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Draftee Watch

It’s unfair to peg rookies before their initial seasons. However, I think we can make some assessments about their fitness to make team. Here, a simple up and down on their fitness to be Cowboys.

1A. Felix Jones — Had a down game after two up ones, making his first NFL fumble. He’s dangerous all the same and the way Dallas used him is not really the way they’ve been working with him in camp. Jones got reps as the backup tailback in the I-formation. He’ll get some plays this way when the games count, but he’ll also work a lot in 3rd down packages and in packages with Marion Barber.

He blocked well, which is the key sign. I won’t worry about his fumble unless he starts coughing up the ball on a regular basis.

1B. Mike Jenkins — a sure bet to make the team but somebody likely to get the Bobby Carpenter treatment, though no fault of his own. Dallas has three vets ahead of him, in Newman, Henry and Jones, and Orlando Scandrick’s fast start puts that rookie at 4th.

This means that with good health Jenkins will dress and play special teams or see weeks where he’s inactive, if the Cowboys choose other options to be the gunners on their coverage units. That’s no knock on Jenkins, but it does mean the more impulsive sector of Cowboys Nation will try to put a black hat on his head.

2. Martellus Bennett — I think everybody now sees the skills that moved Dallas to draft him. And hopefully those skills will disabuse the Kneejerk Chorus from again calling for his immediate trading, as they did during San Diego week, when Hard Knocks made him look like a clown.

He can block, he can catch, and he can run. He can be a special player. It’s up to him.

4. Tashard Choice — a number 29 was flying around on the coverage teams last night, giving people the impression Keith Davis had been regained. It was Choice, who has his role as Barber’s backup down. He runs, he blocks and he’s bringing his enthusiasm to special teams.

5. Orlando Scandrick — Has made plays every week and played very well in the Dallas nickel last night. Teams try to run him out of his zone with a receiver and run another player into the cleared out zone. He’s been very good at reading the combinations and breaking up the shorter throws. He did it playing on the right corner against Denver and broke up plays from the slot and the left corner last night.

He’s the defensive equivalent of Bennett, a physically gifted player who drifted down the draft charts because teams doubted his maturity. Right now he looks confident and aware. And don’t say we didn’t give you a heads-up here at BSR. Here’s what a source told us three months ago:

“He wasn’t covering Terry Glenn or T.O. out there but you can see his athletic ability. He’s got the backpedal, the change of direction… I talked to people around the league before the draft — and again, this wasn’t from the Cowboys — and there were some questions about his intelligence. But there were some people who told me they thought that if he was able to pick things up that he could be a better corner than [Mike] Jenkins in the long run… he went to Boise St. but this kid has Pac 10 talent. He could have easily played at a USC or a UCLA or an Arizona or Arizona St. You could see that on the practice field…”

– Guarded Optimism for the Top Rookies, BSR, May 18th, 2008.

6. Erik Walden — the only Cowboys rookie draftee who’s at risk of missing the final cut. His spot will depend on whether the Cowboys keep eight or nine linebackers. With Kevin Burnett and Anthony Spencer on the mend, Walden may get an early shot. He needs to add upper body strength and a lot will depend on his special teams play.

Last night, Walden didn’t enter the game until the 4th quarter. He looks okay in coverage and help his point against right ends on runs his way. His issue is his rush. He looks downright Dexter Coakley-esque on the edge; he’s not short by human standards (6′2″) but he looks like a runt against NFL OTs. Walden has great quickness and change of direction but needs to use his hands better. He was trying to bull rush tackles who outweigh him by 75 pounds last night and he’s not big enough (242 lbs.) to do that. He needs to get the linemens’ hands off his body and let his explosiveness work for him.

He should get a lot more playing time against Minnesota and will need to make some plays. His roster spot might depend on it.

Overall: Early impressions suggest a solid draft for Dallas. The team’s first five picks look like locks and the 6th-rounder has a fighting chance. What’s more, Jones, Bennett and Scandrick could all be immediate contributors, with Jenkins and Choice able to add value on special teams.

Camp Cowboys: Compare and Contrast, ‘07 vs. ‘08

It’s hard to get a definite read on anything after three days of camp. Hudson Houck laughed when I asked him on Saturday what, if anything he could tell me after one day in pads? “That I still have 22 practices to go,” was his reply.

