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Does Jerry’s Comment Hint at Extensive Cowboys Free Agent Activity?

Jerry Jones’ remarks today that he expects “ten to eleven new Cowboys” on this year’s roster intrigues, given that Dallas only has six picks in April’s draft.  Dallas has been good at producing undrafted free agents in recent years.  Tony Romo and Miles Austin headline a group that added Kevin Ogletree last year.

Even the most optimistic draft outcome would see seven or maybe eight rookies.  Where would the other three to four new players come from?

Free agency offers a possibility, though the Final Eight restrictions mean Dallas won’t be able to sign many big ticket players.  The expanded free agent rules mean the talent pool will be relatively shallow, unless…

teams cut a lot of veterans with long-term deals their teams no longer feel are good investments.  We won’t know the full number of such bad-contract cuts until the free agency period begins next week. 

Don’t discount trades.  With the playoff field limited to some extent, and teams less willing to swap draft picks, given the depth of this year’s class, we may see something football has never had, relative to sports like baseball or basketball — a good old fashioned hot-stove league, or in the NFL’s case, a sun-deck league.  Stay tuned.

Jerry, as much as he might want to, can’t turn six picks into eleven players.

Sunday’s NFL Scouting Combine Open Thread

The live workouts continue on NFL Network. First, we will see the 40-yard dashes for the QBs and WRs. They will then move on to positional skill drills, vertical leap and broad jump, and then three-cone and shuttle drills.

At 1PM (EST), the RBs will begin their workouts.

NFLN will be re-airing the workouts all day. If you don’t have the NFL Network, you can watch the Combine live here.

Sunday’s NFL Scouting Combine Open Thread

The live workouts continue on NFL Network. First, we will see the 40-yard dashes for the QBs and WRs. They will then move on to positional skill drills, vertical leap and broad jump, and then three-cone and shuttle drills.

At 1PM (EST), the RBs will begin their workouts.

NFLN will be re-airing the workouts all day. If you don’t have the NFL Network, you can watch the Combine live here.

Mocking the Cowboys Draft: Eight Weeks To Go

It’s mock draft time, that wonderful time of the year when hope springs eternal and everybody becomes an expert in player evaluation and selection. One of the joys of draft season is mock drafts; anybody can make one and nowadays anyone can publish one. It’s the time of year when any random internet dude knows more than our coaches and scouts. Combined.

But you never know, that one mock draft you’re reading may just be the one that has it all figured out.

Below you’ll find choice quotes on which players some mock drafts like as our No. 1 pick, and also an overview of selected draftniks that have published a mock draft of at least three rounds. So without further ado, let’s take a spin around this week’s Cowboys mock draft world.

(We recommend starting with Raf’s Mock 2.0)….

Who will be the Cowboys’ first pick? Ten different answers from ten different sources.

Matt McGuire @ WalterFootball.com - 2/26/2010

Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri. This is one of the more surprising picks in my mock, but I’ve heard that NFL teams are thinking Sean Weatherspoon (a.k.a. “Spoon”) can also play inside in a 3-4 defense as well as outside in a 4-3 defense. Weatherspoon compares very favorably to New England’s Jerod Mayo when he came out, and if the Pats would spend a top-10 pick on him as an inside linebacker, I see no reason why Dallas wouldn’t look at Spoon here. Also, Spoon has a very contagious, extroverted personality that reminds me a little bit of Ray Lewis, and I think that “superstar” personality will win over Jerry Jones.

Don Banks @ SI.com - 2/25/2010

Taylor Mays, S, USC. The Cowboys could use another option at offensive tackle should they let Flozell Adams go, but Mays should be an easy card to turn in. Though he didn’t make enough big plays for the Trojans as a senior, he’s a gifted athlete who has impressive size and speed, and he fills a crying need in Dallas. Honestly now, who wouldn’t want a guy named Mays playing centerfield for their defense?

KFFL.com - 02/24/2010

Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho. Upgrades Kyle Kosier’s spot. Can play OT if needed - a mauler that fits in with the rest of DAL’s lumbering OL.

Draftek.com - 2/23/2010

Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland. Campbell’s workouts, including rehab on his turf toe and knee, have progressed nicely over the past few weeks - we will see at the Combine if it’s enough to move him up the Big Board. If not, and if he can keep his weight (and future big contract) under control, the Cowboys may have a replacement for Flozell Adams.

Dallascowboystimes.com - 02/22/2010

Jared Odrick, DT/DE, Penn St. We displayed this pick in our original 32-team mock draft, and it just seems to make sense. Odrick is a perfect 5-technique defensive end in a 3-4 scheme. He has a tremendous motor– one which the Cowboys will need in the near future with so many restricted free agents at the position. Idaho G Mike Iupati or a top-tier tackle could also be the pick if they are available.

Draftace.com - 02/22/2010

Chad Jones, S, LSU. While offensive line is the most glaring need, with six lineman already gone in this scenario I don’t envision them reaching for someone like Vladimir Ducasse. Safety wasn’t an obvious weakness for the Cowboys, but neither Gerald Sensabaugh or Ken Hamlin are among the elite players at the position. Jones has Taylor Mays-like size is the type of physical defensive back the Cowboys covet. He has the athleticism and size to play either safety position.

Thefootballexpert.com - 2/22/2010

Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma. After the Saints game, I bet Tony Romo is pleading with Jerry Jones for some more offensive line help. Left tackle Flozell Adams is near a great career at 34 years old, while Marc Colombo isn’t much younger at 31 years old. Trent Williams’ stock drops this far mostly for two reasons: he may only be able to play right tackle, and he is an Oklahoma lineman. Both Phil Loadholt and Duke Robinson had high draft grades at this time and fell to the 2nd and 5th round respectively. The Cowboys could also be interested in receiver Golden Tate.

