Mac "White Flag" Engel: Pay Dez Because Everyone Else Sucks

Cotton

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Yep, yep and yep.

I mean, who the hell has an emotional connection to Dez? Certainly no one here for the most part.

The emotions mostly seem to be coming from the"dump him" side.

Personally, I'm looking at this logically. If we were presented with the opportunity to replace him with a roughly equivalent caliber player who is younger and/or cheaper, I'm all for it.

But this emotional outburst narrative that claims that he is lazy, slow, and can't get separation is simply false. He's certainly flawed but he can still make plays and he still draws coverage, and he can still be pretty productive if the QB connects with him.

The money argument is the best argument against keeping him, but someone would have to convince me that we'd use that money savings in a way that would benefit the team more than simply keeping him would. I just don't see us using the money savings in any better way.

My overall point though, is that if people think dumping Dez will cure all or even most or much of what ails this offense, they are in for a rude awakening. This offense won't improve without the QB improving.
But, Geng, he has shown the be lazy, slow, and can’t get separation. That’s the problem. Couple that with the drops and yammering for the ball, and you have a detriment to the offense.
 

Cowboysrock55

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My overall point though, is that if people think dumping Dez will cure all or even most or much of what ails this offense, they are in for a rude awakening. This offense won't improve without the QB improving.
You're right, for you it's about Dak. Can't be that Dez is part of problem because that somehow absolves Dak in your mind. Dumping Dez as least cures some of the problem though which is the point. Because Dak isn't going anywhere.

And by the way I still feel lile I have an emotional connection to Dez. I'll miss the awesome catches he made here. He still is a good receiver and I actually like his fire. But I can also see how it's counter productive for what this team does well.
 
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Genghis Khan

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But, Geng, he has shown the be lazy, slow, and can’t get separation. That’s the problem. Couple that with the drops and yammering for the ball, and you have a detriment to the offense.
He's not different than he ever was back when he was putting up elite numbers.
 

Genghis Khan

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You're right, for you it's about Dak. Can't be that Dez is part of problem because that somehow absolves Dak in your mind. Dumping Dez as least cures some of the problem though which is the point. Because Dak isn't going anywhere.
I don't think it's a stretch to suggest that the most important position in sports has by far the biggest impact on an offense.
 

boozeman

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But this emotional outburst narrative that claims that he is lazy, slow, and can't get separation is simply false. He's certainly flawed but he can still make plays and he still draws coverage, and he can still be pretty productive if the QB connects with him.
You are giving him way too much credit.

He can be taken out of any game by a talkative, physical CB. This "dominance" you claim is still there only manifests itself when he plays the Bradley Fletchers of this league.
 

Cowboysrock55

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I don't think it's a stretch to suggest that the most important position in sports has by far the biggest impact on an offense.
He does but if you're hoping we move on from Dak you're living in a dream world. At 24 he will get better. As responsible as he was for the struggle last year he was just as responsible for the stellar 2016 season. So you hope he can get back to that. A season in which Dez only had 97 targets. He was a far smaller piece of our offense then. Which is actually the role I'd love to keep Dez around for. Just not at a cap cost of 16.5 mil.
 

Cowboysrock55

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He's not different than he ever was back when he was putting up elite numbers.
He is way different. He is a guy who got by with freak athletic ability whose athleticism has diminished. Which isn't surprising since Dez has taken a beating over his career. By far our most physical WR when running and catching the ball.
 

p1_

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People are too emotional to actually bring up relevant information. It's all general terms.

Dez is holding the offense back, because it's too scary to blame the QB or coaches.
http://www.dallascowboyscentral.com/showthread.php?7219-Sturm-Figuring-Out-Dez-Bryant-%96-And-Where-His-Situation-Is-Headed

Please review these detailed stats showing that, despite Jerry not having a sure thing alternative, it is indeed time to move the hell on from the current shell of a former badass.
 

DLK150

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They don't want to eat the salary, period. The money is more important than actually improving the roster and that's partially because of their own stupid knee jerk contracts, paying players more than they're worth once they display any kind of potential.

This team has been trying to replicate "The Triplets" for almost twenty years, the attempts have basically been failures and that's mainly because of a front office that has been making way more bad decisions than good ones in that time.
 

ravidubey

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A quote from this very article:


“Is that enough to say goodbye? Again, I don't believe that at all. Dez Bryant affects coverage. He keeps secondaries on notice. He makes safeties nervous. Yes, this will continue to diminish as defenses lose their fear of him as his skills diminish, but I saw enough rolling coverage in 2017 to conclude that he still is the biggest weapon for Prescott and he still causes defenses stress, which, in turn, makes the running game's job easier due to higher safeties.”

