This board is overlooking our needs at linebacker

[Alexander]

Jerry recently said that he leans more on the scouts over the coaches when it comes to the draft. Although this totally goes against the Sharif Floyd situation last year, I hope he has learned his lesson. This is exactly why coaches should not be talent evaluators in the offseason. Let the scouts and the pro personnel department do their jobs. Jerry, stop having too many voices around your ear.

It's pretty apparant that we're not set at safety. Church is a good player but replaceable. Wilcox is a complete unknown and he wouldn't keep me from drafting a safety in the early rounds. The current Dallas secondary has its problems, but there's no one that opposing offenses FEAR. Where's our Earl Thomas? Richard Sherman? Calvin Pryor or even Jimmie Ward would get me pumped for next year.

I am just saying when Jones says something like this, it is usually not a "smokescreen", despite what you often see people wish he were doing.

I feel pretty much the same way you do about our safety group. I would love to take a player like Pryor or Ward. But that says nothing about how the staff feels. And what the staff feels, Jones will reflect.

Bears fans were screaming for years as they played scrub safety after scrub safety. That did not motivate the Bears to draft a top player at the position. I believe we are in for the same thing. It took Smith and Marinelli leaving, plus a horrible play by Chris Conte that cost them the Central title, to perhaps motivate Chicago to do something about it this year.

Unless there is something Marinelli feels that is not yet evident from history, I just think we treat it as a low priority.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

It's hard to play LB when Hayden is getting blown off the line and the guard right next to him is coming right at you. We did a piss poor job holding the los much less getting penetration. Now I am not saying that Carter is Randy White out there but he is not Bobby Carpenter either. For all the blocks he couldn't get off of, he still managed to get 96 tackles.

Maybe Carter is weak but I don't think he got a fair shot and he looked plenty physical in 2012 before he broke his leg.

Agreed.

I'm still stunned at the lack of "uprising" on this board over the play of Hayden last season.

-Carr
-Claiborne
-The Safeties...
-Carter
-Simms

All had been bashed this offseason... But Hayden pretty much got off scot-free considering he played worse than any of them... by far, which tells me many really don't pay attention to play of the DT's.

 

[Doomsday101]

Well last year a top 5 prospect at DT fell all the way to us and we passed and traded down so don't worry if one of the top three drops. Jerry will say something about not being quick twitch or some ridiculous comment to justify his gaffe.

I don't think Frederick was a gaff. I think this kid has a chance to make the Cowboys OL a very strong unit. Yes we passed on Floyd started 1 game and had a total of 2.5 sacks. I will take Frederick who started all 16 games and his performance any day over Floyd.

 

[TheRomoSexual]

Well last year a top 5 prospect at DT fell all the way to us and we passed and traded down so don't worry if one of the top three drops. Jerry will say something about not being quick twitch or some ridiculous comment to justify his gaffe.

My God, do you even watch football?

 

[Doomsday101]

My God, do you even watch football?

Thing is had Dallas taken Floyd instead many would be talking of the urgent need of drafting a center. Dallas got a damn good Center who is only going to improve and has a great work ethic and heck got a starting quality WR to boot. Gaffe? I'll take gaffes like that every year. lol

 

[Alexander]

Agreed.

I'm still stunned at the lack of "uprising" on this board over the play of Hayden last season.

-Carr
-Claiborne
-The Safeties...
-Carter
-Simms

All had been bashed this offseason... But Hayden pretty much got off scot-free considering he played worse than any of them... by far, which tells me many really don't pay attention to play of the DT's.

That would be what a lazy person would do. Hayden was picked up off of the street and played like you would expect someone like that to do, he was pretty bad. He also happened to be the only one who did not end up injured at some point or another though.

Maybe it was the catchy Marinelli nickname that is throwing off the righteous and well-deserved derision.

 

[Doomsday101]

That would be what a lazy person would do. Hayden was picked up off of the street and played like you would expect someone like that to do, he was pretty bad. He also happened to be the only one who did not end up injured at some point or another though.

Maybe it was the catchy Marinelli nickname that is throwing off the righteous and well-deserved derision.

Hyden was only being looked at as a rotation guy, someone who could come in play 15 or 20 snaps, instead he was playing twice that amount. Lot easier to play to a higher level when you are coming in to give someone a breather than to play the majority of the snaps where he would get gassed.

 

[visionary]

Thing is had Dallas taken Floyd instead many would be talking of the urgent need of drafting a center. Dallas got a damn good Center who is only going to improve and has a great work ethic and heck got a starting quality WR to boot. Gaffe? I'll take gaffes like that every year. lol

problem is we dont know what would have happened had we taken floyd
what if fred were still on the board at our rd 2 pick?

i would take floyd and fred over fred and escobar

 

[Doomsday101]

problem is we dont know what would have happened had we taken floyd
what if fred were still on the board at our rd 2 pick?

i would take floyd and fred over fred and escobar

We know Floyd only started 1 game out of 16 and did not do much. Given how OL players were coming off the board in record numbers No he would not have lasted to the Cowboys 2nd rd pick . Hell NFL broke a record for the most OL players taken in the 1st rd. Dallas got a damn good player and for someone to call that a gaffe given how poor Floyd looked is a fricken joke. It is one thing hammering Jerry but coming up with BS and actling like it was a mistake? Give me a break that is why is it hard to take some seriously since they moan about every single move that is made.