Draftempire.com - 02/20/2010

Brandon Spikes, ILB, Florida. Keith Brooking, 34, is under contract for two more years but moving forward the Cowboys need someone a little more athletic to put next to Bradie James. Spikes is one of the better coverage linebackers in this year’s class.

NFLtouchdown.com - 2/16/2010

Maurkice Pouncey, G Florida. Examination: Here’s a player who’s stock will rise or fall depending on how the rest of the draft plays out ahead of him. The Cowboys need help on the offensive line and Pouncey is the best offensive lineman available while bringing a lot of talent with him, he’s only a small reach.

Chris Steuber at Scout.com - 2/12/2010

Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame. The Cowboys could draft an OT or a FS at this spot. But with the talented Tate available, they pair him with the emerging Miles Austin.

 

Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft overview (min. three rounds deep)

	last updated	1st Round	2nd Round	3rd Round	4th Round	6th Round	7th Round
Rafael Vela @ BloggingTheBoys	2/26/2010	Earl Thomas, FS, Texas	J.D. Walton, C, Baylor	Cam Thomas, NT, North Carolina	Sergio Render, G, Virginia Tech,	Stephan Virgil, CB, Virginia Tech	David Gettis, WR, Baylor
KD’s Mock Draft	2/26/2010	Maurkice Pouncey, OG/C, Florida	Kyle Calloway, OT, Iowa	Amari Spievey, CB, Iowa
New NFL draft	2/25/2010	Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Mizzou	Quan Sturdviant, ILB, UNC	Lee Ziemba, OT, Auburn	n.a.	Eric Nolson, C, ND
NE Patriots Draft	2/24/2010	Charles Brown, OT, USC	Myron Rolle, S, Florida State	Koa Misi, DE/OLB, Utah	Micah Johnson, LB, Kentucky
Walter Football	2/23/2010	Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho	Brandon Spikes, ILB, Florida	Reshad Jones, S, Georgia	Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech
Drafttek	2/23/2010	Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland	Syd’Quan Thompson, CB, California	Jeremy Williams, WR, Tulane	John Jerry,OG, Mississippi	Robert Johnson, FS, Utah	Jeff Owens, DT, Georgia
Dallas Cowboys Times	2/22/2010	Jared Odrick, DT/DE, Penn State	Dexter McCluster, RB/WR, Ole Miss	Jared Veldheer, OT, Hillsdale	Major Wright, FS, Florida	Boris Lee, ILB, Troy	Jay Ross, DT, East Carolina
New Sport Draft	2/22/2010	Taylor Mays, S, USC	Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama	Darryl Sharpton, LB - Miami Hurricanes	Austen Lane, DE - Murray State
No Offseason	2/21/2010	Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame	Selvish Capers, OT, West Virginia	Myron Lewis, CB, Vanderbilt
Draftsite	2/20/2008	Jason Fox, OT, Miami	Reshad Jones, S, Georgia	Jordan Shipley, WR, Texas	Koa Misi, OLB, Utah	H. Lawrence, K, Texas	Dennis Rogan, CB, Tennessee
Football Draft Analysis	2/20/2010	Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri	Chad Jones, SS/FS, LSU	Torrell Troup, NT, Central Florida
Sports Agent Blog	2/16/2010	Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland	Myron Rolle, S, Florida State	Eric Norwood, LB, South Carolina	Andre Roberts, WR, The Citadel
BTB Interactive Mock	2/14/2010	Charles Brown, OT, Southern California	Morgan Burnett, FS, Georgia Tech	Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati	John Jerry, OG, Mississippi	Myron Rolle, SS, Florida State	H. Lawrence, K, Texas

Saturday’s NFL Scouting Combine Open Thread

Today begins the live workouts on NFL Network. First, we will see the 40-yard dashes for the OL, PK, and ST. They will then move on to positional skill drills, vertical leap and broad jump, and then three-cone and shuttle drills.

At 12:30PM (EST), the TEs will begin their workouts.

NFLN will be re-airing the workouts all day. If you don’t have the NFL Network, you can watch the Combine live here. You can even choose to watch different cameras!

Cowboys Draft ‘10, Mock 2.0

A side of brontosaurus beef that would make Fred Flintstone drool.

Round 1:  Earl Thomas, FS, Texas

Last year, the Cowboys had Central Michigan’s Louis Delmas high atop their wish list.  Delmas listed at 5′11″, 198 lbs., before weighing in for Combine observers at 203 lbs.  He displayed a fearlessness attacking the line of scrimmage at the Senior Bowl and roared from a 2nd=3rd round early prospect to the 33rd overall pick.

Thomas has almost identical dimensions.  He’s 5′11″, 199 lbs.  There are some concerns about his ability to attack the LOS but his deep skills are unquestioned.  Thomas can track receivers and gets his hands on the football.  He’s rated very high on some semi-pro boards, but I think another rush on offensive tackles, a very deep crop of underclassmen, which makes for a very deep first round, will drop him a bit.  Safety tends to fall a tad as a position. I can’t see the Cowboys finding one of the OTs at 27, or even top G Mike Iupati, but their rise means other good players must fall.  A player like Earl Thomas would be welcome. 

On to the 2nd-round…

Round 2:  J.D. Walton, C, Baylor

Smart, tough, and interviewing tremendously at Indy, according to this report. Like Markice Pouncey, he’s another top C prospect who could replace Cory Proctor almost immediately.

Round 3: Cam Thomas, NT, North Carolina

Every quality pro NT free agent prospect has been locked up.  Thomas has the size and agility to play on the nose in Wade Phillips’ scheme, where lateral mobility and the willingness to chase are as vital as the ability to stack plays run right at you.

Round 4:  Sergio Render, G, Virginia Tech,

Thick, girthy guard, 6′3″, 318 lbs, who run blocks effectively and has the mobility to block in space. 

