a team prepared for a season. If you look at how the roster was constructed and where the talent came from, it was clear they focused hard on DBs because they gutted the portion of the roster. All of their energy was on that, even into free agency with the Carroll prized plum signing.

They looked at LB and OT and crossed their fingers and hoped for the best.

Dead on the stubborn part. They come up with this rigid plan with next to no contingencies beyond their narrow band of focus.

 

[Alexander]

Exactly! Ive been saying the same thing. This Oline has not been the same since he left.

It was dominant last year.

I think a lot of people really did not understand how having Doug Free retire would have a ripple effect. Losing Leary was bad enough, but we got weaker at two positions and our response was, "Lets see what Chaz can do".

 

[Stash]

The problem is that we take too many risks with our 2nd rounders. We traded up and gave up a 2nd round to snatch Claiborne, that pick was meant to draft Bobby Wagner the stud LB for the Seahawks. We drafted poorly in 2013 with Gavin Escobar who did not develop into the type of TE we were hoping. Two years later we took a risk on a guy with troubled history in Randy Gregory and he hasn't been able to stay on the field. Jaylon Smith is just another bad 2nd round gamble that is looking very improbable to payoff.

Add in the 2nd round TE plan while we had Jason Witten here the whole time. Bennett and Fasano. Theguys could play, but the team never got the return they should have from a second round draft pick.

And, and how's this year's second rounder looking so far?

Just wondering.

It's like that round is just cursed for this team...

 

[Satchel89]

What teams have a lot of depth? I'm not saying they have been perfect putting this roster together but in today's NFL it's a problem for every team to get quality back-ups. It was a horrible game from Green and because of that now everybody's screaming about depth.

 

[erod]

Depth doesn't exist anymore in the NFL. You can have it here and there, but not at every position. Free agency and the salary cap make it impossible (unless you really screw up your cap with huge backup salaries.)

That's why New England had to do something with Garappolo. Are they going to franchise tag a backup QB?

My criticism would be how they ignored the LB position in free agency. I like the financial discipline, but they have taken it too far.

 

[mardwin]

Add in the 2nd round TE plan while we had Jason Witten here the whole time. Bennett and Fasano. Theguys could play, but the team never got the return they should have from a second round draft pick.

And, and how's this year's second rounder looking so far?

Just wondering.

It's like that round is just cursed for this team...

They should put more of a premium on the first 3 rounds. If they were to take risks that happens after round 3.

 

[DandyDon52]

Depth means a lot of things.

Picking the right players has a lot to do with it.

So does developing them and providing the best environment to succeed. That is on coaching.

We picked Jaylon Smith and Chaz Green in rounds 2 and 3.

Those players are supposed to be building blocks, not liabilities.

And the big kicker is, since we spent high picks on them, we coddled the pair of them.

We provided them with inferior competition. They did not have to earn anything.

As much as we talk about things like competition, it certainly does not roll out that way.

Good post, it also matters how they use and develop players.
Green is a guard not a tackle.
Jaylon was drafted way too high, we needed a player who could be a quick impact guy, not some guy who needs several years.

 

[Stash]

They should put more of a premium on the first 3 rounds. If they were to take risks that happens after round 3.

I say just forget the risks. Don't outsmart yourself. The scouts have been doing a pretty good job, let them.

 

[Bullflop]

I'm beginning to really believe letting Callahan walk was a big mistake, there is no way green looks that bad under his tutelage

His leaving was certainly a step down for the continued well being of our OL. Actually we didn't really let him go as much as it was the result of him getting miffed because of being relieved of his duties as a play caller. I'm sure we would have retained him otherwise but Callahan's play calling was generally lame enough that it simply failed to maximize our offensive output. To this day, I still rue the fact that he left. That was a shame.