Top "needs" on the roster

xwalker

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Needs:

1. Backup OG, future starter. The only thing they have on the roster at backup OG is a guy that has not played since 2010.

2. Weak Side DE. They don't really have anybody that fits that mold unless Martez Wilson suddenly shows up. Most of their DEs are best at SDE like Crawford, Selvie and Mincey.

3. 3rd DT. I think McClain will be a decent 1-tech and Melton should be good at the 3 but Hayden is probably the 3rd DT which is not a good sign.

4. 4th DT. Even if they find a 3rd DT, that’s going to be either a 1 or a 3 leaving the other side in need.

5. Safety. This could be moved up in the list but I’m going to put it here. I’m convinced that Wilcox has the talent but I don’t know if he will be completely ready in 2014. He only played defense for 1 year in college. Wilcox was terrific in 1-on-1 drills against WRs at the Senior Bowl and better than seveal CBs. Church is good enough. The Cowboys seem convinced that Matt Johnson can play in the NFL if he could stay healthy. Heath as really good size and athleticism. It was unfortunate that he was put in a really bad position in 2013. He’s a good end of the roster type player to have, IMO. I think he could actually be a decent NFL player if you put him on a quality defensive team when he’s in about his 3rd year. The fact that he was in the farthest from that situation in 2013 was unfortunate. Even Jakar Hamilton has some upside.

After the top 5, I’m not really certain:

LB: Looks good to me if they can keep Lee healthy. I recently reviewed Holloman in the final game at MLB and he was very impressive, especially considering that as a college Safety/OLB that he had never played or practiced at MLB until late in the 2013 season. At worse case, I see Carter moving to SLB which and being off the field in the nickel. Durant was better than the credit he received. He was looked good filling in for Lee at MLB before being injured. Wilber is an interesting player at SLB and has almost identical size and measureables to Seattle’s SLB. They liked Lawrence enough to keep him over a guy that they had ranked as a mid round draft pick (McGee). They signed 3 young practice squad type to futures contracts; although, I think one of them would be a candidate to move to DE.

WR: I might be a bigger fan of T. Williams than some, but I think he was a solid #2 as a rookie and will only get better. Beasley was really good in his role as the slot WR. Harris is a solid 4th or 5th WR. They need a developmental big WR for the outside where they don’t really have a true backup.

TE: They don’t really have a blocking TE and oddly had Hanna doing most of the blocking TE duties in 2013. Escobar is very similar to Witten, IMO. Hanna is very fast but they never really gave him a chance to run routes that would take advantage of his speed.

FB: Clutts seemed OK. I would be a bonus to get a guy like Millard that has some TE like abilty but is also a good blocking FB.

RB: Health is the big issue. Murray is very good when healthy, but they need to plan for the possibility that the might be more expensive than they want to pay for an oft injured player. Dunbar is a boom/bust type. He looked spectacular in a few plays, but had a couple of fumbles and then got injured. Randel is an unknown at this point. Some fans already don’t like him, but we really didn’t see enough to make a determination either way.

QB: If Romo is healthy the next couple of years, then they need to try to win with him. If Romo is not healthy, then they might as well just tank a season and get a top 10 pick where the majority of NFL QBs are drafted.

OT: Most people would move this up the list, but I’m a big fan of Parnell. I believe that he would be better than Free after just a few starts but they have to be willing to live with a few mistakes in those first few games. I believe that he compares favorablty physically to many of the OTs in the draft. Weems appears to have good physical upside but looked a little lost at the beginning of the 2013 preseason. Reports are that he progressed in practice during the season. He is big, quick and strong. They liked Weems enough to carry him on the roster all season.

CB: I think the top 3 will be fine in 2014 but they need competition for the 4th and 5th spots. They really need to add a developmental guy with size because Webb is 5-10 and Moore is 5-9. You’re not going to find a CB with size unless you pay a premium or develop one.
 

BigStar

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Great post as usual. Agree that OL should remain high priority to this team; regardless of QB, but esp considering Romo's age and health. I think Bass would supplant Hayden (if he can stay healthy, is it 2 seasons now, or did he ride PS one year?) I agree about TW's potential (and production last season) but for some reason he doesn't come off as a "natural" receiver, if that makes any sense. I think he has the tools to adjust, it just doesn't seem he has the "feel" of where to sit in zones, etc.