Round 6:  Stephan Virgil, CB, Virginia Tech

CB prospect with the speed and fluidity to play man-to-man.

Round 7:  David Gettis, WR, Baylor

A big target with lots of tools, Gettis is a bit of an enigma.  He has boom or bust potential, but everybody at this stage of the draft carries the same tag.  He’ll need to show better hands and consistency to stick, but he has the size and deep speed to excel if he gets focused.

Cowboys Draft ‘10, Part Ten: Right Tackle May Be the Right Early Option

“Fine size.  A big man who uses his size to muscle and engulf defenders.  Shows decent feet for one so large and has limited area quickness.  More quick than fast.  Has improved tremendously the past two seasons.  Very aggressive.  Does not anyone push him around… Can’t run a good 40.  Poor stance.  Lacks technique.  Rarely bends his knees much.  Isn’t an explosive run blocker.  Has not faced top competition.  Did very little pass blocking in a run-oriented offense.  Somewhat limited athletically…”

Would you spend a first-day pick on a lineman with this profile?  (I’m sticking to the old nomenclature of referring to 1st through 3rd rounders as first-day picks, even though the new TV formats have messed this up.  It makes more sense to me from a value perspective.)

The guy has his good qualities.  He also seems to have some major qualifiers to his game.  Is he worth a 2nd or a 3rd?  Be decisive.

The Cowboys though he was worth it. They used a ‘91 third rounder on this kid from a small school in Ohio.  The pick turned out well for them.

The kids name was Erik Williams.   His ‘91 PFT Draft Preview review, which you just read, didn’t measure up to his eventual game.

His profile offers some caveats to the draft-book method of analysis all of us have to use.  We can watch some of these guys from time to time or even week-to-week if a prospect plays for a big school in our TV region.  But we’re mostly at the mercy of these thumbnail profiles.  And believe me when I say that no position is missed on more often by the draft book folks than offensive line.  (By missed, I mean their projections bear the least fidelity to actual draft day picks.  Guys rated very high drop and guys rated low often are taken in early rounds.)

That’s puzzling because I’ve seen lots of personnel people say that O-line is one of the easiest areas to scout.  The high hit rate on OTs — it’s the highest of any offensive position — bears this out.  So why is it so difficult for the non-pros to get it right? 

I don’t know.  I do think, reading the profiles, that getting a quality RT from this year’s group will be an easier task, at least in the early rounds, than finding a left tackle.  Dallas looks upon RT as more of a power position than LT.  They want their prospects to have many of the same qualities as the tackle guarding the blind side.  He has to be agile enough to cut off edge rushers, but the team is willing to sacrifice a little bit of speed for power.  They expect their RTs to excel in the run game. 

This means that when you look at prospects, read for those who get labeled as being “heavy handed” or having “good pop on the punchout.”  Line play is the land of the sumos these days.  Since offensive linemen were allowed to extend their arms, guys with longer arms and strong punchouts have become highly valued, up and down the line.  Winning man-to-man battles depends on a lineman’s ability to get his hands into his opponents’ chest before the other guy can do the same to him.  What’’s more, that punch has to have some heft to it.  It has to generate movement.  I remember Bill Parcells getting over one of his linemen one morning in Oxnard over an ineffective drive block.  “Are you gonna put lip stick all over the guy?”  he yelled. 

You want pile drivers, not cosmetologists, on the right side. 

So, who goes there?  When you run through the prospects, you’ll see a lot of guys who played left tackle in college but who lack the quickness to play “on the island.”  If they are smart, tough and can move the guy in front of them, they may still have value, but as 2nd or 3rd round prospects.

And that’s no crime.  The Cowboys could use their first on another player who can make the quick transition and use a 2nd or 3rd here, if the board broke their way.  That was their plan in ‘04 with Jacob Rogers.  Dallas took him in the late 2nd and projected Rogers to play immediately on the right side.  His frequent injuries short-circuited that plan but this is precisely the type of prospect I think you should be looking for as you sift through the profiles.

Dallas doesn’t have an immediate need on the right side.  Marc Colombo should be healthy to start the season and Doug Free spelled him effectively.  As I wrote yesterday, Robert Brewster got his initial reps as a pro at right tackle.  However, if the team believes Free’s future is on the left side, and that Brewster’s immediate project is to challenge Kyle Kosier for the left guard spot, then Pat McQuistan is the next in line behind Colombo.  He’s been on the team for four years now and looks like a career backup, at least for this team.

So, who qualifies?  I’d put the RT prospects in tiers.  In the highest one, I’d put Oklahoma’s Trent Williams.  He had an awful ‘09, after being hyped by the Oklahoma coaches as a better prospect than Phil Loadholt, who played LT in ‘08, and dropped a bit because he struggled with top speed rushers like Brian Orakpo.  Minnesota took Loadholt late in the 2nd round, moved him to the right side and got solid rookie play from him.   Williams, who played much better as a RT in ‘08, probably will follow the same pro trajectory.  I don’t know if Dallas would use a late 1st on him, but he would definitely get consideration in the 2nd. 

There’s also a question of where he’s rated.  Some mockers put him in the top 20 and say he and Bruce Campbell will round out the top group of OTs.  Others put him in the 2nd and even the 3rd round. Dallas?  Who knows.

The next tier has a prospect like U. Mass’ Vladimir Ducasse.  He looks like a more polished Erik WIlliams type but still has a lot of rough edges to his game.  He also is projected to the left side by some people.  If he can play there, his stock will likely pull him into the early 2nd.  I doubt Dallas would take him at 27 because he’s far from a ready-made, but he would temp if he were on the board in the late 2nd. 

Beyond that, poppers like Kyle Calloway and Mike Tepper look like middle round guys, based on their ability to get push at the point of attack.

