What do you think of this DL to start the season?

[Fla Cowpoke]

I think any starting lineup we put out there in the first 4 weeks is going to be sub par.

Crawford has to be healthy for this line to have any hope of being quality. But in no way do I think you ever put him at end. Crawford has to be the most injury prone guy on our entire team save Dunbar.

I know you are talking about the first week but if by week 4 we can start Lawrence, Thornton, healthy Crawford then I think you have 3 of the 4 positions covered with good players. NOT great, but good to very good players. Now I think you HAVE to add a pro bowl DE to that equation and then we can talk about having a Dline worthy of a contender.

Don't forget McClain, they really like him.

I don't really disagree with what you are saying about the rest, but where do you get the pass rush next year? Do you try bringing in a "sure thing" free agent who basically is your only free agent of significance or do you try getting the best rusher in the draft knowing that first year pass rushers are very spotty?

 

[speedkilz88]

Because of Irving's groin issue, it appears Jack Crawford is going to be the LE and Mayowa is a lock at RE if healthy. It still isn't certain if Thornton or McClain gets the 1 tech start but both will play a lot regardless.

 

[jday]

I hope your right Lawrence had 8 last season and will be back after 4 games but then how long before he gets his legs? Even at that he was not showing himself to be a great pass rusher but decent. Gregory a lot more potential but you are looking at 10 games for him? and how many games after that before he is up to speed?

My feeling that it will not matter has more to do with my doubt that the majority of teams the Cowboys will face will not be able to keep up with their offense. I suspect that is the gamble the Cowboys intended. As for the pass rush, as a result of teams playing from behind, more opportunities for sacks will come...as will interceptions. I understand the concerns for the lack of talent on defense, but I do believe they will better than expected...both with and without Lawrence and Gregory.

 

[Doomsday101]

current guy on this team combine put up 17 sacks last season, Watts was at 17.5 by himself. We need a pass rush, Dallas can blitz but quality teams who can pick up blitzes will burn you big time. I think when the blitz works the best is when you mix it in with a solid defensive front who is capable of getting pressure without the blitz

 

[Doomsday101]

My feeling that it will not matter has more to do with my doubt that the majority of teams the Cowboys will face will not be able to keep up with their offense. I suspect that is the gamble the Cowboys intended. As for the pass rush, as a result of teams playing from behind, more opportunities for sacks will come...as will interceptions. I understand the concerns for the lack of talent on defense, but I do believe they will better than expected...both with and without Lawrence and Gregory.

I don't disagree but again I'm not looking just at reg season. I think we can win the East, I expect it. I think offense has the fire power to be a championship team we need this defense to perform at a fairly high level. We talk about 2014 but when facing a good offense they were able to march down the field fairly easy, heck Rodgers did it on a gimpy leg to march his team down and take the lead and the win.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Don't forget McClain, they really like him.

I don't really disagree with what you are saying about the rest, but where do you get the pass rush next year? Do you try bringing in a "sure thing" free agent who basically is your only free agent of significance or do you try getting the best rusher in the draft knowing that first year pass rushers are very spotty?

McClain looks quality, but he cant stay on the field. I would give him a look at DE on first down possibly and rotation guy at DT.

AS far as the pro bowl DE..........they are probably the hardest position to fill save QB. This is whey I feel it was such a dumb move using the #4 pick to take a RB. We needed to get the stud CB or DE here some how, some way.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

current guy on this team combine put up 17 sacks last season, Watts was at 17.5 by himself. We need a pass rush, Dallas can blitz but quality teams who can pick up blitzes will burn you big time. I think when the blitz works the best is when you mix it in with a solid defensive front who is capable of getting pressure without the blitz

Ya think? LMAO

 

[jday]

I don't disagree but again I'm not looking just at reg season. I think we can win the East, I expect it. I think offense has the fire power to be a championship team we need this defense to perform at a fairly high level. We talk about 2014 but when facing a good offense they were able to march down the field fairly easy, heck Rodgers did it on a gimpy leg to march his team down and take the lead and the win.

Fair. But this defense is better than that defense. I believe this team beats that team...both the 2014 iteration of the Packers and our Cowboys...what that means for this season is anyones guess.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

It is VERY easy to question the decision to draft Zeke after you had already signed Morris. Of course, there was a significant worry that Morris maybe was damaged goods. Zeke HAS to be a top 3 RB to justify the move honestly. With McFadden, Morris, Dunbar and Jackson the running game would be in decent hands, or could have even drafted a RB later to be part of RB by committee.

The Smith pick was a huge gamble...I pray that it works out because it does give us a stud LB to pair with Lee. Hitchens is ok but he and the rest of the LB's are pretty much average. Had hopes for Nzeocha and hopefully his strain doesn't derail his progress.

If we were solely looking for this year, we definitely made the wrong picks.

 

[Stash]

Will the pass rush potentially suffer? Yes. Will it matter? No...at least not for the first four games of the season. Once Lawrence and Gregory return, this pass rush is going to be just fine...I think.

Are you sure you want to mention Gregory?

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

Are you sure you want to mention Gregory?

It's hard to even know what is going on there. Unless he is in active treatment, he should at least be with the team but I haven't heard any mention of that. Say his suspension is 10 games, there is always the likelihood that there will be injuries that would make his return worthwhile if he comes back.

 

[BleedinBlue]

With the addition of Thornton and Crawford being healthy I think the middle is solid. What we lack are any proven players or "names" at the DE position. But I like the youth factor. I'm thinking Lawrence will be solid upon his return...who's going to step up is the question for the other spot. Tapper?, Mayowa?, or someone else. I'm interested in finding out. That's why they play the game.

 

[Falco78]

I think the 1st team it will pan out like this, with a rotation, of course:

J.Crawford...... Thornton......T. Crawford.......Irving

This is how I see it too

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

My 1st team DL to start the season.

T.Crawford...... Thornton......T.McClain.......B.Mayowa

with Irving, J.Crawford, M.Collins, Tapper rotating keeping them fresh.

everyone focuses on DE, but if we can get some sort of pressure out of a couple of these guys, mixed in with a blitz every now and then, we should be ok.

Our poor, poor secondary. They will have horrific Sundays.

 

[Stash]

It's hard to even know what is going on there. Unless he is in active treatment, he should at least be with the team but I haven't heard any mention of that. Say his suspension is 10 games, there is always the likelihood that there will be injuries that would make his return worthwhile if he comes back.

I think anybody considering Randy Gregory to be a factor this year is making a mistake.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

I think the 1st team it will pan out like this, with a rotation, of course:

J.Crawford...... Thornton......T. Crawford.......Irving

So our number one addition as a pass rusher isn't going to start?

 

[cowboyblue22]

I think this defense is very average at best and is what will cost this team this season in the end which is what has cost them every other season pretty much.

 

[Doomsday101]

Ya think? LMAO

meaning is if people think Dallas will get by with blitzing I think they are mistaken, I think we are more likely to get burned if the only way we can generate a pass rush is by blitzing.

 

[Doomsday101]

Fair. But this defense is better than that defense. I believe this team beats that team...both the 2014 iteration of the Packers and our Cowboys...what that means for this season is anyones guess.

I hope your right. It is a concern. it is the one area of the team where you look across the board and we have few playmakers.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

meaning is if people think Dallas will get by with blitzing I think they are mistaken, I think we are more likely to get burned if the only way we can generate a pass rush is by blitzing.

In 2014 we were pretty much the classic bend but don't break defense. We gave up a lot of yards but not points. That pretty much is what we will get this year at least to start.

None of our first 4 opponents have anything better than an average OL so we caught a bit of a break there.