I think Randle is a bust unfortunately. He doesn't have the burst or vision needed to run in this league. Who knows, maybe he has the second gear somewhere. Heath is fast, but wouldn't hold on to him for that potential if Hamilton or Johnson can stay healthy. Ideally, I would like the team to replace Church bc he seems just too slow to play S in this passing league filled with hybrid TEs and receiving backs.

Parnell confuses me bc he definitely looks the part and has the athleticism/strength needed but the team still stuck with Free. I know you hinted @ the reason and it makes sense, considering how things are run @ the ranch (frustrating).

I think our CBs will have a rebound season (esp Carr) who seemed to quit due to the inadequate S play last season. Mo has the tools (not neccesarily the athleticism we had hoped) to be a top corner if this team embraces "man d" concepts. Same goes for Carr/OScan. OSCAN is probably our best corner (good @ zone and man) but agree there is no need to draft a corner high.
 
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xwalker

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Great post as usual. Agree that OL should remain high priority to this team; regardless of QB, but esp considering Romo's age and health. I think Bass would supplant Hayden (if he can stay healthy, is it 2 seasons now, or did he ride PS one year?) I agree about TW's potential (and production last season) but for some reason he doesn't come off as a "natural" receiver, if that makes any sense. I think he has the tools to adjust, it just doesn't seem he has the "feel" of where to sit in zones, etc.

I think Randle is a bust unfortunately. He doesn't have the burst or vision needed to run in this league. Who knows, maybe he has the second gear somewhere. Heath is fast, but wouldn't hold on to him for that potential if Hamilton or Johnson can stay healthy. Ideally, I would like the team to replace Church bc he seems just too slow to play S in this passing league filled with hybrid TEs and receiving backs.

Parnell confuses me bc he definitely looks the part and has the athleticism/strength needed but the team still stuck with Free. I know you hinted @ the reason and it makes sense, considering how things are run @ the ranch (frustrating).

I think our CBs will have a rebound season (esp Carr) who seemed to quit due to the inadequate S play last season. Mo has the tools (not neccesarily the athleticism we had hoped) to be a top corner if this team embraces "man d" concepts. Same goes for Carr/OScan. OSCAN is probably our best corner (good @ zone and man) but agree there is no need to draft a corner high.

Thanks.

I have no idea about Bass. When they first switched to the 4-3 I thought that he would be a SDE or 3-tech DT, but now he's one of the bigger DL on the roster.

Hayden could be an OK player if he didn't play a lot of snaps. He played a high percentage of snaps last season which compounded his problem of borderline talent.

I agree that Williams is not what you might call a natural receiver, but you could also say that about Austin and TO.

I just didn't see enough of Randle to make an evaluation. I don't worry much about RB because they are generally cheap in both the draft and free agency.
 

BigStar

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Thanks.

I have no idea about Bass. When they first switched to the 4-3 I thought that he would be a SDE or 3-tech DT, but now he's one of the bigger DL on the roster.

Hayden could be an OK player if he didn't play a lot of snaps. He played a high percentage of snaps last season which compounded his problem of borderline talent.

I agree that Williams is not what you might call a natural receiver, but you could also say that about Austin and TO.

I just didn't see enough of Randle to make an evaluation. I don't worry much about RB because they are generally cheap in both the draft and free agency.

Dude, you are on the mark! That is a great comparison. More like an athlete playing WR. Good call. I agree about not sweating the Randle pick too hard considering how easy/cheap it is to get a productive back in the league. I like that you wait for more evidence btw :D It's hard to do that as a fan at times (I'm very guilty).
 

Szczepanik

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In regards to LB, we are set as long as Carter plays to his abilities.
 

Kaiser

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Great OP, I would list the top five needs this way –

WDE – They definitely spend a 1st or 2nd on a WDE, plus move Selvie to this position IMO.

DT – I do think Bass and Hayden will be OK as rotational players and Crawford will take snas at DT, but they will draft a DT in the 2nd or 3rd this year also.

WR with deep speed – Will likely be a bargain FA pickup but might be a good value pick in the draft.

OG to develop – I think they spend a 2nd or 3rd on an OG but they also have the flexibility to bring Waters back and spend some of the 7th round picks on projects.