That’s just a short list to get you started.  Add your upper and mid-level touts in the thread.

Tonight:  OT bust factors;  Tomorrow:  Mock 2.0

Friday’s 2010 NFL Scouting Combine Thread

Although we don’t get to watch many of the actual live workouts until tomorrow, the entire NFL world is in a collective buzz at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Let the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine begin!

This is the first of several open Combine Threads that we will be posting over the course of the event. Use this thread to discuss all that is Combine or Cowboys-related.

Make the jump for more combine news…

At 2:30PM (EST) today, the NFLNetwork will again be broadcasting live from the Combine. The players’ schedule today will round up the interview and medical evaluation process, and then the special teamers will begin their workouts. We may have to keep an eye on those kickers working out.

Tomorrow, the workouts will be broadcast live at 10AM (EST). Those workouts will be of interest to us here on BTB because they will begin with the offensive linemen.

Hat tip to nicholas.rodriguez for keeping us up to date on the weigh-ins of the offensive linemen. His first FanPost here compiles the measurements for the tackles, and his second one here does the same for the guards and centers.

According to Raf, the Cowboys may be looking hard at the defensive linemen in the next few days as well.

“Look hard at the nose tackle crop this year. One of the early pre-free agency stories is the vanishing free agent NT. The Steelers are wrapping up Casey Hampton long term. The Pats have announced they are keeping Vince Wilfork, the Packers locked up Ryan Pickett, who played on the nose for them last year, and the 49ers franchised Aubrayo Franklin, an unsung NT among casual fans, but one who is greatly appreciated by 49ers partisans and NFL personnel types.  The only option for locating Jay Ratliff’s backup now appears to be the draft.”

Yesterday was the deadline for teams to place franchise tags and Miles Austin was not one of the six NFL players that were franchised. Notice below that three of these players are defensive tackles.

Ryan Pickett, DT, Green Bay
Vince Wilfork, DT, New England
Richard Seymour, DE, Oakland
Jeff Reed, K, Pittsburgh
Aubrayo Franklin, DT, San Francisco
Olindo Mare, K, Seattle

Here’s the workout schedule.

SCHEDULE

Saturday, Feb. 27

Sunday, Feb. 28

Monday, March 1

Tuesday, March 2

 

The Combine workouts will be broadcast live here. Follow the NFL’s Live Combine Blog here.

Also, visit SB Nation’s “NFL Combine Diary” where SBN representative, Peter Bean, has been sent to updates and recaps each day’s happenings.

Friday’s 2010 NFL Scouting Combine Thread

Although we don’t get to watch many of the actual live workouts until tomorrow, the entire NFL world is in a collective buzz at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Let the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine begin!

This is the first of several open Combine Threads that we will be posting over the course of the event. Use this thread to discuss all that is Combine or Cowboys-related.

Make the jump for more combine news…

At 2:30PM (EST) today, the NFLNetwork will again be broadcasting live from the Combine. The players’ schedule today will round up the interview and medical evaluation process, and then the special teamers will begin their workouts. We may have to keep an eye on those kickers working out.

Tomorrow, the workouts will be broadcast live at 10AM (EST). Those workouts will be of interest to us here on BTB because they will begin with the offensive linemen.

Hat tip to nicholas.rodriguez for keeping us up to date on the weigh-ins of the offensive linemen. His first FanPost here compiles the measurements for the tackles, and his second one here does the same for the guards and centers.

According to Raf, the Cowboys may be looking hard at the defensive linemen in the next few days as well.

“Look hard at the nose tackle crop this year. One of the early pre-free agency stories is the vanishing free agent NT. The Steelers are wrapping up Casey Hampton long term. The Pats have announced they are keeping Vince Wilfork, the Packers locked up Ryan Pickett, who played on the nose for them last year, and the 49ers franchised Aubrayo Franklin, an unsung NT among casual fans, but one who is greatly appreciated by 49ers partisans and NFL personnel types.  The only option for locating Jay Ratliff’s backup now appears to be the draft.”

Yesterday was the deadline for teams to place franchise tags and Miles Austin was not one of the six NFL players that were franchised. Notice below that three of these players are defensive tackles.

Ryan Pickett, DT, Green Bay
Vince Wilfork, DT, New England
Richard Seymour, DE, Oakland
Jeff Reed, K, Pittsburgh
Aubrayo Franklin, DT, San Francisco
Olindo Mare, K, Seattle

Here’s the workout schedule.

SCHEDULE

Saturday, Feb. 27

Sunday, Feb. 28

Monday, March 1

Tuesday, March 2

 

The Combine workouts will be broadcast live here. Follow the NFL’s Live Combine Blog here.

Also, visit SB Nation’s “NFL Combine Diary” where SBN representative, Peter Bean, has been sent to updates and recaps each day’s happenings.

Stephen Jones says that the Cowboys have no plans to pursue any trade involving Tashard Choice, and…

Stephen Jones says that the Cowboys have no plans to pursue any trade involving Tashard Choice, and that he expects the team to remain with the trio of Choice, Marion Barber, and Felix Jones.

“I can tell you right now I don’t see it a whole lot different than last year,” Jones said. “All of these guys have gotten opportunities to help us win games. That will continue to be the case.”

Dallas Defense: Shutting Down Big Game Performances

Few things are more exciting for a Cowboys fan than watching Tony Romo pass for more than 300 yards (and win), Miles Austin notch another 100+ yards receiving day and the occasional 100+ yards rushing game by one of the three Cowboys running backs.

Depending on the type of fantasy football league you’re playing in, 100-yard rushers, 100-yard receivers and 300-yard passers can be highly rewarding if you have them on your roster.

300+ yards passing, 100+ yards rushing and 100+ yards receiving are statistical milestones that are correctly labeled as ‘Big Games’ for the players who achieve them. And for every big game performance by an offensive player, there is a defense that allowed those performances.

