What are you looking to see Vs the Rams in the joint practice?

[gimmesix]

Former Safety/LB at Syracuse. Went undrafted last year.

Saw on his NFL profile he's now 235lb. Up from 22x last year.

Definitely not the biggest guy weightwise. Has good size at 6-4, though.

 

[BlindFaith]

Don't think I'm speculating. Hooker is one of the starting safeties in the nickel until we're told or shown differently. Besides all this stuff is just speculation right now. He was let go by the Colts because he couldn't stay healthy.

Yeah, thats what I said. Cant stay healthy.

And you're totally speculating if you think Hooker is a starter in any package. And its fine. Thats what we couch experts do, speculate.

We're still a month away from knowing who is even on the final roster, let alone who starts in what packages come game 1.

All I do know, based on my own personal speculation, is that this will be a top 10 defense. I said it after the draft. Im saying it now.

 

[BlindFaith]

I didn't really feel there was competition ... beyond the first three (Overshown, Winters and Barham) until Barron showed out in this joint practice. I kind of felt the fourth spot was James' by default.

I did. Ive been mentioning Barron as someone to keep an eye on for a while, before camp.

 

[gimmesix]

Yeah, thats what I said. Cant stay healthy.

And you're totally speculating if you think Hooker is a starter in any package. And its fine. Thats what we couch experts do, speculate.

We're still a month away from knowing who is even on the final roster, let alone who starts in what packages come game 1.

All I do know, based on my own personal speculation, is that this will be a top 10 defense. I said it after the draft. Im saying it now.

He's in there with the starters, so I assume that he's a starter until told or showed otherwise. It's been pointed out by media that when we are in the three-safety look, it's Downs, Thompson and Hooker. Other safeties have gotten first-team reps, like we've done at other positions, but that's the starting group.

I don't particularly care for Hooker and would love for someone to step up and beat him out, but I'm not going to ignore the reality of what's happening on the field to speculate on what I hope happens.

 

[gimmesix]

I did. Ive been mentioning Barron as someone to keep an eye on for a while, before camp.

Not sure what you based on that on other than hope.

 

[ak47kaehu]

Former Safety/LB at Syracuse. Went undrafted last year.

Saw on his NFL profile he's now 235lb. Up from 22x last year.

Thanks....good stuff. Hopefully one of those hidden gems in the making.

 

[BlindFaith]

He's in there with the starters, so I assume that he's a starter until told or showed otherwise. It's been pointed out by media that when we are in the three-safety look, it's Downs, Thompson and Hooker. Other safeties have gotten first-team reps, like we've done at other positions, but that's the starting group.

I don't particularly care for Hooker and would love for someone to step up and beat him out, but I'm not going to ignore the reality of what's happening on the field to speculate on what I hope happens.

Whats hapenning on the field is testing Downs.

Thats it.

Can he cover the slot. How fast does he recognize what the offense is trying to do. Will he fill a gap.

This is Downs's defense. Full stop.

Thompson will be the deep guy. And I think Moore could be a really good option there as well. But hes a rook. Not sure they want him trying to learn two spots at once.

Hey, if Hooker is your 4th safety and hardly plays, we are golden.

 

[BlindFaith]

Not sure what you based on that on other than hope.

I have a gift. Im a football savant.

 

[BlindFaith]

True. Clark isn't much bigger, though, but he is a little faster. Should be a good battle for what would be a sixth safety spot, with Thompson, Downs, Hooker, Bell and Locke probably ahead of both of the depth chart. If both show out, that's why I believe we could go with six safeties and four corners ... since Downs is the nickel and I don't have much confidence in the corners beyond the first three. I mean, do Carson, Steward, Speed, Kendrick, Butler, Bridges or Childress move the needle? I did have hopes for Childress as a slot corner, though, but haven't heard much about him in camp. Steward and Speed seem to be getting the most press among the backup corners.

No way we carry 6 Safties. Safety 4 and 5 are not better players than the 10th OL, the 6th DL, the 6th OLB, the 5th ILB, the 6th WR.

Stewart has moved to Safety from what I heard.

Butler was a promising guy two years ago, then tore up his knee. Carson played alot last year. Bridges was signed late last year but has a lot of athletic ability.

The rest are irrelevant.

 

[jazzcat22]

Hooker is the wild card. We save a mil by cutting him. Not much. But the roster spot is important.

Do you keep Hooker over Barron, Clark, Williams, a 6th CB, a 6th WR, a 10th OL?

Yes for that price. A proven player over a few players that look to be good, but not ready to be thrown into full time yet.
At least the way we fans vowed it.
Of course the coaches know better.

 

[gimmesix]

Whats hapenning on the field is testing Downs.

Thats it.

Can he cover the slot. How fast does he recognize what the offense is trying to do. Will he fill a gap.

This is Downs's defense. Full stop.