DB – I agree with XWalker’s OP about the safeties and do think the Cowboys will skip drafting one unless a real bargain drops to them. But I think it’s a lock that they draft a Corner with some size, they paid a price for having a bunch of small CBs last year.


Runners up - a backup Will and a developmental QB.
 

ViperDT9

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church is a strong safety and a good tackler..... dallas needs a free safety bad, Wilcox played well in PS and at times during the season... but we need that ball hawk in the secondary
 

BigStar

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In regards to LB, we are set as long as Carter plays to his abilities.

Z let me in that Carter is a fruitboy @ this point, during the season via his tweets, etc. Just doesn't take football seriously at this point. I LOVED that pick and still love his athleticism, but the dude needs a serious wake up call. UNC...

Encouraging review of Holloman/Durant. But with Lee's health, and Carter's erratic play, it would be wise to pick up a LB for depth/comp.
 
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pancakeman

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Good post. I actually think getting a third big WR belongs higher on the list though.
 

Szczepanik

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If we get a 3rd big WR I would have mixed feelings. Could decrease T.Will's production potentially. I wouldn't go out of the way to get a WR, but if one fell to us in the draft I wouldn't be opposed to it. Alot of mixed feelings on that one.

A 3rd big WR does not turn our team from 8-8 into 12-4.
I do believe defense in the det/den/kc/gb/det games would of taken us to 12-4 though.

So I see WR as a lesser need in my opinion.
 

RonSpringsdaman20

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Needs:

1. Backup OG, future starter. The only thing they have on the roster at backup OG is a guy that has not played since 2010.

2. Weak Side DE. They don't really have anybody that fits that mold unless Martez Wilson suddenly shows up. Most of their DEs are best at SDE like Crawford, Selvie and Mincey.

3. 3rd DT. I think McClain will be a decent 1-tech and Melton should be good at the 3 but Hayden is probably the 3rd DT which is not a good sign.

4. 4th DT. Even if they find a 3rd DT, that’s going to be either a 1 or a 3 leaving the other side in need.

5. Safety. This could be moved up in the list but I’m going to put it here. I’m convinced that Wilcox has the talent but I don’t know if he will be completely ready in 2014. He only played defense for 1 year in college. Wilcox was terrific in 1-on-1 drills against WRs at the Senior Bowl and better than seveal CBs. Church is good enough. The Cowboys seem convinced that Matt Johnson can play in the NFL if he could stay healthy. Heath as really good size and athleticism. It was unfortunate that he was put in a really bad position in 2013. He’s a good end of the roster type player to have, IMO. I think he could actually be a decent NFL player if you put him on a quality defensive team when he’s in about his 3rd year. The fact that he was in the farthest from that situation in 2013 was unfortunate. Even Jakar Hamilton has some upside.

After the top 5, I’m not really certain:

LB: Looks good to me if they can keep Lee healthy. I recently reviewed Holloman in the final game at MLB and he was very impressive, especially considering that as a college Safety/OLB that he had never played or practiced at MLB until late in the 2013 season. At worse case, I see Carter moving to SLB which and being off the field in the nickel. Durant was better than the credit he received. He was looked good filling in for Lee at MLB before being injured. Wilber is an interesting player at SLB and has almost identical size and measureables to Seattle’s SLB. They liked Lawrence enough to keep him over a guy that they had ranked as a mid round draft pick (McGee). They signed 3 young practice squad type to futures contracts; although, I think one of them would be a candidate to move to DE.

WR: I might be a bigger fan of T. Williams than some, but I think he was a solid #2 as a rookie and will only get better. Beasley was really good in his role as the slot WR. Harris is a solid 4th or 5th WR. They need a developmental big WR for the outside where they don’t really have a true backup.

TE: They don’t really have a blocking TE and oddly had Hanna doing most of the blocking TE duties in 2013. Escobar is very similar to Witten, IMO. Hanna is very fast but they never really gave him a chance to run routes that would take advantage of his speed.

FB: Clutts seemed OK. I would be a bonus to get a guy like Millard that has some TE like abilty but is also a good blocking FB.

RB: Health is the big issue. Murray is very good when healthy, but they need to plan for the possibility that the might be more expensive than they want to pay for an oft injured player. Dunbar is a boom/bust type. He looked spectacular in a few plays, but had a couple of fumbles and then got injured. Randel is an unknown at this point. Some fans already don’t like him, but we really didn’t see enough to make a determination either way.