The Dallas defense has been remarkably stingy on big game performances last season. Read on to find out who the big game players were last season and which defenses enabled them or shut them down.

1. 300+ Passers

Player Team 300+ games Peyton Manning Colts 9 Matt Schaub Texans 9 Tony Romo Cowboys 8 Drew Brees Saints 7 Tom Brady Patriots 7 Brett Favre Vikings 6 Philip Rivers Chargers 5 Aaron Rodgers Packers 5 Ben Roethlisberger Steelers 5

There were a record 104 games with 300+ yards passers last season. The previous record was 76, set in the 2008 season. Quite a jump.

Tony Romo had his highest career season total with eight 300+ games, one more than in the 2007 season. Over the course of the last three seasons, Romo is ranked second in 300+ games with 21, just one behind Drew Brees and five ahead of third ranked Peyton Manning.

The combined W-L record of the nine QBs listed on the right in games in which they passed for 300+ yards is 48-13, or .787.

The Dallas defense has allowed only one 300+ yards passing game. Unsurprisingly, it was the week-two, four-turnover bonanza against the Giants.

2. 100+ Receivers

Player Team 300+ games Vincent Jackson Chargers 6 Andre Johnson Texans 6 Wes Welker Patriots 6 Miles Austin Cowboys 5 DeSean Jackson Eagles 5 Greg Jennings Packers 5 Randy Moss Patriots 5 Hines Ward Steelers 5 Reggie Wayne Colts 5

The last season saw 163 occasions where a receiver notched more than 100 yards receiving.

Miles Austin set a franchise record with his 250 receiving yards against Kansas City and his 1,320 receiving yards for the season rank 5th on the all time Cowboys list behind Michael Irvin (91-93 & 95) and Terrell Owens (07).

The combined W-L record of the nine receivers listed on the left in games in which their receiving yards exceeded 100 is 39-9, or .812.

The Dallas defense has allowed 100+ receiving yards by a receiver on four separate occasions. Again, it should not come as a big surprise that three out of the four were to Giants wide receivers: Steve Smith (twice) and Mario Manningham, as well as the Chargers’ Vincent Jackson. A total of seven teams in the NFL have allowed a 100+ receiver only once last season.

3. 100+ Rushers

Player Team 300+ games Chris Johnson Titans 12 Steven Jackson Rams 7 Thomas Jones Jets 7 Cedric Benson Bengals 6 Frank Gore 49ers 5 Jamaal Charles Chiefs 5 Jonathan Stewart Panthers 5 Maurice Jones-Drew Jaguars 5

Running backs rushed for 100+ yards 116 times last season.

2009 was the season of  Titans running back Chris Johnson. He became the sixth man in NFL history to gain at least 2,000 yards rushing in a single season and finished 99 yards shy of the all-time single-season record of 2,105 yards, which was set in 1984 by the Los Angeles Rams’ Eric Dickerson.

Johnson also set an NFL record with 2,509 yards from scrimmage, breaking Marshall Faulk’s 1999 record.

The combined W-L record of the eight running backs listed on the right in games where they rushed for 100+ yards is 33-19, or .635.

The Dallas defense has allowed exactly zero, nada, zilch, 100+ yards rushing games by a single running back. Unmatched in the NFL in 2009.

Ranking NFL defenses against Big Game Performers

Big Games allowed, 2009 regular season

Click on the column heading to sort by column

Team	300 + passing allowed	100 + receiving allowed	100+ rushing allowed	Total Big Games allowed
NYJ	1	1	1	3
DAL	1	4	0	5
DEN	1	1	4	6
CAR	2	2	3	7
GB	1	4	2	7
PHI	4	4	1	9
BAL	1	5	3	9
WAS	1	5	3	9
MIN	2	6	3	9
HOU	3	3	4	10
ATL	5	4	1	10
NYG	3	5	2	10
SD	3	5	2	10
SEA	4	5	2	11
CIN	2	7	2	11
PIT	3	7	1	11
MIA	4	5	3	12
JAC	3	6	3	12
NE	5	4	4	13
TB	2	4	7	13
CHI	2	7	4	13
BUF	2	3	9	14
OAK	2	4	4	14
IND	1	6	6	15
NO	3	6	6	15
STL	4	6	6	15
ARI	3	5	5	16
SF	7	7	7	16
TEN	7	8	8	17
CLE	6	8	8	18
KC	6	9	9	21
DET	7	7	7	22
Total	104	163	116	383

Cowboys Draft ‘10, Part Nine: Tackling OT Depth

Today we being our look at offensive line prospects by measuring the offensive tackle crop.

“Tremendous size. Huge wingspan (his arms are almost 37 inches long) and big, strong hands.  Getting around this man when he extends his arms and plays with technique is like circumventing  the globe.  Has good feet and remarkable athleticism for a big man.  Is so fluid and flexible that he does things effortlessly at times.  Powerful and can be a road grader-type blocker at times.  Shut out Illinois’ Simeon Rice in a sophomore season game…showed he has courage and will play hurt.”

– Joel Buchsbaum, 1998 Draft Preview, review of Flozell Adams

He’s a Cowboy many fans love to hate.  No, that’s not right.  He’s the Cowboy whose penalties fans love to hate.  His writeup also lays out some of the prototype qualities of a left tackle.  The team wants a lineman with power on the edge, to anchor against bull rushes, to generate pop in the run game and to cut off speed rushers. 

A LT also requires quickness, to mirror the speedy left tackles.  Just as important, left tackle requires intelligence and mental toughness.  This player often blocks on the proverbial island and he must be able to read stunts and adjust.  Mental errors at this spot can get the team’s quarterback splattered.  The player must also have a short memory.  If he’s beaten, and he’ll lose some battles going against the league’s best edge rushers, he has to shake off the bad play and reset mentally — and quickly.