Still, Cowboys fans hate deferred gratification. Especially after 12 years without a playoff victory. With that in mind, I went back one year to see where the team was at the same stage in their Phillips Over San Antonio ‘07 Tour. This year’s tour is already looking much better. Consider:

– At quarterback, Tony Romo was looking sharp but everybody was wondering if his dropped ball in Seattle would harm his development. Now, he’s trying to stay out of the tabloids. Call this one a wash.

– At running back, Dallas was staying with the status quo, starting Julius Jones and rotating Marion Barber into the lineup. This year, the unit looks faster and deeper. Felix Jones and Tashard Choice have not played pro games yet, but I can already say with confidence that Felix will be a better receiver than Julius and I’ll take Choice already over Tyson Thompson. Score: plus one for the ‘08 squad.

– On the offensive line, the Cowboys were waiting for starters Flozell Adams and Marc Columbo to return from knee scopes. Jim Molinaro and Pat McQuistan were manning the tackle spots. This year, McQuistan is at right tackle and second year man Doug Free is at the left tackle spot. The starting lineup looks set. Score: plus one for the ‘08 squad, based on health and continuity.

– At wide receiver, Terry Glenn was about to drop off the roster with a knee injury, not to return until January. Isaiah Stanback was in a walking boot. This year, Glenn is gone again, perhaps for good. Stanback is playing, though he’s still far from polished. Sam Hurd looks better, but if he’s not displacing Patrick Crayton, he’s risen to his level. That’s a step down from ‘06, when T.O., Glenn and Crayton were the trio, but a minor step up from last year, when Hurd was an unknown. Score: a wash

– At tight end, Jason Witten was a sure thing and Anthony Fasano was the clear backup. Tony Curtis was a promising backup. This year, Curtis is the number two. Martellus Bennett has replaced Fasano, who’s now a Dolphin. He’s a big, talented player, but nobody knows how Bennett will play this year. Score: minus one, because of inexperience.

– On the defensive line, Jason Hatcher’s promising start was wiped out by a hamstring injury. Jason Ferguson was the starting nose tackle. Chris Canty and Marcus Spears were eager to wipe out underachiever labels. This year, Canty and Jay Ratliff are set at RE and NT, after stepping up their respective games last year. Tank Johnson replaces the departed Ferguson. He shows some explosion in drills, but I’ll wait until I see him in some real games before I rate him against Ferguson. Score: plus one for ‘08, because there is far less uncertainty this year.

– At linebacker in ‘07 it was Demarcus Ware and a lot of questions. Greg Ellis was rehabbing a torn Achilles and was grumpy about his contract. Anthony Spencer was an unknown rookie. Inside, Bradie James was claiming his poor ‘06 was due to playing overweight in Bill Parcells’ scheme. Kevin Burnett was an injury prone enigma and Bobby Carpenter had the eau de bust about him.

This year, many experts are touting the Cowboys’ LB corps as the league’s best. Ware and Ellis both had double digit sacks last year. Spencer looked good in a backup role. James bounced back with a steady season. Burnett found a home in the nickel, where he excelled in coverage. And the Cowboys added Zack Thomas to replace Ayodele, who’s also joined Parcells and Tony Sparano in Miami. Score: plus one for the ‘08 guys.

– In the secondary, the Cowboys were hoping for better health and play at several positions. Anthony Henry was trying to come back from a knee injury that hobbled him in ‘06. Terence Newman was days away from a plantar fascia tear. Ken Hamlin was a low budget signing from Seattle but hardly a sure thing. He had a so-so ‘06 after missing ten games in ‘05 with a severe head injury. It was far from clear if he could regain his outstanding ‘04 form. One year ago, Roy Williams was the surest bet in the secondary.

Today, he’s the most maligned. Hamlin earned his first Pro Bowl berth in ‘07. Newman overcame his heel injury and earned his first trip to Honolulu. Henry was leading the league in picks when he suffered a high ankle sprain that cost him six starts.

In addition, the Cowboys have Adam Jones and first rounder Mike Jenkins replacing Jacques Reeves and Nate Jones. Score: plus two for the ‘08 team, based on better health, and much greater depth.

Overall, the ‘08 team looks much deeper and has far fewer question marks than Wade 1.0. The injury questions at offensive tackle, outside linebacker and cornerback are gone. You could pencil in the entire starting 22 for Dallas today, where you could not do so for several positions last year.

It’s far too early to hit the giddy button, but there’s clearly far less reason to even consider locating the panic button this time around. Let’s hope things stay this way.

