Zoners: I say this player is DONE in Big D

[sago1]

Agree that Austin, and perhaps even Hurd, will have to fight for their lives to make the team this year. We've seen nothing from Stanbach--although the coaching staff claims our starting CBs can't cover him. And our coaching staff also claims that our starting CBs can't cover Mike Jefferson. I'd rather hear them say that both run great routes, rarely drop a pass anywhere near them cause they got great hands & have good speed so that our CBs can't stop them. That says a lot more then that our CBs can't cover them.

TO & Crayton are safe & is Glenn if by some miracle he able to play at his old level w/o injuring his knee. Stanbach's probably OK cause he in only his 2nd season as a QB turned WR; if he markedly improved & looks really good in preseason then he's more then safe--he moves up the depth chart. Same goes for Mike Jefferson which means either Hurd or Stanbach are in trouble. My vote is Stanbach cause Hurd showed he was coming on as a reliable WR. Now if one of our undrafted rookies or another vet WR who we suddenly able to add to the team (not necessary one of the big 3 we keep talking about) then stands to reason Hurd could be in trouble as well.

 

[DallasEast]

I understand. I think he just can't cut well enough at high speed. I think he sees the holes. It just takes a certain vision on returning kicks and I think Austin has it pretty good. He does have the job. And some teams did kick away from us last year.

But I think he will get beat out by some of the new guys that can return kicks. If he makes the team I suspect he may still be back there with someone like Jones.

He cannot avoid tacklers well. He just finds the holes well.

If Stanback or any of the rooks outside of Felix Jones do not surplant Austin, I'll be surprised. If Austin does solidify his position at KR, I expect to see some more improvement from him this season. To be fair, I also expect his return team to be better at presenting him with more opportunities to break off longer runs too.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

I believe the organization has a gut feeling Stanback is ready to become a big contributor on offense...

 

[arglebargle]

A lot of Cowboys' players in the lower tier should make sure they have Ireland's phone number on their phone. Or the Saints. Some serious competition. It seems like we have added five or six return guys, some of whom also play other special team slots.

Glenn is an accident waiting to happen. We wasted a slot on him last year. It would be a shame to cut a promising player to see Glenn go down early. Again. Sometimes the body is just done. Great player, but old and fragile now. If any of the young 'uns show something, they should consider the future. Our best bets anyway are Stanback, Jefferson, our another WR with at least a year under their belt.

 

[Mansta54]

what else are JJ and WP suppose to say about a kid they took a chance on with a 4th round pick that was not a WR/KR?

do you really think they would say how they are frustrated that he couldn't get playing time last season because he couldn't get healthy?

My point is bro, that IMO there are only 3 players on the current roster that do not have to worry about being cut or their starting position: Romo, Ware, and Witten.

I will reserve my right to believe what JJ and WP have to say about Stanback until I actually see the kid play(more than one kick return) on a long term basis. Instead of being a prospect that (for right now) is a flash in the pan, always injured, PRACTICE standout...

I'm just sayin'

Ahh, yeah ok, if you say so......

 

[Mansta54]

I believe the organization has a gut feeling Stanback is ready to become a big contributor on offense...

You're absolutely correct, that's why they praise him every chance they get. Some folks don't understand that you can get better through practice. Obviously, WP and JJ have seen Stanback do just that...

 

[DallasEast]

I believe the organization has a gut feeling Stanback is ready to become a big contributor on offense...

:crossed:

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

You can't count Austin out. He does get behind people causing them to foul to keep up. That's not a small feat. And Austin is a good KR although I wouldn't say elite. If someone takes that job from him then he'll have to prove his worth as a pure WR as just being a gunner isn't gonna keep him on the team this year.

He has his work cut out but I wouldn't count him out just yet.

Exactly the only WR that we have that gets better separation than Miles is TO.

Two drops and now he has bad hands.....

He might not make it but his ability to get open is elite.

 

[AbeBeta]

Disagree -- he had some drops but he also showed against GB and others that he can get open and draw penalties.

 

[AsthmaField]

I believe the organization has a gut feeling Stanback is ready to become a big contributor on offense...

Lot's of "if's" in there... but I hope you are correct.

What we do know, however, is that Stanback has tons of physical talent, is now healthy, and is a very sharp guy. Throw in the fact that he's now had a year to play at a position that he'd never played before and it really isn't unreasonable to hope for a huge amount of improvement.

Heck, playing QB for all those years should really be a benefit to anyone switching to WR. There have been some really nice receivers who used to be QB.

 

[jobberone]

If Stanback or any of the rooks outside of Felix Jones do not surplant Austin, I'll be surprised. If Austin does solidify his position at KR, I expect to see some more improvement from him this season. To be fair, I also expect his return team to be better at presenting him with more opportunities to break off longer runs too.