QB: If Romo is healthy the next couple of years, then they need to try to win with him. If Romo is not healthy, then they might as well just tank a season and get a top 10 pick where the majority of NFL QBs are drafted.

OT: Most people would move this up the list, but I’m a big fan of Parnell. I believe that he would be better than Free after just a few starts but they have to be willing to live with a few mistakes in those first few games. I believe that he compares favorablty physically to many of the OTs in the draft. Weems appears to have good physical upside but looked a little lost at the beginning of the 2013 preseason. Reports are that he progressed in practice during the season. He is big, quick and strong. They liked Weems enough to carry him on the roster all season.

CB: I think the top 3 will be fine in 2014 but they need competition for the 4th and 5th spots. They really need to add a developmental guy with size because Webb is 5-10 and Moore is 5-9. You’re not going to find a CB with size unless you pay a premium or develop one.

Thank You for this post... It was becoming "TMZ" like here at the zone.
I agree with most.... I'm not sure of Parnell, I would move OT up the list..... and I hope management feels the need to add a quality safety.
 

burmafrd

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I would switch SDE with guard as regards priority. But if a really good DT drops to us take him in the first for sure if nothing that really can rush the passer is available. To me on D that is the #1 priority- finding a pass rush.
 

Cumart21

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Great thread. Some meaningful football talk is rare for this time of year.

I was just remarking to a friend yesterday that the Cowboys are thin at just about every position. This is exactly why the Cowboys can't fall into the trap of need-based drafting, especially in the first two rounds. Give me the best player available and I'll be satisfied.
 

CF74

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I would say our right guard (Bernadeau) is more of a back up himself and we need a real starter there. He's serviceable but very spotty.

Most of our DT's and DE's are backups, we need starters at nearly every position. Melton is coming off a surgery but at this point he's an unknown in my book, (See Ratt.) Selvie is decent but I'm not expecting 10 + sacks from him. We need more than back up insurance for the entire D-Line, right now we have an 8-8 squad. Hayden is as good a #2 as you can find but it wouldn't hurt to draft somebody that can push him off the roster if said player turns out to be better.

LB's can just about all be upgraded as well. I love Lee but we need 2 more with his skill set. We have a bunch of backups behind him.

Safety is a huge question mark, not.. We need a real one..

Free not only had a bounce back year but there was talk that he was Top 5 statistically. (LOL @ Parnell and Weems.) Find us somebody we can groom.

I hope we draft a RB to churn the roster, we have enough picks we can spend at least one.

I would go BPA in any order at the following positions: DT, DE, LB, G, S. (And we really need 2 of each on the D-Line.)
Then in the later rounds: OT, RB, TE, CB
We have 11 picks and just need to get the best value possible and not so many projects...
 

Fredd

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nice write-up @xwalker
always good to read your "stuff" as it always has substance to it
 

skinsscalper

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In regards to LB, we are set as long as Carter plays to his abilities.

I, respectfully, disagree. I think we are playing with the same fire at LB that we did with DL last season if we don't bolster that corp with some quality depth. We are an injury (god forbid two) at that position away from being absolutely average to dreadful at LB, right now.

If a solid LB fell to us in the draft (especially one ranked higher than where we are picking), I think it would be prudent to take him. As far as I'm concerned the only positions that DON'T need and upgrade this year are QB, TE, LT and C. Every other position should be given consideration if the there's a chance to upgrade.
 

xwalker

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I would say our right guard (Bernadeau) is more of a back up himself and we need a real starter there. He's serviceable but very spotty.
Bern was really good by the end of the season. He was finally healthy after having multiple injury issues in 2012 and another nagging type injury in the 2013 training camp.

The problem is that both Bern and Leary have injury histories and there are Zero backups at this point.
Free not only had a bounce back year but there was talk that he was Top 5 statistically. (LOL @ Parnell and Weems.) Find us somebody we can groom.
They tweaked the OL scheme to cover up Free's deficiencies. Those ratings were from PFF which has been shown to be near worthless.

I'm going to go out on a limb an guess that you probably have not spent much time reviewing footage of Parnell and Weems.
 
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