Seeing Stars — Afternoon Report, July 26th

After their intense full pads morning workout the Cowboys scaled back to helmets, shoulder pads and shorts for their afternoon session. The practice focused on special teams, fun and caution.

After the extended stretching session that opens every practice the team broke into individual units, who also spent a lot of time working on stretches, all targeting the hamstrings and other leg muscles which can so often pull after intense exertion.

Bruce Read’s guys again worked on punt coverage and blocking on the far field.

Later in the practice the teams worked on punt returns, with Adam Jones and Terence Newman alternating as returner. Jones showed the breathtaking shake that made him such a return weapon in ’05 and ’06. The man can change direction multiple times at high speed. That warp drive lateral movement recalls Deion Sanders, who had the same ability to lose the first gunner up the field.

The offensive and defensive lines squared off in man-on-man drills, which drew lots of ooohs from the crowd, especially when Jason Hatcher poleaxed Leonard Davis. Hatcher’s teammates were jumping up and down after Bigg Leonard got his comeuppance.

The team engaged in 7-on-7 drills but I was occupied on the far field interviewing one of the great Cowboys personalities. Duane Thomas appeared at today’s practice, honored for scoring the first touchdown at Texas Stadium. Thomas stood with Calvin Hill, Larry Lacewell and team announcer Brad Sham recalling the glory years of ’70 and ’71 when the team made its first two Super Bowl appearances and won its first title.

Thomas agreed to take questions and held court for more than half an hour, discussing psychology, the relationship of theology and football, personal development and how he viewed playing football as art, among other topics. I’ll give a much fuller write-up on his comments later, since trying to encapsulate them here could not do them justice.

Other tid bits:

I spoke to much of the Cowboys’ receiving corps today. Terrell Owens, Partrick Crayton, Sam Hurd and Isaiah Stanback all shared their thoughts, along with WR coach Ray Sherman. The unit is tight and they believe they can carry on despite Terry Glenn’s departure. They all noted that the receivers – and the offense – were were all very successful last year and feel they can continue to improve.

Coach Sherman and the other receivers were all complimentary of Stanbach. Hurd and Crayton depict him as a player on the cusp, who has the skills to stretch a defense if he can take the next step in his learning curve.

More on this later.

Note: Keyshawn Johnson also spent some time on the sidelines, adding to the Cowboys Alumni star power.

“Little Things Make a Difference…”

The Cowboys completed what head coach Wade Phillips termed a “pretty basic” day of practice in shirts and shorts today, hours before donning full pads for the first time tomorrow morning.

While the load was limited the execution was crisp. A long walk around the practice field found teaching underway on at every station:

• On the far left field defensive backs coach Dave Campo literally worked his men from the ground up, emphasizing foot placement in a press coverage drill. He stressed that his corners not widen their stances too much when they turned and jammed their receivers; doing so would let their men escape the chuck.
• A few yards behind Campo, safeties coach Brett Maxie schooled his guys on keys for recognizing runs versus pass plays. Maxie paid strict attention to each safeties placement on the field — each was supposed to line up exactly 12 yards off the line of scrimmage in certain packages. Players repeated drills when they made false steps towards the line. “Little things make a difference,” was his mantra.
• At the far right field new defensive line coach Todd Grantham taught his linemen proper hand placement, creating leverage with their and how to “strike, then bench press” when then engaging offensive linemen.
• The outside and inside linebackers worked in different groups, with the inside guys working on proper zone drops and the outside guys learning how to pivot around the edge and slap down an offensive tackle’s punchout.

The drills were interrupted by loud cheers from the near sideline, where any Terrell Owens catch caused the opening day crowd to erupt.

The press abandoned their viewing later during a seven-on-seven drill to hear Jerry Jones discuss his decision to release Terry Glenn. One reporter joked that Tony Romo could injury himself and nobody would notice, given the attention Jerry commands.

First impressions:

– HBO camera crews are everywhere, on the sidelines, in towers and just off Jerry’s arm. You almost expected one member of his personal team to walk a few steps ahead of him throwing rose petals.

– Martellus Bennett is huge. He towered over RT Marc Colombo, no drawf he.

– Bennett’s position coach John Garrett will keep him honest; Garrett was on Tony Curtis for rounding off a route on the backside of a play late in the session.

– Rookie DE Darrell Robertson made an early push to get noticed, running over Colombo on a running play to the right. Colombo didn’t appreciate being rolled in a non-contact drill.