IOW, EXAcTLY what I’ve been saying. Again.
 

ravidubey

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:lol

Every stat shows we are far worse when throwing to Dez than anyone else. I think you're confused on whose eyes are shut. Imaging that it's still 2014 and Dez is in his prime is the epitome of closing your eyes to the truth.
Every stat showed Dak was the next coming of Jesus.

Funny how shit changes and how most stats don’t tell you a damned thing.

Football is is way too complex to judge using stats.

People have tried, but the game is unpredictable and will always be best judged by those who know it and watch it carefully.
 

ravidubey

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You are giving him way too much credit.

He can be taken out of any game by a talkative, physical CB. This "dominance" you claim is still there only manifests itself when he plays the Bradley Fletchers of this league.
More like taken out of the game by refs who let CBs do whatever they want to Dez. It’s like you’re watching the Patriots ass rape Marshall Faulk in 2001/2002 all over again.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Every stat showed Dak was the next coming of Jesus.

Funny how shit changes and how most stats don’t tell you a damned thing.

Football is is way too complex to judge using stats.

People have tried, but the game is unpredictable and will always be best judged by those who know it and watch it carefully.
:lol

It's not rocket science. When you get horrible results throwing the ball to a guy you shouldn't pass him the ball.
 

Chocolate Lab

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I don't think Dez is as good as he was, no, but I also don't think he's a massive problem on the field. I always listen to the postgame shows, and last year I was amazed at how much blame Dez would get after losses -- like he was causing the entire team to fail. When both sides of the ball look like crap, look to the head coach, not a WR who might be targeted five times a game.
 

p1_

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A quote from this very article:


“Is that enough to say goodbye? Again, I don't believe that at all. Dez Bryant affects coverage. He keeps secondaries on notice. He makes safeties nervous. Yes, this will continue to diminish as defenses lose their fear of him as his skills diminish, but I saw enough rolling coverage in 2017 to conclude that he still is the biggest weapon for Prescott and he still causes defenses stress, which, in turn, makes the running game's job easier due to higher safeties.”IOW, EXAcTLY what I’ve been saying. Again.
You havent said anything about what you would propose his 'keeping' price to be. Please bolster your argument by seeing it through to a practical conclusion. This MF expects his $16M; that aint't happenin, so then what would you propose to give him that will appease his mature sense of self worth? I, for one, will proceed with the assumption that if he's on the roster, his production numbers will be the same or worse. That'll be just great.
 

p1_

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The top 10 deep threats in the NFL

By Matt Harmon
Associate Fantasy Writer/Editor
Published: March 12, 2018 at 02:07 p.m.
Updated: March 12, 2018 at 03:44 p.m.
0 Likes | 0 Comments

Few plays are as exciting in football as the well-thrown deep ball hurled down the field to a wide receiver cutting through an opposing secondary. Big plays can turn the tide of a game and completely flip field position. It's why we see teams every offseason chase players who can bring that added dimension to an offense.

Creating plays in the deep game goes beyond pure speed. The league's best deep threats don't just run past defender -- they use deception in their route-running to elude defenders and the ability to track the ball in the air to win down the field. With the help of the Next Gen Stats data collected via the chips in every player's shoulder pads, we can now quantify some of those skills to learn who is the most dangerous wide receiver on downfield passes.

Using a composite score of several receiver stats accumulated on deep targets, we'll examine the top 10 deep threats from the 2017 season. Here are the qualifiers for these rankings:


1
Tyreek Hill
WR
Chiefs

Passer rating: 138.9 (second).
Catch rate: 54.2 percent (second).
Percentage of yards: 53.1 percent (second).
Deep touchdowns: 6 (second).

Score: 8.

It would have been a surprise if anyone else had ended up as the top player on this list. Hill emerged as a dangerous playmaker during his rookie season in 2016. Last offseason, the team severed ties with Jeremy Maclin and elevated Hill to the No. 1 receiver role for 2017. The former fifth-round pick thrived as the Chiefs' primary receiver and was particularly effective downfield, where he demonstrated the ability to win. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound wideout also tracked the ball in contested situations, catching seven of his 13 tight-window targets for 25.7 yards per reception.



