DeMarco Murray did everything right in '15, so why is he on outs in Dallas?

[Jiggyfly]

The point is that all of those RBs continued to be productive. The less physically gifted backs fell apart after taking the beating of a 375+ carry season. That's what's affecting Murray's value, the question of whether he's permanently lost a step and will come in at the beginning of next season looking like the back we saw at the end of last year: worn out.

It's not so much the physical gifts as its the ability to not take so many hits and be productive.

Murray is to physical a RB to think he can keep this up long term.

 

[townsend]

It's like a lease ran out on our 2011 Kia Sorento. No we don't want to renew because we took it off road, and forgot to change the oil for 11,000 miles.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Everyone is a prophet.

 

[VA Cowboy]

Murray can be replaced as a runner, a big concern I have is picking up the blitz for whoever replaces Murray. Can Gordon, Gurley, Cobb, Johnson do that? I don’t know.

Same here. My concern with DM is that he's only had one full season healthy. Giving him a big contract extension is we're gambling he can carry the load for at least 2-3 more years while staying healthy. I think that's a big IF. But it's also a concern if we let him walk and expect a rookie to come in and be an every down back while also being able to pick up the blitz and be a competent receiver out of the backfield.

It's a tough decision, but one that will be determined by the $$$. If a team offers a contract far higher than we're willing to pay then he's gone and we draft a back. Otherwise we'll bring him back at a reasonable price and hope he stays healthy.

Best case would be bringing him back at a good price and drafting a solid RB on day 2. But I doubt we draft a back that high if DM re-signs and with this draft being deep I'd hate to miss out on one of them.

 

[townsend]

Same here. My concern with DM is that he's only had one full season healthy. Giving him a big contract extension is we're gambling he can carry the load for at least 2-3 more years while staying healthy. I think that's a big IF. But it's also a concern if we let him walk and expect a rookie to come in and be an every down back while also being able to pick up the blitz and be a competent receiver out of the backfield.

It's a tough decision, but one that will be determined by the $$$. If a team offers a contract far higher than we're willing to pay then he's gone and we draft a back. Otherwise we'll bring him back at a reasonable price and hope he stays healthy.

Best case would be bringing him back at a good price and drafting a solid RB on day 2. But I doubt we draft a back that high if DM re-signs and with this draft being deep I'd hate to miss out on one of them.

It seems like we should go with a 2nd or 3rd round pick, and also pick up a mediocre free agent, like a Reggie Bush or Steven Jackson to act as a safety net.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Same here. My concern with DM is that he's only had one full season healthy. Giving him a big contract extension is we're gambling he can carry the load for at least 2-3 more years while staying healthy. I think that's a big IF. But it's also a concern if we let him walk and expect a rookie to come in and be an every down back while also being able to pick up the blitz and be a competent receiver out of the backfield.

.

If you have to drop 6+ mil a year on Murray you sure as hell shouldn't also have to invest a second/third round pick in a RB. If you have that little faith in Murray's ability then you don't give him that contract.

 

[Jiggyfly]

@MaxLuckan: #Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell and DeMarco Murray's agent, Bill Johnson, are believed to be discussing parameters of a deal

 

[hstour]

It wasn't a great play in the sense that he did anything special to knock that ball out. He barely got a hand on the ball. To me that was way more a horrific play by Murray then a great play by Peppers.

Don Beebe for example may have made a "great play" causing Lett to fumble but make no mistake, it was a horrific play by Leon Lett. The Murray fumble is on Murray.

Look at the tape of the play. Murray was carrying the in front of his chest like he should have been. He wasn't being careless with the ball out away from his body. Pepper's made the play by stretching out and getting a hand in from behind.

[video]http://gfycat.com/BountifulPeskyAnkole[/video]

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Look at the tape of the play. Murray was carrying the in front of his chest like he should have been. He wasn't being careless with the ball out away from his body. Pepper's made the play by stretching out and getting a hand in from behind.

[video]http://gfycat.com/BountifulPeskyAnkole[/video]

He had one hand on the ball running through the hole. Careless or not the ball was barely hit. Your RB should never fumble in that situation.

That doesn't discredit what he did all season long. I'm not going to excuse a bad play either.

 

[hstour]

Murray can be replaced as a runner, a big concern I have is picking up the blitz for whoever replaces Murray. Can Gordon, Gurley, Cobb, Johnson do that? I don’t know.

I think his blocking is overrated. He was the one who whiffed on Kerrigan in the Washington game that go Romo knocked out. I wish I had a PFF Premium account so that I could see his actual grading. I know that he wasn't on the 2013 list of top 10 blocking RBs.

And I agree with others. This was his first non injury plagued year.

 

[Cotton]

I think his blocking is overrated. He was the one who whiffed on Kerrigan in the Washington game that go Romo knocked out. I wish I had a PFF Premium account so that I could see his actual grading. I know that he wasn't on the 2013 list of top 10 blocking RBs.

And I agree with others. This was his first non injury plagued year.

There are people that actually pay to see more of PFF?

 

[Jiggyfly]

I think his blocking is overrated. He was the one who whiffed on Kerrigan in the Washington game that go Romo knocked out. I wish I had a PFF Premium account so that I could see his actual grading. I know that he wasn't on the 2013 list of top 10 blocking RBs.

And I agree with others. This was his first non injury plagued year.

So he is overrated because he missed 1 block?

Anybody that actually watched him in blitz pickup since he has been here realizes how well he blocks, but go ahead and tell us he is overrated because of one play.

 

[hstour]

There are people that actually pay to see more of PFF?

Yes....About 30% of NFL teams subscribe to them for detailed statistics.

 

[hstour]

So he is overrated because he missed 1 block?

Anybody that actually watched him in blitz pickup since he has been here realizes how well he blocks, but go ahead and tell us he is overrated because of one play.

Never said he was overrated. I did say that I believe that the idea that he is a top of the league blocker is overstated. I gave one example of where he missed a block in an important situation and I also pointed out that he was not included in the Top 10 of Blocking RBs after the previous season.

I did find this:

ProFootballFocus.com ranked Murray 24th this past season among all players at his position who spent at least half their time in protection when their team went to the air.

24th doesn't seem to me to be as "elite" as some people are making him out to be in pass blocking.

 

[Carp]

Who said he was elite?

 

[Cotton]

Yes....About 30% of NFL teams subscribe to them for detailed statistics.

Oh, c'mon.

 

[Jiggyfly]

Who said he was elite?

People.

 

[hstour]

Oh, c'mon.

You are right, I was wrong. I had the percentage low. Try this article from Jan 25, 2015.

http://mmqb.si.com/2015/01/25/pro-football-focus-nfl-neil-hornsby-cris-collinsworth-analytics/

Neil Hornsby isn’t doing this solely as a labor of love, though that’s precisely how his business, Pro Football Focus, began nine years ago in Luton, England, some 30 miles north of London. Living stateside since October, he now counts 13 NFL teams—40% of the league—as clients, including seven teams from this season’s playoff field.

 

[Cotton]

You are right, I was wrong. I had the percentage low. Try this article from Jan 25, 2015.

http://mmqb.si.com/2015/01/25/pro-football-focus-nfl-neil-hornsby-cris-collinsworth-analytics/

Neil Hornsby isn’t doing this solely as a labor of love, though that’s precisely how his business, Pro Football Focus, began nine years ago in Luton, England, some 30 miles north of London. Living stateside since October, he now counts 13 NFL teams—40% of the league—as clients, including seven teams from this season’s playoff field.

I stand corrected. Seems like a colossal waste of money to me when they have people on staff that can do the same thing.

 

[Carp]

People.

Sources...