Why you take a QB at 4

[CCBoy]

I have to agree, draft the heir apparent now if he is your guy and available at #4.

Cowboys have made the mistake in the past of failing to properly address the QB position in round one, time to learn from the ineptitude that followed.

Fourth rounds picks in all probability are not going to be the answer and seem like a waste.

However, I am not militant in this position, if they decide to address QB in Free Agency and bypass a QB in the first, draft an impact player at #4 whether it is defense or offense.

Do not trade down unless someone blows you away with an offer.

Round one is about blue chippers. And that is a small list...

 

[Kaiser]

However, I am not militant in this position, if they decide to address QB in Free Agency and bypass a QB in the first, draft an impact player at #4 whether it is defense or offense.

I agree, if you think Wentz is going to be an elite QB, you draft him and never look back.

But that said, I really go back to value. A guy like Dak Prescott may be a much better value in the 3rd round than Wentz would be at the 4th overall pick. I also think that the plan is to have the drafted QB sit for two years so you have no pressure (like Cleveland) to draft a QB that will be on the field next season. Then on top of that, I don't see any the QBs in this draft being worth a top five pick but I defer to Will McClay of course.

If your backup the next two years is going to be RGIII or Kellen Moore, and the drafted QB isn't going to see the field for the next two years, I'd much rather get a good value pick in the 2nd or 3rd round and trade down from 4 to get the extra draft choice. If you think about the Travis Frederick situation where they get a player who was at 10 - 15 on their draft board at a pick around 30, you could get two of those players in the early 2nd round by trading down.

I'd rather have Treadwell at 10, then two future All Pros at QB, RB, CB or 1 Tech with those picks than just leaving the first two rounds with Wentz and someone like WR Will Fuller or RB Derek Henry.

 

[Mr Cowboy]

You can't use a no 4 pick on a QB when you already have a 100 mil qb with years left on his contract. I guess you could if the rest of the team is in good shape but it is a luxury and one teams that have done a good job building can take. This team has holes all over the place and it doesn't matter who the back up QB is when you are lacking in so many areas.

A QB picked with the 4th pick won't cost more than bringing in RG3 or one of the other FA QBs. There is this thing called the rookie cap. Gone are the days where QBs like Bradford signed a $70 contract before ever taking a snap in the NFL.

 

[JD_KaPow]

You can't use a no 4 pick on a QB when you already have a 100 mil qb with years left on his contract. I guess you could if the rest of the team is in good shape but it is a luxury and one teams that have done a good job building can take. This team has holes all over the place and it doesn't matter who the back up QB is when you are lacking in so many areas.

I really don't get this logic. If you have "holes all over the place", then you're looking to build for the future, in which case of course you take the QB if the right one is there. The argument for not taking a QB is that you're one guy away and there's someone in the first round who you believe can step right in and be that guy to push you over the top this season.

 

[Rogerthat12]

Round one is about blue chippers. And that is a small list...

True, the question will be who are the Cowboys Blue Chip prospects in the top 5?

 

[CCBoy]

True, the question will be who are the Cowboys Blue Chip prospects in the top 5?

Right now, I'm thinking that list would consist of:
OT Tunsil
QB Goff
QB Wentz
DE Bosa
CB Ramsey
WR Treadwell
LB Jack

 

[Rogerthat12]

Right now, I'm thinking that list would consist of:
OT Tunsil
QB Goff
QB Wentz
DE Bosa
CB Ramsey
WR Treadwell
LB Jack

Just depends on the Cowboys board, we know they can be unorthodox in these matters.

 

[Alexander]

1. Team's QB Situation. We have an aging Romo coming off another likely surgery and definitenly more overall health concerns. Behind him we have Free Agents and an UDFA whose pop-gun arm seems a long shot to ever do more than warrant clipboard and later coaching duties. So need is fairly high.

Need for the future is high too. No matter what Jones threefourfiveyearsitsnotadamndebateguys says.

2. History. Dallas has to learn from the Aikman era. No matter what Troy says, you can't wait until your stud is gone to get in another guy. That doesn;t mean being GB and grabbing a QB every year while you have Favre in his prime necessarily but you have to get in some talented youth to groom once your QB crosses 30.

You would think they would learn. So would our fans who witnessed Aikman in those last few years. It was painful to watch. It was even more painful to see Jones mortgage the future to acquire Joey Galloway for him to ride out into the sunset with. That rarely happens with legendary veteran QBs. If they are moseying out of town with a championship, it is on the back of their teammates in a complimentary role. Elway did it. Manning might do it soon.

2a. You have to look at what Dallas has tried or been tied to doing. Dallas gave a 4th for a developmental guy and saw that those players are simply real long shots. Players lacking NFL tools are just pipe dreams. You could hit the lotto but it's still playing the lotto.

One player is not even what I qualify as taking it seriously. The McGee pick was mystifying, but then again, so was the entire draft he was a part of. Jason Williams, Robert Brewster, Stephen McGee. It was like watching the unholy trinity of Quincy Carter, Tony Dixon, Willie Blade draft in reverse.

