View on Carroll from camp

[gimmesix]

A lot of fans seem to already have their minds made up about Nolan Carroll. My viewpoint has been that the plays he has given up have been blown out of proportion compared to the other corners.

Here's what an observer at camp had to say on BTB:

The Nolan Carroll criticism has taken on a very hot take-ish feel over the last week or so, perpetuated on social media by people who haven't been in camp and offer seven-second clips from camp as “proof”.

Nolan Carroll isn't the second coming of Deion Sanders, and while he has struggled against Dez Bryant on occasion, every single corner to ever face Bryant in practice has struggled at times. So far in camp, Carroll has shown a solid performance and has played with the veteran savvy the young corners are still missing - and not every single snap he has played has made it onto Twitter.

The Cowboys have Carroll and Scandrick as their starting corners in the base defense. In the Nickel, they move Scandrick to the slot and bring in Anthony Brown as the second outside corner. There is no indication that this is going to change anytime soon, so the next time you read another hot take on social media about Nolan Carroll, block, unfriend, unfollow, or mute the source if you value the integrity of your social media filter bubble.

Now, my hope is that Scandrick and Brown end up as the starting corners and Carroll comes in on the nickel (unless Awusie outplays him) because I think that's the better lineup, but if Carroll is the better choice as the starter, I'm all for what's best for the team. Of course, with Carroll possibly being suspended for a couple of games, the lineup will probably be Scandrick and Brown starting and Awusie coming in on the nickel (unless Lewis outplays him) and if they shine then there will be no reason to change.

 

[Teague31]

He's a placeholder. Nothing more nothing less

 

[Longboysfan]

He's a placeholder. Nothing more nothing less

I just do not want him being the next Church / Wilcox.

Get the young guys in there.

 

[viman96]

Unless I missed something watching Carrol for other teams, he is essentially a low rent maybe 1 yr starter. If he balls out then I will gladly eat crow.

 

[Sydla]

He's a mediocre CB. Frankly, I take what comes from BTB with a grain of salt.

If he's a starting outside CB for us this season, that's going to be depressing. At best, he's been an average CB, even in his best years, which aren't that often.

My fear with Carroll is that the defensive coaches give him more leeway to stink because he's a "vet" and gives the team some vet presence on the field. The Cowboys have been obsessed with adding him for a couple of offseasons now so it scares me that they are a bit blinded by what he really is.

As viman said, I hope he proves me wrong. But living up here in Philly and having seen and read more about him than most down there in Dallas, I am not excited at the prospect of him being a key part of our secondary.

 

[superonyx]

Based on his time in Philly I don't see where Carroll has shown anything that would elevate him as a starter over Anthony Brown.

 

[Sydla]

Based on his time in Philly I don't see where Carroll has shown anything that would elevate him as a starter over Anthony Brown.

His birth certificate. Gotta have that vet presence in the secondary.

 

[jwooten15]

I hope the coaches just view him as a veteran insurance policy in case the young guys aren't ready.

Because unless he has drastically improved since his time with the Eagles (which hasn't happened), I'm gonna be scared every snap he's on the field.

 

[jazzcat22]

Can we wait on a few PS games as well as the rest of TC before alll of this crap. You can't expect an all pro look from a few practices from every player.
well on here I guess you can. A few bad plays, or even average plays, and everyone sucks.

 

[viman96]

Can we wait on a few PS games as well as the rest of TC before alll of this crap. You can't expect an all pro look from a few practices from every player.
well on here I guess you can. A few bad plays, or even average plays, and everyone sucks.

True. But Carrol has history in the league as well so not everyone is commenting based on what they have seen over the last few practices. For me Carrol has to prove he is better than a scrub based on his history.

 

[Sydla]

Can we wait on a few PS games as well as the rest of TC before alll of this crap. You can't expect an all pro look from a few practices from every player.
well on here I guess you can. A few bad plays, or even average plays, and everyone sucks.

You realize Carroll has been in the league for years, right?