As the world spins toward the 2018 NFL season, no single player is a more frightening deep threat than Hill, who will get to work with a new quarterback in Patrick Mahomes. The 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Mahomes has the theoretical skill set as a thrower to unlock an even higher ceiling for the Chiefs' deep passing offense than his predecessor, Alex Smith -- if that's possible.

2
Marvin Jones
WR
Lions

Passer rating: 121.5 (sixth).
Catch rate: 50 percent (third).
Percentage of yards: 51.6 percent (third).
Deep touchdowns: 5 (fourth).

Score: 16.

The most dangerous wide receivers in the NFL win on contested throws and make big plays. With that in mind, it's notable that Jones finished No. 2 in both the rankings of the best wideouts on tight-window targets and the top deep threats. Lions offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter molded Matthew Stafford to fit into a system that revolves around up-tempo short passing, but when the former No. 1 overall pick reverts to his gunslinger ways, Stafford's eyes go to Jones. Their connection down the field evolved into a true weapon in the receiver's second season with the team. Jones recorded 15 deep receptions in 2017, trailing only Brandin Cooks. While he might not check the boxes of a traditional No. 1 receiver, Jones provides rare proficiency in both the vertical and contested-catch games.

3
Ted Ginn
WR
Saints

Passer rating: 135.4 (third).
Catch rate: 50 percent (fourth).
Percentage of yards: 40.8 percent (eighth).
Deep touchdowns: 3 (10th).

Score: 25.

The long-time NFL speedster moved from the Panthers to join the NFC South-rival Saints last offseason and filled their need for a deep threat. Even at 32 years old, Ginn proved to be one of the best vertical threats in the NFL in 2017. Of his four scores, three came on passes that traveled 20-plus yards in the air. He wasn't as prolific as former Saint Brandin Cooks, who was traded to New England last year, but the veteran wideout filled the shot-play role in the always-high-flying Drew Brees passing game. Ginn has two more years left on his deal with New Orleans, and while the team will add more weapons this offseason, the 12th-year pro will help the Saints continue to operate as one of the league's premier aerial attacks as his career winds down.

4
Robby Anderson
WR
Jets

Passer rating: 97.1 (15th).
Catch rate: 44 percent (sixth).
Percentage of yards: 40.6 percent (ninth).
Deep touchdowns: 7 (first).

Score: 31.

One of 2017's top breakout receivers, Anderson emerged as a true difference-maker on a Jets offense that was expected to be among the league's worst headed into the regular season. The former undrafted free agent's vertical ability -- of which we saw signs during his rookie season in 2016 -- became fully formed in his second NFL campaign. All seven of Anderson's touchdowns in 2017 came on deep passes, and he led all wide receivers in the category. Still just 24 years old, Anderson clearly has the ability to be one of the best vertical wideouts in the game for years to come, though he's also set a troubling pattern of behavior off the field. Anderson's January arrest in Florida was his second arrest in less than a year's time. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News wrote that the Jets aren't ready to give up on Anderson, but that he's in danger or running out of chances and could face a league-mandated suspension in 2018.

5
Brandin Cooks
WR
Patriots

Passer rating: 97.0 (16th).
Catch rate: 45.7 percent (fifth).
Percentage of yards: 55.5 percent (first).
Deep touchdowns: 3 (14th).

Score: 36.

While he switched teams in 2017, moving from New Orleans to New England, little changed about Cooks' ability to make plays as a vertical threat. Cooks led all wide receivers with 16 catches on throws that traveled 20-plus yards in the air, while he added a big-play element the Patriots' offense hasn't had since the days of Randy Moss. Cooks' presence brought a noticeable difference, as Tom Brady saw his intended air yards average rise to 9.4 last season after finishing at 8.6 in 2016. Cooks, who will enter the final year of his contract in 2018, will almost certainly be a priority for the team to extend after being the rare successful wide receiver to immediately take to the system, outside of Chris Hogan, since the Moss and Wes Welker years.

6
Paul Richardson
WR
Seahawks

Passer rating: 126.2 (fourth).
Catch rate: 38.9 percent (12th).
Percentage of yards: 39.1 percent (10th).
Deep touchdowns: 3 (12th).

Score: 38.

After the likes of Allen Robinson and Sammy Watkins are scooped up on the free-agent market, teams in need of an X-receiver will turn their attention to yet another 2014 draft pick. Richardson emerged as the second-best wideout on the Seahawks behind Doug Baldwin last year, serving as Seattle's primary downfield threat. Russell Wilson had a 126.2 passer rating when targeting Richardson on passes that traveled 20-plus yards in the air. The lanky wideout hauled in seven deep balls for 275 yards and three scores. Teams will have questions about Richardson's injury history, including a twice-torn ACL that kept him from cracking the passing rotation until Tyler Lockett was hurt late in 2016. However, he's a soon-to-be 26-year-old deep threat who is more than comfortable fighting for the ball with defensive backs right in his hip pocket. Those traits make him an ideal target for offenses in need of help out wide.

