When building a roster: WWBBD

[mcmvp]

We do not follow BB in terms of our talent acquisition philosophy. Belichick builds from the inside out. Dallas builds from the outside in. Expecting Dallas to behave like BB is at best wishful thinking.

D-

To be fair, I think the Cowboys have built up their o-line pretty well over the years. But yes they are more outside-in on the defensive side. I would not have signed Zeke to that deal, and I would not pay Cooper like a top 3-5 WR either. If they do that and also sign Dak to anything close to the numbers being discussed, that would be way too offense-heavy. It will be interesting to see their cap percentages if that happens.

 

[kskboys]

There is no possible way a rational human being can look at their DL and conclude that is the strength of their team. Literally, you should go look.

Strength? Depends on how you define it. The Dline is the base, the center of it all. Since Bill always makes sure to have a big nasty solid DLine, I think it's more important to him than you think. What he does, is he finds people to man it in different ways at a high level. Shelton and Bulter are immovable objects, which makes it easier for all.

 

[kskboys]

Its beyond obvious to me. The fact 4 of their top 10 paid are secondary players says a lot. They have one the least talented DLs in the NFL. So, to call it a priority flies in the face of what we actually see them doing. I think Bill views those guys as interchangeable parts and he uses his defensive cap resources on LBs and CBs.

And w/i that non talented DLine is the best run stopping DT combo in the NFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[atlantacowboy]

And w/i that non talented DLine is the best run stopping DT combo in the NFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They pay nothing for them. Lawrence Guy at under 3M per year is their top paid DL. Its about the system and culture more so than the players. They'll probably insert 2 new guys at DT next year.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Strength? Depends on how you define it. The Dline is the base, the center of it all. Since Bill always makes sure to have a big nasty solid DLine, I think it's more important to him than you think. What he does, is he finds people to man it in different ways at a high level. Shelton and Bulter are immovable objects, which makes it easier for all.

Obviously DL is important to any team. BUT, you can infer priorities from where they spend their cap dollars. They know they can coach up guys that other teams have given up on.

 

[Diehardblues]

They pay nothing for them. Lawrence Guy at under 3M per year is their top paid DL. Its about the system and culture more so than the players. They'll probably insert 2 new guys at DT next year.

They aren’t paying anything for them cause they continue churning the rotation.

Maybe Bill invest more in secondary because there’s not as much talent coming out every year like he can churn in his rotation on DL.

He knows he must have two very talented guys on the corners ( which cost more) but he can rotate 7 or 8 guys on DL. That doesn’t necessarily mean he holds more value on CB that DL. It just might mean great CB’s are more difficult to find.

 

[atlantacowboy]

They aren’t paying anything for them cause they continue churning the rotation.

Maybe Bill invest more in secondary because there’s not as much talent coming out every year like he can churn in his rotation in DL.

He knows he must have two very talented guys on the corners ( which cost more) but he can rotate 7 or 8 guys on DL. That doesn’t necessarily mean he holds more value on CB that DL. It just might mean great CB’s are more difficult to find.

If it was that easy, every team would be rotating 7-8 guys.

Bill's defensive genius is the secondary. His coverages require elite talent and intelligence to execute. Just ask Darnold.

 

[Diehardblues]

If it was that easy, every team would be rotating 7-8 guys.

Bill's defensive genius is the secondary. His coverages require elite talent and intelligence to execute. Just ask Darnold.

It’s not that easy. And part of Bills master eye for talent and schemes. Most of all it’s by the numbers. It’s the one area you can get by with a strong rotation without as much individual talent.

Unless you believe his more Individually talented CB’s would lead his top defenses without a run stopping DL causing havoc and disruption?

Im not discounting his importance on the corners. I’m just saying without his front 4 and 7 they wouldn’t be as effective.

 

[atlantacowboy]

It’s not that easy. And part of Bills master eye for talent and schemes. Most of all it’s by the numbers. It’s the one area you can get by with a strong rotation without as much individual talent.

Unless you believe his more Individually talented CB’s would lead his top defenses without a run stopping DL causing havoc and disruption?

Im not discounting his importance on the corners. I’m just saying without his front 4 and 7 they wouldn’t be as effective.

I give up.

 

[Diehardblues]

How much Genius does it take to have two talented highly paid CB’s. It just takes money.