 

[jazzcat22]

You realize Carroll has been in the league for years, right?

No say it is not so....I thought he was the 1st player selected in the draft this year.....
New team, new system....wait and see what happens. I do not expect a Deion type player, but he can't be any worse than what we had either.

 

[Sydla]

No say it is not so....I thought he was the 1st player selected in the draft this year.....
New team, new system....wait and see what happens. I do not expect a Deion type player, but he can't be any worse than what we had either.

Well he actually can be worse and has been worse at times in his career. Expecting some
change in him because he's in a new "system" is largely wishful thinking.

And I thought the goal here was to get better at CB?

 

[Doomsday101]

He's a placeholder. Nothing more nothing less

To an extent but looking at his contract this can either be a 1 year deal or 3 year deal with an out for the Cowboys with a 2 mill cap hit if he is let go after this season. Ball is in Carroll court, if he can go out and produce and make the plays he has a chance to remain.

 

[jazzcat22]

Well he actually can be worse and has been worse at times in his career. Expecting some
change in him because he's in a new "system" is largely wishful thinking.

And I thought the goal here was to get better at CB?

That is the ultimate goal, yes, hence the drafting of all the DB's. I think Carroll can be good enough until they rookies get some in game, real game, experience. He may be a pleasant surprise, or he may not be. But I will not from an opinion until I see how TC goes. But I think for now, he will be better than what most think.

 

[LatinMind]

A lot of fans seem to already have their minds made up about Nolan Carroll. My viewpoint has been that the plays he has given up have been blown out of proportion compared to the other corners.

Here's what an observer at camp had to say on BTB:



Now, my hope is that Scandrick and Brown end up as the starting corners and Carroll comes in on the nickel (unless Awusie outplays him) because I think that's the better lineup, but if Carroll is the better choice as the starter, I'm all for what's best for the team. Of course, with Carroll possibly being suspended for a couple of games, the lineup will probably be Scandrick and Brown starting and Awusie coming in on the nickel (unless Lewis outplays him) and if they shine then there will be no reason to change.

who cares about this guy, hes gonna be gone fore 2-6 games to start the season for being a idiot.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

If you ask me, only 3 guys on defense have earned starting jobs from past play and considering the current state of the team - Collins at 3DT, Lee at WLB and Jones at FS. Everything else should be up for grabs and whoever plays the best should get it. Looks like Scandrick has consistently been playing above any other CB so far. Let the pieces fall where they may.

 

[erod]

I've heard he looks awful, which he is.

 

[Kaiser]

Carroll is Brandon Carr in more ways than one. Both are average DBs and both have internet chatter about them that takes on a life of its own. He will be OK as a starter, not great, not bad. The difference is he will have better players around him (and behind him on the depth chart) than Carr did last year or Carroll did in Philly.

 

[gimmesix]

He's a mediocre CB. Frankly, I take what comes from BTB with a grain of salt.

If he's a starting outside CB for us this season, that's going to be depressing. At best, he's been an average CB, even in his best years, which aren't that often.

My fear with Carroll is that the defensive coaches give him more leeway to stink because he's a "vet" and gives the team some vet presence on the field. The Cowboys have been obsessed with adding him for a couple of offseasons now so it scares me that they are a bit blinded by what he really is.

As viman said, I hope he proves me wrong. But living up here in Philly and having seen and read more about him than most down there in Dallas, I am not excited at the prospect of him being a key part of our secondary.

BTB isn't the only one reporting that Carroll is doing as well as the other corners. He's matching up against Dez more than a lot of the other corners because he's a starter at this point. I agree with what others have said about him being a placeholder or stopgap, but we need that until someone proves that he is a better option to be one of the top three at corner.

If he was getting beaten like a drum, like some believe he is, then I would be concerned about Dallas giving him leeway, but instead he's been exactly what he was expected to be, a veteran who could replace Carr without much drop-off.

Now, ultimately, all of us want more than that and hope that Brown, Awusie, Lewis and even White can eventually provide that.