Thompson will be the deep guy. And I think Moore could be a really good option there as well. But hes a rook. Not sure they want him trying to learn two spots at once.

Hey, if Hooker is your 4th safety and hardly plays, we are golden.

Not sure where you are getting this take. Downs is playing the slot when we are in the 4-2-5 and that is expected to be his spot. Both Thompson and Hooker are the deep safeties in that scheme. I haven't read who we have out there when we are in two-safety looks. I would assume that it is Downs and Thompson, but I have not read that.

You seem to want Hooker to not be on the field with the starters, but that just hasn't been the case. There's not indication he's any lower than third on the depth chart and with us using a safety in the slot (Downs), that means he's projected to be on the field a lot.

Like I said, I wouldn't mind if someone steps up and beats him out for those snaps, but no one covering camp has indicated in any way that that is happening.

 

[jazzcat22]

Woods has been outstanding.

So he has. But that does not change my opinion as of today.
There are TC stars every year. I like him, pulling for him as I am every player.

 

[BlindFaith]

Yes for that price. A proven player over a few players that look to be good, but not ready to be thrown into full time yet.
At least the way we fans vowed it.
Of course the coaches know better.

So how many games is Hooker going to miss this year. Think hes avenging 3 or 4 a year. And he doesnt play st.

Give me Clark and the 1 million.

 

[BlindFaith]

Not sure where you are getting this take. Downs is playing the slot when we are in the 4-2-5 and that is expected to be his spot. Both Thompson and Hooker are the deep safeties in that scheme. I haven't read who we have out there when we are in two-safety looks. I would assume that it is Downs and Thompson, but I have not read that.

You seem to want Hooker to not be on the field with the starters, but that just hasn't been the case. There's not indication he's any lower than third on the depth chart and with us using a safety in the slot (Downs), that means he's projected to be on the field a lot.

Like I said, I wouldn't mind if someone steps up and beats him out for those snaps, but no one covering camp has indicated in any way that that is happening.

This is practice my man. They are trying all kinds of things out.

REAL practice doesnt start till they get back to Frisco and those are closed to the media.

Hooker, IMO, is 50 50 to make the final roster.

 

[gimmesix]

No way we carry 6 Safties. Safety 4 and 5 are not better players than the 10th OL, the 6th DL, the 6th OLB, the 5th ILB, the 6th WR.

Stewart has moved to Safety from what I heard.

Butler was a promising guy two years ago, then tore up his knee. Carson played alot last year. Bridges was signed late last year but has a lot of athletic ability.

The rest are irrelevant.

It really depends on how you look at it. For instance, on OurLads, Downs isn't listed as a safety, he's listed as a nickel corner. If the Cowboys view it that way, then that's five corners and five safeties. I think the way Parker views the nickel spot (preferring to use a safety there) changes things up because essentially you have two starting corners and three starting safeties, so going two-deep would dictate two backup corners and three backup safeties. I think a former DB coach carries 10 DBs. To me, using safeties in the slot means we could see that make up be four corners and six safeties (with two of those safety being nickel corner capable).

 

[gimmesix]

So how many games is Hooker going to miss this year. Think hes avenging 3 or 4 a year. And he doesnt play st.

Give me Clark and the 1 million.

He played in 12 last year, but 17 the year before, 16 the year before that and 16 the year before that. Before last year, he'd played in at least 15 games a season since he signed with us in 2021. You really don't seem to be able to stand the player. He's not my favorite but I don't think I can just wish him away.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

According to blogging the boys, the defense held up very well, but Steele was getting worked pretty badly and we did not do anything in the running game. Revel had a very good showing, and Justin Barron had three interceptions, including one off of Stafford.

 

[gimmesix]

This is practice my man. They are trying all kinds of things out.

REAL practice doesnt start till they get back to Frisco and those are closed to the media.

Hooker, IMO, is 50 50 to make the final roster.

Downs is going to be in the slot, and we're going to be primarily in the nickel, which means two other safeties will be on the field. It looks like those safeties are going to be Thompson and Hooker based on what has been observed at practice. We're not practicing what we're not going to use. Dallas has made it clear that they view Downs as their nickel guy.

You really want Hooker gone bad, don't you.

 

[gimmesix]

According to blogging the boys, the defense held up very well, but Steele was getting worked pretty badly and we did not do anything in the running game. Revel had a very good showing, and Justin Barron had three interceptions, including one off of Stafford.

We seemed to want to establish the run in our red zone work and it wasn't working. Then, we started having success in our red-zone passing. I'm sure Steele was part of that, so I don't know what struggles he was having. He's usually a better run blocker than pass blocker.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Yep...hopefully a handful of safe reps to get a taste.

Exactly, especially since he's likely facing him later in the year. Would be wise to see some of what he's capable of so that he can prepare accordingly.