7
JuJu Smith-Schuster
WR
Steelers

Passer rating: 139.2 (first).
Catch rate: 54.5 percent (first).
Percentage of yards: 33.6 percent (21st).
Deep touchdowns: two (17th).

Score: 40.

It's hard to overstate what a tremendous rookie season Smith-Schuster had from an efficiency standpoint. The USC product swiftly blew past the competition on the depth chart, including once-celebrated deep threat Martavis Bryant, to become the No. 2 receiver in Pittsburgh, across from Antonio Brown. Even with all the off-field noise generated by Smith-Schuster's personality, he made more than enough plays on the gridiron for that to be the story of his inaugural pro campaign. His prowess on deep targets was wildly impressive. Smith-Schuster's 139.2 passer rating and 54.5 percent catch rate when targeted on throws that traveled 20-plus air yards led all qualifying receivers. The Steelers wideout won't turn 22 until late November. He has every chance to be one of the league's bright young stars for years.

8
Doug Baldwin
WR
Seahawks

Passer rating: 97.0 (17th).
Catch rate: 42.3 percent (seventh).
Percentage of yards: 34.7 percent (19th).
Deep touchdowns: 4 (seventh).

Score: 50.

What makes Baldwin -- one of the two or three best slot receivers in the NFL -- different from the rest of the league's crop of short-area interior receivers is his ability to also get loose down the field. Baldwin got on the scene with his ability to show up with big plays in big moments, especially on plays where Russell Wilson broke structure to improvise. These attributes still make him one of the more dangerous players at his position. Baldwin snagged 11 deep passes for 344 yards and four of his eight touchdowns in 2017. Baldwin has racked up 3,188 yards as the Seahawks' top pass catcher over the last three seasons. He's the rare wide receiver who has sustained success while playing with the unconventional Wilson. The former undrafted wide receiver simply doesn't get enough credit as one of the most well-rounded players at the position.

9
Will Fuller
WR
Texans

Passer rating: 81.9 (23rd).
Catch rate: 33.3 percent (21st).
Percentage of yards: 47.8 percent (fourth).
Deep touchdowns: 4 (fifth).

Score: 53.

There was a moment in time last season when Fuller was one of the most dangerous wide receivers in the NFL. During the four-game span when Fuller (who didn't play until Week 4 because of a broken collarbone) and Deshaun Watson (whose season ended after Week 8 because of a torn ACL) were on the field together in Houston, Fuller scored seven touchdowns. The former first-round pick racked up an outrageous 202 yards and four touchdowns on just five deep passes in 2017. Fuller was bullied over and over again during the draft process for his deficiencies, mostly his subpar hands and propensity for drops. Yet, that brief moment in the sun -- when Fuller was paired with a gifted young quarterback playing at an elite level -- showed the value of a player with a trump card. Yes, Fuller has flaws, but his ability to get downfield and win on deep routes is unmatched among his peers at the wide receiver position. Hopefully we see Watson and Fuller stretch out their excellent 2017 output into a full-season showing, which would likely vault the speedy wideout up this list.

10
Nelson Agholor
WR
Eagles

Passer rating: 99.0 (14th).
Catch rate: 37.5 percent (15th).
Percentage of yards: 35.8 percent (15th).
Deep touchdowns: 3 (ninth).

Score: 53.

After Agholor's first two NFL seasons, the idea that he'd find himself on a top-10 list like this would have been nearly unfathomable. Yet, here we are. A move to the slot revived the wideout's career in his third pro campaign, and he enjoyed a breakout season for the eventual Super Bowl champions. Agholor looked at home running routes from the inside and began to demonstrate the big-play ability that made him a first-round selection back in 2015. While just 16.8 percent of Agholor's catches in 2017 came on deep passes, he made them count, totaling 275 yards and three touchdowns. The USC product heads into his fourth NFL season as a well-established top piece in the Eagles' well-oiled offensive machine. Agholor is now the poster boy of why you shouldn't write off a young player when his career gets off to a slow start.
 

shane

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Dallas doesn't necessarily need a #1 receiver with their running back being so good. They should play hard ball and demand he restructure his massive deal or they cut his sorry ass.
 
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