2b. Dallas has wanted to (and considered) get in a talented younger guy. See Brady Quinn and Johnny Manziel. Those two names should give you food for thought here. Dallas was never really linked to "better" QB draft options than that. It's rare to get up this high in the draft unless you are CLE. And if you get a QB who can start games there really is no over-drafting. Legit starting QBs are very hard to find and very valuable. So taking a shot when you have the resources is a must.

Manziel I believe. I never bought the Quinn thing as it was probably a ruse to get Phil Savage to bite and cough up the future first round pick. Jones thought he was clever when he got one from Buffalo for J.P. Losman, he just wanted to do it again. Only problem was the Browns won too many games the next season to make it worth the trouble.

3. Projected forward. NCAA football presents you with a lot of high passing totals and a number of great dual-threat QBs. Unfortunately, college football is so very different form the NFL. In the NCAAs where there is far less speed on the defense a guy like Braxton Miller is going to FAR outperform a guy like Troy Aikman. --Miller would have won a couple National Titles minimum under Switzer at OU but Troy had to transfer.... So it is hard to find those guys with legit NFL mesaurables and skillsets who offer all the other pieces. At times those guys like Mettenberger, Hackenberg or Glennon you are overlooking poor collegiate play just to see tools. 2017/2018 looks like more of the same. DeShaun Watson looks pretty special and as a total package ...he is easily the best QB/atrlete prospect in college but man is that guy really a future NFL stud? I don't think so. I simply don't see the consistent arm accuracy... and he seems very likely to go #1 overall in 2017.

Best most significant point in a very good post.

For me all the above considered I think this year getting a QB is vitally important. I do not know when I'll get this kind of draft selection again. --hopefully not in my lifetime. I do not see a list of great prospects for 2017 or 2018 staring me in the face. And I do not see Romo lasting beyond 2 more full NFL seasons. A 3rd year would seem either forced (due to zero other legit options) or a gift from the football Gods. So I'll gladly take a QB this year that requiresonly 1 draft pick used and let him develop at a natural pace. Give him the pre-seasons and all the practice snaps Romo misses as part of his careful usage. Give him game time in blow outs and otherwise bring him along at a cordial pace adding to his skillset and getting him mentally ready to blitzing and all out pressure. Give him the best chance to succeed.

The clock is ticking. I get how the idea is to maximize that clock, but believe it or not Cowboy fans, Romo is not going to playthreefourfivemoreyearsitisnotadamndebateguys. Aikman didn't. Manning has had a year or two of quality football and now this. I know I don't want to see a player like Romo flopping around at the bitter end without a plan. Denver got Osweiler when they got Manning. That is the correct approach. They are now ready.

It is hard to say goodbye, but we have to start preparing.

 

[CCBoy]

Just depends on the Cowboys board, we know they can be unorthodox in these matters.

The team will be going into scheme evaluations next, and shortly after that, the player evaluations and film study up to the Combine. We have a full slate of projections until we get closer to the Draft or even the Free Agency period.

 

[Alexander]

True, the question will be who are the Cowboys Blue Chip prospects in the top 5?

We will see that with the visit list.

A QB picked with the 4th pick won't cost more than bringing in RG3 or one of the other FA QBs. There is this thing called the rookie cap. Gone are the days where QBs like Bradford signed a $70 contract before ever taking a snap in the NFL.

People still use that argument? Wow.

 

[stilltheguru88]

Has any team in nfl history drafted a qb top 5 with a 100 mil qb on the roster?

 

[Rogerthat12]

We will see that with the visit list.

People still use that argument? Wow.

The list will definitely let us know something as we have seen over the years but even then they are capricious when it comes to who they value at the top.

We can all project what they may think by simply looking at the best players at the top of the draft but it will not surprise me one bit if they have a few players in the mix that no one would expect.

 

[Mr Cowboy]

We will see that with the visit list.

People still use that argument? Wow.

just one post after you posted this!

Has any team in nfl history drafted a qb top 5 with a 100 mil qb on the roster?

 

[gmoney112]

I was opposed to a QB at first, but reasoning and logic took over and there is no argument good enough to pass on these guys at 4.

1) You need a QB to win in this league. Period.
2) Is there any other position on this team where losing a starter would make us lose every game? We're talking about secondary depth constantly, defensive end depth. Why is depth important everywhere else but QB? The most important position in the NFL?
3) These guys might actually be better than the FA guys their rookie year if called upon. Colt McCoy? Matt Moore? I'd say its a toss up this year. But the guys in the draft have vastly higher ceilings.
4) Most franchise QB's are first rounders.
5) We may never be in this position again to take a talented QB without giving up half our draft class.
6) Taking one this year is another year he gets to sit behind Tony and learn the game. I don't care what anyone says. Adjusting to the NFL is extremely difficult, especially with the way the college game is schemed now. The easiest way to ruin a young QB's confidence is to put him in too quickly.

