Archer: Five Wonders - Tagging DeMarco Murray?

Cotton

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Five Wonders: Tagging DeMarco Murray?

September, 23, 2014

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com


IRVING, Texas -- It’s time for Five Wonders and we won’t wonder about the Dallas Cowboys getting to 3-1 for the first time in the Jason Garrett era with a win Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.

That’s too easy of a wonder for the Forever .500 Cowboys.

Away we go:


  • Through three games, I wonder how much more Henry Melton has to show to get the Cowboys to pick up the final three-year option on the deal he signed as a free agent in the offseason. The Cowboys have to exercise the option by the first day of the 2015 league year, which would earn Melton a fully guaranteed $9 million base salary. The base salaries in 2016 and ’17 are $7.5 million. I don’t want to get carried away on tackle statistics because defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli is a tough grader, but has Melton played at a level worth that kind of money yet? He had a key fumble recovery in the second quarter against the Rams, but he has not affected the quarterback much. The three-technique is the key spot in this defense. Jason Hatcher was able to put up 11 sacks last year playing that spot. Maybe Hatcher had more help with teams having to pay attention to DeMarcus Ware, even a less-than-100 percent Ware. The Cowboys do not have an end that will generate that extra look from an offense, so Melton is in a bind. Every dollar counts in the salary cap, as we detailed above, so after three games the Cowboys will need to see more from Melton, who has a hamstring injury.I wonder just how much Adrian Peterson could affect the Cowboys’ talks with DeMarco Murray. No, I don’t see the Cowboys going after Peterson, who has been put on the Minnesota Vikings’ exempt commissioner’s list with child abuse charges pending. But it could affect what the Cowboys do with Murray. I’ve wondered before if the Cowboys would be wise to sign Murray, who will be a free agent when the season ends, sooner rather than later to a solid if not outlandish deal. Think something in the $4 million per year range, maybe a little bit more. Maybe. But I wonder if the Cowboys would consider using the franchise tag on Murray in 2015 if they get a deal done with wide receiver Dez Bryant. And that’s a big if. If they don’t get a multi-year deal with Bryant, then they will put the franchise tag on the receiver -- and there is only one tag to use. But for the sake of this wonder, let’s say a deal with Bryant gets done. What to do with Murray? I’m not sure it would be the best or wisest thing to do, but this is how Peterson is tied in: Had he been cut by the Vikings, then his $14.4 million cap figure would be off the books when the tag is figured next year. The tag this year was $9.54 million. It could go up to roughly $10 million next year. Without Peterson, that number goes down and maybe makes it more palatable.



  • I wonder if the return of fullback Nikita Whitlock to the practice squad puts pressure onTyler Clutts to keep his spot on the 53-man roster. If you’ve followed this space, you know I’m not a big fan of the position Clutts plays. This is not a knock on him, necessarily, but he’s played 25 snaps in the first three games. Against the Rams, he was on the field for 10 plays, including two kneeldowns by Tony Romo. In the eight runs, Murray had 27 yards and a 1-yard touchdown. Six of the eight carries went for a yard or less. I wonder if the Cowboys are planting a seed with Whitlock and hope to see it grow later on in the regular season. Whitlock is a converted defensive tackle and impressed with his work in the preseason for the Cincinnati Bengals, but he doesn’t have the flexibility to help in other areas. I believe Murray does his best work without a fullback, so you know where I stand on this. I just think it’s curious the Cowboys have two fullbacks in the building when they barely use the one on their 53-man roster.



  • I wonder if the Cowboys will finish with an offensive player leading the team in special teams’ tackles. Wide receiver Dwayne Harris, running back Joseph Randle and tight endJames Hanna are in contention through three games. Normally offensive players do not play such a significant role on the coverage teams because they are not as familiar with tackling. Think about it, how often do they have to break down and stop somebody? Besides interceptions and fumble returns, not often. The Cowboys put the offensive players through tackling drills during the week, introducing them to the fundamentals of it and keeping it fresh in their minds. There has to be a fearlessness to play special teams. Harris has it as a returner and a coverage guy. Randle has showed that early on. Hanna is steady. Running back Lance Dunbar does a decent job as a punt gunner as well.



