More Cowboys Crumbs
Posted: March 30, 2005 @ 1:33 pm
Loose change found under the Valley Ranch sofa cushions:
Injury update I: New Cowboys RG Marco Rivera claims he is recovering from his disc surgery and is already running on a treadmill.
Injury update II: Mickey Spagnola of dallascowboys.com reports that rehabbing TE Dan Campbell has been running sprints lately. (scroll down) This should lessen the urgency to find a blocking tight end, but don’t discount the Cowboys drafting one in the middle rounds. Parcells can never have enough of them. If you saw the Patriots last year, who shuffled four tight ends in and out of their lineup, you’ll have an idea of where the Cowboys would like to go.
Walter Signs: Restricted free agenct OL Tyson Walter signed his one year $656,000 offer from the team.
Comments
78 Responses to “More Cowboys Crumbs”
well well well……..running on the treadmill already……….and before our draft in april……….
now maybe all you we gotta get a tackle in the first round will back off………Tucker Perterman Gurode and my pick Rogers will fill the bill and Rogers, Rivera, Johnson, Adams and Allen sounds like a pretty good line to me…….maybe we can take a Tackle in the 4th or 5th…..Larry is aging……and we will have to fill his spot eventually…….11 years in now i think……
Jon,
Rogers is going into camp as Adams backup because of his inability to make the transition to right tackle. I hate to admit it, but they missed on Jacobs. Hopefully he can be a full time left tackle when its time for Adams to go, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Secondly Peterman and Gurode are both Guards with no experience at OT, and remember Peterman is coming of both ACL and MCL tears. So that leaves us with Tucker and no real depth at the RT position. We need a RT and I’m sure will continue to add cost effective possiblities at that position until someone emerges.
in other words josh not pick 11,20 or 42……..
Well say at the top of the second for some reason Jamal Brown was there. Or the best available at the 20th pick of the draft. That would have to be considered. But I personally would like to see us. Get a LB and a DL player in the first, and then take a flyer on Matt Jones, if he was still available when we picked in the second round.
His stats are as follows:
Height: 6-6¼
Weight: 242
Matt Jones
Height: 6-6¼
Weight: 242
40 time (hand-timed): 4.37 and 4.39
40 time (electronic): 4.40
Vertical jump: 39.5 inches
Standing broad jump: 10 feet, 9 inches
he has impressive numbers size and speed…….why isn’t he projected at QB? I mean Michael Vick runs a 40 in under 4.3 and the scouts were drooling? I never saw Jones play, but projected WR, so you figure he takes some time to develop.
I definitely want a WR with one of our top three picks though. It is a position that needs to be upgraded. This guy Jones is intriguing but…….I have never seen him play. Heard he lined up at WR in the Senior Bowl though. At least he is not stuck at trying to be a QB, and he can carry the ball.
I am not sure about this one though, he is moving up from a fourth round guy to being picked in the second? And he will have to learn a whole new position? Not sure, he out runs everybody but Williamson though, so he definitely has speed.
I am with you on a DE perhaps a LB or the Tweener and a WR. I would have to take the best player available and if Rolle was still on the board at 11 I put him in my secondary. He is a playmaker.
Ya that would be a tough call to make with Rolle. I don’t doubt his talent, but that would be a whole lot of your cap wrapped up in the secondary. And I’m not sure why the Scouts don’t like Jones at QB. Maybe due to his speed and size he would make more noise at WR, not sure. I’ve seen him play 4 times, each time he played the Longhorns. And I saw him single handidly beat them on his own. And like Mortensen pointed out the Razorbacks were over 80% in the redzone with Jones as QB. Also supposedly has great hands. He’s the kind of guy you could just send down the sidelines or on a post route and he could out run and jump any CB in the league. I bet he doesn’t make it out of the first round. Some nut job like the Rams’ head coach will pick him up.
Mad Mike Martz……..hey Jimmy Johnson said he is entertaining……what an understatement……..Rams look pretty deep at WR they got that other fast white guy…….along with one of the best in the business Mr. Holt. Aikman says Holt is the best WR in the NFL today. He might be right, he certainly is talented. Sure is a lot quieter than Moss or Owens.
you have a point on Cap Space, but I am extremely frustrated with our Coverage and the excuses. A guy like Rolle at CB or FS along with Newman, Henry and Roy………seems an answer. Maybe it is a bit high, and we can probably get a talented FS in the 2nd or later rounds…..obviosly we need a Pass Rush and I think Ferguson will definitely help our front four……..Glover, Ferguson, and Ellis helps….but a pass rushing DE/LB sure would help…..depending on the formation we settle on….
I am not sure the NFL will go for a QB turning WR in the First Round. Ronald Curry is making the switch successfully, but slowly and with transition and a pretty understanding coach in Turner.
Personally, while I like the Atheletes that sometimes puzzle us………where do we play them………what do we do with them……….Woody Dantzler is that kind of guy……..so is Crayton……and Crayton appears to be picking it up………..
you know who might have been the best QB to a CB transition but it never happened would have been Allen Iverson……..he was as talented on the football field as Basketball….I saw him wine Football and Basketball State Championships but he was too short to be a pro qb…you know he is quick…….he could have played CB in the NFL for sure. Too bad he is a head case.
i believe the rams fast white guy receiver is kevin curtis and that guy has outstanding speed..i wonder where they got him? matt jones would be nice, like on trick plays and stuff ya know, but i think picking a definite WR is more of the answer for our receiving corps dont you?
i am with you…….Jones in the 4th maybe……but we need a guy like Williamson…….he looks to me to have more upside than Edwards and Williams…….although Edwards seems to catch everything thrown his way……
I do not know enough about Clayton…….but personally I want a WR with 6′2″ or taller
Matt Jones is the best athelete in the draft. Mortensen thinks that he will go to more probowls than the top 5 picks of this years draft. I’d rather have Matt Jones. We’re not talking an Antwan Randle El hear. You are talking about a winner, who is 6′6″ tall and runs a 4.37 40. No CB in the league could match up to that. One scout for the Eagles said he’s the combination of Moss and Owens, but bigger. If I could get Merriman or DJ at #11, maybe Erasmus James or Dan Cody at #20, and then Matt Jones in the 2nd, I say that would be a good first day. Remember we aren’t desperate at WR as most of you assume. Copper and Crayton have nice potential to be our speed threats. With Jones you could possibly be drafting the best player who could truly redefine the game.
Had he not injured his should his Freshman year, and would have been able to do the offseason work while in college to develop as a QB he would not only be the #1 pick at QB this year, but teams would be trading up to get him, so Mort says. That may or may not be true, but that size and speed and a basketball background, I see a faster, taller, bigger Antonio Gates. But WR.
Good to see that Rivera is continuing to be a stand up guy. Hopefully that work ethic rubs off on the young guys like Rogers. I hope that Rogers shows some improvement. I don’t think they’ve completely given up hope that he can play on the right side, they’re just giving him a look at the left side and Adams a look on the right.
Poke
Oh and, how come no one wants the Cowboys to go for a Free Safety? Haven’t we figured out how much Woody’s absence hurt the defense last year?
