Was Taco Charlton the smartest move the Cowboys made this off-season?

[Common Sense]

Taco looks like a bust on tape and his body language looks bad too. Looks like a super soft player to me. Gosh I hope I'm wrong.

Man, I don't see that at all. I'm worried about his ability to be a difference-making edge rusher, but he's potentially the best LDE in this draft. That's probably where he will end up, and he'll be just fine there. This wasn't the year for another Ware-type player.

 

[jobberone]

Best draft pick available for us. Ask me ur question in 1-3 yrs.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

The smartest move we made in this offseason is it appears we didn't repeat some of our past crippling mistakes of previous years. Specifically:

- no trading away future draft capital to move up a few spots because we feel we are truly '1 player away'
- No overpaying aging FA's. We let many of our JAG guys walk
- No drafting of a player with a currently known availability risk (health, attitude, etc)
- No second round gamble (TE, Gregory, etc)
- No disregard for the defense with premium picks

Hopefully this is a sign we are learning. Time will tell I guess.

 

[xwalker]

Idk... I think Spencer deserves most of his lambasting. Dude, was terrible at setting the edge. I have always called
him "Almost Anthony" and that is the way he will be remembered. Seemed to be one or two steps away from
actually making a play.

On the other hand, Ellis was a pro... solid player year in year out. Unfairly lambasted because Jerry passed over Moss.

I remember Maryland was told he wasn't getting a "1st pick overall" type of contract.

Sorry but that is false.

In terms of run defense, Spencer was one of the best 3-4 OLBs defending the run.

Spencer was also good in coverage.

He was a 3 tool player (run defense, coverage and pass rush). They struggle to find anybody else that could fill that role. The strong side OLB in Wade's and Rob Ryan's defense(s) needed to be a 3 tool player which was not true with the Weak Side OLB.

 

[xwalker]

Taco looks like a bust on tape and his body language looks bad too. Looks like a super soft player to me. Gosh I hope I'm wrong.

 

[RoboQB]

Sorry but that is false.

In terms of run defense, Spencer was one of the best 3-4 OLBs defending the run.

Spencer was also good in coverage.

He was a 3 tool player (run defense, coverage and pass rush). They struggle to find anybody else that could fill that role. The strong side OLB in Wade's and Rob Ryan's defense(s) needed to be a 3 tool player which was not true with the Weak Side OLB.

Well, I must've been watching a different team all those years. I distinctly remember Spencer being beat on nearly every play
fake ever, and constantly being a step away from a sack or tackle for loss. I guess one could cherry pick a game or even a
season that shows otherwise but I will never confuse Spencer with the greats at his position on in team history.

 

[xwalker]

Well, I must've been watching a different team all those years. I distinctly remember Spencer being beat on nearly every play
fake ever, and constantly being a step away from a sack or tackle for loss. I guess one could cherry pick a game or even a
season that shows otherwise but I will never confuse Spencer with the greats at his position on in team history.

He was not an elite pass rusher but it's hard to judge because his opportunities were very limited compared to Ware at Weak Side OLB.

There was a reason they Franchised him two years in a row despite being maxed out against the cap back then.

If you don"t understand that he was a really valuable player in those schemes then you don't understand the schemes and how SOLB was a significantly different position than WOLB.

Victor Butler was able to fill in for Ware at WOLB OK but failed miserably when trying to fill in for Spencer due to the requirements for run defense and coverage and needing the ability to read and react.

When Spencer was out they shifted some SOLB duties to Ware because the backups couldn't handle the more complicated requirements of the SOLB position.

 

[RoboQB]

He was not an elite pass rusher but it's hard to judge because his opportunities were very limited compared to Ware at Weak Side OLB.

There was a reason they Franchised him two years in a row despite being maxed out against the cap back then.

If you don"t understand that he was a really valuable player in those schemes then you don't understand the schemes and how SOLB was a significantly different position than WOLB.

Victor Butler was able to fill in for Ware at WOLB OK but failed miserably when trying to fill in for Spencer due to the requirements for run defense and coverage and needing the ability to read and react.

When Spencer was out they shifted some SOLB duties to Ware because the backups couldn't handle the more complicated requirements of the SOLB position.

I perfectly understand his role and position. I also remember the franchising of him. When he came back, you could
count the number of plays he made on one hand and still pick your nose.

He tried to hang on for another season in New Orleans with Rob Ryan and didn't last for more than a few games.
So, I guess the microfracture surgery took something away from him. To me, he was always a step away from
making a significant play in games throughout his career.

 

[Redball Express]

http://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/201...ox-chidobe-awuzie-jourdan-lewis-xavier-woods/

The cap-crunched Dallas Cowboys didn’t have the financial flexibility to do much during free agency. Their little wiggle room against the cap led to the departures of several key defenders, including defensive backs Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox.

That stung, but the Cowboys’ draft priority still lay up front with their 13th-ranked pass rush. Which is why defensive end Taco Charlton’s name was called with the 28th overall pick.

Charlton is fresh off a season with 10 sacks and 13.5 tackles for a loss during his final year with the Michigan Wolverines. That production was fueled by his quick burst off the line of scrimmage and daunting length at 6’6″ and 277 pounds allowing him to turn the corner.”

Drafting Charlton was definitely a safe move by the Cowboys, but perhaps not their smartest.

Dallas' best move was letting the former secondary to leave..

and drafting replacements in this draft.

Timing couldn't be be better for us.

 

[bayeslife]

We should have traded up to get the pass rusher we really wanted.

But then we probably give up a 3rd and quite frankly I wouldn't trade Taco-Awuzie-Lewis for Harris-Awuzie. Not even close.

 

[xwalker]

I perfectly understand his role and position. I also remember the franchising of him. When he came back, you could
count the number of plays he made on one hand and still pick your nose.

He tried to hang on for another season in New Orleans with Rob Ryan and didn't last for more than a few games.
So, I guess the microfracture surgery took something away from him. To me, he was always a step away from
making a significant play in games throughout his career.

He was toast after Microfracture.

 

[darthseinfeld]

He was not an elite pass rusher but it's hard to judge because his opportunities were very limited compared to Ware at Weak Side OLB.

There was a reason they Franchised him two years in a row despite being maxed out against the cap back then.

If you don"t understand that he was a really valuable player in those schemes then you don't understand the schemes and how SOLB was a significantly different position than WOLB.

Victor Butler was able to fill in for Ware at WOLB OK but failed miserably when trying to fill in for Spencer due to the requirements for run defense and coverage and needing the ability to read and react.

When Spencer was out they shifted some SOLB duties to Ware because the backups couldn't handle the more complicated requirements of the SOLB position.

Not for nothing, but when Ware got hurt in 2009 and 2012 Spencer came up big as a rusher. Anytime he was asked to be the main pass rusher, he delivered. With Ware in a 3-4 and with the god awful 3-3-5 subpackage alignmemt that still doesnt let both rush with compromising coverage, Spencer wasn't going to get consistent attempts

 

[MileyDancer]

Taco looks like a bust on tape and his body language looks bad too. Looks like a super soft player to me. Gosh I hope I'm wrong.

I agree. Glad someone else said it first.

 

[ufcrules1]

Man, I don't see that at all. I'm worried about his ability to be a difference-making edge rusher, but he's potentially the best LDE in this draft. That's probably where he will end up, and he'll be just fine there. This wasn't the year for another Ware-type player.

Believe me I hope you're right. I just don't see it personally and hope I'm wrong.