For all the abuse Adams takes, he’s ticked off every one of these qualities when healthy.  He has erased most of the elite rushers he’s faced in recent years.  Name one NFC East end who has had his number.  Osi Umenyiora can’t make that claim.  Nor can Trent Cole.  Brian Orakpo didn’t make much noise last year.  Yet, Adams’ game has frayed.  The Saints Will Smith beat him in the Superdome this year.  Adams’ deficient hearing in his right ear has always made his road play suspect.

Many Dallas fans appear ready to move to the post-Flozell world, but I wonder if this year’s OT crop will provide a high-round replacement?  A closer look suggests Adams’ heir may already be in house.

Third year OT Doug Free finally answered some big questions with his right tackle play in November and December.  Free looked like a fourth-round steal in ‘07, working with then OL coach Tony Sparano.  He had smooth feet and would glide through his pass set drills.  He lacked upper both strength, but it seemed only a matter of time before Joe Juraszek got Free into playing shape.

Free looked ragged at Oxnard last summer and failed to instill confidence in the coaches.  He was inactive for every Cowboys ‘08 game.  Last year, however, he made a push during camp, though he struggled a bit in the preseason finale at left tackle.  When Marc Colombo broke his leg in Green  Bay, Free entered and provided solid protection for Tony Romo.  He made a highlight block on a Felix Jones toss play in the season finale against the Eagles, running far across the field to take out a Philly secondary player. 

Free has the feet to play left tackle. He lacks the point of attack pop Adams possesses, and which Cowboys fans have come to take for granted, but Free has definitely improved his strength.  He has added eight pounds of muscle since he was drafted and looks far more defined in his arms.  He’s 313 lbs now and appears far more prepared physically to step in on the blind side.

The Cowboys may also have another right tackle backup in second year player Robert Brewster.  Brewster played right tackle spots on Ball State’s top 25 ‘08 squad and started his Cowboys career there.  He was  being moved to left guard when he tore a pectoral muscle.  He spent the year on the physically unable to perform list.  Recently, Jerry Jones complemented his dedication and his conditioning.  He dropped a lot of weight at Ball State, after starting his career at 360 lbs.  He weighed 311 at last year’s combine but is now up to 320 lbs.  We can assume it’s a much more muscular 320.  (Weight are from the team’s roster, and I’ve been informed that the team’s weights are accurate.)

Brewster’s development and future projections will determine where this team looks, in fact if it looks for a tackle this year.  If he’s projected as a competitor for the LG starting spot, a young RT may be in Dallas’ early draft weekend plans. 

I know what you’re thinking — what about left tackle?  There are several names on the short lists, mostly Maryland OT Bruce Campbell and U. Mass prospect Vladimir Ducasse. 

Both are possibilites, but I don’t see them as likely ones, and the reason has more to do with the sudden value the NFL puts on OTs than on any lack of value the Cowboys place there. 

Understand that Dallas looks at its first and second round picks as potential starters — as rookies.  Look at the list of top OTs and tell me, which ones would you feel comfortable playing from game one?  We saw the Cowboys try this out of necessity with 7th rounder Rob Petitti in 2005 and the results were not pretty.  This might explain why Dallas does not draft OTs in the first.  The last high tackle pick it took who started at least ten games his rookie campaign — and played well — was Adams, back in ‘98.

Next, take that OT short list and then consider, which ones will still be on the board at pick 27 or late in the 2nd?  Offensive tackle has become a glamour position lately.  Between 2000 and 2007, 19 OTs were drafted in the first round.  That’s an average of just under 2.5 per year.  Nearly all the prospects who could play LT immediately, the Chris Samuels, the Bryant McKinnies, the Joe Thomases, the Jake Longs, the Ryan Cladys, didn’t past the first dozen or so selections. 

There are a few you see in the late first and even the 2nd, who could play right tackle right away — Colombo for the Bears in ‘02, Michael Oher for the Ravens and Phil Loadholt for the Vikings last year, but they are rare.  The only 2nd round LTs to play right away were the Colts Tony Ugoh, who ultimately lost his starting job, and the Chargers Marcus McNeill, who dropped way down team boards because of concerns that he had a congenital back problem.

The last two years, twelve OTs have been taken in the first round.  Eight were picked in ‘08.  I have seen predictions that another five or six could go in the top 25 this year.  One reason may be a better understanding of bust factors.  WR, as I pointed out, is the riskiest offensive position to draft in the 1st.  OT, as I will show later this week, has been the safest.  With the demand for OTs remaining high, it seems teams are now forcing tackle picks.  This in turn, may result in a drop in OT effectiveness in upcoming years.  Two of the ‘08 1st rounders, Gosder Cherilus and Duane Brown, had 2nd or 3rd round grades on some boards.

A source I spoke to over the weekend, who has viewed tape on half of the top OT prospects this year told me that while he rated one of them much higher than the others, none of the three he viewed deserved first round grades.  He was certain, nonetheless, that they would go high, because the position is now being over valued.

Given these factors, can you see an OT in Dallas’ plans the first two rounds?  Maybe if a Bruce Campbell falls to 27, and maybe if the Cowboys project him to RT very early in his career.  Maybe if Ducasse is on the board in the 2nd, and the team projects him in a similar fashion, as an early adopter at RT. 

Otherwise, I don’t see fits.  I can see lots of other players at other positions fitting the play-now profile, and I see the overall OT group rising again this year.  Dallas may indeed go for offensive linemen in the 2nd or 3rd, but I see better odds of that happening at the interior line spots. 

Tomorrow: OT bust factors and a look at the guard position.