Poke
whoever has not read the article on ESPN on jones has to!
this guy is huge! and hes also fast as hell! after reading it i find it extremely hard not to pick him, even though before i said id rather have a true WR.
one thing i dont get. are there certain people you have to choose from for each round? cuz i mean why dont we just grab him with a higher pick? if it sounds stupid tell me please cuz im still gettin used to the whole draft thing, alot of things are still confusin….thanks
I am for a FS…….with our first pick actually…….but his name is Antrel Rolle………let Henry Newman and Rolle compete for CB, CB and FS job…..Hunter plays nickel back……..Roy is SS. We need a FS that can cover and tackle and Rolle can do both………he is a playmaker…….if he is there at 11 GET HIM> Jerry
Maybe his stock goes up due to Mort, maybe not. If he was a 4th round guy I would say lets take a shot. But we got bigger needs to fill than a Potential WR. We need a WR, but I ain’t sold on Matt Jones. If he is there with our Fourth Pick………or somehow we trade a pick and get a late second rounder and already got a guy like Williamson……..then maybe you take a shot at Jones………Atheletes are great……..but great atheletes do not always make great football players.
Cowboys drafted Carl Lewis in 1984, wonder what kind of career he would have had as a WR? It was a wasted pick but they have taken shots on long shots before………Hutchinson, Carter and Henson are all baseball rejects………but Jones does not look like a top two round pick to me…….not at WR when you got guys that have proven at high levels of NCAA Football they can catch and run with the ball. We cannot afford another potential………we need another Playmaker.
im all for it jon! defense, i feel, needs way more adjustments than our offense….
this to me, sounds awesome…..having a young Rolle who could be with us for a long time, newman, who is also very young and is getting better, henry who is not as young but still is only 28 with great talent, and my man roy williams who has a bone charring hitting style. that would be a young, ver talented secondary that could be with us for many years to come….so why not do it now while we have a chance at Rolle, and sure up our secondary for good, and not have to worry about much for awhile…..and while thats happening, frazier could be learning and subbing in every now and then, and reeves and jones could soon get better too
thats why i feel Rolle would complete many things for us..who agrees with me?
ya know how we need a backup RB? well im just throwing this out there so tell me what you think. anthony thomas is available via free agency so why not pick him up for cheap? he seems like a decent back. he’s only 27, and he gained over 1000 yards in ‘03 while only fumbling once. he slowed down last year i think cuz he split time with thomas jones. but he seems like a good backup runner. unless he wants to only be a starter then i guess it would be a no, once again im just throwin it out there so tell me what you think
Ryan,
Guys like Mort, Mel Kiper and lots of other Espners……..make their living writing up stuff about guys like Jones. If he turns out to be a stud, Mort and Mel look like Prophets……..if is a dud, well they are writing about the next Tony Mandarich, Brian Bosworth, Rashan Salaam, or Aikili Smith, or Ryan Leaf, or whoever.
Potential is great……raw talent is great……..but somewhere inside a guy has to have something that IT. If Jones has IT, he will be everything Mort is talking about, if he doesn’t he will be just another Super Freak at the Combine. Maurice Clarett Failed miserably at the combine, but he has shown against the Best the NCAA had to offer he can run the ball and score touchdowns. Maybe he can do it in the NFL maybe not, but if you only took his combine work out, or his character issues………he is a bust. However, some team is going to scoop him up either late in the draft or as a FA and if the kid can play. He will be on an NFL squad.
Combines and atheletic size and freakish numbers do not always translate into football players. Zach Thomas, Dexter Coakley and Dat Nguyen are all proof of the fact that Size Does not Matter………teams passed on those guys that wished they had not……….the outlasted and outplayed many of the 6′ 3″ 250 lb guys taken before them……..the had the heart to be an NFL player. They had the work ethic………the had IT. It is hard to find. It is hard to recognize………it is not found in a test, a practice or a combine. It is found on Sundays at 1pm EST……..in many cities from Philadelphia to St. Louis………when the ball is hiked.
Ever been to the gym and seen the big freakish guy. Watch what he lifts…….some guys have SHOW muscles and some guys have GO muscles. I used to work out with a guy that was over 300 and could bench 500lbs. He threw weight around. There were all thes gym rats in there with bodybuilding physics and he would laugh at their bench press, deadlift and squat numbers. He was big enough to laugh in their face, and he used to say to em you got Show muscles, I got go muscles. Some of those guys can be pushed over with a feather. Others are tougher than nails………..Brian Bosworth met Bo Jackson and well……..Bo went on to a short but Spectacular Career on the Grid iron and on the diamond……….BOZ went on to make B movies about biker dudes…….you only know when the QB says Hike and the game is played. Unfortunately, our drafts have been full of show and not much go………..Hopefully Parcells and Jerry will do better this year.
To me there are a few players in this draft that have that GO look about em. Roth of Iowa…….Cody of OU………and Johnson of Texas……..that is not to say they are the most talented……..or will outperform guys like Merriman or Spears there are lots of talented guys in the draft…….but I like the guys that have had a little bit of adversity. Cody for example, shows a lot of heart to take a year off for depression and return to play at the level he did. Julius Jones coming back from Academic Suspension at Notre Dame(no other school in the country would have suspended him but ND has high standards)………it showed something.
That is what I want in a kid. Somebody who can overcome the adversity. Because no matter how big or fast there is always a guy out there bigger and badder…….I want the kid that got beat and is not giving up but working harder to be better……..give me 22 of those and I will show you anothe Super Bowl Ring.
Jon,
Matt Jones is a *football* player, in the purest sense of the word. He’s one of those guys you could line up anywhere. He’s not a track guy taking up football. I’m very intrigued with him at 42, assuming he lasts that long.
Pittsburgh’s had excellent success converting Hines Ward and Antwan Randle-El to WR. And Jones was a better college player than either of them, which is saying a lot, because they were damn good. And Pittsburgh just lost Plaxico Burress. Now, I’d be very surprised if Bill Cowher took him in the 1st round, but he won’t let Jones get past him in the second (where he took Randle-El, another guy rated in all the draft books as a 4th rounder.) If any team is interested in him, they should think hard about the early to middle 2nd, cause I’ve got the feeling he’ll be gone by the end of round two.
And gentlemen, if you drafted Antrell Rolle to play FS you would have a potential holdout on your hands. His rookie contract will be slotted by his draft position, but look at the difference in pay between blue-chip CBs and FSs. CBs make QB money now. FSs don’t. He would be giving up a lot of future money with that switch. You can bet he and his agent will bitch about it.
And how much money are you going to tie up in the secondary? Roy Williams will be up for a new contract soon. You’ve got to spead that cap dough around.
You guys think that the loss of our SS last year was our demise. While partially true I submit it was the loss of leadership that hurt us the most. Williams will be moving to that SS spot. He won’t replace Woodson but will take up that position. Its just not easy to replace a guy like Woodson, who ran a 4.4 40 coming out of college and could lay the wood as well as cover receivers. One guy in the draft that might be there in the 4th round that intrigues me is Jordan Beck. He’s a 235lb LB that runs a 4.4 40. You can check out the stats from his proday workout at NFL.com. I think he might be a nice complement to Roy Williams the way Woodson did.
Also remember that with the addition of a second CB there wont be as much need for support and a guy like Hunter or Davis might be all we need. And that would be a far better option cap wise.
Rafael,
If Rolle is on the board at 11 he is the most impact player available.
How long have we been trying to fix our secondary………since we shipped out Deion. Since the days of Kevin Smith.
Williams is a true SS and will fill Darrens shoes. While we could address the FS with some later rounds and maybe with Hunter. What happened last year when Hunter went down. We got burned. Newman struggled. The other CB was anonymous……..jersey number and name changed every week.
Owens and Burress will be in four of our ballgames. While I am all for a DE that can get to the passer and a LB also……….another CB………is not a bad idea.