Early depth charts:

– Offensive line – 1^st unit:  no changes from ‘07.  From LT to RT: Adams, Kosier, Gurode, Davis, Colombo;

– 2^nd unit – Doug Free, James Marten, Cory Proctor, Joe Berger, Pat McQuistan

– Felix Jones’ absence gave Tashard Choice lots of early reps.

– Justin Rogers is getting some work at OLB, with Kevin Burnett and Bobby Carpenter backing up Zach Thomas and Bradie James.

Waiting On a Plane

The Cowboys should be winging it to California right about now. I’m waiting to hear who is on and off the plane (hint: Terry Glenn) and will update if I get any breaking news.

I’m headed to Oxnard in the next few minutes to check in. My station is slowing getting back on the air after getting hammered by Hurricane Dolly yesterday. Everybody is well, though I’m not sure they have their power on. We’re still going forward with plans for live streaming, however and are optimistic that everything will continue as planned.

Finally, the injury bug has struck the Redskins again. Rookie WR Devin Thomas was carted off the field with an apparent hamstring injury. Let’s hope that bug stays east of the Mississippi.

Terry Glenn: No News is No News; Choice Signs

Update: The rookies are signing on cue. 4th round pick Tashard Choice has agreed to terms, joining Orlando Scandrick and Erik Walden as rookie signees. 1st-rounders Felix Jones and Mike Jenkins and 2nd rounder Martellus Bennett have yet to ink contracts.

I just spoke to a source who tells me that negotiations between the team and Terry Glenn are ongoing and that the parties hope to get his status resolved before the team leaves for Oxnard tomorrow. Team officials were mum on the likelihood of a new agreement and on what it would entail. Know that talks continue, and are probably underway as you read this.

More as I learn it.

I asked about rookie negotiations and was told that no surprises are expected. The team’s MO in recent years has been to sign all its picks in the days just before camp. Since Dallas’ highest pick was 22nd overall, I don’t foresee any holdouts. We’ll see.

– Your factoid of the day: this is Jerry Jones‘ 20th season as Cowboys owner. By comparison, Clint Murchison owned the club for 24 years. Jerry has the new stadium coming on schedule next year, the Super Bowl in 2011 and a team entering its prime winning window. There’s no doubt he’ll exceed Murchison’s tenure in 2013.

Glenn Situation Could Be Resolved Today

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that the Cowboys and WR Terry Glenn may resolve his situation today, either finding a common ground that will keep the veteran on the roster or release him.

I was put on alert yesterday that news could be forthcoming shortly but the team and Glenn clearly could not work something out.  I was told by a source that “Glenn is better than any player available on the street,” suggesting that anybody pining for a Jeremy Shockey-like trade to fill the Cowboys #2 spot will be sorely disappointed.

– I was also told that the Brett Favre situation could heat up in the next few days.  One source maintains that Tampa Bay remains the most likely landing place, because they appear willing to give Green Bay the first-day pick the Packers seek in exchange for Favre.

Source: The Questions Are On Offense

I talked to a source who broke down the issues facing the team less than a month before training camp. Although the offense ranked 2nd overall in points, averaging just more than four touchdowns per game, I was told the organization sees its biggest questions on the offensive side of the ball. Some key points:

BSR: What are the biggest concerns on each side of the ball?

– The defense looks solid. I think the secondary looks strong, the linebackers look strong and the line looks solid. In the secondary, Terence Newman is solid, Adam Jones is solid. I think Anthony Henry didn’t look like he was 100% in the mini-camps, but he should be fine.

I think one of the rookie corners will be in the mix, though I’m not sure if it will be the one [Mike Jenkins] or the five [Orlando Scandrick]. One will be in the lineup this year and the other will be inactive. We won’t really know until they put on the pads at Oxnard.

I’ll add that I think the secondary will be improved with Dave Campo running that unit. They appeared to be better fundamentally. Nothing against the last coach [Todd Bowles] but I think Campo is an exceptional teacher and the guys know he’s got their backs.

BSR: So you don’t see an overhaul positon wise? I’m of the belief that they’ll stick with Ken Hamlin at the free and limit Roy Williams’ reps, getting him off the field when they’re in nickel and dime sets.

– Absolutely. Teams find guys like that. I also think the team is playing Hamlin right. Make him do it more than one year. If he plays well again, then you think about something long term.

