DEFENSIVE ENDS:
- Every since DLaw re-signed the big contract he’s struggled to put up double digit sack numbers, and he continues to struggle with lingering injuries.
While I admire his toughness to play thru injuries, and his solid play vs run, but you don’t shell out 100 million dollars for 4-6 sacks per season.
Leading reason why Cowboys distinctively wanted a 4-3 scheme guy was to better accommodate Dlaw, imo
I’d like to see Quinn use/move DLaw around that’s similar to Michael Bennett role from RE to DT in obvious pass downs to create mismatches
- Gregory is team’s most natural edge rusher and most versatile. He can operate both hands on the ground or standing up and he’s an underrated run stopper.
While he is very agile and athletic and can be explosive off snap, he’s still in somewhat of a developmental stage.
If he becomes a full time starter, he’d have to have an dependable rotational guy to help with relief snaps and lessen his wear-tear toll.
I tend to believe team wasn’t pleased with Gregory only getting 20% of the snaps at late stage of the season and that further led to Tomsula’s dismissal.
- Aldon Smith ? I don't want to commit big money and long term deal with him. How much was his disappearance for most of the year was due to hitting a physical wall quickly
from being out of football for 4 years,..or how much could have been from a lack of effort, a lack of motor ? He looked more lumbering than explosive.
Even average starting OTs had no issues blocking him.
Frankly i'm more for him leaving and getting a comp pick in return than having him start and slacking it for another long season.
But Kudos to Aldon for managing to stay clean/out of trouble.
- Armstrong is JAG. High Effort guy with low performance productivity. He’s not just an effective pass rusher and he was up-down as a run defender and it was ridiculous to have him
in man to man pass coverage. He did contributed to special teams and factor in a fumble strip recovery vs Niners
Cowboys were once so high on his potential but he just hasn’t stood out in the least since. Further more this is JAG that takes away snaps from rookie Bradley Anae
- Anae, I get the sense that coaches did not like his work on special teams, nor in pass rush packages, I think we’ll eventually find out what irk the coaches about Bradley that had him
virtually red shirted his entire rookie year. there’s something bizarre going on when a guy that has impressed at every level with his edge rush ability cannot even get on the field.
But this was a rookie that was clearly out performing Armstrong In training camp.
Dunno if this new coaching staff will be impressed with Rondell Carter as the last defensive coaching staff was,.. I wouldn’t be surprised if we drafted additional DEs in late rounds.
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DEFENSIVE TACKLES:
- Woods is a rotational type period, the more snaps he has to play, the more he wears down and he’s not a powerful agile enough guy to split double team blocks
and I’d still like competition vs him, he still has a year on his Restricted FA contract. I’d swear to be seeing Woods at the 3 tech, while Gallimore is lined up as the 1 tech.
Tomsula did some strange, puzzling moves among the DL.
- I’m liking what I have in Hill and Gallimore as 3 tech types, would not be surprised if both were in lineup at same time in obvious nickel rush packages- and one would rotate behind the other.
Both still in developing stages and need improvement vs the run.
Gerald McCoy who I believe physically is at an end, should never be starting ahead of either young guys, imo. He was damaged goods upon arrival per his quad clause in contract.
- How long have we’ve been sorely needing a quality thick body 1 tech inside guy ?
Stephen doesn’t want to invest/spend a considerable draft pick on one, nor pay high dollars to a quality vet.
He wants a bargain based vet or very late round project. But the 1 tech here continues to be an ever revolving door with scrub play results.
- The late round draft trade for Akou blew up in our faces, utter JAG. Ditto for Justin Hamlington. .. expect another run on JAG DTs this offseason or summer camp.
Note: Thank goodness Crawford stint “ should “ be finally coming to an end. Worthless 2020 campaign. Scary thought is what If team wants to return him on a 1 year deal ?