Vela on scrimmage, high praise offense, crushes the D Line

[MichaelWinicki]

Virtually every defensive line in the NFL is going to have a difficult time making gains against this offensive line.

That being said, I think the DE situation... is uh... bad with the Lawrence injury and the questions about Spencer.

I do think some progress is being made DT... I like Melton. I like what the young kids are doing (so far). We may come out of this season feeling "OK" about DT.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Even if I believed this, which I don't because he simply has not played enough, the injury clearly is still not something he has recovered from.

How is this clear to you?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Quit being contrary. We have Selvie coming off a career year but that just means he "emerged".

I wouldn't be surprised to see Selvie come up with another season like last. Not all-pro... but all in all not a bad season.

 

[Alexander]

How is this clear to you?

Because if he were the Hall of Famer in waiting like he has been sold as, he would be a lot more noticeable that he is now.

I know this does not satisfy your sensibilities, but I really do not care.

 

[Alexander]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Selvie come up with another season like last. Not all-pro... but all in all not a bad season.

If he did that well last year, I understand how you could feel that way. The only thing is, he will be singled out a lot more as a threat than he was for much of last season. I mean, just look at our DEs. Is there anyone that an opposing DE would even acknowledge as even average?

 

[Risen Star]

If he did that well last year, I understand how you could feel that way. The only thing is, he will be singled out a lot more as a threat than he was for much of last season. I mean, just look at our DEs. Is there anyone that an opposing DE would even acknowledge as even average?

When OCs script their first 15 plays against us this year, 3 of them will be extra points.

 

[Risen Star]

Unless Marinelli has a super duper secret variable defense he has never shown, anywhere, good luck with that concept.

I wouldn't be surprised if he did.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

If he did that well last year, I understand how you could feel that way. The only thing is, he will be singled out a lot more as a threat than he was for much of last season. I mean, just look at our DEs. Is there anyone that an opposing DE would even acknowledge as even average?

I don't think what's going on with the other DE that's going to make much of a difference for Selvie... But what goes on at DT.

Yeah, Hatcher was good... very good. But his snaps were limited as we know by injury.

But the other DT who let the lineman in snaps? I don't think he helped Selvie (or anyone else for that matter). Not with 0 sacks over 843 snaps.

 

[Alexander]

But the other DT who let the lineman in snaps? I don't think he helped Selvie (or anyone else for that matter). Not with 0 sacks over 843 snaps.

We are about ready to play our first preseason game and Hayden is still entrenched as a starter if we played a real game tomorrow.

Gosh, I sure hope that underappreciated talent in Terrell McClain unleashes his special kind of fury on the NFL real soon.

 

[AsthmaField]

I understand the fresh legs concept. Just trying to see who the "capable guys" are, especially outside.

Yeah, and the fresh legs really will help, IMO.

Outside, Crawford, Selvie, Bass are guys that I see as strongside ends. I do think Selvie can play on the weakside and do pretty well, but in a perfect world, he'd be a SDE. One thing Lawrence's injury does is probably get Selvie considerably more snaps from the weakside.

At WDE, I think Mincey will be "capable". I would rather have him on the strongside but that's just my opinion. Even before Lawrence got hurt, I think they were playing Mincey on the weakside... but I think he'd be good at SDE in passing situations.

Wilson is the wildcard on the outside. I really don't hold out a lot of hope that he will play well, but if he does he gives Dallas a legit edge rusher that Lawrence was going to be, and he would work in tandem with DeMarcus once he comes off of his injury.

I think there is a chance that Gardner makes it too. He has the physical ability if he can get healthy and stay that way.

Inside, Melton and McClain will provide a more than "capable" duo. I think that Crawford and Bass will play inside some as well.

Here is where my optimism might get me in trouble: Bishop and Coleman, IMO, are going to provide good rotational DT's as young guys. They have the explosiveness and play with leverage well enough to reward my optimism.

A lot of if's, I know... but this scheme is simple enough and the guys are good enough to make a mark right away.

 

[Alexander]

Yeah, and the fresh legs really will help, IMO.

Outside, Crawford, Selvie, Bass are guys that I see as strongside ends. I do think Selvie can play on the weakside and do pretty well, but in a perfect world, he'd be a SDE. One thing Lawrence's injury does is probably get Selvie considerably more snaps from the weakside.

At WDE, I think Mincey will be "capable". I would rather have him on the strongside but that's just my opinion. Even before Lawrence got hurt, I think they were playing Mincey on the weakside... but I think he'd be good at SDE in passing situations.