 

[RS12]

I was opposed to a QB at first, but reasoning and logic took over and there is no argument good enough to pass on these guys at 4.

1) You need a QB to win in this league. Period.

You dont need to go any further. Hardest position in sports to fill. 21 Pro bowlers with trash at QB equals losses.

 

[AzorAhai]

You would think they would learn. So would our fans who witnessed Aikman in those last few years. It was painful to watch. It was even more painful to see Jones mortgage the future to acquire Joey Galloway for him to ride out into the sunset with.

The fans learning part you speak of is funny. The Cowboys made that Galloway trade at the tail end of Aikmans career. It left them hamstrung on finding his replacement in the draft.

Whats troubling is even with Romos age and injury concerns, a large portion of the fans wanted to repeat an eerily similar mistake before the season. I'm sure you recall the hundreds of pages with people arguing about how they should trade a 1st Rd pick for AP.

Now of course you have the whole butterfly effect thing, but we could easily be sitting near the same spot even if that trade was done, again missing out on the opportunity to find a future at the QB position. That trade proposal was probably broached by the same fans claiming Romo has 3-4 good years left. We can only pray someone in charge is smarter than that group of the fanbase.

 

[Risen Star]

I was opposed to a QB at first, but reasoning and logic took over and there is no argument good enough to pass on these guys at 4.

1) You need a QB to win in this league. Period.
2) Is there any other position on this team where losing a starter would make us lose every game? We're talking about secondary depth constantly, defensive end depth. Why is depth important everywhere else but QB? The most important position in the NFL?
3) These guys might actually be better than the FA guys their rookie year if called upon. Colt McCoy? Matt Moore? I'd say its a toss up this year. But the guys in the draft have vastly higher ceilings.
4) Most franchise QB's are first rounders.
5) We may never be in this position again to take a talented QB without giving up half our draft class.
6) Taking one this year is another year he gets to sit behind Tony and learn the game. I don't care what anyone says. Adjusting to the NFL is extremely difficult, especially with the way the college game is schemed now. The easiest way to ruin a young QB's confidence is to put him in too quickly.

The only thing I'd disagree with is the never again theory. Every team will be picking in the top 5 in the future. It's just a question of when. If we don't get the QB to groom behind Romo while he's still here, the Cowboys will be heading towards that kind of draft pick on a yearly basis until they do get one.

Any other year and I keep an extremely open mind to the draft. I believe in scouting the players, stacking your board and letting the process dictate what you do. This year is different. We're picking high enough with a clear dire need for the next QB. There are 3 QBs in this draft who could warrant that pick. Odds are good we will have at least one on our board who does. Discussion over. We do whatever we have to do to get that player this year.

 

[gmoney112]

The only thing I'd disagree with is the never again theory. Every team will be picking in the top 5 in the future. It's just a question of when. If we don't get the QB to groom behind Romo while he's still here, the Cowboys will be heading towards that kind of draft pick on a yearly basis until they do get one.

Any other year and I keep an extremely open mind to the draft. I believe in scouting the players, stacking your board and letting the process dictate what you do. This year is different. We're picking high enough with a clear dire need for the next QB. There are 3 QBs in this draft who could warrant that pick. Odds are good we will have at least one on our board who does. Discussion over. We do whatever we have to do to get that player this year.

Nope. Never.

 

[Nightman]

Has any team in nfl history drafted a qb top 5 with a 100 mil qb on the roster?

That is a very narrow box you designed

 

[jterrell]

Looks more like Brady Quinns and Ryan Leafs to me but there will be no shortage of people that believe drafting a QB at 4 is somehow a can't miss proposition. I don't think there is a single QB in this draft that would be a top 10 pick if not for the "overdraft a QB angle." If you overdraft a QB and miss on a top 5 pick then you become Cleveland. Drafting a high QB every couple of years.

This is a rare year where there is likely to be FA QB's available that are better than the top QB prospects in the draft.

GOFF and LYNCH or both products of their systems. If there was any viable QB options this year they would be relegated to Bryce Petty status but they aren't even that good.

WENTZ puts up good stats playing against talent deficient teams. I said good, not great. He should be destroying the competition he had if he was even remotely good enough to be a top 5 pick.

I sign a FA to back up Romo. Maybe Chase Daniels or RGIII.

I use that no 4 pick to parlay into as many top 100 picks as I can get and bring some talent into the fold.

The problem with that story is a lot but the most basic is this:
CLE has NOT used it's top pick on a QB since 1999.
It did select Johnny, Weeden and Quinn in R1 but only after drafting other guys first with top 10 picks.
They have lost forever and keep losing because you don't win without a QB and you have to use premium resources at QB.

This year there are at least two guys rated top of this draft at QB.
When you get a shot at that you take it or wait around and panic draft a guy like Manziel or Weeden or Quinn.