BSR: What about the offensive side of the ball? Where are the weak links there?

– There are a few questions there. I think the team wants to get a better sense of its offensive line depth. They have Pat McQuistan going into his third year and Doug Free entering his second year and they moved James Marten to guard. They’ll give their starters some time but you may see the young guys going two and three quarters in some games so the team can get a really good look at them against top competition.

I also have some questions about backup quarterback. Brad Johnson is a smart guy but when he’s in there the ball goes sideways a lot. I think he’s here for 2008 but I’m sure the team has an eye out for another prospect beyond this year. 95% of the teams in this league are cooked if they lose their starting QB but if Tony Romo missed any significant time I think the Cowboys are an 8-8 team without him.

Without question, the biggest issue is at wide receiver. The team isn’t panicking yet, but I do think they have some worries about the #2 position. The offense stopped scoring touchdowns when Terrell Owens got hurt last year. Patrick Crayton is okay but he’s more of a #3 than a #2.

The team was looking for a young receiver before who could become a number one and could not find a fit.

I think they might need a little luck to fill that this year. It gets harder to fill holes once camp begins.

BSR: I know the Tom Landry Cowboys often filled holes with trades for veteran receivers. Lance Alworth, Billy Parks, guys like that. Might Dallas look at a veteran who’s dependable, in the way Keenan McCardell was for the Chargers a few years ago? And does this explain the Joe Horn rumors?

– My understanding is that Horn’s agent was given permission to shop him. The Cowboys have not called Atlanta.

BSR: So this is likely his agent trying to drum up interest?

– Yes, but if you asked me would I take Terry Glenn with nicks or Joe Horn, I’d take Glenn.

BSR: If the team can’t fill this need via trade, does this mean they’ll turn more to a guy like Felix Jones as a receiver?

– I think Jason Garrett is a guy who wants to open things up and get the ball down the field. I think one of the bigger questions is: how fast can Felix Jones learn what’s going on? He has to be a blocker, a catcher and a runner.

He’s got the potential to be a matchup problem, because he’s an explosive player, and because Dallas has T.O. and Jason Witten and Marion Barber, who can play every down, and they’re legitimate weapons, so defense can’t just lock in on him. But they will if he’s not clear on his responsibilities. It’s going to be interesting to track him in the one-on-one drills in camp, to see how he does against linebackers. Will they rag doll him, or will be be able to stay square and hold his ground?

If he doesn’t picks things up fast enough he’s Reggie Bush, a guy you draw up special plays for. And he has to be better than that. If all he can do is run special plays just for him, defenses will clue in very quickly that he’s in the game to get the ball.

An Interview with K.C. Joyner, Part II

The second installment of my interview with the “Football Scientist,” K.C. Joyner looks at Jason Witten, the receiving corps, the Morgan-for-Bryant trade, the QBs in the NFC East and the top passing attacks and secondaries the Cowboys will face in 2005.

14. You mentioned in the first responses that your book covered WRs, TEs and QBs. Why no analysis of running backs as receivers?

Joyner: I didn’t include RBs in the analysis as receivers because most of their routes are checkdown routes or very short routes like wide routes. I plan to do more route analysis next year on receivers, but if I do anything for RBs it will be on screen routes and the like. I wanted to do one this year (I was dying to see how good GB was on screens) but just ran out of time!

15. Let’s address a very sore subject for the readers. Jason Witten has, in their opinion, received a raw deal from most of the preseason analysts. Where does he sit in your tight end hierarchy, and can you give a brief rundown of his game?

Joyner: I like Jason Witten a whole lot. I’ll even throw in another freebie from the book to show you:
Jason Witten

Witten was one of the best receiving tight ends in the league last year. He ranked 3rd in overall attempts, 5th in completion percentage, tied for 6th in yards per attempt, and 6th in lowest total tight/good coverage percentage. He was one of the most vertical tight ends in the league, ranking 2nd in deep attempts and 7th in deep attempt percentage. His short completion percentage ranked him 4th, and his medium completion percentage ranked him tied for 5th.

Two things best showcase his value to the Dallas offense. First, despite his high percentage of deep passes, he also led the league in short pass attempts. The second is his frequent use at WR.

Witten was used as a WR on 39 of his 129 attempts. He caught 29 of those passes for 353 yards and 3 TDs. When you factor into those numbers that Witten had only 3 attempts from the WR position between weeks 1-7, you begin to understand his evolving role last year as the WR injuries occurred.

