Which concerns you more: RB situation or DT situation?

[blueblood70]

A lot of talk about our RB situation, but almost as often, it has been mentioned that our DT situation was not addressed adequately in the draft either.

So, just curious, if we assume Zeke gets signed, which one gives you stronger concern?

(a) a RB room featuring Zeke and Dowdle as the two leads, Luepke or Freeman getting the FB/ST role, and Vaughn as the change of pace guy

or

(b) a DT rotation that includes Diggyzoo and Chauncey at 3-tech, with Fehoko theoretically also getting into that mix... and Mazi and a 7th rounder Rogers at 1-Tech...



Oh, and just gonna throw this out there... don't be too surprised if, besides Zeke, we also add another vet FA in a minimum contract named James Lynch.

No kidding, Lynch played DE, and 3-tech, and even a little 1-tech for Minny apparently... but mostly 3-tech... after being drafted by Zimmer and his old team out of Baylor in 2020.

Here's why. Of course, we've lost along the D-line Armstrong, Fowler and Gallimore. Sam Williams gets Armstrong snaps conventionally speaking. Tyrus Wheat gets Fowler's snaps. And Fehoko moves into Gallimore's role.

Then, Kneeland comes into camp penciled-in to Williams old third-string slot, with a decent chance to pull ahead of Wheat before game #1. But other than Durrell Johnson on a futures contract, there's really no one to occupy Wheat's old third-string slot. Enter James Lynch... who, quite possibly, would also pull ahead of Wheat, or perhaps would claim the other 3-tech slot and force Fehoko to compete on the edge with Wheat.

Lynch is coming off a lost season due to an ACL tear in preseason. But every indication is that he should be ready for 2024. Knows Zimmer's defense, and one would assume the two have some affection for each other.

TLDR

what just going from your title neither let's just watch and see throughout training camp and preseason and see how the games go and when the rosters finalized they'll see if there's a weak spot we got plenty of running backs by the way to pick from now....you left out Peat looks solid fast etc

and yes we're always worried about the defensive tackle position but the fact is Mike zimmer's coming in here with a new voice a new vision and maybe he can turn some of these players like OSA and Smith and the big ugly we just got from Auburn and make something out of that rotation... I don't worry about such things just watch the damn games that's what I do we'll determine what's a weak spot on this team once we watch the games because you can look at the draft and think we bolstered our offensive line but what if dating turns out to be Beckton or whatever his name was for The Jets the eagles just handed a redic 6mil deal, or worse he could be Chaz green we don't know how he's going to adapt to the NFL...

 

[Redline360]

Shouldn't even be a question.

Every team is looking for DTs as they are a premium. You can find a serviceable RB for cheap. Majority of teams run 2 to 3 of em nowadays . Bar absolute freaks like CMC and Henry(for how much longer?) The rb era is over

 

[Montanalo]

Just to be a bit argumentative, RB.

Without a decent running attack, we're putting the ball in Dak's hands to win. It potentially means a pass-happy offense with a high percentage of 3 and outs. It also means we have the inability to grind out the clock.

 

[Canada180]

DT, if you can’t stop the run then it will be another early playoff exit.

It really is inconceivable that here we are after another draft and DT is an area we arent happy with. Inexcusable

 

[Aven8]

Both.

But I will say RB now. Does everyone forget when TP went down against SF? We had to go with Zeke and it was like playing Moose as a RB. Easy peasy for those LB’s…..

 

[Creeper]

It is definitely DT. I don't trust Mazi to get much better after sitting out the offseason recovering from surgery. Carl Davis is a JAG at best. He seems to have some forward push, but no lateral agility. I don't expect the UDFAs and 7th round draft pick to be much of anything. And don't tell me Kendricks will be able to play at a high level behind this hot mess.

The Cowboys do not draft DTs early. And that might not be a bad strategy since even the best DTs still need a year or two to reach their potential. But the Cowboys are unwilling to sign DTs in free agency either - at least none willing to play for more than the minimum. IMO, free agency is the answer because you can get a DT and you don't have to wait 2 or 3 years for them to develop. Draft picks may never develop and you wasted 3 or 4 years on them. Gallimore is the typical DT selection for Dallas. What what happens with Odighizuwa next year.