The brilliance with Bill is churning that run stopping and disruptive DL rotation without as much Elite talent and need to retain or pay them.

 

[kskboys]

Obviously DL is important to any team. BUT, you can infer priorities from where they spend their cap dollars. They know they can coach up guys that other teams have given up on.

Or, BB knows he can orchetrate a good DLine w/ solid players, so no need to spend there. Especially at NT, a position not highly regarded at present. So he gets good ones for beans.

 

[Diehardblues]

Or, BB knows he can orchetrate a good DLine w/ solid players, so no need to spend there. Especially at NT, a position not highly regarded at present. So he gets good ones for beans.

Yep

Atlanta sees the fact Bill invest big Cap money at CB that it’s the strength or priority of Bills defense.

I think the strength is still in DL. Bill just feels he can shape lesser talent up front more than he can in secondary and why he has to invest more there financially.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Or, BB knows he can orchetrate a good DLine w/ solid players, so no need to spend there. Especially at NT, a position not highly regarded at present. So he gets good ones for beans.

2019 recap: While the Patriots defense was one of the best in football last fall – even if it wasn’t an historic unit and petered out late in the season – the defensive line was the least impactful portion of the unit. The secondary and linebackers brought Pro Bowl talent, playmaking and depth to the field each week, but the front performed at varying levels as a relatively faceless group.

patriots defensive line

 

[kskboys]

2019 recap: While the Patriots defense was one of the best in football last fall – even if it wasn’t an historic unit and petered out late in the season – the defensive line was the least impactful portion of the unit. The secondary and linebackers brought Pro Bowl talent, playmaking and depth to the field each week, but the front performed at varying levels as a relatively faceless group.

patriots defensive line

Yup. Bill lost that battle. He thought he could let everyone walk, and found out that Flowers was much more important than he realized. Same thing happened w/ Seymour. Bill can coach 'em up better than anyone, but he needed more talent there than he realized. Wonder if he finally figured out that you must have DL disruption, even w/ his superior schemes?

His total D was still 1st in the NFL, however.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Yup. Bill lost that battle. He thought he could let everyone walk, and found out that Flowers was much more important than he realized. Same thing happened w/ Seymour. Bill can coach 'em up better than anyone, but he needed more talent there than he realized. Wonder if he finally figured out that you must have DL disruption, even w/ his superior schemes?

His total D was still 1st in the NFL, however.

Every defense in the NFL starts on the DL. Its a cliche'. What bill does more than anyone else is stack talent in the secondary. His coverages require talent, intelligence, and he can't get by with journeymen. He holds onto those guys for dear life which is unlike other positions where he has no issue trading or letting guys walk. Bill made his bones as a secondary coach. What separates his defense isn't the sacks or QB pressure..........its the brilliant masking of coverages.........which confuse and cause Qb indecision and error. That makes everything else more effective.

 

[CouchCoach]

Yup. Bill lost that battle. He thought he could let everyone walk, and found out that Flowers was much more important than he realized. Same thing happened w/ Seymour. Bill can coach 'em up better than anyone, but he needed more talent there than he realized. Wonder if he finally figured out that you must have DL disruption, even w/ his superior schemes?

His total D was still 1st in the NFL, however.

He has a cap formula and it doesn't matter how good the player is unless he's a CB. He places a value on that position because of how he uses them to cover in the initial 2-3 seconds. He also uses them to get his QB to quicken his release.

His D this past season was #2 in pass yards, #1 in total, #1 in picks, #7 in sacks, #1 in TD's and completion %. I am going to attribute that to his secondary, not his DL. He did let Flowers walk but he would have let any DE walk that was going to break his cap formula.

BTW, know where his D ranked in sacks with Flowers in 2018? 30th.

I know, this goes against the grain of conventional thinking because I always believed the better the DL, the better that could make the secondary but he started reversing that. He let his best pass rusher walk and increased everything including his pass completion %.

Now, the caveat is this is probably the best D mind the game has ever seen and he's proven he knows how to deploy his weapons better than anyone else. I am not saying this trend would work for every team but I have studied this cat closely because he intrigues me with his moves. And he definitely has been in a secondary shift for quite some time. All the others are more get to the QB so he can't get the ball to the weapons and he's more take the weapons away and get to the QB.