Wilson is the wildcard on the outside. I really don't hold out a lot of hope that he will play well, but if he does he gives Dallas a legit edge rusher that Lawrence was going to be, and he would work in tandem with DeMarcus once he comes off of his injury.

I think there is a chance that Gardner makes it too. He has the physical ability if he can get healthy and stay that way.

Inside, Melton and McClain will provide a more than "capable" duo. I think that Crawford and Bass will play inside some as well.

Here is where my optimism might get me in trouble: Bishop and Coleman, IMO, are going to provide good rotational DT's as young guys. They have the explosiveness and play with leverage well enough to reward my optimism.

A lot of if's, I know... but this scheme is simple enough and the guys are good enough to make a mark right away.

Believe it or not, I actually feel a little like you do about the interior rush. With twists and stunts, some scheming, I think you can manufacture that to the point it is better than last season.

But we traded one weakness for another. Just like teams realized that there was no push beyond Hatcher last season, they can easily do the same this season and not even think too hard while doing so.

At the end of the day, you need both the interior and exterior threat. We might have the interior.

NFL OL coaches are not dummies. They can easily adjust if things remain as they are right now. We will need another Selvie that nobody expected to make this work.

 

[Idgit]

Even if I believed this, which I don't because he simply has not played enough, the injury clearly is still not something he has recovered from.

Fortunately for all of us Cowboys fans, you believing something to be true about a player is not the hurdle a player has to clear in order to actually be any good.

 

[Fletch]

It's going to be ugly...

Ugly because we're reporting on situational drills and training camp. IT'S TRAINING CAMP; FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND ALL THINGS LIVING!!!

But let's read into it. I love it. *Sharts*

 

[Alexander]

Fortunately for all of us Cowboys fans, you believing something to be true about a player is not the hurdle a player has to clear in order to actually be any good.

Ah, nice little shot there, Idgit. "All of us Cowboys fans". Boy, you are a clever one.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

We are about ready to play our first preseason game and Hayden is still entrenched as a starter if we played a real game tomorrow.

Gosh, I sure hope that underappreciated talent in Terrell McClain unleashes his special kind of fury on the NFL real soon.

I'm not going to sweat the Hayden thing until the end of preseason.

Coleman had 1st string snaps as the under-tackle yesterday.

 

[speedkilz88]

He was a former 1st rounder who started 41 out of 67 possible games and recorded 15 sacks in his Cowboys career. Name a better starter in todays roster.

At that point of Noonan's career he was off steroids due to nfl testing and was in the 270s (far from his 300 pound rookie year). He was done.

 

[Wolfpack]

The salary cap thing I understand, although I am confused at the same time because I thought we could do whatever we wanted in free agency.

Once that did not pan out, the best course of action was to attack the end position more than trading a premium choice away to get one player. We spent just as many draft choices on backup special teams linebackers as DEs and that is being generous counting Gardner as a true end.

Well the FO could do what ever they wanted in FA as long as the player's were willing to take a 50% below market rate discount. They clearly tried to get DE help and couldn't afford any. They took a poor DL and did very little with it.

I think they would have been better off keeping Ware another year and not burning top picks for trade ups. Need starters along with depth so that means you should value your draft picks more, not less.

 

[Alexander]

At that point of his career he was off steroids due to nfl testing and was in the 270s (far from his 300 pound rookie year). He was done.

He did shrink every year. I remember his rookie year, he looked like Schwarzenegger. By the time Johnson arrived, he looked like you poked a pin in his arms.

That was how Nebraska dominated during that era. Steroids. A lot of them.

 

[jjktkk]

The argument is not that it could have been fixed in one draft.

The argument is that it could have been fixed in an offseason in totality.

And since we could "do whatever we wanted in free agency", we decided to just throw everything in the Lawrence basket?

That means not only hitting on the player but also gambling a premium choice in the process. A very tall order, hence the "all eggs in one basket" commentary.

The reality is what few wanted to admit around here in the offseason.

They could not do "whatever they wanted" in free agency and made a cheap stab at replacing Ware and did a lot of finger crossing.

I know you have to bash the Cowboy's FO every chance you get, but shouldn't you wait and see Lawrence play before claiming

Ah, nice little shot there, Idgit. "All of us Cowboys fans". Boy, you are a clever one.

Wow, your whine-o-meter is running off the charts and the season hasn't even started yet. Bravo Zulu Alex, I salute you.

 

[Alexander]

I know you have to bash the Cowboy's FO every chance you get, but shouldn't you wait and see Lawrence play before claiming.

In case you missed it, I had no problem with Lawrence. I may not have agreed with the cost, but I liked the player. But please, carry on.