The Cowboys DTs will get pushed around this year - again. This is why I predict they Cowboys will get blown out by almost as many teams as the beat this year.

 

[conner01]

DT with out a doubt.

It’s not even close. The difference in the top 5 RB stats and a guy at 20 is not real significant. But we even have enough bodies at DT. They don’t play a high pct of snaps so you need a good rotation

 

[blueblood70]

Shouldn't even be a question.

Every team is looking for DTs as they are a premium. You can find a serviceable RB for cheap. Majority of teams run 2 to 3 of em nowadays . Bar absolute freaks like CMC and Henry(for how much longer?) The rb era is over

I'm agreeing with you but on that note Adrian Peterson Derrick Henry Ezekiel Elliott Christian McCaffrey Justin Jacobs the dude over there in Indianapolis here's all the guys who have been rushing champions recently had some great careers where's all their hardware you want to tell me how many Super Bowls there are among them??

ZERO

typically and we've seen this having a premier workhorse running back even as dynamic as Christian McCaffrey who by the way I'm sorry he went to a team that's already been to the Super bowl a bunch he did not help them get over the top he still lost the Super bowl they are not winning it's been all the way back to what Terrell Davis and Emmitt Smith last time you had a rushing champion also win the Super bowl it literally fans are overrating the position because we've always had a great name here... I frankly am not worried that's a pretty nice little room of guys to choose from we got 6 running backs on this roster they will find a way to have an effective run game I mean Najee Harris it's a starter for Pittsburgh 3.9 yards per carry why does Pittsburgh keep this guy around I mean he's not really dynamic he's moving the chains I think you Elliott can still do that as long as he's not overused...


But I don't think this team is ever gonna spend 10 or $12 million on a nose tackle or even a dynamic 3 tech I mean guys like Aaron Donald don't come available very often but there are some positions that this front office doesn't value as much in defensive tackle seems to be one of them we have good ones we just don't have great ones we have had not had an elite inside tackle in a very long time.. I get the frustration but hopefully maybe Smith and this big boy from Auburn can be enough in the middle maybe we'll get lucky one day because remember we were talking about this at one time it was safeties I mean everyone said they couldn't pick safeties they couldn't find good safeties they but that seems to be all fixed now they have a load of safeties now...

So just maybe for these days they will stumble upon a dynamic inside guy....​

 

[kskboys]

Easily DT. Trash DT's and you can't stop the run aka look at how we got ran on at will last year. Also better hope a starter does not get injured. We have plenty of time between now and the season start but we have to get some better talent at DT. We can get by with Zeke and the others at RB for now. But pay close attention to who gets cut doing roster cut down. That is what we call FA 2.0.

Stupid Jerry finds a DT w/ a pulse, and is too stupid to understand the difference between a starter and a rotational type. He's doing the same thing w/ Osa he did w/ Crawford, trying to make him into something he isn't. Just stupid.

 

[kskboys]

I'm agreeing with you but on that note Adrian Peterson Derrick Henry Ezekiel Elliott Christian McCaffrey Justin Jacobs the dude over there in Indianapolis here's all the guys who have been rushing champions recently had some great careers where's all their hardware you want to tell me how many Super Bowls there are among them??

ZERO

typically and we've seen this having a premier workhorse running back even as dynamic as Christian McCaffrey who by the way I'm sorry he went to a team that's already been to the Super bowl a bunch he did not help them get over the top he still lost the Super bowl they are not winning it's been all the way back to what Terrell Davis and Emmitt Smith last time you had a rushing champion also win the Super bowl it literally fans are overrating the position because we've always had a great name here... I frankly am not worried that's a pretty nice little room of guys to choose from we got 6 running backs on this roster they will find a way to have an effective run game I mean Najee Harris it's a starter for Pittsburgh 3.9 yards per carry why does Pittsburgh keep this guy around I mean he's not really dynamic he's moving the chains I think you Elliott can still do that as long as he's not overused...