Jimmy drafted 4 corners for his secondary until Darren Woodson. The CB is usually the most athletic and fastest guy on the college teams. Maybe Newman plays FS…….perhaps Henry………they have contracts…..Roy Williams ain’t going nowhere……..he will want to retire a Cowboy……..he has deep roots in Dallas. He will get paid, but he will stay. A guy like ROLLE if still available at 11 is my pick. If you have three wideouts who covers the third wideout or the fourth………a Nickel pacage brings in another DB……….the DBs in nickel package or Dime are 5 or 6 defensive backs on the field……….having another guy that can COVER like Antrel Rolle is not a bad idea from where i sit. This is the pass happy NFL……..why not put a third corner on the team. Besides you want to see Newman and Henry improve over last years number…….but a guy named Rolle out there to compete for the starting CB the loser goes to FS and the cut in pay.
Since when do you have to tell a player he will be a FS before you sign him? Holdouts are for spoiled brats like Eli and Elway. Rolle will put on a uniform and play.
Matt Jones is a QB………and yes his stats and numbers and college career are impressive. Perhaps at 42……..not sure…….Rolle, Merriman and Jones? Would you rather have a guy with potential at WR or somebody that is already a WR? They have him going from a fourth round to the mid second round? Big Jump………I am not necessarily against him…….there is an inherent risk in any draft pick………Antonio Bryant had plenty of warning flags around him at PITT but we still took him……..maybe we should have paid more attention.
The better the secondary………the more you can BLITZ………even Bradie James can get to the QB on a blitz. Ever heard the term, coverage sack……not when the Cowboys were on the field………because their coverage sucked……..
If a CB is such a valuable commodity as the NFL says it is…….and the guy gets paid well……….he is also a value as a TRADE. Ask Gibbs………Bailey for Portis……..Rolle to me looks like a starting CB in the NFL………..maybe there are other kids that can fit the bill……..either way I would draft a big strong CB even in a later round and throw him in the mix for starting CB/ Nickel Back and FS……….Hunter played ok before injury but we need an upgrade at Defensive Backs as much as DE. I would argue more so……..Ellis, Glover and Ferguson look like a good start to me………
Jon,
Can Rolle rush the passer? Oh, well with all the time receivers had, and the adjustments to the new rules, our CBs struggled last year. Big deal!! Get a pass rush, and see just how good this group can be. I already told you, we used a 1st rounder, a 3rd rounder, and $10 million of Jerry’s money in the last two years. WE AREN’T DRAFTING ROLLE!!! … and oh incase you missed it (take a look at Philly at Dallas last year) we have no pass rush!!
DE Spears at 20 can rush the Passer………I am also for a WR but that seems to be unpopular as well. We got Ferguson to help our D line.
James needs to improve…….Thornton who knows………but Ferguson, Ellis, Glover and one of our Draft Picks ought to do the trick…….although I am still not willing to give up on Abraham for one of our picks……he is young and wants to play for Bill anyway…….Jets will have a hard time signing him……..
Yeah…..I saw both Philly games. I saw TO killing us…….until game 2 where Roy got him. My point is there are more Defensive Backs on the field in the Nickel and Dime packages than any other position……..call em whatever you want Safeties Corners………Defensive Backs………whatever………..Henry, Newman, Williams………and……..and who is the fourth guy and the fifth………and the sixth…………
Hunter, Scott, Reeves????? Any of the other guys on our squad……..I am all for a DE…..I just say we need a playmaker in our secondary………think Everson Walls………..think Deion Sanders……….think Antrel Rolle……..and yes on a CB BLITZ Rolle can RUSH The passer……..HE had 66 tackels and TWO QB SACKS…….more than Wiley I think……….this guy can play……….he could play CB or FS…..with Newman Henry and Williams……..Rolle is a playmaker…….he has interceptions, sacks, and touchdowns………something our defense did not get…….
He held Larry Fitzgerald to 3 catches for 26 yards and one TD when Rolle was only a Junior……he is a SHUTDOWN corner…..and will be one of the best in the NFL………
He competed for National Championship with Miami and played on as big a stage as their is in both the Big East and the ACC…….he can play special teams……..return kicks………and can COVER………
Rolle probably gets picked by 11 anyway so it may be a moot point…..but if he is on the board when we are picking put a Star on his helmet.
Jon,
Again in case you haven’t notice we have 2 playmakers in our secondary, and just paid $10 million in hopes of another. That’s two 1st rounders and a huge contract in the past 3 years. Plus a 3rd , a 5th, a 6th, and two 7ths. In that same time, do you know how many draft choices were aimed at helping the front 7? ONE … that’s Bradie James with the 4th round selection in 2003. Trust me, the COWBOYS WILL NOT DRAFT A CORNERBACK WITH THEIR VERY 1ST PICK!! If Rolle is as good as you think and he is still there at 11, then trade down.
Rolle will be off the board by 11….because he is a PLAYMAKER.
How many interceptions did Newman, Williams and our secondary produce last year? Assuming those are the playmakers you are referring too.
We also tried FA with Wiley and this year Ferguson. Glover is a pro bowler and Ellis was a maybe two sacks shy of a trip to Hawaii……..yes we need a DE and a LB………and ANOTHER GUY THAT CAN COVER.
and a guy that can catch……….WR……..
and a DT or two……..
maybe another offensive lineman…….preferrably a Tackle……although I am not ready to give up on Rogers……and Tucker could improve…..
I have high hopes for Henry 17 career picks although they were down last year………but I still think another good cover guy is a necessity…….
you ever heard of a coverage sack? Coverage and Pass Rush go hand and hand……they are inseparable. The better your cover guys the more guys you can rush……the better your front four pressure……..the more guys you can drop into coverage……and so on……
Dallas needs a DE I am not arguing that point………..my point is from a value standpoint……….DE and CB are probably the two hottest commodities for a team. Not very many good ones. Hard to get, hard to draft, and highly paid………..where as RBs seem to be a dime a dozen……..and linebackers and other positions……..
but if the best player on the board is a CB………get him……..and put him in our secondary………
The DEs are deeper in this draft than Corner……..so you can get a DE at 20 or even 42…….if Rolle is gone I would consider a WR………the DEs at 20 and 42 are going to be almost as good as the 11 pick……..but at CB and WR there is bigger drop off……..Cody from OU might be available at 42……..Spears looks like he might be at 20…….Merriman Maybe at 20……..
Williamson or Rolle? They will have found a home and my hope is it is the Dallas Cowboys……..for at least one of em.
Parcells gets better as the draft goes along………Jason Ferguson was a 7th or 6th rounder……..Reeves the corner outplayed the higher drafted kid from Jones I think it was……..but then Frazier from the practice squad was also getting playing time……..the practice squad of the Ravens…..
Rolle…….could play CB or FS or even stretch to SS if necessary. He can return punts and kicks if needed……..and yes…….had sacks and interceptions……..I like Rolle………riddle me this…….If Henry or Newman gets hurt……….then what? Hunter is now a starter…….Scott I assume is at FS and who is our nickel………..Frazier, Reeves, Jones…….Who knew Mario Edwards would be missed……..hard to believe. Guys that can cover, and tackle are hard to find………Rolle can do both.