 

[visionary]

We know Floyd only started 1 game out of 16 and did not do much. Given how OL players were coming off the board in record numbers No he would not have lasted to the Cowboys 2nd rd pick . Hell NFL broke a record for the most OL players taken in the 1st rd. Dallas got a damn good player and for someone to call that a gaffe given how poor Floyd looked is a fricken joke. It is one thing hammering Jerry but coming up with BS and actling like it was a mistake? Give me a break that is why is it hard to take some seriously since that moan abut every single move that is made.

i am not saying it was a mistake, i take fred and williams over floyd all day
that was a good trade for the cowboys because of the players picked

but i would prefer floyd, fred, and williams is all

 

[Doomsday101]

i am not saying it was a mistake, i take fred and williams over floyd all day
that was a good trade for the cowboys because of the players picked

but i would prefer floyd, fred, and williams is all

Floyd did not look good, as a 1st rd pick he did very little, I would hope we can get better than Floyd in this draft

 

[TwoCentPlain]

I assure you, this board does not overlook anything when it comes to the Cowboys. Passionate fans examining everything with a fine-toothed comb is what you will find here.

This year's LB class doesn't appear to be as talented as the WR/QB/TE/CB etc. class imo. I am not sold on even Mack and Barr as being sure-fire pros. There are a lot of question marks with all the LBs in this draft. Mack is from a small school and had a bad bowl game. Barr has little experience. Shazier has speed but some doubt his other skills. Mosley seems to be the safest pick if you ask me overall for the LBs. But, perhaps recent Alabama LBs are starting to look like Penn State RBs of yesteryear and fizzle when they get to the pros. A lot of the LBs in this class are a little light at around 215-220 lbs. Seems to be some LBs who are tweener DE/LB like Dee Ford and Chris Smith.

 

[visionary]

Floyd did not look good, as a 1st rd pick he did very little, I would hope we can get better than Floyd in this draft

this is true but it has a domino effect

with floyd and melton as our DTs next year, we dont need to draft a rd 1 DT this year
in that situation (if we dont have escobar) we might be able to pick eric ebron if he falls to 16. the top 3-4 TEs in this class (some of whom will go in rd 2-3) are all better than escobar

just something to consider

 

[Doomsday101]

this is true but it has a domino effect

with floyd and melton as our DTs next year, we dont need to draft a rd 1 DT this year
in that situation (if we dont have escobar) we might be able to pick eric ebron if he falls to 16. the top 3-4 TEs in this class (some of whom will go in rd 2-3) are all better than escobar

just something to consider

We can play the what if game sure but fact is Floyd did not look good, could not break into the starting job on a poor Minn defense. In the end Dallas did a lot to help the OL last season and Floyd again has not looked good and question about being short armed and lack of hustle maybe that did have something to do with Dallas having a change of heart on him.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Everyone keeps talking about our needs on the defensive line, and is harping over a perceived need at safety, but much less about our linebacking corps. If you take off the rose colored glasses, we seem to have a stud in Sean Lee, but beyond him, there is a pretty steep drop off in the quality of play overall.

Even if Carter steps up his play then there is still a lot of room to upgrade this linebacking corps in the draft or via free agency. A stud linebacker might significantly upgrade the overall play of this defense....possibly more so than a safety or defensive lineman that we could obtain through the draft this year. My guess is we will take a linebacker early ..... probably in the first three rounds, with the smart money being on round two or three, unless Barr falls to us at #16.

I don't think the board is overlooking. its a matter of priority. we need help everywhere, but the question is which area needs the most help. with limited cap room and so many draft picks (higher ones that have better value), you can only do so much. so is the LB needs bigger than DL? I say now. do we need help at LB? yes. but if you have to make a decision and have so much money to spend and get the most value, is it better spent on DL? or LB? given what's out there both in FA or draft.

 

[Bullflop]

I like Iowa's Christian Kirksey for us at OLB in the third round. He's 6-3, 233 lbs, and has good strength and quickness. Also does well in coverage with very effective closing speed vs. the run.

 

[DFWJC]

If Telvin last until the 3rd, I'd be up for taking him.

 

[the_h0wey]

Everyone keeps talking about our needs on the defensive line, and is harping over a perceived need at safety, but much less about our linebacking corps. If you take off the rose colored glasses, we seem to have a stud in Sean Lee, but beyond him, there is a pretty steep drop off in the quality of play overall.

Even if Carter steps up his play then there is still a lot of room to upgrade this linebacking corps in the draft or via free agency. A stud linebacker might significantly upgrade the overall play of this defense....possibly more so than a safety or defensive lineman that we could obtain through the draft this year. My guess is we will take a linebacker early ..... probably in the first three rounds, with the smart money being on round two or three, unless Barr falls to us at #16.

If Donald is gone at 16 I hope they scoop up Mosley. I think he will be a stud LB.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

If Donald is gone at 16 I hope they scoop up Mosley. I think he will be a stud LB.

most of the Alabama LBs have fizzled in the NFL. which mkes me think if they are product of the system

 

[the_h0wey]

most of the Alabama LBs have fizzled in the NFL. which mkes me think if they are product of the system

Just like every OL from Wisconsin is a for sure NFL stud right, or every WR from OSU is a Dez carbon copy, and Randle is a Kendall Hunter cloan? I think you have to look at each individual player.