  • I wonder if the Cowboys have a newfound discipline. Through three games they have been penalized 17 times for 112 yards and have had fewer penalties than their opponent in each game. The offensive line did not have a penalty against a strong St. Louis Ramsdefensive front. It might be too soon to wonder this, though. Through three games last year the Cowboys were penalized 16 times for 139 yards but finished the season with 102 penalties for 867 yards. Maybe I’ll amend this wonder: I wonder if the Cowboys keep their penalty total to fewer than 100 this year. The last time they did that was in 2005, when they had 99 penalties for 739 yards.
 

Cowboysrock55

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I think Fullbacks just tend to get in the way of Murray and bunch things up unnecessarily.
 

Cotton

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Our run blocking scheme isn't really reliant on a FB lead blocking.
It's a stupid idea with what we are doing and a waste of a roster space.
 

L.T. Fan

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I'd rather bring Williams up off the practice squad and let him get some carries.
Been advocating this all season. Murray needs some relief if he is going to last the season. Williams is the best candidate to do this.
 

boozeman

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I'd rather bring Williams up off the practice squad and let him get some carries.
I think I have said this before, Clutts is around because of his role on ST as much as the FB position. In other words, he's doing what a LB reserve would do on ST. Not sure if what he does on the coverage/protection units, but I assume he is out there.

The issue isn't that a roster spot is being wasted. It is the fact that Williams can't play ST well enough in any role to justify a spot on the 53.

Might be something to validate. If Clutts is not playing teams, yes, then we are wasting a spot.
 

Clay_Allison

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I think I have said this before, Clutts is around because of his role on ST as much as the FB position. In other words, he's doing what a LB reserve would do on ST. Not sure if what he does on the coverage/protection units, but I assume he is out there.

The issue isn't that a roster spot is being wasted. It is the fact that Williams can't play ST well enough in any role to justify a spot on the 53.

Might be something to validate. If Clutts is not playing teams, yes, then we are wasting a spot.
Then keep Keith Smith on the roster to play ST and provide LB depth.

What's Dunbar's excuse for being on the roster? Does he play ST too?
 

DLK150

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I'm getting tired of hanging onto scrubs because of STs. You can find a decent STer with some potential in any given draft.
 

boozeman

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I'm getting tired of hanging onto scrubs because of STs. You can find a decent STer with some potential in any given draft.
Umm...actually you really don't want to draft special teamers. 2009 should have taught you that.

Usually you get them off the street.

I don't have an issue with keeping fringe guys if they play key roles on ST. Back in the day, we had guys like Elvis Patterson, Joe Fishback, Jim Schwantz and Matt Vanderbeek.

But seriously, are Clutts, Randle and Dunbar that good at it? I get guys like Harris and Spillman, you want the aces.
 

DLK150

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Umm...actually you really don't want to draft special teamers. 2009 should have taught you that.

Usually you get them off the street.

I don't have an issue with keeping fringe guys if they play key roles on ST. Back in the day, we had guys like Elvis Patterson, Joe Fishback, Jim Schwantz and Matt Vanderbeek.

But seriously, are Clutts, Randle and Dunbar that good at it? I get guys like Harris and Spillman, you want the aces.
That's basically my point, it was just poorly worded. I meant the draft process in general, not just the draft itself. Harris is the only pick that stands out in recent memory off the top of my head that was a low round draft choice who developed into a great STer and a contributor at a position.
 

ravidubey

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I think Fullbacks just tend to get in the way of Murray and bunch things up unnecessarily.
I agree. He'd benefit more from another tailback splitting carries than a fullback. Murray lacks elite vision, and a fullback seems to make it worse.
 
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