Cowboys in Preseason Hall of Fame Game From the NFL: A pair of 2009 division champions will kick…

Cowboys in Preseason Hall of Fame Game

From the NFL:

A pair of 2009 division champions will kick off the 2010 NFL preseason when the Dallas Cowboys take on the Cincinnati Bengals in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio on Sunday, August 8, the Hall of Fame and NFL announced today.

The game will be televised nationally on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” at 8:00 PM ET.

The Bengals are appearing in their first Hall of Fame Game since 1988, while the Cowboys last appeared in 1999 with a roster that included new enshrinee EMMITT SMITH.

Chewing on Leftovers from the Dallas Cowboys 2009 Draft

Last April, the Cowboys drafted 12 players between rounds three through seven. Of those 12 picks, only OLB Victor Butler, K David Buehler, and TE John Phillips contributed on a regular basis during their rookie seasons.

In limited action, Victor Butler (4th Round, Selection 110) finished the season with 17 total tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble. He showed flashes of the strong pass-rushing abilities he had at Oregon State. Butler’s continued development will be something to keep an eye on come training camp.

David Buehler (5th Round, Selection 172) led the NFL with 29 touchbacks on kickoffs. He was also credited with three solo tackles. Moving forward, it looks as if Buehler will get the chance to prove he can be the starting placekicker next season. By hiring Chris Boniol as a kicking consultant now, perhaps the Cowboys will see that they have enough competition between Buehler and recent CFL signee, Connor Hughes, to prevent them from having to draft another kicker. After all, they only have six draft picks this year.

While John Phillips (6th Round, Selection 208) caught just seven passes for 62 yards during the regular season, he provided solid blocking on offense and was a core special teams player. Phillips’ dependability should allow Jason Garrett to continue the two-tight end set while also giving the team another option from the fullback position.

Having just three of 12 players sum up the Class of ’09’s rookie accomplishments suggests that there has got to be some leftovers. With the taste of winning brushing past the team’s palate, this next season should prove to be a hungrier one. Hopefully, 2010 will better indicate how this class will contribute to the team’s future.

Make the jump.

Of the Cowboys’ 12 draft picks, only three did not make the team. DB DeAngelo Smith, the first of three Dallas 5th-rounders, was waived in early September. He finished the season as a Detroit Lion. Both 7th-round picks, CB Mike Mickens and WR Manuel Johnson cleared waivers and were signed to the practice squad. Mickens, who struggled in camp, was picked off the practice squad by Tampa Bay in November.

Manny Johnson will compete for that last WR spot next season. So far, he would have to beat out Jesse Holley and Titus Ryan just to have a chance. Sam Hurd and Kevin Ogletree will be right above him in the depth chart.

His best shot at earning the job is to contribute on special teams. During his tenure on the practice squad, Johnson returned punts for the scout team. It’s doubtful that Patrick Crayton is ready to hand those duties over, but Johnson can at least give the team another option there during camp and preseason.

We didn’t get to see much of Manny’s quickness, so here’s some of what he showed at Oklahoma (gotta love that screen at the 2:00 mark).

Other than developmental QB Stephen McGee (4th Round, Selection 101), the rest of this Cowboys’ draft class was set back by injuries. In the end of the year press conference, Jerry Jones indicated that these players should be ready to contribute next season.

Because of injuries to this draft class, we’ll have a draft class and a half, good news is the injured players were in the strength and conditioning programs and they’ve done outstanding. At that young age, improving coming out of college, they were outstanding in how they used that time. They can come in and compete.

Top pick, ILB Jason Williams (3rd Round, Selection 69), suffered a high ankle sprain in the preseason. Coming out of the gates, it slowed his progress, but he did end up seeing the field and registering three tackles on the season. With Keith Brooking and Bradie James playing strong throughout the season and Bobby Carpenter manning the cover-linebacker role, there was no need to force Williams into play.

Unfortunately, Williams’ lack of playing time gave us, BTBers, little evidence of what he could be for this year. He won’t be challenging anybody for a starting job, but it’s hard to imagine Wade Phillips not wanting to get this guy on the field. We know he’s fast. We’ve heard he’s explosive. Maybe he could be a pass rush specialist from the middle, as Mike Mayock says here.

Dallas’ second third round pick, offensive lineman Robert Brewster, began and ended the season on the Non-Active PUP list with a torn pectoral muscle. Brewster, who played RT in college at Ball State, could conceivably put himself in competition with Kyle Kosier for the starting LG position.

The Cowboys followed up their Victor Butler pick in the fourth round with another college DE that they would project as an OLB: Texas Tech’s Brandon Williams (Selection 120). Unfortunately, Williams tore his left ACL early in the preseason while covering a punt against the Titans.

In ‘10, Williams will most likely back up SOLB Anthony Spencer, moving Butler back behind Ware on the weakside. Also like Butler, Williams should push for some action as a situational pass rusher on nickel and dime packages. Here’s what he could be capable of.

The only other Cowboy who ended the season on IR was sixth-round pick (Selection 197), Stephen Hodge. Hodge is a converted college safety who the Cowboys see as a weakside ILB. The team placed him on IR after swelling continued to slow down his recovery from knee surgery.

At TCU, Hodge was known as a physical player and a tackling machine–both on defense and special teams. One 2008 game, in particular, stands out.

In the Poinsettia Bowl against Boise State, recorded 11 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack and an interception on defense while also returning two kickoffs for 47 yards.

SS Michael Hamlin is another ‘09 rookie that the Cowboys hope to depend on. At this point, the backup spot to Gerald Sensabaugh is Hamlin’s for the taking. Alan Ball is more in the mold of a FS, so he won’t compete there. Patrick Watkins can play the strong-side in a pinch, but will probably compete with Ball to backup Ken Hamlin.