“I’ve watched Rolle in practice for a couple years,” Casserly said. “I’ve seen Jones on tape. … A lot has been written about Rolle’s speed. Some people have projected him to safety. You think about guys like Ty Law, [Patrick] Surtain and [Sam] Madison. None of them were big speed guys. They all ran 4.5s. They’ve all gone on to numerous Pro Bowls and made a lot of money and are top corners. Rolle, I think, will be that style of corner. Jones looks certainly like a first-round prospect.” ………I am not the only guy that has this guy playing FS……
jon, u have me on your side too
if newman goes down or henry, our hopes will be faded again so its nice to have another guy, and there arent many CB’s like there are DE’s same with good WR’s. i know we dont DESPERATELY need a CB, but if hes there get him. then get best DE at 20 and let other things unfold, get best WR in 2nd round…..jon i love you so much
i must be the only girl who loves the boys but i feel the same way jon does
Pretty easy concept here. LOOK AT THE TAPE OF THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME AGAINST PHILLY!!! If you give an NFL quarterback a few extra seconds, he will rip apart any secondary, we are giving a little more than a few extra seconds. These QBs have all day. A deep threat WR that will likely play in 3 or 4 wide sets and a CB that will play out of position or possibly in nickle packages isn’t the answer. Furthermore, Dallas has two YOUNG 1st rounders, a YOUNG 4th rounder, a YOUNG 6th rounder, two YOUNG 7th rounders playing in their secondary, and just paid another cornerback $10 million to MAKE PLAYS. Get this young group a pass rush up front and see what they can do. That is the answer!! Remember, we won a Super Bowl with Thomas Everett, James Washington, Isaac Holt, and Larry Brown as our starting secondary. Do you think this group is better than our group now? Even with Scott starting at safety? Once again we used ONE draft choice on our front 7 in the past 3 years, the time to draft there is now. Expect Parcells to use both #1’s to bulk up at LB and on the D-line, and finally give this team a respectable pass rush. Spears and Tuck!! Makes a whole lot more sense than Williamson and Rolle.
Rafael,
I know how much you enjoy talking about players that may be second day picks or later. I am going to throw out a couple names and see where they stick. Iowa St. DE/Jonathon Bobineax and Conneticut DE/Tyler King. Any possibuility of the Cowboys drafting either of these two? From what I’ve heard about Bobineax is that his wing span is not great but he can play inside or outside and has a great motor. As far as Tyler he was project to be in the top picks for DE but broke his leg.
Tell me the last time we drafted a DE that worked out…………Greg Ellis.
Tell me how many we have drafted that SUCKED? The list is a mile long. Example……..we drafted Ekuban………Same year Falcons get Kerney…….he has 69 pro sacks…….he went 10 picks after Ekuban…….the year before we got Ellis in the first round……….a guy named Leonard Little would go 2 ROUNDS LATER…….now i like Ellis great character guy……..my point is there was still a talented DE in the 3rd…….Dwight Freeney and Julius Peppers are both extremely Talented football players and look like Sackmasters….they were first rounders…..but there are many boom or bust first round DE….Pittman, Carver, hech we found Tony Tolbert in the 4th ROUND…..it is not just the Cowboys……the names of DEs drafted in the First is almost as bad as Quarterbacks………Draft Rolle…..Trade 20 to Jets for Abraham……….and get a WR at 42………the use the rest of our picks on DE, LB and DT……Shante Carver was taken with our First Pick and somebody drafted Demetrius Underwood……i think Dennis Green and the Vikings if I remember correct…….we would eventually have both on our team……neither was worth a First Round Pick………..an older Spellman beat out most of our draft picks…….another FA acquistion
I am all for a DE, LB, DT and a CB to play the FS. Darren Woodson has stated the Cowboys need a safety that can offer Newman and Henry some help. Williams is basically replacing Woodson.
Uh…….were you referring to Super Bowl MVP Larry Brown………uh not Super Bowl MVP Charles Haley…….or Ken Norton……..or Emmit Smith…….but Larry Brown………hey he was good when he was with the Cowboys. James Washington was pretty good. Interceptions………helped a lot in that Super Bowl…..we could use the Larry Brown that played for the Dallas Cowboys……not the guy the raiders paid…….you did not name the Rookie Kevin Smith…….that was STARTING by mid season……….and played in the Super Bowls……..Brown and Smith were the youngest starting Corners in the NFL and that worked out pretty good……..meanwhile our DEs were largely nameless til we got Haley from SF……..and Tolbert in the 4th ROUND……..
My argument for Rolle is the VALUE of a CB is higher and an easire transition than a DE. Rolle has the size and strength to play FS. He can and will play Special Teams or return kicks……Parcells kind of a guy.
Now………if we take Rolle, then Williamson at 20 if he last that long….after the first three WR the list gets anonymous and probably is as good in the 4th as in the 3rd………so get a LB at 20 if Williamson is not available…….. and perhaps Cody from OU…is on the board at 42…..then in the 4th.
Rolle is an NFL CB that has the size and skill to play CB or FS. From a Value that is higher VALUE than anything less than a 12 sack DE. Tell me which guy in this draft is going to be a 12 sack DE next year………my guess……….is as good as yours……..Spears maybe…….maybe not………James? Who knows…….is Cody in the second round that far from Spears in the first? Glover, Ellis and Ferguson……..a few other guys in the draft………..hopefully Thornton, Singleton, Nguyen, James, Shanle and the rest of the suspects at LB can step up their play…….
I personally think the secondary could still use an upgrade………Rolle could step on the field and START on any NFL team at CB or FS. Tell me which DE in the draft offers you that much playing time and that much impact NEXT YEAR?
Jason Taylor was a third round pick…….he is a double digit sack guy every year…….Jason Ferguson the newly Rich Mr. Ferguson was 6th rounder……..
Jon,
Come on now, like Larry Brown was so talented. Please!
When it comes to drafting players for the front 7, NO ONE is better than Parcells. Usually his defensive linemen get overlooked in his scheme, but he gets players that fight every play, alah Ferguson and Shaun Ellis. He has drafted 4 LBs in the 1st round - Abraham, Farrior, McGinest, and Carson. Pretty good huh? Like I said, the Boys have drafted just ONE player (James, a 4th rounder) in 3 years up front on D. The time to draft there is now. Parcells will get a good edge rusher and the Boys will win with defense!! When QBs start rushing their throws, Newman, Henry, and Roy are going to make plays.
Eric,
I agree Parcells has a penchant for finding good defensive players. He also finds them in later rounds. If he did not have input in our draft, I would not want any DEs drafted until the 4th round at the earliest……..it is not just the Cowboys have sucked at this……..DEs from College to the Pros is a crap shoot.
I agree and have said in earlier threads Parcells finds good defense. He also gets them in every round. If there is more value in the 2nd as everyone says………why not take a Corner like Rolle that can also play FS? Then add a LB/DE/ or DT with 20 and 42……..although a WR is still a pressing need.
Draft pick as far as value goes not just for what we need, but what that draft pick means in the future……….ie……..a Franchised player……..like Abraham that if we want him are going to have to pay for him. A CB is always in high demand in the NFL, they are some of the highest paid. They usually have careers in the 10 year or longer span……..so for Value……..a great CB, or for that matter I would also argue a great Offensive Lineman………or DE probably have the most intrinsic value to the club they join. If they develop, which more of the college corners do, than a college DE. After all Rolle covered Larry Fitzgerald in College……but Cody or Merriman or Tuck or Spears have yet to see the likes of the Rams offensive line……….or for that matter the Dallas Cowboys Offensive line……..the difference in strength and speed is enormous from college to the pros………how do you know when you drafted a Julius Pepper, Dwight Freeney, John Abraham or Jason Taylor…….VS………a Shante Carver, Demetrius Undrewood, Kavika Pittman, or Eb Ekuban? The risk is inherently higher.