But I don't think this team is ever gonna spend 10 or $12 million on a nose tackle or even a dynamic 3 tech I mean guys like Aaron Donald don't come available very often but there are some positions that this front office doesn't value as much in defensive tackle seems to be one of them we have good ones we just don't have great ones we have had not had an elite inside tackle in a very long time.. I get the frustration but hopefully maybe Smith and this big boy from Auburn can be enough in the middle maybe we'll get lucky one day because remember we were talking about this at one time it was safeties I mean everyone said they couldn't pick safeties they couldn't find good safeties they but that seems to be all fixed now they have a load of safeties now...

So just maybe for these days they will stumble upon a dynamic inside guy....​

That doesn't prove anything. The volume yardage a RB runs for is irrelevant, and often points toward an O that is one dimensional. That does not mean RB's are not important. Yes, there are other more important areas.

 

[kskboys]

TLDR

what just going from your title neither let's just watch and see throughout training camp and preseason and see how the games go and when the rosters finalized they'll see if there's a weak spot we got plenty of running backs by the way to pick from now....you left out Peat looks solid fast etc

and yes we're always worried about the defensive tackle position but the fact is Mike zimmer's coming in here with a new voice a new vision and maybe he can turn some of these players like OSA and Smith and the big ugly we just got from Auburn and make something out of that rotation... I don't worry about such things just watch the damn games that's what I do we'll determine what's a weak spot on this team once we watch the games because you can look at the draft and think we bolstered our offensive line but what if dating turns out to be Beckton or whatever his name was for The Jets the eagles just handed a redic 6mil deal, or worse he could be Chaz green we don't know how he's going to adapt to the NFL...

OMG, that is the funniest thing I've ever seen on this site coming from you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kskboys]

It is definitely DT. I don't trust Mazi to get much better after sitting out the offseason recovering from surgery. Carl Davis is a JAG at best. He seems to have some forward push, but no lateral agility. I don't expect the UDFAs and 7th round draft pick to be much of anything. And don't tell me Kendricks will be able to play at a high level behind this hot mess.

The Cowboys do not draft DTs early. And that might not be a bad strategy since even the best DTs still need a year or two to reach their potential. But the Cowboys are unwilling to sign DTs in free agency either - at least none willing to play for more than the minimum. IMO, free agency is the answer because you can get a DT and you don't have to wait 2 or 3 years for them to develop. Draft picks may never develop and you wasted 3 or 4 years on them. Gallimore is the typical DT selection for Dallas. What what happens with Odighizuwa next year.

The Cowboys DTs will get pushed around this year - again. This is why I predict they Cowboys will get blown out by almost as many teams as the beat this year.

It comes down to having a GM who does not understand NFL football.

 

[kskboys]

Both.

But I will say RB now. Does everyone forget when TP went down against SF? We had to go with Zeke and it was like playing Moose as a RB. Easy peasy for those LB’s…..

The DT position is in even worse shape than the RB position. And we keep losing in the playoffs because we can't stop the run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chasing6]

I’m by no means a Dak hater but if his cap hit is more than 30m this team is going nowhere. There’s always gonna be a hole somewhere. This year it’s DT and RB.

It will be $40M next year, whether he is on the team or not.

 

[Mr_437]

NT!
Cowboys are a passing offense, but stopping the run has-been their kryptonite.

 

[Texas_Pete]

DT, easily

 

[J-man]

RB and it's not close
How they didn't address this in FA or the draft is beyond me.

 

[triplets_93]

Doesn't matter when Tunnel Vision Dak appears the Playoffs.

Homers: "It will different this time!"

 

[_sturt_]

No offense, but that's a pretty light argument there...

No offense taken.

No offense... and no snark even... but we all appeal to authority, with only the exception of primary source information/insight.

In other words, the only time we do not is when we rest on our own analysis... which in this case, isn't something I've done, isn't something I care enough to do, and even if I did... let's get real... would you be better persuaded by _sturt_'s analysis than by the guy who has actual authoritative credentials?

So, that's all I've got.

 

[_sturt_]

TLDR

you left out Peat