Rookie Minicamp/OTAs Thread

[Cowboysrock55]

Without Witten but with Zeke for the whole season and the Offense still looked like crap until the Cooper trade.

8.9 ypc and no explosiveness to the offense were major problems with Witten in 2017. He held back the passing offense last time we saw him.

 

[Smitty]

It's football not a statistics course. There are no controlled studies.

You can make a case that Witten held the team back -- I wouldn't agree, but you can make it -- without citing the offense's struggles in general. Cite Witten's stats.

But the offense as a whole had personnel problems.

I mean, 2018 the offense was real bad the first 7 games. I guess it was cause Witten had retired! /sarcasm

 

[Cowboysrock55]

You can make a case that Witten held the team back -- I wouldn't agree, but you can make it -- without citing the offense's struggles in general. Cite Witten's stats.

But the offense as a whole had personnel problems.

I mean, 2018 the offense was real bad the first 7 games. I guess it was cause Witten had retired! /sarcasm

Its funny because Dak was blamed for Dez and Witten's pathetic stats. Both leave and Dak looks much better. Clearly Dak wasn't holding Cooper back.

But you're right, you can look at stats and see that 8.9 ypc is pathetic. But stats can easily be manipulated. It's easier and better sometimes to look at the overall results of an offense the year the old sluggish player is gone.

 

[Smitty]

There's way more to the picture than just 8.9 ypc.

It certainly doesn't paint the picture of an explosive player who has any long term future, but tweaks to things here or there, including Dak's own improvement, could yield measurably better results. Certainly more reliability than we had last year at the position. I'll take it.

 

[boozeman]

 

[Cowboysrock55]

There's way more to the picture than just 8.9 ypc.

It certainly doesn't paint the picture of an explosive player who has any long term future, but tweaks to things here or there, including Dak's own improvement, could yield measurably better results. Certainly more reliability than we had last year at the position. I'll take it.

Our TE's were more productive last year than they were the prior year (More yards and higher YPC) with Witten. I guess the argument could be made that the blocking will be better. But the stats show us that the passing offense may take a hit. Assuming of course that Witten continues to hog most of the offensive snaps. Especially when you consider the TE's last year averaged 10.44 ypc while Witten's average of 8.9 the year prior was a problem.

I get that the Jarwin, Swaim, Schultz and Rico group doesn't look very good. Because it's not. But Witten is only going to hurt this passing offense if he is anything like he was in 2017. What it comes down to is do you want 3 TEs who get you 710 yards or one TE who gets you 560 yards. The 3 TE's might suck but the end result is better. Especially if they create more explosive plays.

 

[Cotton]

Really excited to see what our front 7 does this year. This front 7 could be extremely dominant.

 

[p1_]

What replacement? We don't have a Witten replacement on the roster.

Jarwin and Schultz will most likely be career backups. Prove me wrong.

maybe we don't, maybe we do. I think this season sees Jarwin and Schulz provide that answer in a definitive way. Jarwin had a nice stretch run, final 8 games of the season he had 28 receptions for 297 with 3 TDs. Those arent bad numbers.

 

[boozeman]

 

[boozeman]

[h=1]The new OC, and other minicamp things[/h] By Matt Mosley FRISCO — I took a couple steps inside the Dallas Cowboys’ locker room Tuesday and realized some things never change: Jason Witten is the unquestioned leader of this team despite his sabbatical.

He greeted me with the most bone-crushing handshake this side of DeMarco Murray, and then launched into a discourse about how ESPN’s Monday Night Football ratings actually increased 10% last season. This man is back in his element, but he’ll be fueled, in part by the criticism that dogged him in the TV booth.

The idea he’ll play only 25 snaps per game is ludicrous, and Witten knows it. He started to reveal what he thinks will actually happen, but decided to keep the number to himself. His animated appearance on the first day of minicamp reinforced my belief he’ll be coaching this team sooner rather than later. I think Jason Garrett is genuinely happy to have Witten back on campus, but I assure you he knows coaching is in the tight end’s future.

I saw All-Pro running back Zeke Elliott peek out to see the reporters still gathered, and he quickly retreated. He may be the centerpiece of this offense, but this is Witten’s and Dak Prescott’s team. Elliott hasn’t spoken to the media since his incident in Las Vegas was filmed by TMZ, and that probably won’t change until training camp. Why would Elliott say anything when he can send the actual leaders of the team out to speak on his behalf?

Other than Witten’s vice-grip on this locker room, it’s this team’s receiving corps that grabbed my attention. I’m told new slot receiver Randall Cobb ran a perfect scramble drill to catch a touchdown pass from Dak Prescott toward the end of practice. Second-year receiver Michael Gallup seems poised to be the perfect complement to Amari Cooper.

“I just kind of look down the line and think, ‘They don’t even need me out here,’” Gallup said. “It’s exciting. Jason Witten comes back to the huddle and even if you weren’t in the play, he has something to say to you. Randall Cobb, he’s an older head, too. I appreciate both of them.”

Gallup is also leaning into the Kellen Moore era at offensive coordinator. I continue to believe Garrett will call the plays, but it appears Moore is putting his stamp on this offense. Every offensive player I talked to Tuesday indicated the offense should be much more unpredictable.

“He was up there at Boise State and ran a bunch of trick plays,” Gallup said of Moore. “He’s made it flavorful for everybody. He’s closer to our age group. He knows what we’re thinking, knows what we’re good at.