Speed KILLS……….ask Jimmy Johnson………..ask Tony Dungy……..ask Deion…………put a guy like Rolle in the secondary…..a guy with speed and a football player that can tackle……..and then a guy like James or Nguyen can come every third down on a LB Blitz………so now you got 5 guys coming after the QB…….three of them named Ellis, Glover and Ferguson………..the other Coleman, or some draft pick…….and then Nguyen………or James……..on a LB blitz……….
Rolle, Newman, Wiliams the Punisher, and Henry………what QB in the league is going to look at that Secondary and say……..uh……..which guy do I pick on?
A CB is a faster easier transition that is why 7 or 8 of them will go in the FIRST ROUND. Hopefully Rolle is on the board at 11. And he has a Star on his helmet.
Danielle,
Nice to know somebody agrees with me. Thanks for the love.
Jon
Uh Jon, Woodson was a LB in college not a CB.
all of Jimmys other picks were CBs that he converted to whatever the DB position he needed. Yes he was a LB………and Roy Williams is as big as one. We need anothe speedy cover guy……..
Jon,
You asked, “How do you know when you drafted a Julius Peppers, Dwight Freeney … vs …. a Shante Carver, .. or Eb Ekuban?” Well, maybe I don’t, but Parcells seems to know what he is doing there. Other than inheriting LT with the Giants he’s gotten “his man” (edge rusher) in the 1st round, and surrounds “his man” with massive D-linemen. As I tried to explain before, getting Ferguson, and cutting Coakley is the precursor to what he is about to do. He is going to get his edge rusher, probably a DE/OLB tweener, and then add size on the D-line.
Trust me get a pass rush here, and then see how many plays Newman, Roy, and Henry will make when the opposing QBs have a LB in their face.
If you do not have anywhere to throw the ball……because you got three great CBs in your secondary and the WOOD bringer Williams………unless your name is Michael Vick………you are going to get sacked.
He also got Ty Law, and Lawyer Milloy.
Can somebody fully explain the the franchise tag to me? According to the article on nfl.com a while back. In order to get a franchise player from another team it will cost you 2 first round picks. So how is it we can be considering guys like darius and abraham, they are both franchise players. Someone, maybe Jon mentioned getting abraham for our 20th pick, is that possible, or what? Please explain it to me, I am lost.
Keith Davis is a speedy cover guy, last year he didn’t had what it takes to be a full safety, be it run support, be it route recognition, and the guy also can tackle, and there’s too Hunter, Hunter can cover too, has exp to find routes and get in the way and has the body frame to tackle.
Jon you can talk all you want about drafting a player like Rolle and change his position, for starters the problems inherent with agents, you can talk anything you want about Rolle being a football player and that he’s going to play, but money talks, and there’s more money for a CB than SS. And there’s the problem of changing a position, about that you also said this:
“My argument for Rolle is the VALUE of a CB is higher and an easier transition than a DE”
I bet you my house that Newman was a better prospect in his time than Rolle, and he’s got a difficult time adjusting to the NFL, but let’s talk about guys entering at corner and not succeding at it in the past years in the Cowboys just like you talked of DE, Larrimore, Goodrich, Wheaton, Edwards and Ross, there r a first rounder, a 2nd rounder, a couple of 3rd rounders and a 6th. And actually the only player worth something is Edwards, altough he was known as the human toast. Easy transition? I guess no. And you want him to change position, men, you’re lucky if the guy you take can play in the NFL the position he played in college.
I agree with Eric, we need to upgrade the DL and LB corps, because the secondary is already upgraded with Henry and the guys we had last year in our secondary, let those guys to review some more film and give them alot more training the way Parcells knows his team needs this year as punishment for last year and you have depth in the position, if we get Rolle, who do you cut? Your’re gonna cut someone with potential for sure, because, that’s what the Cowboys have in the secondary lots of guys with potential that can emerge, just like Larry Brown came up in the Super Bowl, that guy had potential, more than anything else, and that showed in the team that traded for him.
And Rafael, let me congratulate you, great site.
probably not for Abraham they would want more than just our 20th……it means the player cannot leave unless the Franchise approves an agreeable trade……..for example……..Edge James is Franchised……..if a team had to have him you would owe the Colts two draft picks……but they could settle for less…….it is up to the team that has him….it also gives the player a guarnteed one year contract with pretty good pay…..but no long term……
It gives the team time to negotiate with the player…….or possibly trade him. A franchise would cost you two picks……first round……in the case of Charles Woodson say…….another team can get him…….but the price is extremely high
Abraham would probably involve a first this year and another pick or player or who knows what…….the Jets would have to want to deal him……there is no sign of that other than they franchise him this year it only gives them a year to deal him……or sign him……..if Dallas was offering a good deal they might bite………although he is upper echelon DE so the price might be too high for Jerry and Bill…..Abraham would be nice……..but realistically the Jets would need Cap problems and the player would have to want to leave for us to Get John Abraham……..my thinking is he was not happy about the press during the playoffs…..and might want to play for Bill again……..so the player could push for a trade…..
Donovan Darius is what 3rd year as a franchise….no long term contract……he is a bit perturbed about that……..and understandably so…..
Larry Brown a 12th round selection
Tim Jackson a 9th round selection
Kennith Gant a 9th round selection
…. those were JJs 1st three DBs he drafted
JJs 1st Super Bowl he started a player he recieved in the Hershel Walker trade (Isaac Holt) and a 12th round selection. Did we win with those two? Oh and Thomas Everrett and James Washington as our safeties!! Were any of these players drafted in the first 3 rounds of their drafts? Let’s go ask Jimmy Johnson who he values more a good D-lineman or a DB. If his draft history tells you anything 7 of his first 20 picks inthe top 4 rounds were dedicated to D-line, and he also traded for Haley. That’s 7 picks he used for defensive linemen, to ZERO for DBs in his first 20 picks in the top 4 rounds!! And gosh, he was rotating the entire line. Go figure!!
Thank you Chandous!
Rondy Weston……….drafted ahead of Tony Tolbert…….by JJ 89
DT anyone……Jeff Roth
90 no DE taken by Cowboys Jimmie Jones from Miami at DT 3rd Round
Tony Hill and Kevin Harris……..4th Rounders 91
Russel Maryland DT numero uno overall draft pick 1st round
7th Round Leon Lett……Emporia State……91
Kevin Smith were both taken in the 1992 Draft……Smith went 1st Round 17th overall…..Woodson a LB at ASU 2nd Round 9th pick……he also drafted Clayton Holmes in the 3rd Round…….Nate Kirtman, Chris Hall, Don Harris all Defensive Backs……
Now…….the Defensive line is a must……but we already have Glover, Ferguson and Ellis…….possibly Howard or some other FA before July…….who knows……..throughout our Draft the Earlier round DBs played more games had greater impact than our DE or DT………Woodson and Smith alone prove this point. They were on the field all the time. Both were playing their rookie season. Jimmy had a lot of draft picks back in those days and he drafted early and often……..and yes he drafted a number of DE and DT. Some of whom were stars…….Maryland, Lett, Tolbert………some of whom were not………but he also took a lot of DBs and he believed SPEED KILLS……..he was fresh from Miami and knew the talent at the college level as good as anybody and yet he still had a hard time with the DE and DT position.