I'm not going to be surprised if either or both Hurd and Austin don't make the team. Neither is good enough to handle the number three job much less the number two. So in my book, anyone who can compete with Crayton either this year or the next. I think Stanback will force the issue with one. And I'd be surprised if one of the other WRs don't push Austin out. But I won't count Austin out now.

 

[DallasEast]

I'm not going to be surprised if either or both Hurd and Austin don't make the team. Neither is good enough to handle the number three job much less the number two. So in my book, anyone who can compete with Crayton either this year or the next. I think Stanback will force the issue with one. And I'd be surprised if one of the other WRs don't push Austin out. But I won't count Austin out now.

I wonder if Austin can hold onto a roster spot as a wide receiver only? If he's ousted from his kick return duties, are his receiving skills strong enough to be a #4, #5 or #6 on the depth chart?

 

[TheCount]

:bang2: You can't just take one 40 time and go by that. Look at the player esp on the field. That's where you find out if he's fast. And Austin is very fast.

I'm not going by just their forty time, I'm setting a point of reference so we don't get carried away thinking Miles Austin provides any more to our team than he actually does.

All he is is a decent kick returner, that's it. We now have a surplus of players that could easily do what he does on special teams, so you have to look at his WR skills, which frankly, are pathetic.

Seeing him lined up against a team's 4th corner, is not a reason to say he has some kind of legendary speed.

He's a very average player on a team full of stars.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I wonder if Austin can hold onto a roster spot as a wide receiver only? If he's ousted from his kick return duties, are his receiving skills strong enough to be a #4, #5 or #6 on the depth chart?

He blew up GBs corners and they are supposed to be the best tandem in the league. He also was good against the Giants and another team i think it was Carolina.

The guy just doesn't get open he gets 3 yards of seperation open and is fast enough that DBs cannot catch him. If he works on his hands then hes a solid number 3. He has flags, posts and gos down. If he is working on comebacks, curls, posts and other intermediate routes then he could easily be a number two.

The guy is improving his game every year. His rookie year, he came in and did well on ST. This past year he came on as a receiver. Now granted he has to make the next step but hes made every step so far.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I'm not going by just their forty time, I'm setting a point of reference so we don't get carried away thinking Miles Austin provides any more to our team than he actually does.

All he is is a decent kick returner, that's it. We now have a surplus of players that could easily do what he does on special teams, so you have to look at his WR skills, which frankly, are pathetic.

Seeing him lined up against a team's 4th corner, is not a reason to say he has some kind of legendary speed.

He's a very average player on a team full of stars.

Pathetic? Getting separation against starting NFL CBs is not pathetic.

 

[Angus]

You're absolutely correct, that's why they praise him every chance they get. Some folks don't understand that you can get better through practice. Obviously, WP and JJ have seen Stanback do just that...

I think somebody named Romo did that too.

 

[TheCount]

Pathetic? Getting separation against starting NFL CBs is not pathetic.

How many receptions did he have last year?

Austin is an athlete, that's about it.

 

[jobberone]

I'm not going by just their forty time, I'm setting a point of reference so we don't get carried away thinking Miles Austin provides any more to our team than he actually does.

All he is is a decent kick returner, that's it. We now have a surplus of players that could easily do what he does on special teams, so you have to look at his WR skills, which frankly, are pathetic.

Seeing him lined up against a team's 4th corner, is not a reason to say he has some kind of legendary speed.

He's a very average player on a team full of stars.

No one is saying he has legendary speed. He is just pretty dang fast. He seems to get open with his speed which isn't that easy. And he is a pretty good KR. But you're right. He will likely have to make the team as a WR. And unless he can show enough he will likely be knocked off by Stanback and ??other WR.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

How many receptions did he have last year?

Austin is an athlete, that's about it.

He was thrown at 10 times had 3 defensive pass interferences, 2 drops and 5 receptions.

If you couldnt see why he was being interfered with or how open he was on those catches and want to stick your head in the sand so be it. He didnt get his shot until TO went down and he made very well of it. He iced the GB game for us.

But hey i'll point to specific plays and you resort to your anecdotes. thats fine. How about you say hes not a baller. i always liked the 'baller' anecdote.

 

[TheCount]

He was thrown at 10 times had 3 defensive pass interferences, 2 drops and 5 receptions.

If you couldnt see why he was being interfered with or how open he was on those catches and want to stick your head in the sand so be it. He didnt get his shot until TO went down and he made very well of it. He iced the GB game for us.

But hey i'll point to specific plays and you resort to your anecdotes. thats fine. How about you say hes not a baller. i always liked the 'baller' anecdote.

Since when do we start factoring pass interferences into a players statistics?

Point to specific plays? We've got a lot of players that made plays if you want to point to specific ones, including two that were recently traded.