“He wants everyone to know each position. Line up and go, and the [defensive backs] don’t know how to guard that.”

It’s not often you see a team rally around the firing of an offensive coordinator, but the Cowboys seem to be emboldened by the absence of Scott Linehan. And what makes it a bit awkward is that Linehan was Moore’s mentor in the NFL. But the Cowboys fervently believe Moore will bring some of the pre-snap magic Sean McVay has given the Los Angles Rams.

Before I left the locker room Tuesday, I checked in with Randall Cobb. This is the man who’s supposed to replace Cole Beasley, which is no easy task. Cobb is close friends with Aaron Rodgers, which ought to count for something. Troy Aikman has told me more than once that a team’s third receiver can make all the difference. There’s a chance Cobb could be one of the better under-the-radar signings of free agency, but I will be the first to say Beasley could be a big loss for this team.

Cobb said Tuesday that Garrett and Moore had both solicited his ideas from the Green Bay offense. Aaron Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks in league history, and he was highly disappointed to lose Cobb.

Linehan was fired, essentially, for convincing Jerry Jones the Cowboys were OK last season without a true No. 1 wide receiver. The results were so disastrous the Cowboys traded a first-round pick for Raiders receiver Amari Cooper. I now believe the Cowboys have a much better receiving corps than the Redskins and Giants, and one that is comparable to the Eagles.

If this team somehow has the best receiving corps in the NFC, I don’t think a Super Bowl is out of the question. And it may not take long for me to regret writing that last sentence.

 

[Cotton]

I continue to believe Garrett will call the plays

He fucking better not be.

 

[Cotton]

I now believe the Cowboys have a much better receiving corps than the Redskins and Giants, and one that is comparable to the Eagles.

I would even go so far as to say our receiving corps is better than the Eagles.

 

[boozeman]

I would even go so far as to say our receiving corps is better than the Eagles.

Overall, their personnel is pretty overrated. Cooper is better than Jeffrey. I don't think Agholor, Jackson and their new rookie are appreciably better than Gallup, Cobb and Hurns/Austin.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

[h=1]

Linehan was fired, essentially, for convincing Jerry Jones the Cowboys were OK last season without a true No. 1 wide receiver. The results were so disastrous the Cowboys traded a first-round pick for Raiders receiver Amari Cooper. I now believe the Cowboys have a much better receiving corps than the Redskins and Giants, and one that is comparable to the Eagles.

I don't believe this to be true. Linehan was fired for the same thing we have been seeing for years. An unimaginative and predictable offense. Saying that he was fired for thinking he could get by without a true No. 1 wide out is ridiculous. I'm sure Linehan would have loved to have a true number 1 WR. But it's not like there were an abundance of options out there until we traded for Cooper.

 

[Cotton]

I don't believe this to be true. Linehan was fired for the same thing we have been seeing for years. An unimaginative and predictable offense. Saying that he was fired for thinking he could get by without a true No. 1 wide out is ridiculous. I'm sure Linehan would have loved to have a true number 1 WR. But it's not like there were an abundance of options out there until we traded for Cooper.

I think he got fired because someone on the offensive side of the ball had to be blamed and Jerry wasn't ready to blame/fire Garrett just yet. Linehan was running Garrett's offense after all. The epitome of a scapegoat.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

maybe we don't, maybe we do. I think this season sees Jarwin and Schulz provide that answer in a definitive way. Jarwin had a nice stretch run, final 8 games of the season he had 28 receptions for 297 with 3 TDs. Those arent bad numbers.

I guess it depends on what one considers a Witten replacement. We certainly don't have a guy on the roster who gives us what Witten did in his prime. He is a HOF caliber TE. But do we have TE's who can give us what Witten did in 2017 we absolutely do. It's why our TE numbers as a group in 2018 were better than 2017. But this is what happens with aging players. Some people think of Witten in his prime while others think of him as the shell of his former self that most 37 year old players are.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

I think he got fired because someone on the offensive side of the ball had to be blamed and Jerry wasn't ready to blame/fire Garrett just yet. Linehan was running Garrett's offense after all. The epitome of a scapegoat.

Sort of, I mean Garrett's "playbook" isn't as thin Linehan made it look. And I have a hard time believing that Garrett refused his ability to add plays to it if he wanted. The fact is that Linehan is a pretty simple play caller. He sticks to the run and doesn't have much creativity when it comes to calling plays. He gets stuck in a rut of calling the same shit over and over.

That's not an escape path for Garrett though. The guy is a former play caller and is supposedly an offensive minded coach. He sure as shit should have stepped in for Linehan when he saw these issues. But than Garrett dirties his own hands and risks his own neck. So better to leave Linehan on the line struggling.

 

[Cotton]

Sort of, I mean Garrett's "playbook" isn't as thin Linehan made it look. And I have a hard time believing that Garrett refused his ability to add plays to it if he wanted. The fact is that Linehan is a pretty simple play caller. He sticks to the run and doesn't have much creativity when it comes to calling plays. He gets stuck in a rut of calling the same shit over and over.

That's not an escape path for Garrett though. The guy is a former play caller and is supposedly an offensive minded coach. He sure as shit should have stepped in for Linehan when he saw these issues. But than Garrett dirties his own hands and risks his own neck. So better to leave Linehan on the line struggling.

It's probably something in between what the two of us are saying. I think it was probably a combination of being scapegoated and his ridiculous play calls on gameday.

 

[p1_]

Linehan was very stubborn allegedly

 

[boozeman]