Parcells track record is a good one, as Rafael points out today. All I am saying is the value of another cover guy in a secondary is EXTREMELY HIGH. Passing on a guy like Rolle and then an injury to say Newman or Henry……..who is our FS? Davis, Scott, Hunter? who is our Nickel……..Frazier, Jones, Reeves? My guess is a lot of these guys are going to have the same fate as Kirtman, Hall and Harris……….Mr. Rolle will be an NFL pro bowl player at CB or FS………he is projected by many GMs as a FS because of his size and tackling ability……..not just me……..he aint holding out……Casserly says he sees him in the same mold as TY LAW and Samari Rolle ……a big guy that punishes opponents and plays tough either as a CB or FS. He says Rolle could be either…….
My argument is Rolle is a number 11 pick…….if he is on the board.
Merriman, Tuck, James, Spears, Cody……..are they? or aren’t they? Time will tell………11 is a pick that needs to play this year and have impact.
Do you seriously believe Rolle would?
Would Merriman, Tuck, Cody, James, or Spears?
Bill likes big strong DBs……Henry, Newman…..and he even said Roy might be too big…….so do not be surprised if Jerry and Bill decide another CB with size and speed to the cowboys secondary……..which last time i looked is the only position that has to field 5 or 6 guys in Nickel and Dime coverages………might be too good to pass up.
Linebacker most 4 guys……..least 1 in a dime………
D Line…….most is usually 4 man front although more are used in goal line and special teams……..so for argument sake we say 4…..
DBs……..there are always 4 on the field……..minimum………two cornrers two safeties……..Nickel defense is played extremely often especially third down………Coakley is no longer a Cowboy he was as fast as most safeties and could cover TE and RBs and even a few WRs………..Rolle in the secondary……..then use 20 for a DE or DT and 42 take the best DE or WR available…….or get a WR at 20……..we still got a 4th, 5th, 2 6th round picks and bill gets better as the day goes on……….
Jon:
I still think you’re not taking something in consideration, Parcells is playing with the idea of switching from 4-3 and 3-4 ocasionally, that’s why we say yes to DL and LB, because they need playmakers in both positions and they can’t run the risk of not drafting one of the playmakers in the 1st round because several teams are trying to make that type of switch and there is going to be a run at the position. And you have that 2nd rounder, pick in which you can take that Marlin Jackson or Josh Bullocks and both are players with experience playing free safety.
I agree with you, Rolle is a player, and I don’t see him getting pass the top ten picks, so you can’t stop daydreaming. And don’t even mention the Boys won’t trade up.
Jon,
I honestly think that Parcells adressed the issues in the secondary when he signed Henry. The secondary and overall defense for that matter was not impressive due to the fact that thay were decimated with injuries. When a secondary that consists of four players loses two starters (Hunter and Woodson) that hurts, Bad. Espescially when you lose a leader like Woodson. The best way to protect a weak secondary is through an effective pass rush. Which the boys had little of. If any NFL quarterback is given enough time he will find an open receiver, because a corner can only effectively cover a receiver for a few seconds.Thus you limit the amount of time that a corner has to cover by pressuring the quarterback into a sack or bad throw.
That being said do I think Scott is a great FS? No. but I do think a pass rush will effectively compensate for his lack of speed. It has been said that he is very knowledgeable player, tenacious, and has heart, which has to count for something. Hunter will be fine @ nickel back. The boys don’t need a pro-bowler at every position in the secondary to be succesfull; role players can work. Look at Larry Brown and James Washingotn, they were great with the Cowboys but sucked everywhere else, and neither were first rounders. They were great cause of the talent that surrounded them and excellent coaching.
The Patriots were able to compensate for their injuries in the secondary because they had a terrific front seven. Hell, they put Troy Brown back there.
Bottom line…….Address the pass rush in the first round, and if they want go for a DB in the later rounds.
Ricky
Thank you Ricky.
And Jon, your Super Bowl MVP was a 12th round draft choice (that’s UNDRAFTED free agent these days!). Oh by the way he STARTED in all 3 Super Bowl victories in the 90’s. In Oakland he fell apart, because they played man coverage, as compared to the zone coverages the Boys ran at teams. So why then was Brown so successful in Big D? Why were any of these guys successful in Dallas? THE FRONT 7 WAS JUST THAT GOOD! Now get a pass rush for this group of DBs and let’s see what they can do!! Jon, the more you prod, the more you prove the point that this team needs a pass rush, not another CB.
To All,
My point is the VALUE of a 11th pick overall. A CB that will play either CB or FS and play every defensive down, special teams and possibly kickoff or punt returner. A guy that can cover, causes fumbles, can tackle……..had a dozen for losses…….had sacks……….and can COVER a reciever.
Henry is a fine FA acquistion. Newman needs to bounce back from a bad year, and I think he will. However, Roy Williams is so good at tackling because he has to be…..because he is not a COVER GUY…….neithre is Scott………Davis, Hunter all suspects. Rolle is a legitimate CB or FS. Why not have the best secondary in the NFL.
Trade 20 for John Abraham………or get Merriman, Spears, whoever………you cannot get a CB or an FS at 42 with the skills Rolle has. Why not get him, but is the dropoff that big for a DE/DT? Do not be surprised if Tuck is still there at 42………Parcells likes ND kids……high character like Julius Jones.
Now if Rolle is CB/or FS with Williams bringing the wood and letting him give more Woodson like Run support…….Newman and Henry……….that is the most intimidating Secondary in the league. Zimmer can start calling for LB blitzes………regardless of whether you play the 3-4 or 4-3 you still got the same need for defensive backs. The drop off from the 20 pick to the 42 for a CB is huge……..but for a DE it is not that different. I have pointed out several picks where a better player was found later in the draft………at DE, DT. However SPEED and Coverage skills are less of something that is taught and more of something you either have or you don’t. Rolle can cover, tackle and has speed. Now you got putty in the hands of good D Coordinator like Zimmer…….Imagine this……..Rolle is your FS……..and Roy the Hit Man Williams is coming on a SAFETY BLITZ…….how you get to the QB does not matter……..just as long as you get there………..the better your coverage…….the more you can blitz……..
our front 7 looks more like a 4-3 to me. I do not hear any names being tossed around in the draft that fit the 300 lb front 3 in a 3-4. We will have more of the same 4-3 with the 3-4 sprinkled in. Ellis and Glover are more 4-3 guys and those are our two best Defensive Lineman. If Parcells wants to add a great LB like Willie McGinest or LT I am all for it. A DE that can rush…….bring it on…….but if you want to improve the Defense and insure youth and stability in case Newman or Henry pull a hamstring or an achilles……….Draft Rolle and thank me later.
jon i hafta admit you make your argument for rolle good, i want rolle. then trade 20 for lower 1st and another second. pickup a DE, LB, and then a WR since DT can be found later
Jon, so your saying if a team wants that franchise player that bad, they can give the team 2 1st rounders and they automaticlly get that guy, with no contestation from the team the guy is currently on? But the team is also able to except whatever deal they want for that player, thnaks.
But with rolle, while I wouldn’t mind having him on the team, as others have said, you can’t expect nor guarentee he can/will be able to play safety. Or anyone else currenlty in our secondary. I think if rolle is still available at 11, we trade down with someone that wants and needs a cornerback, more picks for us=less holes to fill in FA or with the current guys on the team.
mike you make a good point in more picks=less holes to fill….good job
Rolle is projected at FS by Several Coaches and GMs. at 205 and 6′ he has the size and tackling ability to play FS or CB. Could Newman or Henry be th FS if Rolle is a better corner.