It will be very interesting to see how the Cowboys use Witten this year if Glenn and Morgan both come back strong. I can’t imagine Parcells not finding a way to get this guy the ball even if the receiving corps is fully healthy and productive. This guy is simply too good of a receiver to not get the ball in his hands.

Witten has a skill set that is second probably only to Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates. He does more things well than almost any other TE (at least from a receiving standpoint) and I think he is the inside favorite to be the NFC Pro Bowl TE this year.

16. One of the bigger surprises this offseason has been the inattention to the WR position. Considering the age and injury histories of Keyshawn Johnson and Terry Glenn, do you think Bill Parcells is playing with fire here?

Joyner: Yes I do, but I think the Boys are looking at it from a one-year perspective. They do have some young receivers who may or may not pan out. If one of those do pan out, and with Witten’s receiving ability, then they would be OK. I just think they saw other personnel issues that needed more attention.

17. One of the problems the Cowboys faced in ‘04 was their lack of depth at WR. They had a hard time fielding three-WR sets, and once Glenn was injured, their base two-WR sets were pedestrian. Is Quincy Morgan up to the task of being the deep threat Dallas needs to make its 3-WR sets work?

Joyner: I hate to give away another freebie, but the best way to describe Morgan is again in the analysis from the book:
Quincy Morgan

He had a very disappointing season. Morgan ranked 81st in completion percentage, tied for 78th in yards per attempt, and 85th in tight/good coverage percentage. He was just as bad on vertical routes, which are supposed to be his specialty. He was 81st in deep completion percentage and 75th in deep tight/good coverage percentage despite facing soft coverage only 4.5% of the time.

I know Morgan was injured a lot, but there was something I saw him do late last season that gave me pause. He ran 2 deep-in routes and he slowed down toward the end of each of the routes. Now you can’t do that on any route, but you especially can’t do that on a deep-in, as the QB is throwing to a spot and you have to get there. One of the passes was intercepted and the other was nearly intercepted. I don’t know why Morgan didn’t run them out, but it looked like he didn’t want anything to do with the traffic in the middle.

Morgan is a speed receiver who isn’t getting open deep and has issues going over the middle. He better fix at least one of those problems or he simply won’t be thrown the ball very often.

Morgan may not be the answer, but as I mentioned in #16, I think one of the other prospects might be.

18. Let’s revisit the Morgan-for-Antonio Bryant trade. At the time, it was presented as Dallas cutting its losses, given Bryant’s bad behavior and erratic route running. I’ve had many friends express fear that Bryant could blossom and make this deal look bad. What, in your opinion, are the chances of this occuring? How do you rate each of them?

Joyner: It was the best deal each team could cut. Neither of these receivers were working out in their situations last year, so it was a risky deal on both sides. I think the Browns are going to find out why Trent Dilfer wasn’t a starting QB (his decision making is among the worst in football) and that will hurt Bryant. Bryant didn’t look that much better on film for Cleveland than he did for Dallas last year. It may turn out the Boys will get the bad end of the deal if Morgan doesn’t get his act together, but I can’t hold that against them because Bryant obviously wasn’t working out either.

19. I’ve argued that Darren Woodson’s injury last August gutted the pass defense, because it effected all four secondary positions. Dallas moved Roy Williams to FS, which is not his best position and played its CBs seven yards off the ball in early games, when it played a lot of press coverage in ‘03. Williams is moving back to SS this year. How much better could Roy Williams be playing there?

Joyner: Roy Williams isn’t very good in coverage and moving him to SS would reduce his coverage liabilities. He’s also a great run stuffer and blitzer, and it will help the Boys tremendously the closer they can get him to the line of scrimmage. I know Dallas has been looking at a number of FS prospects, and if I were them I would keep Roy at SS no matter what. I think Williams is a B level coverage person and even if the Boys found a player who was a B- level player, they would be better off playing Williams at SS. The upside of him at SS more than outweighs the slight coverage advantage he’d give you over a subpar FS prospect. What they ought to try to do is trade for a good backup FS on another team, maybe hit up the Cardinals for one of theirs. FS isn’t the hardest position to fill, it just takes a heady player who reads plays well, and they shouldn’t give up Williams SS abilities for that.

20. Right now, Izell Reese is the favorite to start at FS. Can Dallas depend on him to play centerfield in a blitzing, man-to-man scheme?