Mike Hamlin showed promise in camp and preseason up until he broke his wrist against the 49ers. After having seven screws put into his wrist, Hamlin was able to make his debut in the regular season against the Redskins. He notched his first tackle on Thanksgiving Day against the Raiders.

He looked to be a playmaker at Clemson. It’d be nice if he shows some of this with the Cowboys (warning: you might want to mute).

The good thing about these injuries is that the Cowboys were able to keep much of their ‘09 draft without having to count them towards the 53-man roster. If these “redshirts” have done, as Jerry Jones says, an “outstanding” job in the strength and conditioning program, they will have a leg up on this year’s rookies. Who knows? Maybe they will even push some vets for playing time.

When April rolls around, though, some of these leftovers from 2009 may see another face with which they will have to compete. The Cowboys’ expected needs on the offensive line, in the defensive backfield, and perhaps at wide receiver will force guys like Robert Brewster, Mike Hamlin, and Manny Johnson to take giant steps forward. And never rule out the Cowboys drafting another linebacker. Jason Williams should be given every chance to compete, but Brandon Williams and Stephen Hodge have some making up to do.

It’s been called the “special teams” and “depth” draft. With 12 picks–all being in rounds three through seven–I’ve also seen the term “quantity over quality” attached to the Cowboys ‘09 Draft class. We may not be able to grade it for a year or two from now, but we are sure to have some answers come the 2010 season.

If you only watch one video, this one sums up Dallas’ draft last year.

Cowboys Third Down Defense: Inside the Numbers

The 2009 Cowboys defense allowed the fewest points in the NFC and the second fewest in the NFL behind the Jets, ranked ninth in yards per game, fourth versus the run in the NFL and recorded two consecutive shutouts for the first time in franchise history

Improvements versus the 2008 Cowboys could be seen across the board. The 2009 Cowboys allowed fewer rushing yards per game, touchdowns, total points and third down conversions.

Whoa, Nelly! Hold up there. Third down conversions?

I for one distinctly remember holding my breath, muttering silent prayers or simply closing my eyes when the Cowboys defense faced a third down, particularly a 3rd and long.

But the numbers are clear: The Cowboys allowed a 35.0% third down conversion rate (70/200), and are ranked 5th in the league. Should I trust what I saw or trust the stats?

As the saying goes, never trust a stat you didn’t fake yourself, so I gave in to my OCD and jumped right into the numbers. On a recent cold and snowy Sunday afternoon I set my controls for the heart of the third down defense. Follow me on this journey into the netherworld of stats.

I initially started with a more detailed split of our third down defense, because I suspected something weird was afoot on third and long situations.

Opponent 3rd down conversions by down and distance, 2009

	Short (1-3)	Medium (4-7)	Long (8-10)	Very Long (11+)
Attempts	41	64	46	49
Conversions	24	23	13	10
in %	59%	36%	28%	20%

No sir, these conversion averages are actually quite good for a defense, even on third and long and third and very long. If you compare the numbers above to the NFL averages below, you’ll see that the Cowboys handily beat the average for third down conversions - as they should if they rank fifth overall in the NFL.

Graph courtesy of AdvancedNFLStats.com

Hmmm, was I misremembering the anxiety I felt when our opponents were in third and long situations last season? I continued on my quest for statistical enlightenment and looked at the third down conversions allowed for the passing game only - on the assumption that perhaps our success against the run was clouding the overall stats.

Opponent Passing 3rd down conversions by down and distance, 2009

	Short (1-3)	Medium (4-7)	Long (8-10)	Very Long (11+)
Attempts	23	54	38	41
Conversions	13	22	12	9
in %	57%	41%	32%	22%

Somewhat surprisingly, the Cowboys third down passing defense apparently held up its side of the bargain. And again, I was coming up short in my search for the truth. By now, I was developing a severe case of arithmophobia, but crunched on bravely on my trusty TI 83 plus. Now I decided to look at completion percentages.

Opponent completion percentages by down and distance, 2009

	Short (1-3)	Medium (4-7)	Long (8-10)	Very Long (11+)
Attempts	23	54	38	41
Completions	15	31	20	31
in %	65%	57%	53%	76%

So there I finally had my answer. On third and very long situations, opposing QB’s have completed a mind-boggling 76% of their passes against us. In all third and 8+ situations the completion percentage is 65% (51/79). To put those 65% into perspective, below you’ll find the five quarterbacks with the best completion percentage on third and 8+ situations in 2009:

	P. Rivers	P. Manning	C. Palmer	T. Romo	M. Ryan
3rd & 8+ completion rate	42.4	41.5	40.3	38.2	36.1

Only three quarterbacks in 2009 managed to barely even clear 40% on their 3rd and long completion rate, and those numbers are still a far cry from the Cowboys 65% completion rate allowed. 

So my eyes did not deceive me after all. In third and long situations, our DBs were playing about a mile back in an effort to keep the play in front of them, and crucially, in front of the 1st down marker. Fortunately, only 21 of the 79 completions on third and long actually resulted in a first down, but I swear that my heart skipped a beat on every one of those 79 throws.

Also unsuited for the faint of heart are the total yards given up on 3rd downs: 1,197 or 5.9 YPA. I don’t know whether this number is high or low relative to other teams, but consider that outside of 3rd downs, our defensive YPA is a full yard lower at 4.9.

In the 156 pass attempts on 3rd down situations, we’ve had only three interceptions (Newman: 2, Sensabaugh: 1). While Sensabaugh’s cast may have cost us a couple of interceptions, three interceptions may be fine if your name is Roberto Duran, but not if you’re playing in the Cowboys secondary.

Pray with me that we draft a player for the secondary this year who has hands that are not made of stone. Because if not, every time the Cowboys are defending 3rd and long next season, you’ll need to hold on real tight to your beer once again: It is almost guaranteed that there will be another long completion - just pray that it’s short of the sticks.

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