Parcells has a lot of grocery shopping to do. WR, DE, DT, LB, CB-FS, the way you spend those first two should be of highest value.
Look at the DEs in the second round……can anyone say they are that much of a dropoff. But at WR, CB the SPEED KILLS philosphy you got to draft high, you get what you pay for.
Cody from OU is probably a 2nd rounder…….Tuck from ND is all over the board but may be there in the 2nd…….maybe there is a Leon Lett or Jason Ferguson in the 6th round lurking………
Last year we hung our hopes on the Legs of Pete Hunter. He actually played pretty good, too bad about the injury. I would hate to see the same thing happen to a Newman or Henry and we are stuck with lousy coverage again. Reeves, Thornton, Jones, Frazier were Bill Parcells other stand ins at Corner.
Did any of them satisfy you? There is a reason why the CB is high paid and hard to find…….and there is a reason why 7 or 8 will go in the first round. A guy like Rolle who can play CB or FS…….could add a lot to the Secondary………a guy like Merriman, Spears, Tuck, Cody…..sure…….maybe…….next year? Doubtful.
For all you people saying to draft Rolle as a FS I doubt he would even really consider being a FS. CB get the big fat PAYCHECK remember. Why would a talented CB take a paycut to be a FS. That’s just my take. Even though I would like to have him as our FS. The boys DEFENSE would be the best in the league and great for FANTASY football.
Let him compete with Henry and Newman for starting CB……loser plays FS……but Rolle has size and skill to play FS. Many NFL teams are projecting him at Safety due to his size, tackling ability and speed.
Since when does a player tell a team where he will play……..unless your name is Eli or Elway………suit up and PLAY. Coaches tell players where to play. I would not want to be the primadonna that told Parcells………waaa I wanna play corner Bill. Imgaine that you miss a pass and you are going to be on the bench.
Rookies………unproven ones……usually sign and play……..more and more contracts have performance bonuses………..and Rolle Ty Law and Samari Rolle……a big physical Corner that could play either Corner or Safety……..besides in the pass happy NFL you gotta be able to play the pass……..maybe he plays the nickel and Scott plays FS on the third down…….who knows………..just personally he is an impact first round pick……..
the DE / DT / LB on the board………most will not have that kind of impact……..it takes them longer to develop.
You want to see Newman improve…….draft Rolle. You want to see a Roy Williams who has deep help and can blitz the passer……can you see Roy teeing off on a SAFETY blitz of McNabb…….Ramsey or dare I say it the primadonna himself ELI………Eli would probably wet himself……draft ROLLE……..you want to see coverage sacks….instead of wide open recievers….by guys who are not named Ellis, Glover or Ferguson………draft Rolle…….
Jon,
Why are you so certain Rolle will be there? What I’ve read lately suggests that Arizona loves the guy and will take him at pick 8. Dennis Green had a big hole at corner before he traded Duane Starks to New England. It’s even bigger now.
Jon,
Value? Huh, answer these questions then.
A 12th round pick with very little coverage skills, became a good player in Dallas. Why?
Our Super Bowl Champion Dallas Cowboys won with Washington, Everrett, Holt, and Brown as the starting secondary(average at best), and great depth up front on the line. Would we be 3 time Super Bowl Champs in the 90’s if we had Steve Atwater, Deion Sanders, Darrell Green, Tim McDonald, and an average defensive line?
Yes Jimmy Johnson won with speed on defense, but it was up front, the LB were fast for their positions, so were some of their lineman. Who in the Cowboys’ secondary of the 90’s had well above average speed at their position?
Listen Rolle may be a good value, but with our needs and our talent in the defensive back field, we just can’t draft him that high.
I said if Rolle is on the board at 11 take him and switch to FS.
Has Green signed a RB yet? If he has not he will draft a RB.
Jonjonjonjon,
A team has what is called a SALARY CAP. There is no way a team that has any sense would pay first round corner money to a FS. And that goes for moving Henry or Newman. You CAN’T pay three guys that kind of money in the back field and expect to fill voids anywhere else. FS can be filled with Hunter. He has the speed and size and most importantly the contract. But I wish you luck with pickin Rolle but aint going to happen. We are not in a position to pick the best player on the board. Too many holes.
Jon:
You said this:
“There is a reason why the CB is high paid and hard to find…….and there is a reason why 7 or 8 will go in the first round.”
That’s wrong, what about those guys in the New England roster, you can say anything you want about the superbowl, that T. O. burned them all over and some other things, but T. O. burns everything in his road, so YOU don’t have a point, they did played good, good enough to win games against the Jets, Pittsburgh and Philly.
And you also said this:
“I would hate to see the same thing happen to a Newman or Henry and we are stuck with lousy coverage again. Reeves, Thornton, Jones, Frazier were Bill Parcells other stand ins at Corner. Did any of them satisfy you?”
Want an answer?
The Cowboys don’t have the front 7 NE has, and they won’t have that level of front 7 unless they start working on it with draft choices that can.
Jon,
You still never answered my questions.
Is Merriman going to have 12 sacks next year? Is Spears?
Is Roth or Tuck that far of stretch from Merriman, James or Spears…….they could both be had at 20……….Cody possibly at 42?
Not addressing WR will leave us with a team that only scores 18 points a game. Glenn and Johnson finished the year on IR. Copper and Crayton are potential……not deep threats.
Placing a player with the caliber of Rolle in our secondary will allow us to BLITZ and it means a guy named Scott can play special teams…….instead of FS. Hunter is a maybe at FS. I like him or one of the other suspects for Nickel Back. He played pretty good at CB before injury. However, he has been on the team 3 years now and is yet to crack the starting line up til last year. I hope for the best, but what did that hope and potential do for us last year. Give me Rolle and lets smack Owens around a bit.
Draft SPEED in the first round you cannot coach it….Rolle and Williamson perhaps…….or a DE and then maybe Matt Jones. Get the DE / LB / and DT with all the other picks……..which Bill has shown he is capable of doing.
Saying you have to draft for the Salary Cap is stupid. You do not draft for the cap. You restructure and trade and finagle for the cap………you draft the best player available. This drafting for need crap has hurt us in the past……….Boon at least admits Rolle is the better player……..put him on your team, let Newman and Henry raise their A game…….and let Roth or Cody play DE or OLB……..adding DEs and DT and LBs the rest of the way except a WR in there somewhere……..if Dallas can not afford an 11, 20 and 42 on draft day what the hell we doing with those picks in the first place.
The Eagles also have a pretty darn good offensive line. We almost clipped their wings in second Game. If we want to go anywhere we need to beat the EAGLES……….twice…….and win the division…….that means stopping Owens and Westbrook……..and whoever else they line up at WR. DE are needed certainly, but do not overlook that everytime we blitz McNabb lights us up like a Chevy Chase Christmas Tree……..and Jevon Kearse signed with their team not ours so I do not see any guarnteed Sackmaster in this first round……so give me Rolle and Williamson……..then Cody…….then a bunch more DE and LBs and Bill leads us to the promised land.
Jon,
After Cody our next pick would be in the 4th round. Some way to addresss our pass rush need. Jimmy Johnson never had the talent in the secondary that this year’s group possesses, and he won two Super Bowls. New England started WR at corner, and went on to win the Super Bowl. Look at the great defenses of all time, Baltimore, Chicago, the Giants in 86, etc. Now name their starting secondaries. Yep that is right, you don’t have a clue. Now name their front 7’s. Dent, McMichael, Perry, Marshall, Singletary, Siragusa, Lewis, Boulware, Adams, Taylor, Carson, P. Johnson, Burt, Banks, yeah I am sure you know these guys. The best, THE ABSOLUTE BEST DEFENSES, won with average secondaries!!!!!