Joyner: I haven’t seen enough of Reese to give a definitive opinion. He’s been OK in the tape I have seen of him, probably a bit better than the Cowboys had last year.

21. The secondary got a lot of well-deserved blame for the defense’s decline last year. But the linebackers didn’t help either did they? Can you give a brief overview of that unit’s play against the pass?

Joyner: I can’t say that I saw a whole lot of good or bad out of the Cowboys LBs from a coverage standpoint. The thing that stood out with me is that the Boys opponents always seemed to target the CBs or safeties, so they didn’t need to go after the LBs. One of the most in-depth pieces of analysis I did in the book was on the Patriots LBs and the positive impact they had on the Patriots overall zone coverage scheme. The Cowboys like to play more man coverage than zone, at least when they can, so the LBs aren’t in position as often to help the CBs as they would be in a predominately zone coverage scheme.

22. A successful season starts in your division. How do the QBs in the NFC East rate?

Joyner: That’s a fairly open-ended question, so I’ll just give a quick blurb on each as a start. I think Donovan McNabb is one of the top 2 or 3 QBs in all of football. He does the things well in the passing game that you want a QB to do (stand in against the rush, spot the open receiver, throw an accurate pass) and he does them as well as any other QB in football sans Tom Brady. Patrick Ramsey/Mark Brunell both feel the pass rush far too much to be effective, and Giants fans are in an uproar on some of their blogs because of how badly I rated Eli Manning. I got an email from one sympathetic fan telling me that “pedigree doesn’t even work very well in dogs, and it certainly doesn’t work for QBs”, which basically nutshells my thoughts on Eli. If his last name wasn’t Manning, he’d just be Tony Romo (and I don’t mean that as a knock on Romo).

23. The Giants, Eagles and Redskins all shuffled WRs this spring. What did the Giants gain in signing Plaxico Burress?

Joyner: Plax is a very good receiver and did give them a needed upgrade. He vertical numbers last year weren’t good, though part of that had to do with the limitations on the Steelers passing attack as a whole. Plax will have the same problems this year, though, so I don’t expect a huge season from him.

24. Did the Redskins outthink themselves trading Laveranues Coles for Santana Moss?

Joyner: In a nutshell, probably not. Coles is supposed to be a speedy deep threat, but he was thrown more short passes last year than any other receiver. Coles’ injuries have kept him from being the deep threat he should be, and with the Jets having Justin McCareins as a vertical receiver, it was a deal that helped both teams.

25. I doubt it will happen, but let’s say for arguments sake that Terrell Owens holds out for part of the season. How much would the Eagles’ passing game suffer?

Joyner: It would suffer, but the thing I point out about the Eagles is that McNabb’s skill set allowed them to get away with pedestrian receivers for years. The Eagles knew McNabb’s ability would stretch their thin receiving corps enough to win during the regular season, but their postseason woes made it clear they needed to upgrade. If TO is out, they will still find a way to win in the regular season.

26. In the SI piece you singled out Champ Bailey as an overrated CB and the Eagles’ Sheldon Brown as a vastly underappreciated one. Are there any other unsung CBs in the division? Or safeties for that matter?

Joyner: I thought Gibril Wilson of the Giants played well enough in 10 games to win the defensive rookie of the year award last year.

27. Teams don’t play in a vacuum. The Cowboys will have to line up against thirteen different defenses this year. Who are some of the better CBs and which are the better secondaries from outside the division that they will have to face in ‘05?

Joyner: Not many good ones, I can tell you that. Arizona, Detroit, and San Diego are all better than they get credit for, but if I were a fantasy coach, I’d be going crazy over the lousy secondaries the Cowboys will be facing. KC, Oakland, Seattle (at least at CB), SF, none of these secondaries are any good. From that standpoint, if Drew faces his problems and the receivers pan out and/or stay healthy, it could be a big passing year for Dallas.

28. On the flip side, which are some of the better passing attacks the Dallas defense will face?

Joyner: Believe it or not, it’s most of the same teams that I named in 27. Oakland has a good chance of being a very good passing team, Seattle has the talent if they can get their act together, and KC will be good as long as their O line is healthy. Carolina is one of the most vertical passing teams in the league, and Detroit could be very dangerous if Jeff Garcia gets into the starting lineup.

Thanks again, K.C. I think I speak for all the readers.

Joyner: Rafael, thanks again for the forum.

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