How many of our Front 7 were PRO BOWLERS in the 90s?
Haley? In 1992 we sent exactly ZERO defenders to Hawaii.
That era was before Free Agency………and before the Whining of Peyton Manning changed the NFL pass rules.
The CB is now the most important individual battle that takes place on the field. So it is Willie Blade that made our Defense better? If that is the case, God help us all. Ferguson certainly is better than him.
Lett, Jeffcoat, Tolbert, Casillas, Haley, Maryland, Jimmy Jones, Hennings then ….
Ellis, Ferguson, Glover, Ogbagu now ….
Horton, Brown, Smith, Washigton, Everrett, Holt then ….
Williams, Newman, Henry, Hunter, Scot, Thorton now ….
Now you tell me were the difference lies?
The Super Bowl Champion secondary wasn’t even as talented as the group we have now, yet that defense was much better than the one that we have now.
CB most important position in the NFL? Just open your eyes!! New England won with Troy Brown at corner. Is that recent enough for ya? He and the Pats beat shut down, Manning’s bunch. Tell me Jon, who has the best secondary in the league? Where was Denver in January with Bailey, Lynch, and Kennedy? Oh if it wasn’t Troy and the Pats beating the Eagles (oh and who are their fabulous corners? Dexter Wynn, Lito Sheppard, and Sheldon Brown?), then Pittsburgh with Willie Williams and Chad Scot. Asante Samuel, Randall Gay, and Troy Brown sure made NFL teams shake in their boots.
Troy played Nickel…….and I saw him get beat.
I notice you left Dawkins out of the fab four at Philly……..
If you have an opportunity to add a guy like Rolle or even Poole(perhaps I am an east coast guy and have not seen much of him other than the USC pasting) at FS…….you dramatically improve our ability to cover.
you fail to acknowledge Kevin Smith and Darren Woodson first and second round picks.
You also fail to acknowledge……..Irvin(Landry Pick), Aikman, Emmit on our Offense. Or guys like Novacek and Johnson. Our offense was a ball hog. We led time of possession. We did not go three and out with Vinny at the helm. We did not get into 3rd and 15 due to stupid penalites. If we did guys like Novacek, Irvin or Harper always seemed to make a play on the ball for first down. Emmit smith and our O Line killed the clock and let our Defense Rest and then TEE OFF on the Offense with fresh legs and a LEAD. Inside the 20 Emmit was money setting NFL records for TDs in a single Season. Then later breaking his own record. Something we are unable to do with an 18 point average over the last 3 seasons. I am optimistic Jones can be a REDZONE threat like Emmit. He showed flashes last year especially the Seattle Game.
Emmit killed teams in the fourth quarter. After having been on the field forever, usually trailing the Cowboys the best back ever in and even better in the fourth quarter would have those 3rd and 4th quarter 7 minute drives for 7. We were the best red zone team there was. Our defense then could TEE OFF and BLITZ, similar to the Colts style……get a lead and let Freeney have fun………only we were sending Safeties, Corners or LBs. Jeffcoat another Landry pick was leading our team in sacks. Hennings was also anothe Landry pick and was mostly a sub. The Defense was dependent on the blitz of our LBs and DBs. Who as a group registered as many sacks as our front four. We played outstanding special teams, and our offense was always clutch. Last year especially without Jones, we relied on the Arm of Vinny. Every incomplete pass stopped the clock. We asked our Defense to play way to much time. And yes we were weak in the DE and could use better LB play, either James and Thornton need to step up or a new guy there.
Free Agency there is no way we can build the team of the 90s again. Never going to happen. That team would have killed the Patriots of this decade.
If the CB is not one of the most important positions, why are they getting paid more than half the sub par QBs in this league? If that is all you have, no it aint going to win a Super Bowl. But combined with Ellis, Glover, Ferguson…..a DE to be named LATER……another DT to be named later……..and a good FS like ROLLE or POOLE………and decent LB……..and a WR for a deep threat. With the medicrocity in the leauge we might have a shot. Personally I do not see a guarnteed playmaker at the DE position in the 20 and above spot. D Johnson looks like a great LB but he wont be left after the first 10, so I say take ROLLE if available and upgrade the secondary……..this is a guy that can start…….day one……..also insurance against a Newman, Williams, or Henry injury. Rolle can play CB or FS easily. He tackles………he causes fumbles…..he tackles for losses 12 of his 66 tackles……..he has QB Sacks…….he has interceptions………he is a playmaker…….the likes of which we need on our D………Catalytic is a word that comes to mind…….with a seondary like that and Jason Ferguson in the middle with Glover and Ellis we are going to be tough to run on or pass.
Eric you have failed to read previous threads where I pointed out that Lett, Tolbert and many of our other prized possessions were 4th rounders or later. The DE position is deeper than defensive backs and WR in every draft. There is always a guy under the radar that can play. Not so at DB or WR. Your speed is your speed. You cannot coach it. A DE can improve his strength and agility. He can improve his technique for getting to the passer. But he ain’t ever going to have Dwight Freeney speed if God did not bless him with it. Emmit did not become a 4.4 forty guy as a pro. He never could. But he was a great RB. A WR can make up for the speed with great technique and discipline routes and hands. A CB or FS cannot. He needs speed, and burst and quickness. That my friend is only going to be found in one of those 11,20, or 42 picks. Woodson was a freak with 4.4 speed as a LB, that is why JJ put him at Safety. It was the best use of his talent. Edwards and Myles were also freakishly fast, not Parcells style…….he wants the LT, Banks guy…….McGinnest…….a DE playing LB basically………is that guy in this top round? McGinnest, Banks, Taylor………Chris Slade even? Maybe……..maybe not.
Merriman may fall to 20 so might Tuck or Cody…….heck some draft have Tuck and Cody in the 2nd round where we draft 10th……..nothing wrong with that. Perhaps Poole falls that low………a FS is usually not a top round pick, which is why I say draft Rolle let him play FS and then get the best DE or WR with the other pick. 4th 5th and 6th all Defense Line and Linebacker.
Scott or Davis at FS means TDs for TO. Not something I want to see. We had our hands on McNabb and failed to bring him down. Bring Roy Williams on a Blitz every time McNabb is under Center…….watch how many times McNabb runs around for 15 seconds then completes a bomb……..to who……a guy covered like a blanket by Rolle, Henry and an improved Newman.
Rolle can play a guy on the first 5 yards. The only place you can breath on the reciever these days. He can bump and run or Man or Zone.
I live to see the day Williams gets a Square Legal Hit on McNabb. He had to baby sit the secondary last year due to Hunter, and then the nameless players at FS and CB. Williams was not utilized……he went to the pro bowl on hard hits not performance. I want him to have 10 sacks next year……..5 against Philly and 5 against ELI. I want those guys losing sleep at night thinking about the hardest hitting Safety Since Ronnie Lott coming free on a Blitz……..and Rolle, Henry, Newman and Hunter the nickel wrapping up the WRs…….Glover, Ferguson, Ellis, and maybe Tuck or Cody coming all out………who you gonna stop O Line…..is Westbrook going to pick up Roy Williams………or Nguyen? give me a go